Effective Strategies for Teaching Research Methods to Adult Students

Teaching Research Methods Shannon Perry Department of Leadership, Technology, & Workforce Development Valdosta State University

Objectives Discuss strategies I have used or plan to use with adult students learning research methods Unpack specific strategies for facilitating online courses

Pre-Class Reflection Purpose: Develop sense of students expectations and goals Understand students prior knowledge of qualitative research Create a plan for self-assessment Practice engaging in reflection How: Google Form

Pre-Class Reflection Sample Questions What are your academic, professional, and personal goals related to research? What prior knowledge or experience (if any) do you have about qualitative research? What are your expectations for this course? How can I best support you?

Research Design as Complex Ecology Goals position, cultural values, personal desires Validity epistemology subjective Maxwell, J. A. (2009). Designing a qualitative study. In The SAGE Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods (2nd ed., pp. 214-253). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483348858

Research Journals When: Duration of the course Purpose: Develop reflexive capacity through research process Develop strong writing and reading habits Practice writing about theory How: Digital form of student s choice Assessment: Opportunity to share in class Two instructor checks during term

Epistemology Vestibulum congue Theoretical Framework Methodology Vestibulum congue Methods

Building Philosophical Grounding Crotty, M. J. (1998). The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process Sage..

Mapping the Terrain Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.

Predict *Positivist Understand *Interpretive Emancipate *Critical Break Deconstruct *Poststructural New Inquiry Ontological Turn Immanence Post Qualitative Inquiry (St.Pierre) New Materialisms Mixed Methods Naturalistic Neomarxist Postmodern Constructivist < Feminist > Postcolonial Phenomenological Critical Race Theory Post critical New Empiricisms Symbolic Interactionist Praxis-oriented Posthumanist Affect Theory (Spinoza & Deleuze) Gay & Lesbian Theories Queer Theories Post Fordist Parrhesia (Kuntz) Divination (Maclure) Queer Theory Foucauldian Discourse Analysis Ethico-onto- epistemology (e.g., Barad) Minor Inquiry (Mazzei) Postparadigmatic Diaspora (John Caputo) Post-everything (Fred Erickson) Thought without Method (Jackson) Lather, P., & St. Pierre, E. A. (2007). Postpositivist new paradigm inquiry. In P. Lather, Getting lost: Feminist efforts toward a double(d) science (p. 164). Albany: State University of New York Press.

Research Design Possibilities Activity Theoretical Vestibulum congue Epistemology Vestibulum congue Methodology Vestibulum congue Methods Vestibulum congue Framework

Analyzing Research Questions Activity Which epistemological paradigm(s) or theoretical perspective(s) (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015) might the following research question align with? How do teachers of African American students in urban elementary schools in the South implement culturally relevant pedagogy? Mathews (2024)

Concept Mapping Purpose: Develop ecological or systems understandings Clarifying definitions and concepts Uncover potential new connections or elements Mapping different types of relations Practice visual literacy How: Paper & pencil/markers or with digitally with Miro, Mindmap or other tool

Playing with Modes of Thinking in Analysis Categorical Dialectical Narrative Poetical Diagrammatical / cartographic Freeman, M. (2016). Modes of thinking for qualitative data analysis. Routledge.

Developing Learning Community Online Relational rituals (writing, sharing work) Cultivating belonging with diverse course material selection Group activities and assignments o Breakout rooms o Informal and peer learning Guest scholar interview Collaborative and individual activities and assignments for developing digital literacy

Synchronous Activities for Practice and Play Giving and receiving feedback on work The Listening Guide activity Slow observing (Mol, 2021) Playing with theme-ing and coding approaches Collaborative blackout poetry

Authentic Research Activities and Assignments Digital media creation Visual and sound collaging Digital poster research proposal Curating an archive Podcasting / blogging / online publishing Collaborative annotated bibliography Opportunities for student facilitation Teach a research tradition or method Research methodology book club Research design poster presentations

Teaching Adult and Career Education

Inquiry is a 21st century career literacy. a social technology for transformative learning. enacting leadership. lifelong learning. key to building learning cultures.

Collaborative Inquiry Pedagogical method for creating self-generating learning cultures Emphasizes affective experiencing and expressions of aesthetic knowing Practices mutuality and co-creation Leading to transformations of being, knowing, and doing

Building Affective Capacity Critical subjectivity prerequisite to critical dialogue Relational perception (e.g., Buber s I-Thou, Barad s intra-action, Braidotti s we are in this together but we are not one and the same ) Receiving and interpreting embodied feedback (e.g., anxiety, wonder)

Four Parts of Speech 1. Framing the situation or challenge. 2. Advocating a specific approach or way forward. 3. Illustrating potential outcomes of following or not pursuing the suggested approach. 4. Inquiring in order to learn and find other perspectives. Torbert, W. R. (2004). Action inquiry: The secret of timely and transforming leadership. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Four Parts of Speech Activity Using Torbert s (2004) four parts of speech (framing, advocating, illustrating, and inquiring), prepare a short four sentence paragraph or speech inquiring about creating a new course or departmental initiative. Torbert, W. R. (2004). Action inquiry: The secret of timely and transforming leadership. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

La Selva (Sound Environments from a Neotropical Rain Forest) Slow Listening Reflection What do you hear? How do you feel in this sonic reality? Sharing revealing complexity and nuance

Affective Relational Strategies Relational whole personhood = interdependence Opening check-ins (connections game, high-low) Fostering expressive ways of knowing Affective storytelling pedagogy (Kathleen Stewart)

Authentic Assignments Focusing Digital Literacies Emphasis on playing with web platforms and digital tools Teaching/leading learning philosophy videos Blogging scholar-practitioner work Participating in peer review processes Collaborative writing Online facilitation practice Creating multimedia instructional media Creating collaborative digital documents

Relational learning Meaningful work Inquiry-based (w)holistic pedagogy Affective digital interactions and multimedia materials Responsive and responsible action Lifelong and life-wide learning

Thank you! Questions?