Putting Qualitative Pedagogy to Work Online: Students' Responses and Perspectives

Objectives 

The field of qualitative research methods is characterized by interdisciplinary scholarship and debate as to the most effective means of preparing qualitative researchers. While much instruction in qualitative methods is delivered face-to-face, online teaching of qualitative research methods is increasing. Yet little research investigates online modes of delivery. This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study examining the experiences of students in fully online methods courses. Specifically, we asked: 

1.What are students’ responses to use of fully online modes for delivery of core content in a qualitative research methods program? 

2.What challenges and affordances do students encounter? 

3.How might online modes of delivery be used most effectively? 

Perspective(s) 

Using Preissle and deMarrais’s concept of qualitative pedagogy (2009. 2011), we assume “that the principles that guide qualitative research should guide instruction in qualitative research” (Preissle & deMarrais, 2011). The qualitative pedagogy we use in our program aims to be responsive, reflexive, recursive, reflective, and contextual whether in face-to-face or online formats. 

Methods

Our methodological approach to this study was a qualitative embedded case-study design (Yin, 2004). We conducted a longitudinal study examining the experiences of graduate students in an online graduate certificate program over the first 2 years of program development and implementation.

Data sources

Data includes semi-structured 60-minute interviews with 20 students conducted after course completion. A researcher unaffiliated with each course conducted interviews with five students from each of the four courses. Additional data included interactions in required asynchronous online discussions and optional synchronous meetings, instructor-generated teaching and feedback materials, anonymous mid-semester student feedback, end-of-course student evaluations, and instructor reflections.

Results 

Students highlighted different pedagogical features of the online course environment that facilitated their learning. These included instructor audio-enhanced presentations and screencasts, course readings, timely feedback and responsiveness from the instructor, clear organization and structure with expectations for each week, assignments that students could tailor to their own research interests, and assignments that contributed to the final project for the course. 

Students reported a variety of challenges related to learning within an online environment. The most-reported challenge was maintaining a consistent schedule in order to complete assignments. Other challenges related to individual issues: the writing intensive nature of an online course for non-native speakers of English; lack of familiarity with technologies used; and difficulties in communicating with peers for a group project.

Overall, students perceived the online courses positively. Students who reported mixed or negative perceptions of the online delivery expressed beliefs that learning occurs more effectively in face-to-face settings; these students also reported interacting with the instructor and course materials less than students who expressed positive perceptions. 

Although convenience was cited as a key factor for enrolling in an online course, students recognized the value of the reading and writing-intensive nature of online courses. Several mentioned unintended learning outcomes such as insights into how they might design their own online coursework. 

Significance 

Findings identify pedagogical strategies that facilitate student learning in online environments and offer strategies used by students to manage their coursework.