Mixed Methods
Name
Course
Date
Research Questions
How do schools with a better track record of student achievement choose their teachers?
What are the distinctions in school-level academic leadership between successful and unsuccessful schools?
Why does faculty cohesion differ between high-performing and low-performing institutions?
Approach and Design
First, a mixed research question is proposed, which is then broken down into independent QUAN and QUAL subquestions. According to us, an overarching question in most mixed method research justifies the use of a mixed method design and helps to ensure alignment between goal and question (Baran, 2022). For example, a researcher might inquire as follows: What are the behavioral and academic changes in groups A and B as a result of implementing intervention package X?
It should be clear to anyone why a mixed technique approach is required for this particular research subject. Subsequent inquiries could include the following: Is there a difference between A and B in terms of Y and Z between the two groups? The participants in groups A and B, what are their views and conceptions of the intervention package X? In the two groups, why does the intervention package X work in a different way? The sub-questions are addressed in various parts of the research.
As per Creswell and Plano Clark, an alternative strategy includes asking about the type of integration before moving on to distinct QUAN and QUAL inquiries. How can follow-up qualitative findings explain the initial quantitative results??” are examples of questions that an investigator might ask.
Exploratory sequential mixed methods or convergent parallel mixed methods.
Creswell instructs us on the six distinct types of mixed method designs that are available. These many strategies each come with their own individual set of benefits and drawbacks. If you are employing a parallel design, you will first gather both quantitative and qualitative data; then, you will analyze both datasets independently and compare the results; finally, you will make an interpretation on whether or not the results support or contradict one another. When two datasets are directly compared by a researcher, the results produce a convergence of data sources supporting the researcher’s findings.
The gathering of quantitative data comes first, followed by the collection of qualitative data to assist in the explanation of or expansion on the quantitative findings. Using just quantitative data and the results of the experiment allows for the creation of a comprehensive picture of the issue.
In an exploratory sequential design, qualitative and quantitative data are collected in the order listed consecutively (Molina-Azorin & Fetters, 2019). Following the collection of qualitative data, the exploratory sequential mixed-methods design then moves on to the collection of quantitative data in order to provide an explanation for the connections that were found in the qualitative information.
When using embedded design, you can choose to gather quantitative and qualitative data concurrently or sequentially, and in any case, the collected data will still be able to support the other sort of data. The first type of data is being gathered because it is the focus of the collection of the second type of data, which argues for or supports the first type of data. It is possible to provide support for the statements with both qualitative and quantitative evidence.
The purpose of the transformative mixed methods approach is to achieve the goal of applying one of the four methodologies (convergent, explanatory, exploratory, or embedding) inside a transformative framework. Through the lens of this paradigm, the mixed-method design can be seen. The overall purpose of an investigation, its specific research objectives, the data gathering process, and the findings are all influenced by the literature review (Kajamaa, 2020). The purpose of the framework is to conduct research that will result in positive social change and to address a social problem that is affecting a group that is underrepresented.
This emphasis on the research question is a key aspect of the pragmatic approach to blending quantitative and qualitative research. With this stance in reference to the dispute about quantitative and qualitative data, the research topic is given precedence above epistemic or ontological arguments. Consequently, it paves the way for research that integrates the two methods.
Researchable questions in a topic area of interest are often the most challenging to come up with as an intellectual exercise for those who are undertaking their own research (Kajamaa, 2020). When conducting mixed method research, the approach is significantly more challenging because the researchers often want to combine the QUAN and QUAL research topics.
The objective of the transformational mixed methods design is to make use of one of the four designs, such as the convergent or explanatory design, but to enclose that design within a transformational framework. Through the lens of this paradigm, the mixed-method design can be understood. This factor has a role in determining the general purpose of the study, as well as the research questions, data collection, and findings. The goal of the Framework is to address a social problem that is experienced by a group that is underrepresented or marginalized, and to participate in research that leads to a modification in policy or practice.
References
Baran, M. L. (2022). Mixed methods research design. In Research Anthology on Innovative Research Methodologies and Utilization Across Multiple Disciplines (pp. 312-333). IGI Global.
Molina-Azorin, J. F., & Fetters, M. D. (2019). Building a better world through mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 13(3), 275-281.
Kajamaa, A., Mattick, K., & de la Croix, A. (2020). How to… do mixed‐methods research. The clinical teacher, 17(3), 267-271.
