EDAD 8055 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
The purpose of this course is to prepare doctoral level education leaders to ask three core questions that relate to the mission of schools. It will accomplish this purpose by acting on an assumption about curriculum and learning: that curriculum situated in the context of the challenges and problems of learning in classrooms will increase the likelihood that course participants will appreciate the relationship between curriculum theory, qualitative research on teaching and learning and classroom practice. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze qualitative research data, relate it to a problem of classroom practice, transfer this learning to new problems and situations. This course will be organized around three critical questions that effective school and district leaders should be proficient in asking: What should children learn? How should children learn? And, How do we know if children are learning at optimal levels? Course participants will engage these questions by investigating classroom-based challenges raised by members of their cohort. Full day site visits to schools will provide students to apply qualitative research methods learned in EDAD 8057 by collecting data relevant to the challenges identified by other participants. Students will analyze the data collected, discuss their interpretations of the data and present constructive, specific suggestions to improve learning. Students who may be collecting qualitative research for their dissertations may also enroll in this course to obtain support and assistance in the data analysis process.