Exploring Diary Methods in Higher Education Research


Book Description

This methodologically oriented collection brings together higher education diary research studies from international contexts to showcase the versatility of the method and its adaptability to higher education research. While keeping a diary is a familiar personal practice, diary method is a neglected form of research in higher education studies as well as the social sciences more broadly. This book showcases the range of options within diary method, as well as the benefits and challenges that this fascinating but mysterious method may bring to students and academic researchers alike. The benefits and the risks and challenges of diary research are discussed across the empirical studies included in the volume. Using a variety of solicited diary techniques, including audio, written and photo diaries, and focusing on different aspects of higher education including undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics, these studies include salient topics such as: LGBTQ identities, faith, caring responsibilities, international students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students and employability. This important contribution to methodological innovation in the higher education research field promotes diary method as a viable option in social sciences and beyond. Whether new to the method or a seasoned diary researcher, this book is ideal reading for anyone who would like to learn the fundamentals of diary research and explore its feasibility in empirical contexts.




Using Diaries for Social Research


Book Description

`The book has no competitor; it summarises the development of the method, follows through all stages of research from accessing subjects through design to analysing diary information as data, and considers how the method can best be exploited and used. No other book comes remotely near doing this. I for one shall be using it gratefully as the single best text for diary research′ - Professor Anthony P Macmillan Coxon, Honorary Professorial Fellow, University of Edinburgh In this accessible and lucid introductory text, Andy Alaszewski considers the analysis of diaries as a distinctive research technique in its own right. Nothing has previously covered this area in single-volume format, but the timely emergence of Using Diaries for Social Research recognizes the increased interest in and relevance of diary methodology within social research teaching. Effectively combining theory, history and methodology, Alaszewski begins by discussing how diary keeping has developed; outlining the key features of the medium and examining the ways in which diaries have been and can be used for social research. He describes how suitable diaries and diarists can be identified by the researcher and, once found, how these diaries can be structured to generate research material. Finally, the researcher is taken through the analysis stage; examining statistical techniques, content-analysis and structure-analysis as effective methods of investigating diary texts. This introductory student guide is an essential text for anyone involved in the area of social or historical research and for those working in the narrative tradition.




Theory and Method in Higher Education Research


Book Description

This volume of Theory and Method in Higher Education Research explores theories such as student development theory, critical race theory applied to international students, critical language theory and linguistic approaches to higher education research.




Methods in Educational Research


Book Description

Methods in Educational Research Methods in Educational Research is designed to prepare students for the real world of educational research. It focuses on scientifically-based methods, school accountability, and the professional demands of the twenty-first century, empowering researchers to take an active role in conducting research in their classrooms, districts, and the greater educational community. Like the first edition, this edition helps students, educators, and researchers develop a broad and deep understanding of research methodologies. It includes substantial new content on the impact of No Child Left Behind legislation, school reform, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, logic modeling, action research, and other areas. Special features to assist the teaching and learning processes include vignettes illustrating research tied to practice, suggested readings at the end of each chapter, and discussion questions to reinforce chapter content. Praise for the Previous Edition "A new attempt to make this subject more relevant and appealing to students. Most striking is how useful this book is because it is really grounded in educational research. It is very well written and quite relevant for educational researchers or for the student hoping to become one." -PsycCRITIQUES/American Psychological Association "I applaud the authors for their attempt to cover a wide range of material. The straightforward language of the book helps make the material understandable for readers." -Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation




Collecting Qualitative Data


Book Description

Is there more to qualitative data collection than face-to-face interviews? Answering with a resounding 'yes', this book introduces the reader to a wide array of exciting and novel techniques for collecting qualitative data in the social and health sciences. Collecting Qualitative Data offers a practical and accessible guide to textual, media and virtual methods currently under-utilised within qualitative research. Contributors from a range of disciplines share their experiences of implementing a particular technique, provide step-by-step guidance to using that approach, and highlight both the potential and pitfalls. From gathering blog data to the story completion method to conducting focus groups online, the methods and data types featured in this book are ideally suited to student projects and other time- and resource-limited research. In presenting several innovative ways that data can be collected, new modes of scholarship and new research orientations are opened up to student researchers and established scholars alike.




Teaching Qualitative Research


Book Description

This timely resource provides a framework for teaching students how to think qualitatively and become more critical and reflexive researchers. Presented are a wealth of pedagogical tools that instructors across the disciplines can tailor to their own needs, including thought-provoking discussion questions, group work exercises, and field activities. The authors discuss issues and choices in course design, including approaches to assessment and grading, and share sample syllabi for both online and face-to-face course formats. Exploring the complexities and debates that surround teaching qualitative research, the book argues for a holistic model of preparing novice researchers. It demonstrates effective ways to engage students in the qualitative inquiry process from start to finish--from understanding positionality and crafting a research problem to writing up findings for different audiences.




Action Research in Education


Book Description

Acclaimed as a text and professional development tool, this user-friendly resource has now been revised and updated, and offers expanded coverage of collaborative action research (CAR) and participatory action research (PAR). Preservice and inservice educators get crucial step-by-step guidance for conducting classroom- and school-based studies to improve their instructional practices. Organized to mirror the full cycle of action research, the book provides balanced coverage of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Vivid vignettes and examples illustrate research approaches for a range of teaching and learning situations, school subjects, and age groups (PreK–12). Readers learn how research approaches are driven by the research question, as well as how to develop data collection strategies; design and/or evaluate assessment tools; interpret, analyze, report, and implement study results; and design a new cycle of research that builds on the previous one. New to This Edition *In-depth descriptions of CAR and PAR--which enable groups of teachers to work together to solve problems in a classroom or school--plus examples of both throughout the book. *Expanded or new discussions (with examples) of such topics as how research approaches and methods are driven by the research question, how to assess different types of reliability and validity, the differences between analysis and interpretation, and how to use sequential cycles of research for continuous improvement and professional development. *Fully updated references and resources. Pedagogical Features *Both individual and group exercises and activities in every chapter. *New and updated checklists and guidelines that enable busy educators to self-assess the progress and quality of their studies. *Sample templates to assist in development of research instruments. *Example boxes illustrating the components of an action research report. *Summary tables highlighting key aspects of different research strategies. *Chapter summaries (now shorter for ease of use) and suggestions for further reading.




Calendar and Time Diary Methods in Life Course Research


Book Description

Calendar and Diary Methods in Life Events Research offers a road map to those who wish to use calendar and diary methods in their own research.




What is Diary Method?


Book Description

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. This book provides an up-to-date, concise, and engaging introduction to solicited diary method, aimed at researchers and students who want to employ this methodology in their projects. Its primary focus is on the use of solicited diary method in the context of social and health-related research, but it also offers useful guidance on the everyday practice of diary keeping. The authors draw on published research that makes use of this method, including their own independent studies involving older adults and family carers. The book opens with an overview of the development of diary techniques and a discussion of the value of the method, and provides an overview of the different ways of collecting and using diary data and techniques for analysing it. Key ethical issues are sensitively discussed. The book engages with new and novel developments in solicited diary method by engaging with the use of technology including discussion of how digital devices, email exchanges, social media such as Facebook, weblogs and micro-blogging such as Twitter, have the potential to change the meaning and nature of diary-keeping. The book includes a variety of visuals to enhance understanding, including a tabulated summary of the main strengths and limitations of using diary method, and strategies for mitigating limitations.




Exploring Time as a Resource for Wellness in Higher Education


Book Description

Bringing together international perspectives, this book demonstrates the importance of reframing time in higher education and how we can view it as a resource to support wellbeing and self-care. Time is a central part of our lives and structures our days, and yet often we don’t think about the socially constructed nature of time or how we might reframe our relationship with time and our work in ways that support our self-care and wellbeing. Exploring Time as a Resource for Wellness in Higher Education suggests an alternative way to look at how we structure our time to better support our wellbeing. Drawing on a range of theoretical and personal perspectives, the authors advocate for a reconsideration and reconceptualization of our relationship with time. By sharing their experiences, the authors encourage readers to notice how they spend their time and offer strategies for an intentional focus on the relationship between time, self-care, and wellbeing. Whether it's making time, having time, or investing in time, this book explores strategies and reflections necessary to grow, maintain, and protect wellbeing. This book is a valuable resource for those working in higher education, offering individual, collective, and systemic suggestions and strategies for navigating the ways we see time and wellbeing.