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I'm currently working through some questions for framing qualitative research (Mason, 2002), which I hope will help me to better frame my research.
The social 'reality': Your Ontological Perspective
What is the nature of the phenomena, or entities, or 'social reality' that I wish to investigate?
Elements from Table 1.1 that appeal:- People, social actors, motivations, identities, cultural or social constructions
- Experiences, development, behaviours, interactions, social processes
- Institutions, markets, societies, organisation, connectedness, multiple realities or versions + tribes, networks
- People, understandings, perceptions,attitudes, thought
- Experiences, development, actions, interactions, situations, rules
- The 'material', groups, organisation
Knowledge and Evidence: Your Epistemological Position
What might represent knowledge or evidence of the entities or social 'reality' that I wish to investigate?
Experiences of users will allow me to link my design approach to how people perceive the materials and support framework - affects my ability to rationally design or re-design materials and approaches in response to user feedback.The research would benefit from some objective measures of performance to show that knowledge about systems and procedures has successfully transferred, rather than asking for user ratings - allows for genuine accountability in our training approach.
Your Broad Research Area
What topic, or broad substantive area, is the research concerned with?
This research topic is concerned with understanding what experiences examiners have when using online resources and support to adopt new software for marking and standardisation, and any different procedures that must be adopted. My focus is on interpreting results in such a way as to allow continuous improvement of the design of such materials, and to understand how much effect the strategy has on learning, as evidenced through performance. I do not have control over the precise methods for measuring performance, but am able to access such data.Your Intellectual Puzzle and Your Research Questions
What is the intellectual puzzle?
How do I show that my learning intervention has had the desired impact, and how can I rationally design better approaches in future, or re-design to off-set any shortcomings?What do I wish to explain or explore?
I wish to explain how the support approaches link to performance and attitudes among the examiners, and explore how to improve both in the future.What type of puzzle is it?
This is a causal / predictive puzzle.Your Research Questions
What are my research questions?
For gaining insights from examiners taking part in the live pilot I'm thinking along the lines of:- Describe your experiences of using the software to carry out standardisation of marking
- Describe your experiences of using the software to record and submit your marks
- Describe your experiences of communicating with your senior examiner during the marking period
- Describe your experience of using the online resources to prepare you for marking
- Describe your experience of using the online resources and printable materials during the marking period
Your Aims and Purpose
What is the purpose of my research? What am I doing it for?
The purpose of this research is to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of high quality marking for candidates sitting national examinations. The research will be done on behalf of my employer, to benefit examiners whilst delivering the marking and help to maintain motivation through consideration of the support offered. By achieving these objectives it is also expected that examiner performance will improve, which will be judged through the assessments from senior examiners and staff. The timeliness and accuracy of results could also be interrogated relative to expected deadlines and the number of examiners stopped or re-marked.References
- Mason, J., 2002. Qualitative researching, London: SAGE Publications.
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