Technology in Qualitative Research (TQR)

Champaign, Illinois Wednesday May 14, 2008 

Registration Guideline        ADITQR Program 

Timetable

Theme A: Working within digital/virtual communities

2503 Teaching Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) in a Virtual Environment: Team Curriculum Development of an NVivo Training Workshop

"Judith Ann Davidson, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Cynthia Wedekind Jacobs, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Kerry Frances Donohoe, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Carolyn Jean Siccama, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and Sharyn Hardy Gallagher, none"

"As Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) has entered the qualitative research scene over the last decade, the issue of delivery of training for the new tools has arisen. Online environments, as structured by Learning Management Systems (LMS), offer a delivery system that can be widely accessed by researchers around the world, but raise new issues for instructors as one tries to teach one kind of software application within another. This paper describes the way one team of experienced QDAS users collaborated on a curriculum development project to create a high quality training program for NVivo software within a Blackboard course container, examining the challenges that arose from: multiple perspectives of team members; technological challenges; and challenges to conceptualizing QDAS-based qualitative research. QDAS and online environments will inevitably be part of the qualitative research arena, and this paper takes a step toward deepening understanding of the issues present at their intersection."

Judith_Davidson@uml.edu;Cynthia_Jacobs@uml.edu;Kerry_Donohoe@uml.edu;Carolyn_Siccama@uml.edu;sharyn@comcast.net

2513 De/colonizing democratic digital learning environments: Carving a space for wiki-ology in qualitative inquiry

"Kakali Bhattacharya, University of Memphis, and Amber McCullough, University of Memphis"

"''Performing in an independent democratic learning environment felt like floundering in the darkness of uncertainty,'' was the initial reaction of several graduate student participants who used wikis to create a qualitative methods repository of embodied knowledge, qualipedia, akin to Wikipedia. Currently, http://qualipedia.wikispaces.com is still a work in progress shaped by the graduate students in qualitative inquiry at the University of Memphis. In this paper, using a digital narrative format, the authors will discuss the findings of a two-year qualitative study of using wikis in two graduate qualitative methods classes to legitimize embodied forms of construction of knowledge that highlight new border crossings. The digital narrative will demonstrate both the learners' and instructor's perspectives as co-creators of a democratic learning environment. Of critical importance are voice, accessibility, and intelligibility that inform construction of knowledge in wikis. Additionally, the authors will interrogate the benchmark s of academic merit when wikis offer the potential of re-presenting ways of knowing through/with/against the boundaries of academia."

kbhttchr@memphis.edu;uxmal66@yahoo.com

2514 Faculty Learning Community: Experiences with Qualitative Data Analysis Software

"Linda S. Gilbert, University of Georgia, Marie Claude Boudreau, University of Georgia, James E. Coverdill, University of Georgia, and Melissa Freeman, University of Georgia"

"Beginning in fall of 2007, the presenters have been participating in a faculty learning community on ''integrating qualitative data analysis software into qualitative research and teaching.'' Faculty Learning Communities (FLC) are a new initiative on our campus, sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning. According to their website, ''An FLC consists of six to twelve faculty [members] from different disciplines who agree to meet about every three weeks to consider their topic of mutual interest and to learn from each other.'' The initial announcement for this FLC promised that members would ''?explore the use of qualitative data analysis software for their own research and generate potential learning activities for students engaged in qualitative research.'' In this presentation, we will reflect on our learning experiences and our growing understanding of qualitative data analysis software and how to use it for research and teaching."

GilbertL@uga.edu;mcboudre@terry.uga.edu;jimcov@uga.edu;freeman9@uga.edu

2517 "Libratory Technologies: Using Multimodal Literacies to Connect, Reframe, and Build Communities from the Bottom Up"

"Judith C. Lapadat, University of Northern British Columbia"

"In our electronic world, traditional modalities of communication - speech, print, gesture, and image - have lost their boundaries. Print literacy has undergone a transformation; it is technologically mediated and multimodally embedded within many people's everyday social practices. Democratization of access invites every person to author his/her own narrative and provides an electronic forum for the bottom-up creation of new literate communities. Yet, classrooms at all levels often lag in using technological tools to connect, reframe, and build communities. In this paper, I will present an example from a graduate qualitative methods class in which class members wrote and shared autobiographical narratives, then collaboratively analyzed these identity pieces using qualitative analysis software. These same individuals went on to form a professional and scholarly electronically networked working group, building on the initial collaborative qualitative research project. This micro example provides a model for global possibilities."

lapadat@unbc.ca

Theme B: Wider Contextual issues on adopting new technologies

2505 Ethical issues in online qualitative inquiry: Lessons learned from the ''field.''

"Fawn C Winterwood, The Ohio State University, and Sharon K Saunders, The Ohio State University"

"Contemporary American youth culture is infused with digital media and communication technologies. For those who have grown up with access and incentive to use computer mediated communication (CMC) in their daily lives, interacting with others via online social networking (SN) sites and instant messaging is often taken for granted as part of their daily routine. Integration of interview and observation within online environments may provide researchers new and interesting opportunities for conducting ethnographic research involving these youth. At the same time, there are many ethical and methodological considerations unique to research involving participants and CMC. This paper contributes to the growing discussion of ethics and online qualitative research by drawing on two separate research studies focused on SN sites and identity. We explore a variety of issues encountered as we conducted ethnographies within online SN communities via computer mediated interviews and observation."

winterwood.1@osu.edu;saunders.183@osu.edu

2507 Contexts of Use with Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS)

"Silvana di Gregorio, SdG Associates and Judith Ann Davidson, University of Massachusetts-Lowell"

"Although QDAS has been with us for a few decades, there has been little discussion on the variety of contexts where the software has been introduced and the different traditions of use that are growing up in these different contexts. In this paper we discuss the use of QDAS as it is evolving in two distinct contexts - academia and the commercial context. Cutting across these two broad contexts are similar forms of working situations - as a lone researcher, as a dyad and as various configurations of group or teamwork. In the academic realm we focus on the use of QDAS in the dissertation (a dyadic relationship) and in class instruction (a group relationship). Our discussion of commercial uses explores a range of ways firms have found QDAS useful (both as lone researcher and teamwork) and we hypothesize about possible future uses. In our paper we present guidelines for useage in these two arenas. As QDAS use widens, if we are to make full sense of the phenomenon, it is imperative that we consider the ways contexts shapes use and visa-versa."

silvana@sdgassociates.com; Judith_Davidson@uml.edu

Theme C: New techniques, New tools

2510 Journey Mapping's Tracking System in a Drug Court Program Evaluation

"Dhira D. Crunkilton, Southeast Missouri State University"

"Theme 4. The impact of the digitization of qualitative data on collection, storage, analysis, and distribution of findings.
(Journey Mapping is an online technology that can be used to collect, store, and share qualitative data relating to program evaluation.)
Barry Kibel, the creator of the online technology called Journey Mapping, contends that Journey Mapping is ahead of other methods as the tool exploits the power of the Internet for capturing and sharing data as no other assessment or accountability tool has done. Journey Mapping is used to collect and store both qualitative and quantitative data, and the tools use promotes a positive, creative, humanistic orientation. The author analyzed, via the constant comparative method, client perspectives on the Internet-based Journey Mapping evaluation tool in a drug court program. Ten clients, who used the Journey Mapping tool for 3 months, participated in interviews. Clients reported that utilizing Journey Mapping initiated behavioral change, promoted cognitive change, tracked personal treatment progress, and created client voice. Client data suggested that Journey Mapping enhanced clients' treatment progress. The implications were that Journey Mapping not only efficiently uncovers program data but also provides individual clients with their own tangible achievement data."

dcrunkilton@semo.edu

2512 Progressive Transcription

"Yuri V Takhteyev, UC Berkeley"

"Traditionally, interview researchers transcribed their interviews into text early, before the analysis and then relied primarily on the transcription - an approach that we could call ''transcribe-and-discard.'' I consider a new emerging approach, enabled by digital audio, which I call ''progressive transcription.'' In this approach, the audio is actively used throughout the analysis, and is kept closely synchronized with text, which provides an index into the audio. This approach allows the quality of the transcription to vary from one passage to another depending on the needs of the analysis. The passages can gradually move from rough outline to word-for-word transcription, allowing for analysis of larger quantities of recorded audio than is possible with the traditional approach. I discuss the current availability of software support and the organizational challenges presented by this approach, such as the those of integrating hired transcribers into the workflow."

yuri@sims.berkeley.edu

2509 Emergent Approaches on Linking Qualitative Software to Qualitative Geography

"CESAR A. CISNEROS-PUEBLA, UAM IZTAPALAPA"

"Qualitative software is creatively shaping our ways of visualizing human, spatial and social process. As Qualitative Geography is increasing its presence in the current social science methodology debate, there is an interest to facilitate some georeferrenced data analysis in newest versions of qualitative software programs. Thus the integration of GIS-CAQDAS is a crucial step forward to new approaches to generate knowledge. Nevertheless, there still are some current limitations of QDA software to integrate some GPS and GIS tools into the qualitative software. Qualitative GIS is appealing but challenging in different ways: it is not enough just to have geotagging tools in CAQDAS programs or be able to manage geocoded text or images. Based on my own experience as qualitative researcher in this paper I will discuss about dilemmas and challenges of qualitative software to be integrated to new ways of thinking about space and behavior."

cesar41_4@hotmail.com

2520 Artifacts and assemblages: Electronic portfolios in educational research

"Angela E. Arndt, University of Cincinnati"

"Electronic portfolios in are flexible, versatile and powerful creative research tools offering multi-dimensional methods of generating, storing, analyzing and presenting data. As a documentary technique, e-portfolio create meaningful data groupings and displays for analysis as well as presenting information in digital formats that are easily shared on-line and in live presentations. Creators organize select and publish data in a unique to each specified audience. For pedagogical purposes in educational research, instructors conduct formative and summative assessments as a means of data analysis and to foster richer classroom discourse. Students build a body of unique digital artifacts to demonstrate their evolving learning processes as well producing authentic evidence of achieving course objectives. This presentation is about electronic portfolio use in educational research in the design of a graduate Human Learning course, with audio, video, still images and text documentation combining with reflective narratives to build a rich data source for understanding student learning."

angela.arndt@uc.edu

Theme D: Integrating QDAS in teaching qualitative methodology

2516 The (sometimes) Thin Line between Technology and Method: The Incidence of Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software in the Way we Teach Qualitative Research and the Way our Students do it

"Diogenes Carvajal, University of Los Andes"

"Currently, many graduate and undergraduate students demand the training on any qualitative data analysis software as part of their formation as qualitative researchers. Most of them consider that nowadays it is a necessity for any qualitative researcher to use these software. But in the case of novice qualitative researchers there can be a risk: some of them might consider that qualitative data analysis is the same as computer assisted qualitative data analysis, and would not be strange to find out that some analysis processes are configured according to what the software allows the researcher to do, and not to what the researcher must do within a particular qualitative method. In this paper I outline issues we can find between qualitative data analysis, and the training in qualitative software; issues we must consider when including the use of qualitative software as part of our teaching of qualitative research, to avoid software-focused teaching and learning."

dio-carv@uniandes.edu.co

2521 Of Carts and Horses: Integrating Technology into Introductory Courses on Qualitative Data Analysis

"Karen Louise Andes, Emory University"

"This presentation focuses on the challenges of integrating the ''creative tools'' that technology offers into a graduate-level qualitative data analysis course that introduces students to the substantive tools of analysis (e.g. segmenting, coding, memoing, searching, comparing). Students must learn to engage and interact with textual data in an iterative process, yet the learning process itself is a more linear one. Technology can facilitate the creative process, but only when students arrive at an understanding of how the various substantive tools fit together, and are comfortable enough with the technological tools to apply them fluidly. The presentation draws on my experience teaching three different cohorts of masters-level students who have collected their own qualitative data and are analyzing them as part of their thesis requirements. I discuss a set of exercises that use both technological and non-technological tools to guide students along the learning path to realize that, at the end of the semester, they have arrived at the beginning of their journey."

kandes@sph.emory.edu

Theme E: Views from Software Developers

2515 Technology development in CAQDAS: How much computer assistance are we really willing to accept? Normand Peladeau, none

In the last few decades, we have seen many new developments in domains related to text analysis, such as natural language processing, computational linguistic, information retrieval and text mining. Many of those developments have been designed to provide new tools to analyze large collections of text data, extract information, identify patterns and discover hidden relationships. Some may consider them as complementary tools and others as alternatives to computer assisted qualitative data analysis software. Do they represent a real threat to the work of qualitative researchers and to authors of CAQDAS? Could we see in those new technologies an opportunity for developing more efficient qualitative analysis tools and adopt some of them to the way qualitative researchers usually work? If we think so, then some of the central questions are quite likely related to what kind of assistance we really need and how much of this assistance are we willing to accept. We will illustrate some of those dilemmas by examining some of the features of QDA Miner and a few other software that integrate technologies from those other domains as well as other potentially new developments one could think of. peladeau@provalisresearch.co

2511 Qualitative information is everywhere. The changing face of research and the role of software.

John Owen, QSR International

YouTube currently hosts over 100 million videos. Every day more than 8.5 million pictures are uploaded on the Flickr website. And more than 88 million blogs worldwide are facilitating online discussions. In this digital age, qualitative information is everywhere.

Can today's QDA software help the qualitative researcher to harness and glean insight from these rich information sources? QSR International CEO, John Owen will explore how technology can assist researchers through every stage of the project lifecycle. From managing and organizing this rich information, to working with it and sharing research findings. Imagine a world for example where a researcher shares their research findings, including audio or video clips, and segments of documents, with a colleague via a mini website?
And the future? We'll also explore how visionary technologies may impact qualitative research, and the opportunities this presents. j.owen@qsrinternational.com

2519 Framework, Computer-assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software and its Role in Increasing Quality and Creativity in the Analysis of Qualitative Data

Kandy Woodfield, National Centre for Social Research, and William OConnor, National Centre for Social Research

This paper will introduce a pioneering new approach to computer assisted qualitative data analysis called ‘Framework' due for release in 2008. Developed by the Qualitative Research Unit, at the National Centre for Social Research in the UK, in the mid 1980's ‘Framework' is a matrix based tool for qualitative data management. The presenter(s) will introduce the package to the audience and discuss two key features of the new software that are unique to the Framework approach. The first of these is ‘data summarisation', a process by which verbatim data is synthesised and located within a thematic framework while retaining a direct link back to the original source. The second is the software's facility to construct user defined matrices of summarised data, by theme and by case. The presenter will demonstrate how Framework's innovative technological features are likely be given a premier place in the qualitative researcher's toolbox.

k.woodfield@natcen.ac.uk;w.oconnor@natcen.ac.uk

Theme F: Philosophical Perspectives

2508 Techno-centrism and Qualitative Inquiry

"Dian E Walster, Wayne State University"

"A friend of mine conducts research on the hegemony of the English language. I was reminded of her work when reading the preconference theme. ''Technology'' may be taking on hegemonic status in research as it has in society. Techno-centrism has become the norm rather than the focus of a peculiar few. As a representative of the few whose research, theorizing and thinking has involved the uses, misuses and abuses of educational communications and technology (formerly media, formerly audiovisual, sometimes computers), it surprises me how complex concepts and processes have been reduced to ''technology''. Is it akin to Innis' bias of communication or is it like McCluhan's medium is the massage? Could Ong's work on orality and literacy be applied? Using ''technology'' frames a discourse that excludes some questions, implicitly focuses on other issues and may inhibit thinking about values by concentrating on the ''technology''."

ah1984@wayne.edu