Different Approaches To Qualitative And Quantitative Research

Different approaches to qualitative and quantitative research

Introduction.

In this document we will announce the different elements that must integrate the methodological approaches of educational research; such as the qualitative and quantitative approach, these in the investigation refer to different points of view in reference to the phenomena studied.

The explanation is the method that seeks the ultimate cause of object-phenomenon, and the understanding is interested in the senses of the phenomenon without antagonisms, quantitative approaches (causal-expansive) and qualitative (deep-sensitive) and qualitative approaches are nourished.

The qualitative and the quantitative are not antagonistic (incompatible) on the contrary they complement and enrich the educational activity in the human sciences.

The quality of social and educational educational research is demonstrating that approaches are insufficient when taking them separately since social processes imply symbolic aspects as well as measurable elements. Complementarity is achieved from the techniques of triangulation of methods and forms, data triangulation, triangulation of researchers, triangulation of interdisciplinary theories and triangulation. The qualitative and the quantitative have their own epistemological foundations, they are not conjugated, each one has been dialogue from their essence.

Qualitative approach: In this approach the researcher is the main instrument of research, the researcher, is part of the social world that studies and reflects on social fact, part of a real event that you want to study, starts from the observations, of the facts.

It is based on a conceptual-inductive model (delimits the phenomenon) brings together all the information to understand the contents generated by knowledge, the information on the qualities of the phenomenon is linked to create a theory of what was studied. You do not start from the cases that will be studied, they arise in the development of the research, it is flexible.

Development: characteristics of qualitative research.

• It is the vision of events, actions, values, norms, etc., From the point of view of the subject.

• It is studied in the context in which they occur, it is the understanding of the social phenomenon as a whole (historically broad).

• Procedural character (interconnection and change).

• Open Research Strategy, EMPICA THEORY AND RESEARCH.

Reality

• Social reality as totality

• The investigating and investigated relationship is a subject-subject relationship.

Introspective and empathy.

• Introspection starts from your experience of the social fact studied, it is limited only to your experience.

• Empathy is put in the position of the other, analyzes their feelings and emotions to understand the other.

Ethnography is the way the study objects that share something in common are observed, it is a descriptive method, the researcher remains a good time in the field of study.

Ethnomethodology:

• It is a way of understanding the nature and social life relationship from the role that the subjects of said society fulfill, it is done in everyday life.

• Understand how reality is built in social interaction, as meaning to their daily life.

Data collection.

• The participating observation: the facts are observed as they occur, participates in them or not.

• The qualitative interview: the verbal contents of the social interpretation are brought to research. The most used are: the individual interview and the group interview.

The life story or vital trajectory.

It allows to know and understand moments of the life of the group studied.

The discussion group: I work with the speeches of the people who perform a task put by the investigated.

Focus Group or Focal Group.

They are semi -structured collective interviews to a particular theme, selected taking into account characteristics of the social group studied.

Documentary information: written information (press, letters, minutes, files, and images). This type of information must be of reliable source and that is of great interest to the investigator

Quantitative methodological approach.

Aspects of the phenomenon that can be quantified (measured) are characterized and can have varied scope, has a requirement of regularity in the steps to develop (sequence) must be a thorough work and validated each.

It has standardized protocols, the concept of measurement: through rules in which it raises a function between each phenomenon and certain values ​​to quantify and perform operations with them.

Scope and limits of the quantitative approach The possibilities are:

• It can be operated with different variables.

• Classify phenomena and find relationships.

• Greater extension of phenomena.

• Greater ease when using technological means for procedures and data analysis.

Operationalization of the research problem.

The problem and the object of study Be clear about what the problem and the object and work work will be studied to work on objects and data development, planning research development.

The hypotheses: that are contradicted or checked, the hypotheses guide, the study must be related to the objectives. The hypothesis takes into account the variable to be studied, the type of focus to be collected, the methods to be used. These hypotheses can be: descriptive, correlational, comparative between groups, hypotheses that establish a causal relationship, operationalization of conceptual variables in definitions to record aspects of the phenomenon.

The relationship between variables and hypotheses, the relationship between variables and dimensions, the relationship between variables and indicators and the relationship between indicators and items should be taken into account.

Quantitative record instruments; Surveys. The COLDE is the tool that is most used in educational research. Next, the types of survey: face to face, telephone, administrative auto.

In the construction of a survey, the validity of the information must be taken into account, standardize the registration and application procedures, determine what you want to find, that this is reliable, population and sample and possible errors.

Delimitation. The study phenomenon must be clearly defined, the sources, if a survey is applied, it must be clear to those who are applied for this, the quality of analysis, population, universe must be clear, sample.

Sample types: Sample non -probabilists (directed, selection and informal), probabilistic samples (everything has the same probability of selection).

Measurement instrument: reliability, validity (what the variable intends), calculation of trust and validity of the questionnaire.

Research arises from a need or problem and curiosity motivates this situation to be resolved. To carry out this process we must have several aspects in accounts, some is: the methodology; This being the path that must be followed to reach that goal set. Among these we find:

– Empirical- analytical or quantitative methodology: uses types of research such as experimental, quasi-experimental and ex- post-facto. The first treats one or more independent variables to observe and measure its influence on dependent variables. The second differs from the experimental because it is in real situations causing its external validity to be superior to the experimental and the third the researcher cannot control the independent variables.

– Constructivist or qualitative methodology: In this there are types of research such as: phenomenological, symbolic interactionism, ethnography, grounded theory, ethnomethodology, phenomenographic, case study, biographical – narrative, hermeneutical, and historical.

– Critical or qualitative socio methodology: within this: action research, participatory, collaborative, feminist, evaluative, and design -based research.

Apart from these, there is also a mixed methodology that consists of using two methodologies (qualitative and quantitative). CRESWELL (2009) POSIZE 3 POSSIBLE VARIATIONS IN THIS, ¨CONSIDENDED SECURIAL PROCEDURES, WHERE THE RESULTS IS DELEY THROUGH THE USE OF ANOTHER METHOD. Concurrent procedures, the two methodologies are used at the same time to achieve a better understanding of the object of study and transformative procedures, make use of the theoretical to do the research design taking into account quantitative and qualitative data¨.

Research has functions as an epistemic, innovative, critical, synthetic and dynamic. The epistemic refers to serve as a criterion in the epistemological analysis of the rest of educational disciplines. The innovative in joining more innovative procedures, methods and techniques. Be critical of the results obtained. Synthetic because it integrates other knowledge based on the analysis of the results and dynamic because it maintains the theory and practice relationship. In addition to this, there are criteria that must be taken into account when investigating so that the research modality that can be implemented is known; These criteria are:

1. – Purpose: Basic and applied.
2. – Temporary scope: transverse and longitudinal.
3. – Depth and objective: explanatory, descriptive, explanatory, and experimental
4. – Character: qualitative and quantitative.
5. – Temporary dimension: historical, descriptive and experimental.
6. – Orientation: verification, discovery and application.
7. – amplitude: sociological and sociological macro.

Assuming that the methodology that will be applied in the investigation is already chosen, the process that includes phases or steps are initiated are: documentary review, definition of the research problem (purposes and objectives), formulation of hypotheses and research questions and the sample selection. As for these objectives, they can be classified as explaining, describing, correlating, understanding and solving problems. According to Lincoln and Guba (1985) there are four criteria for the research process: veracity, applicability, consistency and neutrality.

Educational research was born as a discipline in the nineteenth century when scientific knowledge, science and scientific method in the educational environment are related and applied; This helps generate new knowledge. Currently, information and communication technologies have been incorporated giving rise to an online research (E-Research) making intense technology use.

The actions that facilitate investigating in education are:

• Respond to a need and improve reality.
• Innovate in educational results.
• The diagnosis and evaluation of the situation.
• Take decisions.

In education we can investigate a subject, a group of subjects, a method, a program, a context, etc. Its purpose is to "describe and understand a certain educational reality, its characteristics and operations". In this, the scientific method can also be applied, the five phases of this process are the research, design and planning of research, execution of research, interpretation and reflection, and the drafting and dissemination of the research report. This process uses various types of research, some of these are basic, applied research, in action and evaluative. The basic deals with increasing knowledge about a reality, the second applies knowledge obtained by investigating a reality to change and improve it to where it can. The action is a type of research carried out by the people who work in a given context by reflecting on their practices. And the evaluation seeks to rigorously and objectivity the quality and efficacy of teachers, institutions and educational programs.

The three fundamental types of educational research are grouped into an empiricist-positivist of a quantitative nature, the phenomenological or ethnographic of qualitative nature and the critical partner that combines according to the cases quantitative and qualitative methodology. The first studies natural and observable phenomena with empirical data (experience), the second aims make decisions to improve your work.

conclusion.

Finally, it is very important to understand the function that these research approaches fulfill.It is very important to understand each of the research approaches or methods, to carry out excellent investigation and meet the objective of it.

In the same way it is said that educational research is the concentration of concepts, and different scientific knowledge, methodologies and research methods, since it is applied in all contexts of education, in which related problems are also evidence Find a progressive solution in the educational field and as a purpose that research has is to learn to know an educational reality, taking into account its characteristics, objectives, and thus confirm the functioning with some precision in which you can ratify conclusions, diagnoses and appreciations that help make the different transformations.