Lessons of Literature Reviews
Of the five research projects I engaged in, I completed four full literature reviews which involved the review of hundreds of data sources. After the first literature review, I quickly appreciated the importance of maintaining a well grounded reference library to easily retrieve my sources. An annotated bibliography was also useful when the literature review was only one segment of the project and required further refinement by a third party, as in the study on large scale assessments. After submitting my first article to a scholarly journal, I realized the critical analysis of my literature reviews could be strengthened after receiving the following feedback from the editors:
You have a clear focus on UDL but there are many critiques of this framework. I believe it would be beneficial to unpack this theory further in the manuscript for readers to have (a) an understanding of what it is (b) research that has been done with it and on it to support its value (indicating the arguments for/against), and (c) why it’s relevant to your topic and the current status/questions you’re asking. This would set for a stronger theoretical frame for the paper. (Canadian Journal of Education, personal communication, Feb. 24, 2022).
I appreciated this feedback as well as other feedback received from my supervisor and research teams to consistently enhance my skills in literature reviews. My research projects and my directed studies work has also allowed me to expand my knowledge of several methodologies including case study, constructivist grounded theory, mixed methods, action research and design based research.
A Variety of Methodologies
The two research papers I submitted to journals were based on qualitative case studies, which Merriam & Tisdell (2016) defined as “an in-depth description and analysis of a bounded system” (p.37). Each study occurred within a specific boundary where rich data was generated from a sample of teachers and students about their educational experiences in online and physical inclusive classrooms. In a quest to expand my knowledge of methodologies, I used constructivist grounded theory in my research assistantship with Dr. Thorne exploring teachers' experiences of assessment practices and I deepened my knowledge further in Dr. Fitzgerald’s Advanced Qualitative Methods Research course. Grounded theory is “generated or grounded in data from the participants who have experienced the process” (Strauss & Corbin cited in Creswell, 2013, p. 83). Unlike traditional grounded theorists who believe data is discovered naturally from the participants, constructivist grounded theorists propose that researchers construct meaning with their interactions with participants and various data sources; which aligns with my epistemological view (Charmaz, 2006). In preparation for my dissertation, my directed studies also involved a comprehensive analysis of mixed methods, action research and design based research (DBR) which enabled me to determine that DBR would be the most appropriate approach for my dissertation.
Methods- Experiences with Recruitment, Data Collection and Data Analysis
The final stage of the research cycle which provided me with substantial knowledge was the various methods adopted in participant recruitment, data collection and data analysis. Of all three areas, participant recruitment was the most challenging as it required understanding the needs, interests and time commitment of the potential participants. It also involved invitation requests through third parties when direct contact with the participants was limited or ethics approval from multiple organizations. This depended on the timely distribution of the invitation and the interest of the participants, if the benefits to them were unclear. In my first research project with teachers, I was fortunate to receive the appropriate ethics approval and recruitment support from a large school board. In my second study, I had direct contact with the student participants which eased the process of participant recruitment. However, in my third study, my assumption was overly optimistic about participant involvement; that inservice teachers in the Master of Education program at UPEI would have the time or interest to participate in my study. This resulted in the decision to pause the project. In future, I will need to conduct a deeper analysis in the participant pool.
In each of my projects, I also had the opportunity to expand my interview, observation and transcription skills. This was my preferred phase of the research process as it enabled me to interact closely with the participants and truly understand their issues. The interview format I primarily utilized was semi-structured interviews to generate rich dialogues, and member checking followed the interviews to increase credibility of the data collected. The restrictions of in person research during the COVID-19 pandemic enhanced my skills in conducting online interviews, so I can now offer the flexibility of either online or in person interviews depending on the purpose of the research, and preferences of the participants. In relation to data analysis, I started my projects with manual analytical techniques, but I now enjoy the benefits of computer-based software, including SPSS statistical software and Atlas.ti 22 data analysis software. Based on the knowledge and/or experiences gained through all parts of the research cycle, I believe I am well positioned to continue extensive research either for myself or as part of a research team.
REFERENCES have been included in the full version of my introductory paper.
