Mixed Methods in Higher Education

Catalog description

Studies that implement mixed methods may lead to more nuanced and deeper understandings of research phenomena. Mixed methods, however, may be more expensive in both the time and the resources (e.g., financial capital, human capital, etc.) required to conduct them. However academic journals and research foundations have begun to embrace the benefits that come from rigorous and well-executed mixed methods research studies. In this course, students will be exposed to current and emergent trends in mixed methodologies in the social sciences. We will begin by exploring current approaches to mixed methodologies, such as the convergent design, explanatory sequential design, and exploratory sequential design, and investigate exemplary applications of these designs in higher education research and other fields (e.g., organizational psychology, medicine, etc.). Students will also be exposed to innovative approaches in mixed methods research that are currently emerging, such as equal status design. Ultimately, students will learn how to identify and discern rigorous mixed methods studies, develop compelling and answerable mixed methods research questions. A subsequent course will focus on the use of no-code software applications to analyze qualitative evidence, although some of those tools will be discussed in class when pertinent.