Research Article
Melissa Mello, Melanie Shaw, Rebecca Wardlow
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp. 1-18
ABSTRACT
This is a qualitative, phenomenological study of parents with children with autism who come from non-White backgrounds (N=7). Subjects were interviewed via recorded phone calls, during which they were asked a standard set of questions pertaining to their experiences with in-home family and child treatment. The problem examined in this study was the inequity experienced by families of color who have at least one child with autism and who received in-home early intervention autism services. Parents were interviewed to determine which aspects of treatment were perceived to be effective. The data were coded for emerging themes, with special attention given to opportunities for service amendment, seeking maximal perceived effectiveness. Families benefitted from an individualized approach to treatment that considered the family context, and culture, designed by listening to the family’s needs, concerns, and availability. Assuming a one-size-fits-all approach, based on recommendations not made with diverse family backgrounds in mind, was less effective. Future directions in the field should include improved training for psychologists on cultural competence, encourage self-reflections on bias, and training on the development of individualized treatment plans.
Keywords: autism, disparities, early intervention, treatment.
Research Article
Karen Marie Collier
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp. 19-40
ABSTRACT
In March 2020, much of the United States shifted to virtual learning with little preparation. Many people tried to adjust to the new normal of quarantine and create a sense of regularity, especially in education. To understand teachers’ experiences during this time, a phenomenological study was used to explore the sudden transition to virtual learning for two teachers at a lower socioeconomic, rural high school in the southeastern United States. Through semi-structured interviews, the teachers recounted their personal experiences during the virtual learning transition in the Spring of 2020. They shared their experiences teaching virtually and concerns over students’ academic growth, as well as physical and mental health. The teachers provided a creative artifact representing Remote Learning as a secondary data source. As interviews and artifacts were analyzed to derive meaning from their experiences, the study discovered the essence of the teachers’ experiences during the remote transition. Teachers accepted a survival mentality as they were overwhelmed with responsibilities and arduous tasks. Disappointment and sadness surfaced in the teachers as students displayed apathy towards assignments, yet they discovered happiness in increased social interactions with their students. Teachers acted as mentors for students, guiding them through the educational transition while focusing on students’ physical and mental well-being. The study’s findings can be utilized to develop high-quality, equitable remote education models by identifying assistive and inhibitive factors.
Keywords: learning during COVID, remote learning, sociocultural theory, phenomenological study.
Research Article
Courtney McKim
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp. 41-52
ABSTRACT
Validity is essential to establish in any qualitative research study. There are numerous approaches to establish validity. One common technique utilized to establish validity is member-checking. The goal of member-checking is to provide credibility to the data (Elo et al., 2014). Member-checking is commonly conducted by presenting data transcripts to some or all participants for feedback (Varpio et al., 2017). This process is relatively easy and requires little effort from researchers and participants. However, this process has some weaknesses. One weakness is the information gathered during member-checking. Participants typically do not provide much feedback when reviewing transcripts, and therefore relying on this approach to establish validity is questionable. Member-checking is a valuable tool, but the approach should be more structured. This paper presents a structured approach, complete with interview questions and data analysis steps, to member-checking that minimizes the weaknesses and emphasizes the strengths.
Keywords: Member-checking, trustworthiness, validity, qualitative research, consistency
Research Article
Daniel Arthur Jones
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp. 53-72
ABSTRACT
Code-switching is considered a language contact phenomenon that has long been a subject of scholarly investigation. This paper provides a review of common and nascent qualitative techniques often used to examine code-switching. Such a collection of salient qualitative methodologies could provide researchers with both prevailing and new frameworks and avenues for examining myriad types and aspects of code-switching. Numerous studies are highlighted with summaries of their data collection procedures, analysis techniques, and results. Also included are rationales for applying qualitative approaches to code-switching studies – especially poignant, as a trend to utilizing more experimental research designs have been recently observed regarding language contact phenomena. This paper will also discuss which types of research designs effectively combine techniques of acquiring code-switching data with rigorous approaches to data analysis to render new understandings of code-switching
Keywords: Code-switching, methodology, data collection, method, qualitative research, linguistics.