17. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches to Learning and Instruction

COORDINATORS

Markus Wirtz Departm. for Research Methods, University of Education, Freiburg, Germany markus.wirtz@ph-freiburg.de	Michaela Gläser-Zikuda University of Ludwigsburg, Germany glaeserzikuda@ph-ludwigsburg.de

Mission Statement

The identification and adequate application of optimal research methods and evaluation strategies are decisive prerequisites in order to ensure the validity and reliability of research findings. A comprehensive research process should select the appropriate methods depending to the specific goals in the according phases of the research project. Furthermore, different research strategies should mostly be combined to strengthen the content, coverage and explanatory power of research findings. Although, in the domains of qualitative and quantitative methods sophisticated techniques and epistemiological frameworks exist in research practice the combination of those methods is still uncommon or occurs mostly insufficient. Partially this results from the fact that those research paradigms are taught mostly independently to students and in the literature integrative approaches are only marginally addressed.

This SIG strives to foster integrative views of qualitative and quantitative research methods in theory and practice. Especially, the following questions are in the scope of our future work:

- Which factors determine the appropriate application of research techniques and strategies?
- Which theoretical frameworks can be adopted in order to ensure a sound application of integrative research techniques and strategies?
- Which recommendations can be formulated for a selective combination of research techniques and strategies?
- What are specific quality criteria which have to be respected in complex research processes?
- Which general research and publication standards can be identified that encourage the application and prevalence of integrative methodological approaches?

ACTIVITIES

The next biennial meeting of the SIG 17 ‚Qualitative and quantitative Approaches to Learning and Instruction' will take place at the University of Education in Freiburg (Germany; www.ph-freiburg.de).

14-15 November 2008
INTEGRATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

The programme will contain paper and poster sessions, two key-note presentations, as well as symposia. More details of the conference
programme are available here