This case study describes a project that combined speculative fiction and co-design as qualitative social science research methods. It also describes how planned methods had to be adapted from physically co-present to online implementation and how we also had to change our expectations regarding the outcomes of the project. The combination of…

This case study explains how to gather web metrics to measure the size, investment, and popularity of K-12 school system and higher education websites. This case study will first explain and define web metrics in detail, such as keywords, traffic, search engine optimization, and other terminology crucial for educational researchers to understand…

This case study offers an account of a small-scale project conducted within a critical case study research design. In particular, it focuses on the challenges and advantages of undertaking such a design. In doing so, we discuss various research practicalities, ethical considerations, the research design in detail, our main method of data…

This case study discusses how participatory research methods can be used to develop understanding of learning environments in higher education contexts. It focuses on how participatory methods can be enhanced by digital technology which can inform us about the relationships between learning and the higher education environment. Based on a research…

The purpose of the research study was to measure any change among undergraduate students in their attitudes and beliefs about death, dying, and bereavement after taking a class specifically focused on this topic. Human services professionals frequently work with clients trying to cope with issues related to death, dying, and bereavement, and their…

As part of my PgCert in Higher Education Practice, I undertook a learning and teaching research project into the effect of small group mathematics tutorials on student confidence and academic performance. I chose this project because it related directly to my practice as a higher education lecturer: I regularly supported first year animal science…

This case provides an account of conducting an institutional ethnographic study, as part of doctoral study, to explore the experiences of students in higher education, who have caring responsibilities for children under 18 years of age. Previous research into the experiences of these students had focused on a particular issue a researcher wished…

This case study provides an account of my experiences and lessons learned in designing and implementing a survey research. The research was part of my doctoral thesis in educational measurement and quantitative methods. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a Completely Structured Training compared with Partially Structured…

Graduate students initiating qualitative research, like any inquiry, must hone and refine what they will study--the purpose of the research. Without clarity in the research purpose, the study's design will not likely unfold in a systematic way. However, narrowing one's research focus, such that methods follow research question, is much easier said…

The aim of the research described in this case study was to explore how practice teachers (workplace supervisors) in social care education viewed their role -- what they saw as being most important and least important. What is described here is the process and decisions made when choosing a design that combined quantitative and qualitative…

I commenced my project in 2010 with a view to developing a teaching model that would make the experience of learning mathematics and statistics fun for university students enrolled on a variety of degree programmes. These students are compulsorily required to study mathematics and statistics courses as core modules of their degree work.…

Having made the move from a professional practice role to an educator position, I decided that it would be beneficial to improve my understanding and capability to support student learning in the higher education setting. As such, I made the choice to take up doctoral studies. While working with students and other instructors, the subject of…

This case study examines the development of a general analytical inductive approach to qualitative research. It assesses the research design and analytical processes for developing a framework for understanding the development of collaborative partnerships between business schools and industry. I adopted an interpretivist approach which is about…

The research design of a study involves continual refinement through experiential processes. This case study demonstrates the importance to novice researchers of conducting a pilot study to test the feasibility of the study's research design and practice data collection (in this instance, interviewing skills). The case study is based on an…

This case study describes the creation process for a mixed methods study from 2009 to 2011, examining for the first time gender differences in how undergraduate students create videos for online platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. I conducted this research for my doctoral dissertation at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of…