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Understanding Qualitative Assessment in Student Affairs: Insights and Frameworks

This session focuses on the fundamentals of qualitative assessment, highlighting its significance in student affairs. Participants will learn to define and design assessment projects tailored for their departments, enhancing their technical skills in tools like Perseus and report writing. Key topics include the contrasts between qualitative and quantitative assessment, effective data collection strategies, and analysis techniques. By the end, attendees will demonstrate a thorough understanding of qualitative assessment principles and be equipped to apply them within student affairs.

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Understanding Qualitative Assessment in Student Affairs: Insights and Frameworks

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Understanding Qualitative Assessment Skills Session #3 A-Team Training November 13, 2007

  2. Session I Outcomes & Overview What is Assessment Assessment Language Comp Model & Foundation SALDOs Session II Overview of Outcome Design Creating Outcomes Service, Learning, & Development Session III Critiquing Outcomes 3 M’s Intro: Assessment Steps Session IV Assessment Steps (cont) Intro: Assessment Plans Session V Review of Assessment Plans Session VI Assessment Plan Presentation Session Evaluation Foundation Session Outcomes Demonstrate an understanding of “A” language & literature Define and plan an assessment project for your department Increase Technical Skills— Perseus, Report Writing, Qual/Quan Perform 1 + assessment projects Assessment Resource for department and team

  3. What is Qualitative Assessment? • Qualitative research seeks descriptively rich data from a small, purposeful sample with meaning and understanding as it end goals (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). • “The detailed descriptions of situations, events, people, interactions, and observed behaviors; use of direct quotes from people about their experiences, attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts; and analysis of excerpts or entire passages from documents, journals, or case histories…” (Patton, 1990).

  4. Differences from Quantitative Assessment Qualitative -Focus of research on Quality (nature, essence) -Key concepts of meaning, understanding, and description Quantitative -Focus of research on Quantity (how much, how many) - Key concepts of statistical relationships, prediction control, description, hypothesis testing

  5. Why is Qualitative Assessment important to student affairs work?

  6. Outcomes of Qualitative Assessment • Detailed descriptions • Direct quotations • Analysis of documents • Deeply rich content

  7. Key Assumptions in Qualitative Assessment • Meaning Making, understanding • Not interested in applying broadly to situations outside the case being studied • The researcher is the primary means by which data are collected and analyzed • Inductive data leads to a finding/theory • Social reality is constructed by the participants

  8. What kinds of questions would one use as a guide for Qualitative Assessment? • Why • How • Process • Perception • Reflection of experiences, feelings

  9. Common Types of Qual Research • Basic Interpretative Study • Case Study • Ethnography • Phenomenology

  10. Qualitative Techniques • Interviews • Focus Groups • Document Analysis • Observations

  11. Sampling • Key features: not random, smaller than quantitative, provide rich information • Several types: (Patton, 2003) • Homogeneous-common characteristics • Stratified-sample representative of different characteristics of population (i.e. demographics, participants vs. non-participants) • Criterion-based on predetermined criteria • Snowball-ask participants for other potential participants

  12. Data Analysis • Constant Comparative Method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) • Constantly compare from the get-go • Example: Researcher journal-hunches, interview, transcribe, process is constant • Often Data compared across multiple forms of data (interviews, essays, observations)

  13. Coding • Open Coding-General • Selective Coding-Categorizing • Thematic Coding-Themes

  14. Coding Exercise • Candy Exercise • Interview Coding Practice

  15. Coding Tips • After interviews, write hunches down in journal • Pay attention to what you are hearing as you transcribe, write down hunches • Don’t overanalyze during general coding • Use whiteboard or flip chart to start organizing categories (from general codes) • No formula, but set up in way that best suits your skills (Remember: You are the research instrument )

  16. Ensuring Rigor • Researcher Journal • Hunches • Decisions • Thoughts • Biases, Assumptions • Triangulation • Data triangulation • Researcher Triangulation • Peer Reviewers

  17. Focus Group • Focus group-Interview a small group of participants (10-12 participants) • Advantages/Disadvantages • Permits large amount of data gathered in small amount of time • Challenging to moderate multiple opinions and personalities • TIP: Employ another colleague to take notes! • Read “Creating a Focus Group” p. 12-13 (Joel’s article).

  18. Any Questions? For other resources, please visit our website. http://www.uga.edu/studentaffairs/assess/

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