This paper describes (1) the reasoning behind a self-directed learning assignment in an advanced qualitative research methods course, and (2) doctoral students’ experiences with that assignment. Drawing on instructor and student perspectives, a professor and four doctoral students collaborated to reflect and report on the process and product of one assignment within a course. The doctoral students approached the assignment in unique ways: delving into one specific research methodology, comparing multiple research designs, and exploring current uses of qualitative research at a research conference. The piece contributes to the body of literature about students’ and instructors’ experiences in graduate qualitative research methods courses and argues for providing more opportunities for students to direct their own learning in graduate coursework.
Amy Damrow, Ph.D., ( https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9261-8160) is an associate professor in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at Kent State University (KSU) where she teaches qualitative research methodology. KSU at Stark is her home campus where she teaches required courses in teacher education. Her current research focuses on school belonging. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Amy L. Damrow, Kent State University at Stark, 6000 Frank Ave NW, North Canton, OH, 44720. Email: adamrow@kent.edu
Krittika Grau, M.A., M.Ed., ( https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4985-6033) is a career services practitioner in Higher Education and a former journalist with experience in the United States and India. She is currently working on her dissertation proposal and examining international students’ transitions to their host country and culture and the role of popular culture during these periods of transition.
Brandon Pettry ( https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1960-6742) is a licensed counselor and doctoral student in a Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral program. He believes that qualitative research allows for a diverse range of experiences to be represented in the literature and hopes to bring awareness to suicide risk assessment, rural counseling, and LGBTQ+ issues in his future research. He is currently involved in two qualitative studies and hopes to begin more soon.
Karen Plaster ( https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6477-7722 ) is a Ph.D. candidate at Kent State University, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, Mathematics. She currently holds the position of a Professor of Practice at The University of Akron in the LJFF School of Education. Her research interests lie in incorporating authentic engineering and entrepreneurial practices into current educational teaching methodologies. Please direct correspondence to kbp9@uakron.edu.
Adepeju Prince ( https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4852-3073) was a Physics and Mathematics middle school teacher in Nigeria. She graduated from Adeyemi College of Education with a degree in Physics Education and from the University of Ibadan with a master’s in science education. She is a science education doctoral student in the curriculum and instruction program and a graduate research assistant at Kent State University. Her research focuses on the use of qualitative methods to explore the resources science teachers access and utilize.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Tricia Niesz for her feedback and suggestions on a draft of this article, The Qualitative Report reviewers, and the Kent State University and College of Education, Health, and Human Services open-access publishing funds. We also acknowledge and appreciate Asmaa Alsowat and Ateeg Alsowat, fellow students in the course.
Damrow, A. L.,
Grau, K.,
Pettry, B.,
Plaster, K.,
&
Prince, A.
(2024).
Self-Directed Learning in a Qualitative Research Methods Course for Doctoral Students.
The Qualitative Report,
29(7), 1892-1908.
https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.6838
