Bringing Vignette-Based Interviews to the Forefront: A Framework for an Underused Qualitative Research Method in Education

Authors

Norma Ghamrawi, Qatar University, Doha, QatarFollow
Tarek Shal, Qatar University, Doha, QatarFollow
Najah A. R. Ghamrawi, Lebanese University, Beirut, LebanonFollow

Abstract

Qualitative research in educational leadership has traditionally relied on methods such as interviews and focus groups, often overlooking alternative approaches that can generate deeper interpretive insight. Among these, vignette-based methods remain notably underutilized and under-theorized in education, despite their demonstrated potential in disciplines such as health and social sciences, where they have been effectively used to explore complex, sensitive, and context-dependent phenomena. This absence is particularly pronounced in educational research, where there is a lack of systematic, structured guidance on how to design and implement vignettes with methodological rigor. This article responds to that gap by drawing together methodological insights from across disciplines—including health, social sciences, and education—to develop a structured, adaptable framework for the effective use of vignette-based methods in qualitative educational research. While applicable to a wide range of educational inquiries, this contribution is particularly salient for researchers in educational leadership, where issues of power, identity, professional agency, and ethical decision-making are central and often difficult to access through direct questioning alone. To ground this contribution empirically, we present a case study from a vignette-based qualitative investigation in educational leadership, illustrating how well-constructed vignettes enabled participants to articulate complex understandings of leadership roles and institutional dynamics. The proposed framework offers educational researchers a reflexive, context-sensitive approach to designing and using vignettes as a primary method of data generation—supporting richer, more nuanced inquiry into the multilayered realities of educational practice and leadership.

Keywords

qualitative inquiry, qualitative research methods, vignette-based analysis, qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews

Author Bio(s)

Professor Norma Ghamrawi is a full professor of educational leadership & management at the College of Education in Qatar University. She has international experience with educational development across the MENA region. Please direct correspondence to norma.g@qu.edu.qa

Dr. Tarek Shal is a Research Assistant Professor at the Social & Economic Survey Institute at Qatar University. He has international experience with educational development across the MENA region.

Professor Najah Ghamrawi is a full professor of educational psychology at the Faculty of Education of the Lebanese University. She has experience in training and capacity building in Lebanon and some Arab States.

Publication Date

12-31-2025

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2025.7966

Recommended APA Citation

Ghamrawi, N., Shal, T., & Ghamrawi, N. A. R. (2025). Bringing vignette-based interviews to the forefront: A framework for an underused qualitative research method in education. The Qualitative Report, 30(12), 4857-4878. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2025.7966

ORCID ID

0000-0002-5754-9657

ResearcherID

ACE-2097-2022