A Review of Mixed Methods Design and Rationales in Science Education Theses and Dissertations

• In Event: Mixed-Methods Research: Systematic Methodological Reviews

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how mixed methods are positioned as a method to address questions in science education and sought to understand how graduate students interpreted the role of mixed methods in addressing their research goals. Using a sample from a targeted search of science education theses and dissertations, the researcher found equal numbers of concurrent and sequential data collection methods, with quantitative methods most often prioritized. All papers offered at least one justification for method choice with complementarity and triangulation most often claimed. These finding align with previous reviews of the larger educational field, but also point to how gaps in the literature and practicality might influence mixed methods usage for science education graduate studies.

Author

• Karen Moran Jackson, Soka University of America