Using mixed methods reflexively in CIE research

Group Submission Type: Pre-conference Workshop

Description of Session

Overview and Aims:
Mixed methods research (MMR) is increasingly used in the field, but the practice of mixed methods is less discussed. This workshop aims to offer participants a rich and reflexive discussion of designs, methods and analysis in MMR that can enhance the production of contextually relevant knowledge. It is designed for individuals and teams with minimal to extensive experience in MMR to support the cross-fertilization of ideas among early career and advanced researchers. A key focus is on how MMR can be used to create transdisciplinary knowledge, using pluralistic approaches to challenge common assumptions and practices of knowledge production in the field. Through this workshop, we aim to create a network of researchers doing critical and reflexive MMR to further develop these practices in the field.


Workshop Learning Objectives:
-deliberating on different paradigms and their assumptions in MMR ;
-considering different design options and methods, particularly in emergent designs that are comparative and/or longitudinal;
-discussing different ways to analyze and integrate findings, aligned with the paradigm, theoretical frameworks, and questions of a study; and
-reflecting on ethical and practical issues that arise in the field, with transdisciplinary research teams, and in making research relevant to different users.

Workshop Delivery:
The workshop will engage participants throughout the workshop so the discussions are applicable to their own MMR studies. We will ask participants to complete a short pre-workshop questionnaire that will help us understand their experiences, needs, current projects, and questions. Our presentations and discussions will be tailored to these responses.

To set out a common foundation, a short presentation will commence the workshop that provides participants with an overview, including diagrams of common paradigms, designs, and analysis/integration of findings in MMR. This will be based on a chapter and book by presenters (Sakata & DeJaeghere, 2024; DeJaeghere, 2024). This presentation will ask participants to discuss in groups how they identify their study’s approach and design, and questions they have about using mixed methods.

This overview will be followed by short presentations and discussions from presenters about their approach, design, methods, and analytical processes. Elias’ presentation will focus on a study she conducted using survey, social media, observation, and interviews. She will describe her methods and reflexive approach to analysis and integration of findings. Chudgar, Kendall and Luschei will present their collaborative team process for conducting mixed methods in three different sites over two years. They will reflect on their learnings across disciplines and approaches, and how they engaged with analysis and writing that are contextually rich and relevant. Finally, Sakata will describe a study that she conducted and explain how, through critical reflection on her design, methods and analysis, she crafted a different way to think about her MMR study.

Each of these presentations will be followed by activities to engage participants in clarifying their own MMR process –how they might use different paradigms and methods, and how they will analyze and write about them in richly contextualized ways.

Sub Unit

• Pre-Conference Workshops, Book launches, and Visual Art Exhibits / Pre-Conference Workshop

Chair

• Joan Dejaeghere, University of Minnesota

Workshop Organizer

• Joan Dejaeghere, University of Minnesota

Presenting author

• Joan Dejaeghere, University of Minnesota

• Amita Chudgar, Michigan State University

• Nancy Kendall, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Thomas Luschei, Claremont Graduate University

• Nisma Elias, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities

• Erin Murphy-Graham, University of California Berkeley

• Nancy Pellowski Wiger, Miske Witt & Associates International