Lessons from the Land of EDEA 604

Oh my! Oh my!! I have learned a lot this semester - all of which is helpful for me as a novice researcher and as a Plan B student. The books we used are amazing resources and I know that they have  a permanent place on my desk (along with Glesne and whatever APA manual is supposedly current). But looking back over what I've really gleaned from this semester in 604, i would say the following five lessons are my takeaways.

• Participant selection should be thoughtful - - If we are truly looking for research in which numbers are not the be-all, end-all, then we should consider be purposeful in our participant selection. We should keep in mind what and how the participants (since qualitative research is participant centric)  contribute to our study.
• Qualitative research is as process-oriented as it is product-oriented - - Yes, we embark on research to answer or address questions and we hope that at the end of our study, we are able to draw conclusions or contribute to the body of knowledge in our areas of interest. But qualitative research is as much about how we get to the end as it is about getting to the end. All of our senses and skills can and should be employed throughout our study. If we successfully do so, then the process of qualitative research becomes organic and will sprout in many unexpected ways, which therefore lends to the richness of the study itself. 
• There is no "right" question, but there are "better" questions - - Questions can and should be thoughtfully crafted and refined. There are so many ways to ask a question and approach a subject. And, although there is no one way that is correct, there are many other ways that may solicit greater, richer, deeper, more thoughtful feedback. Take the time to craft your questions and be thoughtful in supporting that (those) questions with additional probes.
• Be clear of who and how you are in the world so that you understand who and how you are as a researcher - - You need to know what baggage you are bringing to the study as a researcher because it affects the way you perceive and interpret the data you collect. If you are unaware of your personal biases, thoughts, lenses, etc. you will not be able to be conscious of what is yours and what is your participants. 
• Your research will produce more - more to ask, more to know, more to understand, more to research - - This is 100% my opinion, but qualitative research should also illuminate the next step in inquiry. In my opinion, qualitative research humanizes areas of inquiries, and in doing so, will always shed light on what we still need to learn, understand, explore and create.

So there is my little summary of lessons learned in 604. It's been a fun journey and I've enjoyed this class. After a long-deserved break from classes for my family, I am looking forward to further exploring qualitative research and discovering ways that I can hone my skills in this area.