Why do qualitative research? What does it have to offer? What can it tell us about language and literacy policy and practice? What are important concepts and components in designing and conducting a qualitative research study? How does context matter? This workshop addresses these questions through exploration of values, approaches and methods related to qualitative research in language and literacy studies, and through consideration of the utility and application of qualitative research within and across global contexts.
Targeted for students and (emergent and practicing) researchers, this interactive workshop will focus on the mutual informativity of phenomena, epistemologies, theoretical framings, research approaches and qualitative methodologies, with some attention to data collection and analysis. Participants are invited to share their research interests, and the plans, designs or current status of their research projects, and apply discussion and activities to their own work. Ultimately, we hope to enhance understandings of qualitative research in general, and of qualitative processes and methods of research at some level of detail, in order to support participants to design, develop and implement robust and compelling qualitative research projects.