Challenges and opportunities for qualitative research: future directions

Author(s):  
Maureen C. McHugh

Feminist research is described in terms of its purposes of addressing women’s lives, advocacy for women, analysis of gender oppression, working for social justice, and transformation of society. Feminist critiques of social science research are reviewed in relation to the development of methodological and epistemological positions. Feminist research is viewed as contributing to the transformation of science from empiricism to postmodernism. Reflexivity, collaboration, power analysis, and advocacy are discussed as common practices of feminist qualitative research. Several qualitative approaches to research are described in relation to feminist research goals, with illustrations of feminist research included. Validity and voice are identified as particular challenges in the conduct of feminist qualitative research. Intersectionality and double consciousness are reviewed as feminist contributions to the transformation of science. Some emerging and innovative forms of feminist qualitative research are highlighted in relation to potential future directions.


Author(s):  
Jason M. Holland ◽  
Dolores Gallagher-Thompson

Older adults are increasingly making up a larger segment of the worldwide population, which presents both challenges and opportunities for the clinical psychologist in the 21st century. In this chapter, we address some of the unique aspects of working with this population, focusing on general guidelines for tailoring interventions for older adults, specific treatments for particular problems commonly faced in later life, as well as issues of diversity and how they might impact psychotherapy with older clients. We also outline several areas in geropsychology that are in need of further investigation, namely the use of technology, post-traumatic stress, and family therapy, and offer some recommendations for future directions in this field of study.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. N. Glegg

Visual methods are gaining traction in qualitative research to support data generation, data analysis, and research dissemination. In this article, I propose a preliminary typology that categorizes five identified purposes of applying visual methods in qualitative interviews: to (a) enable communication, (b) represent the data, (c) enhance data quality and validity, (d) facilitate the relationship, and (e) effect change. Examples of visual tools are presented to demonstrate their utility in addressing these five aims. An existing ethical framework for visual tool use in qualitative research is then presented to structure a discussion on ethical considerations related to confidentiality, consent, representations and audiences, fuzzy boundaries between researchers and participants, authorship and ownership, and minimizing harm. Future directions include testing and extending the typology with respect to other visual methods and qualitative research processes, and research to evaluate the effectiveness of various visual tools at achieving the aims represented in the typology.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charl de Villiers ◽  
Muhammad Bilal Farooq ◽  
Matteo Molinari

Purpose This study aims to examine the methodological and method-related challenges and opportunities arising from the use of video interviews in qualitative accounting research, focussed on collecting contextual data and visual cues, enriching communication quality and building and maintaining rapport with interviewees. Design/methodology/approach Prior literature and the authors’ experiences using video technologies for research, including conducting interviews, inform this research. This study uses a transactional conceptual refinement of information richness theory and channel expansion theory to critically analyse the challenges and opportunities of using video technology to conduct qualitative research interviews. Findings The ability, need for and significance of collecting contextual data depend on the researchers’ ontological and epistemological assumptions, and are, therefore, influenced by their research design choices. Video technology enables researchers to view research settings by video. In addition, whilst group/panel interviews have their advantages, it is often difficult to get everyone together in person, something video technology can potentially overcome. The feasibility and the quality of video interviews can be improved if both interview participants are experienced with using video technology, as well as with judicious investment in good quality video technology and through testing and practice. We also discuss how rapport building with interviewees can be facilitated by overcoming the video’s sense of disconnect and enhancing interviewees’ willingness to engage. Originality/value The study builds on the limited prior literature and considers the challenges and opportunities related to methodology and method when conducting video-based qualitative interviews in accounting research. Broadly, qualitative researchers will find the paper useful in considering the use of video interviews and in making research design choices appropriate for video interviews.


Author(s):  
Bruno Rodrigues ◽  
Muriel Figueredo Franco ◽  
Eder Scheid ◽  
Salil S. Kanhere ◽  
Burkhard Stiller

Academic certificates have a significant influence on the job market, proving a particular competence or skill of a recipient. However, the ability to verify the authenticity of certificates does not follow its relevance in the labor market, causing several companies to exploit this inefficiency to falsify information or even to make fake certificates. In this context, several proposals based on blockchain appear as a technological alternative to increase the transparency and the ease of verification of these certificates. This chapter discusses the main proposals toward the handling of academic certificates from a technological point of view, discussing the technical aspects that may influence the relationship between confidentiality and transparency as well as application requirements such as performance and reliability in contrast to the blockchain characteristics. Finally, this chapter summarizes the key challenges and opportunities based on this discussion outlining future directions for academic certificate management.


Author(s):  
Wendy Ayres-Bennett ◽  
Helena Sanson

This Introduction outlines the need for a ‘true history’ (Lerner 1976) of the role of women in the history of linguistics, which considers them on their own terms, and challenges categories and concepts devised for traditional male-dominated accounts. We start by considering what research has already been conducted in the field, before exploring some of the reasons for the relative dearth of studies. We outline some of the challenges and opportunities encountered by women who wished to study the nature of language and languages in the past. The geographical and chronological scope of this volume is then discussed. In a central section we examine some of the major recurring themes in the volume. These include attitudes towards women’s language, both positive and negative; women and language acquisition and teaching; and women as creators of new languages and scripts. We further explore women as authors, dedicatees, or intended readers of metalinguistic texts, as interpreters and translators, and as contributors to the linguistic documentation and maintenance. We consider how women supported male relatives and colleagues in their endeavours, sometimes in invisible ways, before reviewing the early stages of their entry into institutionalized contexts. The chapter concludes with a brief section on future directions for research.


Author(s):  
Harry W. Gardiner

Cross-cultural psychology and human development are currently experiencing an exciting period of growth. Segall, Lonner, and Berry have noted that when all psychology finally takes into account the effects of culture on human behavior (and vice versa), terms like cross-cultural and cultural psychology will become unnecessary. At that point, all psychology will be truly cultural. In this chapter, the author defines cross-cultural human development; theoretical perspectives and models; emerging themes, such as contextual influences; applications to social issues; and future directions. As the author has earlier stated, tremendous challenges and opportunities lie ahead and speculating about the future path of cross-cultural psychology is difficult.


JAMIA Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip R O Payne ◽  
Elmer V Bernstam ◽  
Justin B Starren

Abstract There are an ever-increasing number of reports and commentaries that describe the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of big data and data science (DS) in the context of biomedical education, research, and practice. These publications argue that there are substantial benefits resulting from the use of data-centric approaches to solve complex biomedical problems, including an acceleration in the rate of scientific discovery, improved clinical decision making, and the ability to promote healthy behaviors at a population level. In addition, there is an aligned and emerging body of literature that describes the ethical, legal, and social issues that must be addressed to responsibly use big data in such contexts. At the same time, there has been growing recognition that the challenges and opportunities being attributed to the expansion in DS often parallel those experienced by the biomedical informatics community. Indeed, many informaticians would consider some of these issues relevant to the core theories and methods incumbent to the field of biomedical informatics science and practice. In response to this topic area, during the 2016 American College of Medical Informatics Winter Symposium, a series of presentations and focus group discussions intended to define the current state and identify future directions for interaction and collaboration between people who identify themselves as working on big data, DS, and biomedical informatics were conducted. We provide a perspective concerning these discussions and the outcomes of that meeting, and also present a set of recommendations that we have generated in response to a thematic analysis of those same outcomes. Ultimately, this report is intended to: (1) summarize the key issues currently being discussed by the biomedical informatics community as it seeks to better understand how to constructively interact with the emerging biomedical big data and DS fields; and (2) propose a framework and agenda that can serve to advance this type of constructive interaction, with mutual benefit accruing to both fields.


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