Order Description
The specifications for the assignment will be uploaded on a PDF file. Please follow the instructions as indicated on the PDF.
One clarification on the length of the assignment, the professor mistakenly wrote 1 to 2 paragraphs which is incorrect. The assignment should be between 2 or 3 pages. Please include the Introduction, Content with analysis, Conclusion and Reference List. Within the content include citations. If any questions please email me immediately.
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 1
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
Triangulation Assignment
A Comparison of a Traditional Lecture-based and Online Supplemental
Video and Lecture-Based Approach in an Engineering Statics Class
ASSIGNMENT DIRECTIONS
When conducting research, if the research population is too small for robust statistics, the researcher will
often conduct qualitative research to support quantitative research findings. For this assignment, you will
analyze the quantitative and qualitative data provided. Create a one to two paragraph paper that discusses
the triangulation of the data. How do the qualitative data support or not support the quantitative data?
HELPFUL HINTS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT
The research instruments (interview question and survey) are provided for your information only to
provide context for what you are doing in this assignment.
This is data compiled from two different research studies. It was placed together specifically for this
assignment; the actual published articles online will not be helpful for this assignment.
Compare and contrast the general findings of the quantitative and qualitative data below. For instance, if
the mean for the questions “The video lectures greatly assisted me in learning the course material” was 4.7,
then the students viewed the videos very positively. If the qualitative data noted the students liked
the video, then both qualitative and quantitative data support this assumption. This makes the quantitative
data a more robust finding in a small population than the quantitative or qualitative data would be on its
own.
Consequently, if the mean was 2.0 (which infers the students did not like the videos) and the qualitative
data indicated they did, this is a contrast where the qualitative and quantitative data differ. This means it
might need further investigation.
Triangulation is really not as difficult as it might seem once you get used to doing it.
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 2
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
DATA FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT
QUANTITATIVE DATA
Results
This results are the results for an experimental group that had access to online videos in a “flipped classroom format;”
the control group did not have these resources.
The data provided for this triangulation exercise is only for the experimental group except for the comparison of the
control and experimental group in regards to the effectiveness of the supplementary videos.
The mean score for the each survey questions in the appendix is displayed below. The experimental group
had access to the regular course material as well as online lecture video and solution videos that showed
the students how to work various types of problems step-by-step.
These students were given a survey to assess their opinions about the online videos. The means for these
questions are displayed in Table 3 below.
Question Mean
The video examples greatly assisted me in learning the 3.75
course material.
An appropriate number of videos were included in the 3.50
course.
The videos were professionally made. 3.75
The videos were too long. 3.00
I liked the flexibility of having online resources. 3.50
Table 3.0 Experimental Group Assessment of Online Supplemental Videos
Note: (1=Strongly Disagree; 3 Neutral, 5 = Strongly Agree)
The students were somewhat positive l in their assessment of the videos in general. They agreed the
number was appropriate and that they were professionally made.
In addition, the scores on three course tests and the final exam for the control and experimental groups
were compared using a t test. One outlier case was removed from the experimental group since this
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 3
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
student has a score of less than 20 overall and did not participate in class. Scores of the control and
experimental group on Test 1 yielded (t = -0.90, p = 0.37); this was repeated for Test 2 (t = 0.02, p = 0.99),
Test 3 (t = -0.36, p = 0.72) and the Final Exam (t = 0.34, p = 0.74). In addition a t test was done to
compare the overall mean scores on all tests in the control and experimental groups (t = -0.31, p = 0.76).
None of comparisons were statistically significant so the scores students in the experimental group who
had free access to supplementary online material to prepare and study for this course did not differ
appreciably from the students in the control group who did not have access to these materials. This was
noted as primarily due to a lack of time since students were taking 15-18 hours of intensive engineering
coursework.
However the experimental group’s mean score on all four tests combined was higher (M = 80.05) than
the overall mean score for all four tests for the control group (M = 79.06). Please see Table 4.0.
Test M Control Group M Experimental Group
1 75.77 79.72
2 84.65 84.59
3 78.65 80.06
Final Exam 77.19 75.84
Cumulative Test Score 79.06 80.05
Table 4.0 Mean Comparison of Student Test Scores: Control and Experimental Groups
Table 5.0 below displays the average experimental group viewing times in hours and minutes for the
required and optional lessons. Students did not watch all of the videos; they only accessed the material
they needed.
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 4
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
Video Topics
Total Length
of Videos
Number
of
Views
Estimated
Time
Watched
Time watched per Student
in Experimental Group
Required (Topic 18) 54 min 112 11 hr 29 min 20 min
Not Required (1-17; 19-20) 15 hr 35 min 391 31 hr 5 min 55 min
Total 16 hr 29 min 503 42 hr 34 min 75 min
Table 6.0 Experimental Group Video Viewing Times
QUALITATIVE DATA SUMMARY
Results Targeted Interviews
Seven of the 20 (35%) students in this class agreed to participate in a semi-structured
interview (see interview questions in the appendices). This interview consisted of five questions
with probes to elicit more detail. Since there were some students who were repeating the
class because they had failed it the previous semester, two additional questions were
included to solicit information on these repeating students. Three of the seven students (42%)
were taking the course for the second time.
Interviews were conducted by the co-researcher, who was not involved in class instruction, in
September 2013 and responses were confidential. All students were queried about their use of
the two types of videos in the online course: the lecture videos and the example videos.
Students were queried on how they used the supplemen ta ry videos in this class. All
(100%) of the students used the videos. All students viewed the lecture videos; however, one
student noted, “I did not watch all of the videos in the beginning but by the second week I
knew I had to watch them all.” Seventy one percent of the students viewed all of the example
videos; 29% only viewed them as they needed them. The slight variation in the results from the
survey concerning this factor can stem from the fact the mix of students who took the survey and
participated in the interviews could be different.
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 5
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
Overall, students reported the videos were well done; however, 29% felt the videos were too
long. Although the example videos were short, the lecture videos were longer. Most students
agreed the info in these longer videos was needed. One student reported using YouTube to fast
forward through the videos at a higher speed.
Students were asked if they felt this class had any positive attributes; 100% of the students
listed the videos as a definitive attribute that assisted their learning. In addition, 100% of the
students (including the two students who had taken it in a traditional face-to-face environment)
felt the videos would be an excellent addition to the face-to-face class to assist students who
want more information or who are struggling. All of the students enjoyed the ability to view
the videos over and over which they cannot do in the current face-to-face format. One student
who had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) noted the
videos accommodated his/her learning disability extremely well. All of the students also cited
the provided video examples as a positive attribute of the course.
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 6
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
INSTRUMENTS USED IN THIS STUDY
(PROVIDED FOR CLARIFICATION ONLY IF NEEDED)
DATA WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR EACH QUESTION
IN THIS EXERCISE
Questionnaire
(Quantitative Instrument)
Please answer all questions using the following rating scale: 1) Strongly agree,
2) Agree, 3) Neutral, 4) Disagree, 5) Strongly Disagree
Video Content
Lecture videos were used to introduce new content, while example videos were used to
demonstrate the use of the concepts in a practice problem.
1. The video lectures greatly assisted me in learning the course material.
2. The video examples greatly assisted me in learning the course material.
3. I frequently took notes as the videos played.
4. I frequently worked ahead of the example videos before watching the solution.
5. An appropriate number of videos were included in the course.
6. I found the videos boring and an ineffective way to learn the material.
7. I frequently replayed segments of videos to study the parts I was having difficulty with.
8. The videos were professionally made.
9. The videos were too long.
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 7
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
USAGE
Interview (Qualitative Instrument)
DATA WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR EACH
QUESTION
1. How often on the average do you think you accessed the video lectures?
a. How often did you play them more than once? If you did, how many times?
b. Did you stop and solve the problem when the video indicated you should do so
or did you just move on.
PRODUCTION FACTORS
1. Was there anything about the videos that you found annoying?
a. How did the length of the videos work for you?
b. Was seeing the instructor an important factor for you? Why or why not?
2. What did you particularly like about the video?
a. How did the videos help you (if they did)?
b. How did you use the self-assessments?
3. What processes in class did you find cumbersome (for instance, submitting assignments
that were handwritten)?
a. What are your opinions about the testing process?
b. What are your opinions about the homework process?
4. How did you feel about taking such a technical and difficult course online?
a. Were there barriers that affected your optimal performance?
b. What things could have been done to enhance the experience for you?
c. What factors about online learning in a technical field make it ideal or not ideal
for you to learn?
d. Would you take an online technical course again? Why or why not?
5. Please tell me what you think about the online devotionals.
a. What improvements would you suggest?
REMEDIAL STUDENTS ONLY
6. Do you think the videos used in this online class would have assisted you in the face-to-
face class when you took it the first time? Why or why not?
7. What factors made you successful in this course the second time (if you were).
© 2016 – A.T. Still University – Last Updated: May 20, 2016 8
Triangulation Assignment
RESH8000: Qualitative Research Methods
STUDENTS WHO DROPPED ONLY
1. Why did you drop the online class? Was the fact that it was online a factor?
2. Would you consider taking another online engineering class? Why or why not?