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Jeff,

Actually, "qualitative research" is a definition of the methods of the
research, not the goals. What you've described as "start with data, then
work toward a hypothesis" is (one type of) exploratory research, as opposed
to more confirmatory research ("start with a hypothesis, then collect and
analyze data").  Exploratory research can use quantitative methods (random
sampling, statistical significance, experimental design, etc.) just as
easily as qualitative (interviews, focus groups, observation, etc.), just as
confirmatory research can use any of these techniques.


Laia Robichaux
Environmental Sciences Program
Environmental Education
Doctoral Program
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-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeff Courtman
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2011 7:26 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Exhibit evaluation in Dimensions magazine

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

Eric, what you are talking about is qualitative research - you start with
data, then work toward a hypothesis.  Conversely, you can start with a
hypothesis, then collect and analyze data to see if your suppositions are
supported.  There are also mixed methods designs.

I also think your choice of "knowing how our audiences react" is very
telling - as Charlie mentioned a few threads back, learning is a
complicated, mushy topic that can be approached from multiple directions,
through multiple theoretical models.  For instance, even as an exhibit
developer, you might be interested in learning as a function of emotional
response, a behavioral, or a cognitive response (or something in between).
In other words, you might be interested in knowing how they felt after the
experience, what they learned, or what you taught them (I shudder when I
wrote that last one :).

  What strikes me as being the common thread throughout this discussion is
that learning is both spectral and dimensional - that is, we can talk about
behavioral learning or social learning - points on the spectrum - and then
we can talk about the finer aspects at each of those points - the
dimensional.  So when I see arguments about different points of view, I
don't view them as dichotomous, but rather as connected.  Central to this
whole argument is that, by definition, evaluation is also spectral and
dimensional:  It can be done for different reasons, in various ways, and
serve multiple purposes.


	



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