This article shows how statistical matching methods can be used to select "most similar" cases for qualitative analysis. I first offer a methodological justification for research designs based on selecting most similar cases. I then discuss the applicability of existing matching methods to the task of selecting most similar cases and…

The perceptions of professional identity development from 10 counseling leaders were examined through consensual qualitative research methodology. Themes and implications include the (a) intersection of being counselor educators and leaders in the counseling field and (b) the development and strengthening of professional identity over time.

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), a technique by which the tools of Boolean algebra are applied to equifinal causal conditions, is gaining popularity amongst scholars. This paper draws upon a distinction largely overlooked by the QCA literature: the difference between inclusive- and exclusive-or (OR and XOR). I argue that XOR should be…

In this article we describe the process followed in the creation of the "Hopscotch Model," a tool to help novice researchers thoroughly design qualitative research studies while learning the philosophical underpinnings of this particular form of research. The model helps to incorporate the theoretical background behind any qualitative…

This literature review critically synthesizes 10 years of international teacher expectations research using a simplified "expectation effect process" model. New developments in teacher expectation research are outlined, including effects of teacher expectations on students, teachers' development of expectations, teachers' differential…

This article addresses methodological issues related to the consequences of researchers' range of insider identities that emerge over the course of completing subsequent stages of qualitative migration research projects. Taking on a temporal approach to the insider status evolving over the course of field entry, data collection, data analysis, and…

We analyzed the article types, participants, and topics represented in "Update" articles published between 1989 and 2017 (N = 379), beginning when MENC (now NAfME) took over publication of the journal. Quantitative research articles (46.42%) and literature reviews (28.84%) accounted for the largest portion of articles published. The…

In our region, the southeastern United States, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the rapid decision to close schools in early March 2020. Science teachers were suddenly required to teach their classes online with little time to prepare and little training in how to do so. In response, we invited 10 high school science teachers to participate in a…

The increased use of quantitative education data is often regarded by scholars as evidence of the emergence of 'governing by numbers'. These scholars ascribe major stakeholders such as the OECD and nation states agency as they produce, distribute and consume data, and respond to these with policy and management initiatives. This paper argues that…

In 2020, the Foundation for Child Development released "Getting it Right: Using Implementation Research to Improve Outcomes in Early Care and Education." The publication provides insights into the value of including implementation research in the study of early care and education (ECE) and its potential to improve programs and policies…

In Australia, policies such as the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative have been the impetus for improved collaboration between medical practitioners and psychologists in general. However, policies that promote collaboration between school psychologists and community mental health, health, justice and/or human services professionals…

Qualitative research methods constitute the bulk of scientific design in the special education field because of their flexibility, open-ended nature, and the delivered ability to explore a complex reality with more insights and greater detail. To add, the qualitative design has been gaining even more attention in the recent decades, becoming a…

This article explores the perceptions of professional development held by a selection of early years educators who have experience of working in statutory and private early years settings in the north of England. The research participants (n = 20) reflected on their experiences of professional development in early years. The research process is…

The study examined the process of policy implementation of lifelong learning for the elderly in Thailand, covering four main regions within the country. The study empirically compared inputs, processes, outputs, and outcomes of policy implementation in the north, south, northeast, and central regions of Thailand and captured the rigor of policy…

The purpose of this study is to identify the conceptual mistakes frequently encountered in teaching geography such as latitude-parallel concepts, and to prepare conceptual change text based on the Scientific Storyline Method, in order to resolve the identified misconceptions. In this study, the special case method, which is one of the qualitative…