Three questions to guide qualitative performance measurement were formulated: Can the phenomenon be realistically measured? Are the measurement processes appropriate and influential? and Is the measure powerful in a practical environment? The framework was applied to 10 learning organization models, revealing some deficiencies in them. (Contains…

Focuses on one phase of a five-year reflective study that involved a reflective play-building project. Outlines the working processes of the play-building group and discusses approaches to data collection and analysis before drawing conclusions about the key characteristics of aesthetic engagement. Concludes by drawing attention to aspects of…

Responds to Hoshmand's article on alternate research paradigms in counseling psychology, viewing it as a distinctly valuable contribution likely to be seen as a future classic with impact on the discipline. Reviews Hoshmand's article with an ecumenical and eclectic view of epistemology. (NB)

Presents research approaches using qualitative methods that are needed as alternatives to traditional, quantitative methods. Describes the three qualitative methods of participant-observation, in-depth interviewing, and life histories and case studies. Discusses exemplars of qualitative techniques for research in counselor education and…

The article offers guidelines for researchers using qualitative research methods, including interviews, with retarded populations whose verbal skills are limited. It is important for the researcher to supplement information received through verbal discussion with observations of home and workplace. (Author/DB)

Examines the organizational culture in a department of residence life to explore the interpretive frameworks of individuals within the department. Two distinctive sets emerged. In the administrative interpretive framework, individuals valued the administrative and facilities-related aspects of their jobs more highly than the developmental and…

Comments on several other articles in this issue of the journal regarding standards for reading research methodologies. Distinguishes between conceptions of inquiry concerned with human actions and events. Sees the ends of inquiry as "design features" of different types of rational features, controlled inquiries, of which natural, social, and…

Conducted qualitative exploration of therapeutic process occurring in solution-focused marital therapy session. Through intense examination of the communications of therapist, wife, and husband using conversation analysis, nine categories of linguistic strategies used by therapist in pursuit of solution-focused conversation were developed.…

Outlines use of qualitative research in student affairs. Suggests rationale for the appropriateness of qualitative methods as means of knowledge generation. Discusses five issues of concern. Concludes qualitative research methodology reflects and parallels complexity and richness of student affairs field. (Author/ABL)

Outlines major features of qualitative research methods and rehabilitation research contexts for which these methods are particularly appropriate. Presents representative examples of qualitative rehabilitation research. Presents strategies for handling threats to reliability and validity within qualitative tradition and criteria for assessing…

Studied client retrospective recall of major misunderstanding events in 19 cases of therapy. Found that good relationship, clients' willingness to assert negative feelings about being misunderstood, and therapists' facilitation of mutual repair effort through maintaining flexible and accepting stance typically led to resolution. (Author/NB)

Notes that publication of special section of eight qualitative studies marks growing recognition of contribution that qualitative research can make to counseling field. States that researchers of eight studies used adaptation of grounded theory method and that theories generated are positively evaluated with constructivist criteria. Suggests that…

Vocational education research can benefit from clearly identifying epistemological and ontological difficulties between qualitative and quantitative research and from using hermeneutics, which incorporates lived interpretation of experiences and challenges the methodological mentality. (SK)

Expresses concerns about importing qualitative research methods from education to family therapy. Argues that qualitative researchers cannot establish the trustworthiness of their findings, regardless of the methods they use. Further contends that the legitimacy of research knowledge cannot be determined by researchers, but rather requires the…

A humanly-constructive critical theory of environmental education called "a critical ecological ontology for educational inquiry" provides a necessary complement to the socially-critical perspective by focusing on our individual and collective being in the world. A critical ecological ontology highlights the personal politic required for…