This study explored the influence of student-university fit on the matching of academically diverse, under-represented minority students' college search and choice processes. To examine the relationship between academic match and student-university fit, a qualitative research design was used. This basic interpretive qualitative design incorporated…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore elementary school teachers' perceptions of their level of confidence and preparation for implementing Common Core State Standards in Alabama. The researcher used NVivo to identify common themes among the responses of the participants. The results of this study indicated five major themes:…

This case study is an example of organizational qualitative research in action. In 2013, I began the methodological journey for my PhD to study the link between how violence (in particular bullying) is constructed on an everyday basis by organizational members and organizational practices developed and implemented to counter and respond to forms…

This case examines the practical and philosophical dilemmas related to a qualitative, multi-state analysis of how secondary English Language Arts teachers reconciled their commitment to teaching for social justice with curricular standards and mandates. Topics addressed include the identification and narrowing of a research question; developing…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the branding processes of universities in Turkey with the consideration of the context of cities where the universities are located. This research is conducted to respond to this question: How is the branding process of Turkish universities in the context of the branding of their cities? Data constructed…

Imprisonment pains often accompany confinement to correctional institutions. Less is known about how related discomforts and deprivations might specifically impact the administration and receipt of postsecondary correctional education. This paper will show how encounters between incarcerated college students, other prisoners, prison educators and…

I offer Klein's "Leap into the void" as an entrée into exploring the complexities of qualitative research in education. In exposing the ways in which performance photography/documentation performs on the boundaries of representation, Klein helps us to think about representation and dissemination differently. Through this article I will…

Honoring the variation theory principle that meaning springs from differences, in this article we will show how two different strands of theorizing emerging from the mutual base of phenomenography have developed into developmental pedagogy and variation theory, respectively. Through looking at texts from these two strands, we will illustrate how…

First-year principals encounter multiple messages about what it means to be instructional leaders; this may matter for how they enact instructional leadership. This cross-case qualitative study uses a qualitative approach of social network analysis to uncover the mechanisms through which first-year principals encountered particular beliefs about…

This paper presents a methodological study with children where two different interview methods were utilized: the "walk-around" (a form of mobile interview) and the "shoulder-to-shoulder." The paper reviews the methodological aspects of the study then provides a brief review of the history of methods employed in research with…

A historical indicator of the quality, validity, and rigor of qualitative research has been the documentation and disclosure of the behind-the-scenes work of the researcher. In this paper, we use what we call "methodological data" as a tool to complicate the possibility and desirability of such transparency. Specifically, we draw on our…

Background: Positive interpersonal relationships have been found to enhance an individual's quality of life. However, people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) often have restricted social networks, and little is known about their views on close social relationships. The study aimed to explore how this group perceives and experiences close…

This study examines response patterns of pilot schools in the neo-institutional perspective to make improvements on the pilot school systematic framework. In order to achieve this goal, in-depth interviews were conducted to obtain qualitative data. The results show that pilot schools either (a) actively adopt or (b) ceremonially adopt an education…

As the number of international students studying at American universities continues to grow (Institute of International Education, 2014), campuses are increasingly becoming social spaces where the local, national, and international meet. Even though students' identities may still be developing in college (Arnett, 2000) and their environment may…

Background: A growing number of studies argue that data use practices in schools have not sufficiently attended to teachers' learning about students, subject matter, and instruction. The result has been changes in instructional management (e.g., student grouping, assignment of students to tutoring) rather than instructional improvement. Further,…