Engaging in research in practice may also change how practitioners understand research. In reporting on a collaborative reflection-on-action project with other practitioners, Ann Docherty (2006) wrote:
This research project has raised underlying assumptions I had that academic research is somehow more credible than practitioner research. This project has given me confidence to "own" the knowledge that has been created from my experience. It has helped me recognize that credibility comes in many forms. I leave this research report believing that my practice is informed by the multi-dimensional learning relationships that I am immersed in. This includes literacy practitioners, local mentors, practitioner colleagues and academic colleagues and the knowledge shared through reading numerous research articles and reports. (p. 6)
A look back at some of the roots of educational research will provide background for a research in practice journey, and hopefully answer some general questions you may have. In later chapters, we'll look at how researchers in practice have adapted and challenged some academic practices and developed additional approaches.
Educational research and research about adult literacy is often described as quantitative or qualitative research. In general, quantitative researchers collect data that can be counted, analyzed and presented numerically. Although researchers in practice sometimes use quantitative methods to collect data, such as questionnaires and tests, quantitative research usually refers to studies that use statistical procedures in the data analysis process. Examples of such research include the International Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey 2003 (2005) and a study of reading strategies of adult basic education students (Campbell & Malicky, 2002). (For more information about statistical procedures, see Valentine, 1997).
Qualitative research is an umbrella term for a variety of interpretive approaches. Although there are differences among these approaches, qualitative researchers share a common interest in understanding people's experiences and how they make sense of them. Qualitative data collection methods include observations, interviews, journalling and arts- based approaches such as drawing, collage and photography.