Stephanie WhiteChristchurch College of EducationNew Zealand

Traps for First Time Players… the use of open-ended questions

to gather data for qualitative research

An open-ended question can catch the authenticity, richness, depth of response, honesty and candor.

( Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000 ) Truly open-ended questions should

minimise predetermined responses, so that people can respond in their own words ( Patton, 2002)

The Literature

15 adult learners - 11 female / 4 male Enrolled in a week long Certificate in

Adult Teaching Course at CCE, 2004 Backgrounds in education, health, business,

community and unemployed

( White, S. 2004 )

The Context

The Questionnaire Describe what learning is for you What things have you been involved in

learning in the last 12 months? Explain your reasons for enrolling in this

Course How do you perceive lifelong learning will help

you personally / society as a whole in the future?

What areas of your life might be enhanced in the future by your current learning?

New ideas, excitement, stepping out of my comfort zone, acquisition of new ideas, skills, knowledge, information, to understand something that was previously a mystery, is a core need, to be regularly exposed to/ and acquire new ideas, methods and information, as well as the stimulation of meeting new people and discovering new places/spaces, a continual process throughout life which enables you to grow as well as empowers you to expand yourself, gaining new knowledge, new ideas, soaking up knowledge like a sponge, changing my ideas, refreshing, solving problems, filling gaps, discovering and growing……..

Over 40 responses/phrases to this one question

Describe what learning is for you

It is a big river indeed that cannot be crossed ( make light of the difficulties and they will disappear)

He manga wai koia kia kore e whitika

It is like “taking a walk in someone else’s shoes”

You get a variety of rich, honest and diverse responses

It catches the “gems” of information such as shown on the questionnaires themselves

The people’s true voices

The analysis

Reviewed the responses initially to get a “feel’ for the data

Collated all responses to each question by hand on paper

Gave responses a code and then grouped similar responses together

Included examples of “true’ responses in the paper and the number of times they were given

Capturing the “prize” Include raw data of interviews and

questionnaires to capture the actual things said by actual people

Look for patterns and integrate what is said in one place with what is said in another place

Carry out a content analysis according to a classification scheme

Allow for the unexpected, seek out the answers and impose order on them

Celebrate the dimensions, themes, images, or words people use to describe their feelings, thoughts and experiences

References

Cohen, L.,Manion, L. & Morrison, K. ( 2000) Research Methods in Education Patton M. ( 2002 ) Qualitative Research and

Evaluation Methods White S. ( 2004 ) What Motivates Them? Adult

Learners’ Perceptions of and Reasons for Engaging in Lifelong Learning. New Zealand Journal Of Adult Learning. 32(2)