Modules

3.1

Suppose you are interested in the behaviors of college professors that have high ratings of student satisfaction. The research goal is to identify the teaching behaviors of these successful professors so that these behaviors can be built into the curricula of doctoral leadership programs. The sample for this study will consist of 10 randomly selected professors who received high end-of-course survey scores. You want to use a case study design that requires at least two sources of data. What data collection instruments will be the most appropriate to address this topic? Why?

3.2

It is not unusual for researchers to use a convenience sample for their study. Consider a study in which the researcher would like to determine how parents working with their children on homework influence the child's school grades. The researcher may consider recruiting friends and relatives to participate in your study because it will be easier to obtain their permission for data collection. What might be some of the limitations of this sampling approach? What are some potential ethical implications to using a convenience sample?

4.1

Consider the Ute Mountain Utes, a Native American tribe in Colorado. Tourism is a key part of that group's income. Suppose a national economic problem similar to the economic collapse of late 2008 greatly reduced tourism and derived income for this population. Would a grounded theory or a phenomenological approach be the more effective means to understand the influences of that event 5 years later? Why?

4.2

Suppose you are interested in how children with severe autism experienced the receipt of special education assistance in public schools. This population is characterized by underdevelopment of social cognition, social skills, and language skills. What is the best method for collecting data to answer your research question? Why is this method best? How would you describe the research design?