Methods
This mini-research project is a qualitative empirical study that explores the decision-making by university administration regarding whether, why, and how they provide ongoing support for minority students. I chose to utilize the constructivist grounded theory as the research methodology because, as Cronin stated in Merriam and Greiner (2019), it is positioned within the interpretive practice. Further, Corbin and Strauss posited in Merriam and Greiner (2019) that the grounded theory approach is an illuminating process that seeks to investigate how the acting agents respond to distinct conditions and the outcomes of their actions. The grounded theory recognizes that reality is multiple and interpretive, lending its methodology to my subjective and socially constructed interpretation that is grounded in the data collected, thus, developing a theoretical explanation of the phenomena being studied.
Interviews were used as the primary data collection method suitable for a qualitative study aiming to explore the current supportive practices and pedagogies for minority students. The methodology chosen complies with the research question and problem statement, as well as the nature of the qualitative research. As claimed by Kallio et al. (2016), a well-developed semi‐structured interview guide positively impacts the trustworthiness of the study and makes the findings more plausible, which is essential for empirical research. While following the set of premeditated questions, interviewing allows for a comprehensive free-flowing discussion that can offer valuable insight and shed light on various aspects of the subject.
Setting
This study aims to investigate the academic administration’s perspective on support being provided for minority students. The University of Delaware (UD) was chosen as the institution under review to obtain the opinions of the faculty, administrative staff, and leadership as the primary data for analysis. UD is a private-public research university located in Newark, Delaware, founded in 1743, which makes it one of the oldest universities in the country and the largest university in the state of Delaware. UD is considered a large institution, with its main campus in Newark hosting 18,135 undergraduate students enrolled in 2019 (IRE). Since Newark has the greatest number of students, the study was held at the main campus targeting the academic administration. The interviews were conducted online over the Zoom platform, with each participant located at their home.
Participants
This study utilizes a non-probability interview sampling method, commonly applied in qualitative research when time or budget constraints are present. Purposive sampling was chosen for this study based on the particular research question and the consideration of the resources available, including time and respondents (Hesse-Biber, 2017). The technique of non-probability and purposeful sampling is criterion-based and does not imply random selection; instead, it involves the researcher’s subjective judgment and is more time- and cost-effective. The participants of the study were selected based on their ability to elucidate the subject and participate in a fruitful discussion offering ideas valuable for the research.
The participants included three males and one female, namely, one head of faculty (male, 30 – 45 years), two deans of the college (males; 30 – 45 years and 45+ years), and one director of programs (female, 30 – 45 years) at the Newark campus of the University of Delaware. The interviewees were initially contacted via email and phone calls, where the details regarding the research and interviews were provided. All participants were informed of the data collection procedure as well as the purpose of the study, and informed consent was provided prior to the interview process. It was obtained by providing the information about the research, responding to all the questions of the participants, and getting the subject’s voluntary agreement to take part in the study in verbal form. The real names of the interviewees were used with their permission.
Considering the complexity of the subject under review and the versatility of perspectives on the issue, it appears reasonable to allows the participants to speak freely regarding the questions at hand rather than asking questions in a standardized manner. Hence, the interviews were designed in accordance with a semi-structured approach to ensure that the questions of interest are answered while a degree of spontaneity and flexibility is maintained (Hesse-Biber, 2017). The interviewing process was recorded and transcribed, and each session included ten predetermined questions with additional questions in-between, which allowed for gaining an extensive overview of the problem.
A total of four interviews was conducted, one with each participant, and all the interviews were recorded and transcribed. The interviewees were asked a set of predetermined questions along with additional ones that emerged during the discussion. Notes were taken throughout the process to ensure that nonverbal cues were taken and essential information was captured along with primary ideas presented by the respondents. The information gained for the study was stored on the hard drive of my personal computer to ensure its safety and prevent third parties from accessing it.
Data Collection
The issue of supportive practices and pedagogies for minority students and their effects on retention and graduation requires a better understanding, and data collected at the largest campus of one of the oldest universities in the United States can provide valuable insights. Since this study is exploratory in nature, the information obtained with in-depth interviews yielded both descriptive and explanatory data analysis (Hesse-Biber, 2017). Further, utilizing a semi-structured interview style provided a baseline of questioning while allowing the participants the freedom to discuss what they deemed essential. The interview guide included a mix of standardized and open-ended questions, all of which implied flexibility. The interviews were primarily structured around a core set of questions, and specific data was desired from all interviewees, such as demographic data and the perspectives regarding the predetermined prompts.
Once the research was complete, the recordings of the interviews were discarded. Each session lasted approximately 45-50 minutes and was held online via the Zoom platform. Informed consent was obtained before, during, and after the interview. The protocol included four phases, and the data collection began with obtaining informed consent and explaining the process to the participants. The researcher then opened the interview by providing an overview of the issue and encouraging the participants to introduce themselves and give some detail on their area of work. Then, standardized questions and prompts were used to obtain data and insights, which were documented through note-taking. Each session lasted approximately 45 minutes, and by the end of each interview, the researcher encouraged the participants to add additional information they deemed necessary. The post-interview memoing technique was adopted to ensure that the ideas presented by the interviewee were captured precisely.
Data Analysis
A thematic analysis was used to identify patterns or themes. The advantages of this method include flexibility and suitability for explorative studies, which lack a clear vision of the patterns to search (Gibbs, 2018). Four steps were taken to conduct a thematic analysis of the interview data, and QDA Miner software was used for ensuing efficient and consistent analysis. First, the transcripts were processed using QDA Miner, and preliminary codes were assigned to data and concepts to generate themes for each interview, segment by segment. There was no list of pre-set codes, and all of them were developed and modified after the interviews were carried out. Then, the researcher searched for patterns across the interviews, annotated the documents, and reviewed themes adjusting them to ensure a comprehensive picture. Later on, names were chosen for all the themes identified throughout all transcripts. Finally, the data was analyzed, and the results of the study were presented.
The grounded theory method was employed to define the themes and construct theory using the data obtained during interviews. This approach allows for structuring the knowledge produced by the participants recognizing that each individual has a different way of thinking and cognitive style. Based on the constructivist grounded theory ideas, the researcher is viewed as the co-constructor of the final product, which complies with the principles of purposive sampling utilized in this study (O’Connor et al., 2018). Hence, the use of digital recorders and the venue of the research are consistent with the theory’s implications as they allow for exploring a social process through subjective and socially constructed interpretation. As grounded theorists suggest that the needs of the specific research study must be considered, the designed semi-structured interviews and protocols align with this idea (O’Connor et al., 2018). The note-taking, review, post-interview memoing, and member-checking were chosen to ensure a comprehensive picture of the issue being studied.
Trustworthiness
Steps to establish trustworthiness included post-interview memoing immediately after the interview and member-checking to review themes formulated and ensure that the data collected is correct.
Dependability
The dependability of this research was established through the inquiry audit, conducted by an outside researcher, who works in an academic background, possesses a Ph.D. degree in Sociology, and is experienced in qualitative research. Therefore, the accuracy of the findings was established through the inquiry audit. The researcher of this study has no conflicts of interest or financial interest to disclose.
Confirmability
The confirmability of this study was ensured through the audit trail conducted during the data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Records were kept, including raw data, process notes, and data synthesis products. Detailed methodological description allowed the researcher to track how the data was processed and analyzed.
Credibility
The credibility of the qualitative research was established through the member-checking technique, which allowed for clarifying the participants’ intentions and correcting errors. The transcripts of the interviews, along with memos, were emailed to the participants, who were asked to confirm whether their articulations were captured correctly or make any necessary comments and corrections.
Transferability
The transferability of this study was ensured by providing a description of the contextual factors affecting the research and explaining its boundaries. This study was conducted with the involvement of the administrative staff of the Newark campus of the University of Delaware, which implies limited scope and participants.
References
Gibbs, G. R. (2018). Analyzing qualitative data (Vol. 6). Sage.
Hesse-Biber, S. N. (2017). The practice of qualitative research: Engaging students in the research process (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Kallio, H., Pietilä, A. M., Johnson, M., & Kangasniemi, M. (2016). Systematic methodological review: Developing a framework for a qualitative semi‐structured interview guide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(12), 2954-2965.
Merriam, S. B., & Grenier, R. S. (2019). Qualitative research in practice: Examples for discussion and analysis (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
O’Connor, A., Carpenter, B., & Coughlan, B. (2018). An exploration of key issues in the debate between classic and constructivist grounded theory. Grounded Theory Review, 17(1). Web.