Project Summary: Qualitative Approaches Suppose you have been asked to review and reevaluate the findings of a quantitative, quasi-experimental, state-level study regarding the impact of the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program in a single state. Data has been collected for 200 children over two years. One group had GALs assigned to them and the other did not. The GAL program attempts to provide a voice for abused and neglected children through the use of citizen volunteers as opposed to attorneys. GALs act as advocates for children in judicial proceedings and placement in permanent and safe homes. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the program in achieving positive outcomes for the children. These outcomes involved everything from court continuance and closures, increases in services, and adoptions and number of placements. The study concluded that, although it did make a difference with respect to most of the outcome variables, there was no apparent effect on types of placements of the children during the study period of two years. Placements ranged from least to most restrictive such as permanent homes, foster homes, shelters, and institutions. As a reviewer, you suspect that this finding or absence thereof might be illuminated by a different approach so you propose a qualitative evaluation design to focus on this question. For this Discussion, review this weeks Learning Resources and consider what qualitative approach you would use and why. QUESTION: Post a response to the following: When considering using qualitative approaches for evaluating GAL situations, explain which qualitative approach you would recommending using and why. Include in your explanation supportive and credible examples of the value of your chosen approach using your readings, research and professional experience. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Qualitative and Mixed Methods Approach Introduction Assume you are in the process of conducting a quantitative evaluation and are in the process of designing a survey to collect data on the effectiveness of your program. How do you know that the questions you are asking represent the most important factors to the recipients or beneficiaries of the program? Programs can have multiple characteristics and complex features. If you do not ask the right questions or you omit an important factor, it could lead to flawed or erroneous conclusions. Here is where a qualitative exploratory survey using open ended questions with a small group can help. The qualitative approach can also explain or help to illuminate what may be observed anomalies in your quantitative findingsthe occasional exception, residual, or outlier observation that cannot be explained. Better yet, this approach may help explain the causal process inherent in your program. Your Learning Resources this week serve to illustrate some of the issues in qualitative and mixed methods designs. These also illustrate the different approaches to validity, sampling, bias, and flexibility in quantitative and qualitative evaluations. You will examine the types of questions that qualitative approaches can address that quantitative methods cannot. You will also gain insight into the integrative nature of the mixed methods approach and how quantitative and qualitative evaluators use the mixed methods approach in different ways. Learning Objectives Students will: Evaluate qualitative and mixed methods approach used to address evaluation problems Analyze mixed methods approach for integration of qualitative and quantitative methods in evaluation designs ____________________________________________________________________________________ Required Resources Readings McDavid, J. C., Huse, I., & Hawthorn, L. R. L. (2013). Program evaluation and performance measurement: An introduction to practice (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. o Chapter 5, Applying Qualitative Evaluation Methods (pp. 187224) Hancock, B., Ockleford, E., & Windridge, K. (2009). An introduction to qualitative research. Retrieved from http://www.rds-yh.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/5_Introduction-to-qualitative-research-2009.pdf USAID. (2013). Conducting mixed-method evaluations. Retrieved fromhttp://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/Mixed_Methods_Evaluations_Technical_Note.pdf The World Bank. (2011). Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches in program evaluation.Retrieved from http://go.worldbank.org/3XUVY74PN0 Optional Resources Bamberger, M. (2012). Introduction to mixed methods in impact evaluation [Video file]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN_AmhPZGTU Bowers, B. (2008). An overview of qualitative research methods [Video file]. Retrieved fromhttp://videos.med.wisc.edu/videos/3420 Collier, D., Brady, H. E., & Seawright, J. (2004). Sources of leverage in causal inference: Toward an alternative view of methodology. Retrieved fromhttp://faculty.washington.edu/swhiting/pols502/Collier_Brady_Seawright.pdf Hearn, J., Lawler, J., & Dowswell, G. (2003). Qualitative evaluations, combined methods and key challenges. Evaluation, 9(1), 3054. King, J., & Greenseid, L. (2007). The oral history of evaluation, part 5: An interview with Michael Quinn Patton. American Journal of Evaluation, 28(1), 102114.