Evaluation Methodology

QUALITATIVE<------------------------------------------------------>QUANTITATIVE

Participant
Observation 		Interviews
(open) 		Focus
Groups 		Interviews
Semi-
structured 		Document
Review 		Classroom
Observation
(with
protocol) 		Teacher
Logs
(Precoded) 		Surveys Student
Tests

Qualitative Quantitative
  • Tells how, why
  • Open-ended
  • Reseacher as instrument
  • Tells what and how much
  • Closed format
  • Instrumentation protocols, formats
Benefits ("rich data"):
  • Descriptions, narration
  • Understandings
  • Perceptions/perspectives
Benefits (numerical, measurment):
  • Information from a large sample size
  • Information cheaper to collect
  • More objective
Drawbacks:
  • Information from a small sample size
  • Information expensive to collect - labor intensive
  • More subjective
Drawbacks:
  • May miss important data - such as perceptions, values and unintended outcomes