Lecture on Interviews in Educational Research

Introduction

• Purpose: Discuss terms and concepts related to interviews in educational sciences research.
• Structure: Definition of terms, choosing interviews for research design, examples of studies, designing interview protocols.

Key Terms and Concepts

Interview Protocol

• Guidelines for conducting interviews:
  • Interview questions and follow-up strategies.
  • Recording and transcribing considerations.
  • Participant anonymity and data storage.

Types of Interviews

• Structured Interview: Predetermined questions in a fixed order.
• Semi-Structured Interview: Predefined questions with flexibility for follow-ups and order changes.
• Open Interview: Broad prompts, participant-focused narrative.

Research Design and Interview Types

• Structured Interviews: Align with objectivist epistemology, post-positivist paradigm. Aim for generalizability.
• Semi-Structured Interviews: Reflect constructionist epistemology, interpretive paradigm. Focus on trustworthiness.
• Open Interviews: Used in narrative methodologies, subjectivist epistemology. Focus on participant story.

Example Studies

Example 1: Structured Interviews

• Study on children's perspectives in classrooms.
• Post-positivist paradigm, large sample size, generalizable results.

Example 2: Semi-Structured Interviews

• Study on teachers' learning goals.
• Interpretive approach, typology creation, social constructivist paradigm.

Example 3: Semi-Structured Interviews in Alternative Schools

• Study on teachers’ practices in shaping students’ experiences.
• Interpretive paradigm, focus on specific context, trustworthiness over generalizability.

Designing an Interview Protocol

Considerations

• Align questions with research question and theoretical framework.
• Ensure questions are understandable without specialized terminology.
• Use artifacts (e.g., images, narratives) to facilitate discussion.

Writing Interview Questions

• Start with research question; operationalize concepts into participant-friendly questions.
• Use open-ended, authentic questions.
• Avoid leading questions and assumptions.

Conducting Interviews

• Use tour questions to explore experiences.
• Build rapport before sensitive questions.
• Pilot interview questions to identify issues and improve clarity.

Tips for Effective Interviewing

• Record interviews, obtain informed consent.
• Keep research question in mind to guide follow-up questions.
• Transcribe interviews accurately for analysis.

Conclusion

• Choosing the right interview type is essential and depends on the research paradigm.
• Write questions based on your study's theoretical framework and literature review.
• Pilot interviews to refine questions and conduct effective sessions.
• Understand how different interview types and tools like stimulated recall and metaphors can enhance data collection.