Hello Doug
I think you make a very important point in stating the following:
"However, I'm not convinced that there isn't still a large number
of people that think they can use QDA software without having to learn the
theory behind qualitative methodology".
And I also think that you put forward some important questions about the
software training courses. My experience/hypothesis is ( without having the
overall picture ofcourse, this is an empirical question) that these courses
are mostly focused on the techniques and the different possibilities that
the software can offer the researcher. As I understand there are different
levels on the courses but these levels are also mostly related to
skills/techniques. This can ofcourse be explained by factors like time,
money etc. But I would wish that the training courses also included some
training or more scientific discussion concerning methodology ( I mean here
the scientific meta theories behind different methods and analytical
qualitative approaches). I think that if the debate and ofcourse also the
actual research concerning qualitative analysis is to develop
scientifically we also need these elements in the training courses. And the
concequenses of this means that not everybody can hold this kind of
training courses that both focuses the software itself and the more
scientific part of it. On the other hand you could argue that this is a
task for the universities. But not all users have this background and a
question is also; what level and how much time is put on courses in
qualitative analysis for undergrad.stud. post.grad. stud. and doctoral
students. Is there an acumulating structure in the scientific training
concerning epistemology and ontology related to qualitative analysis ? Here
we will find ofcourse a variety of levels around the world depending on
traditions, time, money, lecture resources, etc that is spended on such
courses.
Dr. Odd Lindberg
Fil.Dr. Odd Lindberg
Örebro universitet
Inst. för samhällsvetenskap
701 82 Örebro
Sverige
Tel. + 4619303094
Fax. + 4619303484
E-mail; [log in to unmask]
Dr. Odd Lindberg (Ph.D.)
Senior lecturer
University of Orebro
Dept of Social Science
S - 701 82 Orebro
Sweden
Tel. + 4619303094
Fax. + 4619303484
E-mail; [log in to unmask]
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