Mixed methods approach in the theses of a postgraduate program in education: analysis in the light of Creswell

Leite, Luciana Rodrigues; Verde, Ana Paula dos Santos Reinaldo; Oliveira, Francisco das Chagas Rodrigues de; Nunes, João Batista Carvalho

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ARTICLES • Educ. Pesqui. 47 • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-4634202147243789 copy

Mixed methods approach in the theses of a postgraduate program in education: analysis in the light of Creswell¹ 1 - Disponibilidade de dados: todo o conjunto de dados que dá suporte aos resultados deste estudo foi publicado no próprio artigo. ^* * The translation of this article is responsibility of Larissa de P. Cavalcanti. The translator and the author take full responsibility for the translation of the text, including titles of books/articles and the quotations originally published in Portuguese.

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Mixed methods research embraces the association of procedures to collect and analyze data as well as the combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques. In the past years there has been an increase in the use of mixed methods, especially in the international literature. This article focuses on the use of mixed methods to education research in Brazil. The following question guides the investigation: “to what extent the mixed methods approach is present in Brazilian Postgraduate Programs in Education whose academic performance matches the international standards of excellence?”. A documentary research was conducted to map and analyze the theses of a postgraduate program that reached the highest score according to Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) from 2013 to 2018. The studies of John Creswell provided our theoretical basis and the analysis criteria for the selected theses. The search conducted on the Sucupira Platform found that 11 of 104 theses (10.6%) from the appointed Postgraduate Program in Education make use of mixed methods. Thus, it was verified, to greater and lesser degrees, the perception of the potential use of mixed methods in the theses, which improves over time as more recent theses present clearer justifications for integrating qualitative and quantitative techniques. In addition, both theoretical and methodological developments were verified, however, researchers in the Postgraduate Program have yet to employ more up to date references regarding mixed methods research.

Mixed methods; Education research; Post-graduation in education; Theses

DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESEARCH TIMING	WEIGHT ATTRIBUTION	COMBINING PROCEDURE	THEORIZATION
The quantitative and qualitative data is collected either at the same time (concurrently) or in phases (sequentially).	It refers to the weight or priority given to the quantitative and qualitative approaches. The weight may be equal or emphasize one or the other. (QUAL-QUAN; QUAL-quan; QUAN-qual)	It refers to the phases in which qualitative and quantitative data are combined: collection, analysis, interpretation or all of the phases. Connected data – qualitative and quantitative data are connected during the research. Integrated data – qualitative and quantitative data are fused and support one another mutually. Embedded data – secondary data support a primary database.	Whether a larger theoretical perspective that guides the entire research project, which can be explicit or implicit.

STRATEGY	WEIGHT	COMBINATION	THEORIZATION	DEFINITION
Sequential Explanatory	Quantitative	Connected	Implicit	The collection and analysis of quantitative data is carried out in one of the first stages of the research, followed by qualitative data collection and analysis. This second phase is developed from results of the first quantitative phase.
Sequential Exploratory	Qualitative	Connected	Implicit	The collection and analysis of qualitative data is carried out in one of the first stages of the research, followed by quantitative data collection and analysis. This second phase is developed from results of the first qualitative phase.
Sequential Transformative	Qualitative or Quantitative	Connected	Explicit	The initial phase is either qualitative or quantitative; it is distinguished from the other strategies due to a theoretical perspective that guides the investigation.
Concurrent Triangulation	Qualitative and Quantitative (equal)	Integrated	Explicit or implicit	The procedures for collection of qualitative and quantitative data are concurrent (at the same time) and followed by the comparison of databases.
Concurrent Embedded	Qualitative or Quantitative	Embedded	Implicit	The procedures for collection of qualitative and quantitative data are concurrent (at the same time) but a primary method (either qualitative or quantitative) conducts the process.
Concurrent Transformative	Qualitative and Quantitative	Integrated, embedded or connected	Explicit	The procedures for collection of qualitative and quantitative data are concomitant and guided by an explicit theoretical perspective.

TIME/YEAR	THESES WRITTEN	THESES WITH MIXED METHODS	%
2013	20	03	15.0
2014	17	-	-
2015	22	04	18.2
2016	14	02	14.3
2017	15	02	13.3
2018	16	-	-
TOTAL	104	11	10.6

1	Is the basic definition of mixed methods research provided?
2	Is the purpose of the study given, including both qualitative and quantitative purposes and the rationale for mixing methods?
3	Does the reader have a sense of the potential use of a mixed methods research strategy?
4	Are criteria identified for choosing a mixed strategy?
5	Is the mixed methods strategy identified and its criteria for selection given?
6	Is a visual model of the design given to clarify the research strategy?
7	Does the visual model include the correct notation?
8	Are data collection and data analysis procedures mentioned in relation to the strategy?
9	Are sampling strategies for both qualitative and quantitative data collection mentioned, and do they relate to the strategy?
10	Are procedures for validating both qualitative and quantitative data discussed?
11	Is the report structure detailed? Does it relate to the type of mixed methods strategy in use?

THESIS	JUSTIFICATION	REFERENCES
A	Not presented
B
C
D	The difference between approaches relies on their nature not on hierarchy, they are not incompatible.	Minayo (2010)MINAYO, Maria Cecília de Souza. O desafio do conhecimento. São Paulo: Hucitec, 2010.
E	Complementary opposition	Minayo (2007)
F	Not presented
G	The quantitative dimension enriches the investigation.	Not presented
H	The qualitative and quantitative aspects are not mutually exclusive.	Minayo (1993)
I	There is no quantification without qualification.	Bauer; Gaskell (2002)BAUER, Martin W.; GASKELL, George. Pesquisa qualitativa com texto, imagem e som: um manual prático. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2002.
J	The qualitative and quantitative approaches are complementary.	Triviños (2010)TRIVIÑOS, Augusto Nibaldo Silva. Introdução à pesquisa e ciências sociais: a pesquisa qualitativa em educação. 1. ed. São Paulo: Atlas, 2010.
K		Flick (2004)FLICK, Uwe. Uma introdução à pesquisa qualitativa. 2. ed. Porto Alegre: Bookman, 2004.

THESIS	DESCRIPTION	DATA COLLECTION	DATA ANALYSIS
A	NOT PRESENT	Multivariate statistical methods (ESCOFIER; PAGÉS, 1992)	Correspondence analysis with Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS)
B	Conclusive and ethnographic	Structured interview; in-depth semi-structured interview; documentary analysis	Content analysis Statistical analysis
C	Descriptive and documentary	Microdata of the analyzed institutions and national and international documents	Statistical analysis with LibreOffice and index number base 100
D	Exploratory and case study	Documentary analysis; open questionnaire	Content analysis; Likert scale
E	Exploratory and case study	Mixed questionnaire; conversation circle; semi-structured interview; documentary analysis; systematic observation	Textual discourse analysis using Design Research
F	Bibliographic and documentary	Documentary analysis	Content analysis Statistical analysis
G	Exploratory and case study of the Multiple type	In-depth interview; indexes of the institution (numeric data) and documentary analysis	Content analysis Statistical analysis
H	Exploratory, bibliographic and documentary	Documentary analysis	Neither qualitative or quantitative analysis procedures are mentioned but much of the data is presented in percentages
I	NOT PRESENT	Questionnaire (Google Drive); Memorial	Content analysis; Likert scale
J	Exploratory and cartographic	Questionnaire (Google Drive); participant observation; open interview; field journal	Software NVivo Queries Graphs
K	NOT PRESENT	In-depth interview; documentary analysis	Multiple regression statistical analysis; Analysis of variance (ANOVA); Tukey test; Propositional discourse analysis (content analysis)

Faculdade de Educação da Universidade de São Paulo Av. da Universidade, 308 - Biblioteca, 1º andar 05508-040 - São Paulo SP Brasil, Tel./Fax.: (55 11) 30913520 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revedu@usp.br

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[1] Luciana Rodrigues Leite is a PhD student in the Postgraduate Program in Education at Universidade Estadual do Ceará (PPGE/UECE). She is an associate professor level D for the Course of Chemistry at Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú (UVA), Sobral, Ceará, Brazil.

Ana Paula dos Santos Reinaldo Verde is a PhD student in the Postgraduate Program in Education at Universidade Estadual do Ceará (PPGE/UECE). She is a school teacher in the State of Maranhão, São Luis-MA, Brazil.

Francisco das Chagas Rodrigues de Oliveira is a PhD student in the Postgraduate Program in Education at Universidade Estadual do Ceará (PPGE/UECE). He is a school teacher for the Municipal School System of Boa Viagem and Monsenhor Tabosa, Ceará, Brazil.

João Batista Carvalho Nunes holds a PhD in Philosophy and Science of Education by the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (Spain). He is a professor for the Postgraduate Program in Education at Universidade Estadual do Ceará (PPGE/UECE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.