Student Replies
You will complete 3 scholarly student replies with the following:
1. a minimum of 200 words,
2. demonstrate course-related knowledge,
3. and contain a minimum of 1 citation in current APA format to support assertions
Student Reply 1:
Research Design
The proposed study aims to understand and interpret the perception of enlisted and officer families on the influence of ecology on the educational experiences of their dependent school-age children. The study will use the qualitative method and follow Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological approach, which emphasizes interpretation and subjectivity in understanding human experiences. Hermeneutic phenomenology is well-suited for exploring complex human experiences and their meanings, focusing on understanding phenomena from participants’ viewpoints (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Tenny et al., 2017). The research will involve qualitative data from interviews, observations, and personal artifacts. The immersion in the data through repeated readings and analysis will uncover the underlying meanings and patterns in the participants’ experiences. The proposed design acknowledges that meanings are subjective, shaped by personal interpretation, and influenced by context, making it an ideal choice for the study. Byengaging with the subject matter without distancing from personal experiences and perspectives, the study will foster genuine understanding(Laverty, 2003).
Phenomenology
Phenomenology, a branch of philosophy, is the study of phenomena, which refers to things as they appear, not as they are in themselves. It has its roots in the philosophical ideas of Immanuel Kant and was later developed into a scientific principle by Edward Husserl, the father of modern phenomenology. While Kantian philosophy distinguishes between phenomena (things as they appear) and noumena (things as they are) in its endorsement of transcendental idealism, phenomenologists reject the latter (Kant 1929, A30/B45, as cited in Smith, [n.d.]). Phenomena are not mental states but worldly things considered in a certain way. A phenomenological approach is a research method that aims to extract the common thread and, thereby, the meaning of the lived experience of a group of individuals (Creswell & Poth, 2018). It seeks to uncover the universal essence of a phenomenon.
Hermeneutic Phenomenology
Hermeneutic phenomenology is a non-foundational extension of Husserl’s transcendental approach. It differs in that it does not seek an objective or absolute foundation for one’s experience of a phenomenon.Instead, it acknowledges that people’s understandings are not static or universal but are shaped by interpretation, context, and subjectivity (Laverty, 2003). My observation of apparent cultural differences between enlisted and officer service members, as a member of the military community, influenced the decision to explore the chosen phenomenon. This observation sparked my curiosity about how these perceived differences manifested within families and communities and whether they influenced the children’s educational outcomes. Hermeneutic phenomenology focuses on understanding and interpreting one’ experiences within their cultural and social contexts. Therefore, this study aims to understand the meanings that individuals attribute to their experiences and how these meanings are shaped by their unique perspectives and backgrounds.
In exploring philosophical approaches for this study, I considered transcendental phenomenology as a design. However, one of the fundamental tenets of the transcendental phenomenological design is epoche, where researchers set aside assumptions and judgments to explore phenomena as they are experienced (Creswell & Poth, 2018, p.78), which would not provide the full interpretation necessary to understand the phenomenon. Lewis & Staehler (2010) make the distinction between transcendental and hermeneutic phenomenology, saying “any attempt to bracket the world, as Husserl does, will not do justice to man’s specific mode of existence, and will at the same time, paradoxically prevent us from ever having a genuine experience of phenomena” (Lewis & Staehler, 2010, p. 69). Thus, with the acknowledgment of the researcher as invaluable and whose interpretation is inseparable from those of the research subjects, hermeneutic phenomenology was most suited. As the researcher, my interpretation will be factoredinto how the findings are presented.
References:
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among
five approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks: CA: Sage Publications
Laverty, S. M. (2003). Hermeneutic phenomenology and phenomenology: A comparison of historical and methodological considerations. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2(3), 2135.
Lewis, M., & Staehler, T. (2010). Phenomenology: an introduction. A&C Blackenny, S., Brannan, J. M., & Brannan, G. D. (2017). Qualitative study. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Student 2:
The purpose of phenomenological research is to allow researchers to explore participants in their everyday world and why they experience different life phases the way they do (Moustakas, 1994). Additionally, phenomenological research methods allow researchers to get a firsthand description from the participant’s viewpoint; in other words, the researcher can access “the individual’s inner world of consciousness and experience” (Johnson & Christensen, 2020, p. 422). Furthermore, phenomenological research enables researchers to extract meaning and uncover the essence of a phenomenon from different aspects of the participants.
In accordance with the transcendental phenomenological design, there are step-by-step key components that should be carried out to provide a detailed description of the phenomenon being studied. The description should highlight “how” the participants experienced the phenomenon under investigation by describing their account of the experience; rather, the researcher having preconceived notions about the study (Moustakas, 1994). Therefore, the researcher must incorporate four essential methods to investigate a phenomenon effectively. Moustakas (1994) stated that researchers follow these research methods to conduct a thorough, descriptive investigation. These methods are epoche, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis (Moustakas,1994).
Phenomenological reduction, also known as epoche (bracketing), allows the researchers to be receptive to the participant’s experience with the phenomenon (Moustakas, 1994). This means that the researcher must approach the study with fresh eyes and unbiased perspectives. Phenomenological reduction (epoche) will allow the researcher to comprehend the participant’s living experiences with the phenomenon solely based on their interpretation (Moustakas, 1994). In other words, the researcher must be a blank slate to focus on and listen to the participants unique experiences. Following reduction (epoche), the researcher uses imaginative variation (Moustakas, 1994). Imaginative variation helps the researcher outline the themes and textural descriptions identified during the reduction process (Moustakas, 1994). Also, this imaginative variation enables the researcher to visualize the phenomenon from different points of view so that the researcher can thoroughly understand the essence of the participant’s experiences (Moustakas, 1994). The final step in the phenomenological process is for the researcher to create statements based on the textural and structural descriptions, revealing the essence of the experience (Moustakas, 1994).
This qualitative research study will employ a transcendental phenomenology design to accurately depict Mississippi K-12 teachers’ perceptions regarding implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies in their classrooms. Transcendental phenomenology research provides insights into experiences perceived in consciousness (Moustakas, 1994). Transcendental phenomenological research enables researchers to examine the research problem and focus more on the participants’ experience rather than the researcher’s preconceived ideas about the study (Creswell &Poth, 2018). This research method will provide insights into Mississippi teachers’ perceptions of challenges and beliefs with SEL competencies, which will fill the gap in the literature. Moreover, transcendental phenomenology was chosen as the appropriate methodology since it aligns with the research objectives of understanding the importance of the participants’ experiences with SEL competencies. This systemic research approach aims to extract new knowledge based on the participants’ viewpoints by focusing on the human experience (Moustakas, 1994). Additionally, this research method outlines rigorous procedures and guidelines for assembling accurate data based on participants’ responses to the study (Creswell &Poth, 2018). Merriam & Grenier (2019) stated that one of the benefits of using this research method is that it assists the researcher with comprehending different aspects of the point of view that will be described and pinpointed by the participants in the study.
Lastly, transcendental phenomenological research design will allow the teacher’s voices to be heard as the researcher delves into the teachers’ firsthand experiences of the phenomenon associated with social-emotional learning competencies. Furthermore, transcendental phenomenology research design was selected as the suitable methodology due to the research aims of comprehending the significance of the participants’ experiences. Ultimately, using this research design will create a systemic balance of the objectives to gain knowledge, which involves careful and detailed data collection analysis (Moustakas, 1994).
Creswell, J. W. & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Johnson, R. B. & Christensen., L. (2019). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches (7th ed.). Sage Publications.
Merriam, S. B., & Grenier, R. S. (2019). Qualitative research in practice: Examples for discussion and analysis (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Sage Publications.
Student 3:
This study utilizes qualitative research to effectively examine factors and civilian teacher perceptions regarding the current and desired application of teacher leadership in the higher education learning environment (Creswell, 2018; Denny & Weckesser, 2022). Qualitative research provides the most effective method to leverage the transformational leadership theory framework to capture and analyze participant inputs regarding the role of teacher leadership in creating an enhanced learning environment (Bass, 1985; Creswell, 2018). Further, a qualitative direction is utilized in this study to facilitate flexible interviews to capture participant perspectives and experiences that inform teacher empowerment (Denny & Weckesser, 2022). Qualitative research also informs a more thorough examination of the link between the school administration, teachers, and students regarding the perceived and actual empowerment of teachers as leaders in their respective learning environment (Creswell, 2018; Reid et al., 2022).
The design choice is a case study to facilitate the purposeful examination of teachers with shared experiences regarding teacher empowerment (Denny & Weckesser, 2022). The case study will show how and why the PME environment empowers civilian teachers as leaders within their respective classroom (Yin, 2018). In building upon the historical foundation of case studies, focused solely on observation of participant behavior, the phenomenon of teacher leader empowerment within a current, real-world education environment presents circumstances that are ideally suited for this case study design (Yin, 2018). Attempting to advance transformational leadership theory concepts and principles, which serve as a foundation for this case studys design, data collection, and analysis, this holistic case study aims to capture and analyze participant inputs regarding the respective roles of teacher leadership in creating an enhanced learning environment by examining teacher perceptions of the current and desired application of empowered teacher leadership in the PME environment (Bass, 1985; Yin, 2018).
Through examination of a common case within the military PME program, this holistic case study is designed to enhance the understanding of how and why the military PME program more effectively empowers teachers as leaders with an objective of developing methodologies to be implemented in other education environments (Fisher, 2022; Yin, 2018). Combining theory and a detailed case study protocol, this explanatory case study will fully examine the origins and transferability of teacher leader empowerment catalysts within the PME environment (Yin, 2018). To capture the specific leadership experiences of civilian teachers within a PME program, the design of this single case study also focuses on the identification and analysis of empowerment characteristics cultivated by an organizational culture and associated relationship between school leadership and teachers within the PME environment (Fisher, 2022; Reid et al., 2022). Further, this studys design leverages the input from 12 to 15 teacher participants with different backgrounds to capture a more diverse assessment of empowerment and to enhance transferability to other education institutions (Yin, 2018).
Assignment will be checked for A/I use and plagiarism.
