Interactive Workshop on Qualitative Meta-Synthesis (Session 2 - Analysis for Meta-Synthesis)

14:30 -16:00 (Azores timetable)

This workshop will be facilitated by Elizabeth Pope and Nuria Jaumot-Pascual

Introduction: Qualitative meta-synthesis is a method in which researchers conduct formal analysis of the findings of empirical literature on a topic to develop meta-findings and to answer a specific synthesis question. In this method, researchers move beyond merely reviewing and summarizing the literature around a research topic, to formally analyze published literature to further our understanding of the topic in a new way. Meta-synthesis is used in a variety of disciplines including education, healthcare, and social sciences.

Goals and Methods: In this 2-part workshop, participants will gain basic skills in qualitative meta-synthesis. The workshop is intended for early- and mid-career faculty, researchers, and graduate students interested in learning how to apply this method to a topic of interest. Instructors will introduce participants to qualitative meta-synthesis as a research methodology using examples from their own meta-synthesis work in STEM education, interfaith dialogue, and the use of technology in qualitative research. Participants will first develop a synthesis question using the SPICE framework. They will work through pre-search (difference between systematic and not), literature search & selection, analysis (specifically within the guidelines of thematic analysis), and writing phases of a project. The instructors will also discuss the benefits of using QDAS to support a qualitative meta-synthesis project.

Session 2: Analysis for Meta-Synthesis. In this session, we will guide participants through analysis methods used for meta-synthesis. Participants will be introduced to memo writing, coding, and thematic analysis techniques for meta-synthesis. The instructors will show participants how these analysis methods can be completed using ATLAS.ti (QDAS). Participants will have the opportunity to apply these skills to their own synthesis project ideas. This second session will last 90-minutes. Participation in Session 1 is recommended, but not required to participate in Session 2.

Results: Through demonstration and hands-on activities, participants will leave with a plan for a meta-synthesis project to complete within their own discipline. They will gain the foundational skills necessary for completing a meta-synthesis. Additionally, they will leave with examples of published meta-syntheses to reference when working on their own projects after the workshop is over.

Conclusion: The webinar will be conducted by researchers skilled in completing meta-syntheses and in training others to design and complete their own. The instructors specialize in research related to equity, inclusion, STEM education, adult education, and diverse participant populations. The workshop is open to any interested in the method but may be especially beneficial to scholars who are interested in these topics.

Keywords: qualitative meta-synthesis; thematic analysis; QDAS

—

Elizabeth M. Pope, PhD, MA, is the Interim Director of Research Compliance and an Associate Professor in the Educational Research program at the University of West Georgia. Dr. Pope holds degrees in religion, with a specialization in Islam, a PhD in adult education, and the Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies certificate from the University of Georgia. She is a qualitative research specialist. Dr. Pope’s research interests lie in adult learning in interfaith encounters, transformative learning, teaching and learning research methods, and reflexivity in qualitative research. As a qualitative methodologist, she is interested in using digital technologies in qualitative research, qualitative meta-syntheses, and conversation/ethnomethodological analysis of interfaith conversations. Dr. Pope is a certified professional senior trainer in ATLAS.ti (qualitative data analysis software). Dr. Pope has taught classes in religion and now teaches educational research courses.

Nuria Jaumot-Pascual, Ph.D., is a Research Scientist at TERC, a non-profit organization that focuses on STEM education research, curriculum development, and evaluation. She researches the experiences in STEM education and careers of populations that live at the intersection of interlocking marginalities, with an emphasis on gender/sexual identity and race/ethnicity. She co-leads four NSF-funded projects, including a project that brings qualitative meta-synthesis methods to early career scholars, with an emphasis on STEM education and scholars from minoritized backgrounds. She specializes in qualitative meta-synthesis and visual methods. She holds a doctorate in Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methodologies from the University of Georgia.