Aprender metodologia qualitativa em psicologia da educação: Perceções e expectativas de alunos de mestrado

Abstract

Qualitative methodology is still presented to students as a less privileged way of doing research. In this study, we intend to examine the perceptions of students about the qualitative methodology and their expectations about the Curricular Unit of Research Methods II. This is a qualitative study of an exploratory nature. Participants were 10 students (8 women and 2 men) attending a 2nd cycle course, in Educational Psychology, at a Portuguese Public University, in the academic year 2019/2020. Informed and voluntary consent was ensured. The data were collected through individual narratives, following provided guidelines. Narratives were subject to content analysis, by two coders, in an inductive and deductive logic. Results revealed some notions of the students on the qualitative methodology that were mainly related with the purpose of the investigation, methodological process, subjective nature of the reality, idiographic perspective and the role of participating researcher. Moreover, students' expectations about the course were positive, highlighting the possibility of learning knowledge and skills, and the practical application of knowledge, especially in the master's dissertation. Although students present some notions about qualitative methodology, specific training is needed to deepen and clarify some aspects.