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EDS 102 – WEEK 8

May 22, 2025

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Agenda

Recap of last lecture on coding
Coding practice activity
Wrap up

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Qualitative Data Analysis

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Purpose and process of coding

When you start to code, imagine you are having a conversation with the data – asking questions of it, identifying segments of data that seem useful to the issues under study, writing comments about what you’re reading, etc.

The goal is to make sense of the data

This involves “consolidating, reducing, and interpreting what people have said and what the researcher has seen and read – it is the process of making meaning” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 202).

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What are codes?

Codes are representations designed to assign meaning to text

Codes translate respondent’s words to conceptual text

Codes are short phrases -- smallest bits of information about something that can stand by itself.

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Code definitions

As you develop a list of codes, define them! This is called a code book.

Example:

Code – family role in college going

Definition: Any family members taking action that addresses college going versus non-family or just parents

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Common questions about coding?

What’s the relationship between codes and research questions?

How large a piece of text should I code?

Can I code a piece of text with more than one code?

Will the codes apply to data sources beyond the one I am currently coding?

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Let’s practice coding!

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Let’s look at interview transcripts

Read and consider what codes come to mind.

Practice coding the excerpts and share with a partner. In what ways were your codes similar or different?

How would you define the codes? Developing a “codebook” is important.

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Context for Study

Goal was to understand the factors that enable and constrain English learners’ access to high school computer science courses

The basic qualitative study was designed in collaboration with educators in seven high schools across the country

Participants included teachers, counselors, administrators, students, and community members

All interviews were conducted on Zoom during the pandemic!

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Interview codes

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What surprised you about coding?

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Looking ahead

Due May 26 - Research Proposal Part II

Class on May 27:

Topic: Validity, reliability and ethics

Read: Chapter 9 in the text

****Class on May 29 is asynchronous!! There will be a short video lecture and an activity to complete and upload.****