Selected Papers from the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 4995

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
2. Research Center for Didactics and Technology in Teacher Education (CIDTFF), 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: education for sustainable development; teacher education and science education
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Guest Editor
CAQDAS TM Lab, Institute of Sociology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland
Interests: sociological theory; methodology of science and social research; analysis of qualitative data
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Every year, researchers, renowned authors, and research groups from over 40 countries come together to share their experiences with qualitative methods at the World Conference on Qualitative Research (WCQR). This makes the WCQR one of the most pertinent forums for discussing and sharing the greatest scientific output in Qualitative Research and we are very pleased to welcome submissions from the 8th conference held simultaneously from the 23rd to 25th January 2024 in Portugal (Azores) and South Africa (Johannesburg).

The research in this Special Issue can originate from three of the five Fields of Application from the conference:

  1. Qualitative Research in Health (emphasis on the processes of research in the fields of Medicine, Nursing, Geriatrics, Gerontology, Psychology, etc.).
  2. Qualitative Research in Education (emphasis on the processes of research in various areas of Higher Education, Basic Education, Assessment, Curriculum, Teaching, Teaching Science, Languages, History, Technology, etc.).
  3. Qualitative Research in Social Science (emphasis on the processes of research in the fields of Administration, Anthropology, Arts, Political Science, Communication, Economics, Management, Humanities, Linguistics, Marketing, Psychology, Sociology, etc.).
  4. Qualitative Research in Engineering and Technology (emphasis on the research processes in the areas of Computer Science, Information Systems, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, and Engineering Education).
  5. Qualitative Research in Business (emphasis on the processes of research in the fields of Administration, Economics, Human Resources, Management, Marketing, etc.).

All forms of qualitative research methods are welcome for the submission of:

  1. (A) Fundamentals
  2. Rationale and Paradigms of Qualitative Research (theoretical studies, critical reflection about epistemological dimensions, ontological and axiological);
  3. Systematization of approaches with Qualitative Studies (literature review, integrating results, aggregation studies, meta-analysis, meta-analysis of qualitative meta-synthesis, meta-ethnography);
  4. Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research (emphasis on research processes that build on mixed methodologies but with priority to qualitative approaches).
  5. (B) Operationalizing
  6. Data Analysis Types (content analysis, discourse analysis, thematic analysis, narrative analysis, etc.);
  7. Innovative processes of Qualitative Data Analysis (design analysis, articulation, and triangulation of different sources of data—images, audio, video);
  8. Qualitative Research in Web Context (eResearch, virtual ethnography, interaction analysis, latent corpus on the internet, etc.);
  9. Qualitative Analysis with Support of Specific Software (usability studies, user experience, the impact of software on the quality of research and analysis).

In collaboration with Social Sciences, the authors of high-quality papers from the conference will be invited to submit articles, extending the presented research in this dedicated Special Issue.

Dr. Patrícia Sá
Dr. Grzegorz Bryda
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • qualitative research
  • social science
  • research methods

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1251 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Research Trends and Students’ Perceptions
by Sandra Saúde, João Paulo Barros and Inês Almeida
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(8), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13080410 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 2031
Abstract
In this paper, the effects of the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in higher education (HE) are discussed. A mixed exploratory research approach was employed to understand these impacts, combining analysis of current research trends and students’ perceptions of the [...] Read more.
In this paper, the effects of the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in higher education (HE) are discussed. A mixed exploratory research approach was employed to understand these impacts, combining analysis of current research trends and students’ perceptions of the effects of Gen AI tools in academia. Through bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review, 64 publications (indexed in the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases) were examined, highlighting Gen AI’s disruptive effect on the pedagogical aspects of HE. The impacts identified by the literature were compared with the perceptions held by computer science students of two different HE institutions (HEIs) on the topic. An exploratory study was developed based on the application of a questionnaire to a group of 112 students. The results suggest that while Gen AI can enhance academic work and learning feedback, it requires appropriate pedagogical support to foster critical, ethical, and digital literacy competencies. Students demonstrate awareness of both the risks and benefits associated with Gen AI in academic settings. The research concludes that failing to recognize and effectively use Gen AI in HE impedes educational progress and the adequate preparation of citizens and workers to think and act in an AI-mediated world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research)
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17 pages, 2163 KiB  
Article
The Study of Gender-Based Violence through a Narrative Approach: Evidence from the European Project IMPROVE
by Lorea Romero Gutierrez, Ainhoa Izaguirre Choperena and María López Belloso
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(7), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13070330 - 25 Jun 2024
Viewed by 451
Abstract
Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) remains largely under-reported and under-detected. The European project IMPROVE seeks to identify the needs of victims in terms of facilitating their access to support services and to assist frontline responder organisations in enhancing their competencies and capabilities to make [...] Read more.
Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) remains largely under-reported and under-detected. The European project IMPROVE seeks to identify the needs of victims in terms of facilitating their access to support services and to assist frontline responder organisations in enhancing their competencies and capabilities to make the most of innovative solutions that enable and accelerate policy implementation. Methods: To meet these goals, IMPROVE uses narrative interviews, understood as unstructured tools that produce and analyse stories that are significant in people’s lives. These interviews provide the space for re-thinking; there is a reflection on implicit and taken-for-granted norms and insights are given into the life and thoughts of vulnerable groups, in this case, the women victim-survivors of GBV. Results: This methodological approach has led to high-quality interviews in which the women involved have felt comfortable, confident, and satisfied, as evidenced by the depth, complexity, and extension of the knowledge generated, and the commitment of the interviewees to the various activities proposed by the researchers. Conclusions: The narrative approach has allowed for a sensitive investigation into the private lives of GBV victim-survivors and, as a consequence, has contributed to the creation of new knowledge that can provide an in-depth and incisive view of the help offered by frontline responder organisations, from which improvements can be proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research)
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20 pages, 331 KiB  
Article
Routines and Daily Dynamics of Young People with Borderline Intelligence: An Ethnomethodological Study
by Mabel Segú and Edurne Gonzalez
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(6), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060311 - 12 Jun 2024
Viewed by 654
Abstract
Young people with borderline intelligence functioning (BIF) have intellectual functioning at the border between intellectual disability and those considered neurotypical. This population group is often underrepresented in social research, which makes it difficult to understand their experiences and needs. The research aims to [...] Read more.
Young people with borderline intelligence functioning (BIF) have intellectual functioning at the border between intellectual disability and those considered neurotypical. This population group is often underrepresented in social research, which makes it difficult to understand their experiences and needs. The research aims to understand the daily lives of young people with BIF to identify needs that society might not be aware of. The study was conducted with a sample of 30 young people. The ethnomethodological design was appropriate for the study of the routines and daily dynamics of these young people, which allowed the researchers to understand the experiences and meanings of the participants from their own perspective. The analysis was carried out in the context of the subject of Qualitative Research Tools in Social Work with fourth-year students, through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and field diaries. Data analysis was performed using the Atlas.ti23 qualitative content analysis program. The findings suggest a strong dependence on family and social support; a daily life marked by challenges; and a search for autonomy, among many other aspects. Collaboration with the participants allowed the researchers to better understand their experiences and needs from reflexivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research)
26 pages, 359 KiB  
Article
Internal Communication Quality in a Telecommuting Context: A Phenomenological Exploration of Telecommuters’ Communication Experiences
by Gabriel A. Kilson and Patrícia Tavares
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(6), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060286 - 27 May 2024
Viewed by 507
Abstract
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) mediated interactions, such as audio and video calls, are part of all companies’ routines. Despite technological advances, no current ICT can perfectly mimic the unique characteristics of face-to-face interactions. As good-quality internal communication is critical to companies’ operations, [...] Read more.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) mediated interactions, such as audio and video calls, are part of all companies’ routines. Despite technological advances, no current ICT can perfectly mimic the unique characteristics of face-to-face interactions. As good-quality internal communication is critical to companies’ operations, the increased demand for work-from-home jobs raises relevant questions regarding employees’ capability to communicate properly. To better understand if the physical and temporal distance associated with the work-from-home represents a threat to employees’ capacity to establish clear communications, this study explores the internal communication experiences of full-time home-based telecommuters. Adopting a transcendental phenomenological strategy and based on a mix of purposeful and snowball sampling, 23 employees were interviewed online. Two additional interviews with top managers from a company where all employees work from home were also performed. Following a thematic analysis, results did not reveal a direct relationship between physical and temporal distance and the quality of internal communication. Indeed, the increased media options adopted by employees after starting to work from home contributed to improving internal communication quality. The main identified communication issues, such as information segregation, are related to how internal communications are managed, and may happen whether employees work side-by-side or physically apart. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research)

Review

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12 pages, 304 KiB  
Review
How Should We Interpret Silence in Qualitative Communication Studies?
by Naíde Müller, Patrícia Tavares and João Simão
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(6), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060310 - 12 Jun 2024
Viewed by 844
Abstract
Through an interdisciplinary literature review, based on empirical evidence, this research approaches different ways of interpreting silence(s) in three qualitative research methods—ethnography, focus groups and interviews—which, by their nature, are conducive to practices that resort to silence as units of meaning. The findings [...] Read more.
Through an interdisciplinary literature review, based on empirical evidence, this research approaches different ways of interpreting silence(s) in three qualitative research methods—ethnography, focus groups and interviews—which, by their nature, are conducive to practices that resort to silence as units of meaning. The findings presented in this paper demonstrate how, in different data collection techniques, it is possible to rethink not only the whole conception of what silence is but also what silence can (or cannot) help to express. From a qualitative perspective in the social sciences and humanities, silence can in itself be a means of expression and a valid communication resource. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research)
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