image: New Special Paper 474 from the Geological Society of America, "Qualitative Inquiry in Geoscience Education Research," edited by Anthony D. Feig and Alison Stokes, is for geoscientists and science educators wishing to learn more about qualitative research methodologies and their potential application in geoscience education and geocognition research. view more
Credit: Geological Society of America
Boulder, CO, USA - This new Special Paper from The Geological Society of America is for geoscientists and science educators wishing to learn more about qualitative research methodologies and their potential application in geoscience education and geocognition research. As well as showcasing recent research, this volume provides insight into an alternative research approach for those new to, interested in, or even skeptical of qualitative inquiry.
Readers will find a diverse range of papers reporting on qualitative and mixed-methods investigations into geoscience education in formal (K, undergraduate, and graduate) and informal settings, as well as chapters focusing on theoretical and philosophical aspects of qualitative inquiry. Various tools and approaches are explored, including validity and reliability, phenomenography, ethnography, hermeneutics, grounded theory, mixed-methods approaches, and the construction of models.
According to editors Anthony D. Feig of Central Michigan University and Alison Stokes of the University of Plymouth, key qualities of the book include (1) it is an accessible guide to understanding qualitative research in a geoscience setting; (2) it provides an examination of the researcher's role in the inquiry process; (3) it is an exploration of mixed-methods approaches, ethnography, and grounded theory; and (4) it includes firsthand insights into concept inventory design.
Book editors of earth science journals/publications may request a review copy by contacting Jeanette Hammann, jhammann@geosociety.org.
Qualitative Inquiry in Geoscience Education Research
Anthony D. Feig and Alison Stokes (editors)
Geological Society of America Special Paper 474
SPE474, 211 p., $60.00; Member price $42.00
ISBN 978-0-8137-2474-4