“I wish I knew what I know now”: Exploring Psychology Undergraduate Students’ Experiences When Learning About Qualitative Research and CAQDAS

Abstract

Learning to conduct qualitative research and use computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) can be challenging, which is why it may be more effective to introduce the craft of qualitative research to undergraduate students who have the time and space to learn, even make mistakes, and ultimately build a better understanding for their future studies and careers. There are relatively few published studies sharing insights on teaching qualitative research and CAQDAS to undergraduate students. This descriptive qualitative case study explores students’ experiences in a qualitative research course for undergraduate psychology students, with the aim of discerning how feasible learning both qualitative research and CAQDAS was for these students as well as how they perceived learning about these contents. Data was collected from an online open-ended survey from two consecutive generations of students that completed the course. Students found the course to be a challenging but worthwhile experience: new knowledge and skills were gained that they felt would be useful for their professional and even personal lives. These students recognized that the qualitative research course was an important complement to their predominantly quantitative curriculum. By teaching undergraduate students about qualitative research and CAQDAS, professors can teach their students in a lower-stakes environment and provide them with valuable hands-on experience so that students may later make better-informed decisions about which research approach to use in their own projects and continued studies or work.