Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
The University Research Office, together with the College of Education, sponsored a 2-day Lecture-Workshop on Analyzing Qualitative Data using MaxQDATM at the Farmers Training Center, Central Mindanao University, on January 27-28.
Selected faculty researchers and staff from the different colleges in the University participated in the lecture-workshop.
Dr. Jupiter V. Casas, Research Office Director, in his welcome remarks said that this 2-day Lecture-Workshop is only one of the few series of activities identified by the RDE units for the next 11 months. “One of the most neglected aspects in researches is ‘Qualitative research’…that’s why when we heard that the College of Education would be holding a 2-day lecture-workshop for their graduate students, the RDE unit invited the RDE coordinators, faculty, and staff researchers.” This is to address the gaps that they have identified during their planning workshop which includes the working competence of the faculty and staff researchers, and the problem on working as a team, “that is why we are planning to hold a trans-participatory, interdisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary workshop to work on our integrated RDE programs and activities,” Dr. Casas said.
Dr. Raul C. Orongan, the Research Coordinator of the College of Education, enumerated the expectations of the participants for the 2-day lecture-workshop. This includes their intent to learn how to set-up or throw questions the qualitative way, the coding techniques in qualitative research, the salient features of the MaxQDATM, and of course, their high hopes of having a lively interaction with the guest speaker and their fellow participants.
Prof. Jovito C. Anito Jr., Lecturer at the Science Education Department De La Salle University, and Research Associate at Jose Rizal University divided his lecture into several parts. Lecture 1: The Qualitative Paradigm, where he emphasized that one does research to contribute to the society and to address the weaker problems of society which has long existed by using the mixed method of qualitative research. By this, you will be able to give a voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless. Lecture 2: Conceptualization in Qualitative Research, where he emphasized reflexivity and reflection, and how important it is to make yourself visible in the entire research process. The Demonstration: Coding and Memoing through MaxQDATM and the Workshop: Coding and Memoing through MaxQDATM commenced on Day 2. The participants got the chance to know the functions of the software and work on it first-hand.
MaxQDATM is a software intended to make analysis for qualitative and mixed methods research easier. It analyzes all kinds of data from texts, images, audio/video files, websites, tweets, focus group discussions, survey responses, and etc. This software runs on both Windows and Mac. What makes this software extremely useful for researchers, especially those who are in the qualitative field, is that your memos, codes, and generated model are packed in one software. There is no need for researchers to open numerous and separate tabs for coding, memoing, and generating models because it is all in the software.
During the open forum, the participants wholeheartedly commented and extended their thanks to the guest speaker for patiently introducing the software to them. “Maybe if I have known this before, the time on analyzing my data will be reduced,” Mr. Donald G. Camatora, faculty of the College of Nursing, said.
Dr. Alan P. Dargantes, Vice President for Research Development and Extension, thanked the guest speaker as well as the participants for actively participating in the 2-day lecture-workshop. He expressed his hope that this will not be the first and last, but will be first of the few events related to qualitative research. (ACDoña)
