Chapter 6: Qualitative Research Designs for Policy-Relevant Research

Qualitative research can—and, to some extent, currently does—play a key role in guiding and informing education policy. This chapter provides an exploration of the ways in which qualitative research designs can be useful in education and, more specifically, how they might better inform school improvement efforts at both the national and international levels. First, we consider the marginalization of qualitative research, discuss quality and rigor, and provide an overview of prominent qualitative research designs. Next, we pay particular attention to “what works” research, describing limitations associated with these approaches and suggesting ways that new roles can be carved out.

We then explore qualitative, case-specific research for examples of public scholarship and policy knowledge and recognize evaluation, with the incorporation of qualitative research designs, as an especially policyrelevant mechanism. As we detail later, our understanding of “relevance” (i.e., to have a bearing upon) in this context is quite broad, for instance moving beyond narrow conceptions of “what works” and inclusive of more diffuse, conceptual influences on policy/policymakers. Next, we acknowledge some existing qualitative studies that have extended relevant theoretical and conceptual knowledge in the field of education. We suggest that researchers and practitioners can continue to learn from qualitative studies like those described through critical engagement with the designs, findings, and conceptual contributions.