EDCEP 816 Assignment #1: Qualitative Study Critique

Name: ____Leigh Miller____________

You will be critiquing two studies over the remainder of the 816 course that serve as a
culminating experience of your abilities to determine something about the credibility of the
study assigned. This first study is qualitative.
Instructions: Respond to each of the following questions by placing your complete sentence
answers in the space provided. Point values are indicated with each question.
1.) Using the reference section provided in the back of your text (or the APA Manual), provide a
complete APA style reference of the article you are critiquing (3 points).
Taylor, B., & Holley, K. (2009). Providing academic and support services to students
enrolled in online degree programs. The College Student Affairs Journal, 28(1), 81-102.
2.) How many participants are involved in this study and how were they selected (3 points)?
There were 19 undergraduate students and 5 faculty/staff members for a total of 24
participants in the study. The participants were selected from students in an online nursing
degree program and the faculty in student affairs.
3.) What are the primary research questions that guided the study (2 points)?
The primary research questions that guided the study were, what motivation do students
articulate for enrolling in an online program and what roles do student affairs practitioners
play in the provisions of academic and social support services to online learners.
4.) How well did the authors develop an argument through their review of the literature that
warranted the need for this study (3 points)? Provide one or two sentences of support for
your assertion.
Through the review of literature, the authors developed a significant need for this study. The
study sites two weaknesses that exist in the body of literature for the need of such a study.
First, the research has been guided by what Hirt, Vain, Bryant, and Williams (2003)
identified as an equivalency theory, which presumes that equating the learning
experiences of online students with those of peers in face-to-face classrooms fosters
equal outcomes.
The study goes on to state that student services for online education is constructed in parallel
to the services provided to on-campus students, instead of create unique student services to
meet the needs of online students.
5.) What type of qualitative study was this (2 points)?
Then qualitative type for this research project was a constant comparative method.
6.) How did the authors collect their data (2 points)?
The authors collected their data from students and faculty member interviews, document
analysis and a review of online communications, such as message boards and the class

EDCEP 816, Instructor Hodge

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website. The authors also made observations of the online classroom. Data was also collected
from the reflective notes of one of the authors.
7.) What were the primary findings of the study (3 points)?
The primary findings of the study were that the students motivation to enroll in the online
program was largely based on the desire to acquire an academic certification, and/or
professional career advancement. The students for the most part where non-traditional
students who worked full time and some had children at home. The online program enabled
them to work at their convenience. The student affairs staff and academic affairs staffs
collaborated on their efforts to help the students in the program. Most of the students needs
were academic related and not social. Helping the students deal with the demands of the
online program, proved one of the most crucial student support functions.
8.) Providing supportive evidence and using your research method knowledge, what is your
overall critique of this study in terms of its research-worthy credibility (3 points)?
Overall the research is research worthy. The information gained from this research project
was consistent with Tintos (1997) suggestion that non-traditional students can be engaged in
an online program, without the need for social connections to a university or college. The
focus of student affairs for online students proved to be the same as Schwitzer, HortonParker, and Jurgens (2002) suggestions that student affair must extend beyond traditional
socially focused activities for online students. Student affair staff will have to reevaluate
how they serve online students and work with other faculty members to meet the needs those
needs.

EDCEP 816, Instructor Hodge

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