A Voyage in Qualitative Ocean: A Self-Reflection is draft for Qualitative Research Methodology task.

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A Voyage in Qualitative Ocean: A Self-Reflection
Ahmad Faiz
(vaiz_daviqi@live.com)
Graduate Program in English Language Education
State University of Malang
The Two Poles of Research
The research world is divided into two big continuums. It like the two
poles of the earth which both of them is separated by a long distance. There is an
assumption that the quantitative ‘pole’ is dealing with numbers while the
qualitative ‘pole’ is dealing with anything but numbers. Besides, the quantitative
areas are to check the theories generated in the qualitative areas. In my mind,
these two kinds of research is just like the two sides of a coin where they cannot
meet with each other. On the other hand, there is a significant distinction between
them. According to Ary, et al. (2010:23) quantitative and qualitative research
stem from different philosophical assumptions that shape the ways researchers
approach problems and collect and analyze data.
Fundamentally, the world of this continuum, quantitative and qualitative
main difference is that quantitative research is objective and qualitative research is
subjective. Moreover, quantitative research deals with data in form of numbers
while qualitative research deals with data in form of non-numbers. In quantitative,
the researchers verify theory while in qualitative research, the researchers generate
theory (Saukah, 2013).
To add, Perrins (2011) also says that qualitative research is subjective to
some degree yet there are many ways in which we make the analysis of qualitative
data more objective. Since qualitative cannot really be completely as objective as
quantitative research. Qualitative results however, are based upon what people
have said and thought, normally about their feelings on a certain matter.
Qualitative research is mostly carried out in form of interviews, questionnaire,
observation, and so on which is recorded for analysis later on.
According to people who believe in qualitative research, quantitative
researchers are so obsessed with controlling the variables that they never see the

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big picture of its descriptions. On the other hand, people who believe in
quantitative research see that qualitative researchers are so subjective, they never
can be sure what they have found or where it applies (Fraenkel, et al. 2012:424)
Although, quantitative and qualitative are different, it is like the two sides
of a coin, a coin is not valuable when it only has one side. These two kinds of
research are interwoven with each other. Further, they also have their own
strengths and weaknesses. They have their own unique characteristics. It depends
on the researcher, which type of research methodology they want to conduct. This
present writing discusses some of the results of a self reflection about my own
experiences in understanding what qualitative research methodology really means.
Docking the Ship
In 2007, I started seriously learning English as my undergraduate major at
The Department of English Language Education, The Faculty of Teacher Training
and Education of University of Jember. I graduated from undergraduate program
one year ago. After I graduated, I taught several schools to apply my knowledge
and to make my own living as a sukwan, or we can call it (a volunteer teacher). It
is not purely voluntarily, because I paid for that after all. I remembered that my
first salary was IDR 350000; it is about USD 35 per month. It was not enough for
me because I have got married. Then, I decided to pursue my Master’s in
Graduate Program in English Language Education, State University of Malang. I
was good enough to convince my dad to lend me his money for my scholar fee.
And I was good enough to persuade my wife for letting me go for pursuing that
thing.
When I was in my undergraduate program, it seemed that I was in
quantitative world. I always dealt with numbers. Besides, people around me were
quantitative people. They read, wrote, listened and spoke about quantitative
research. There was a tendency in my previous campus to research something
quantitatively. Thus, it can be inferred that environment influences people (Slavin,
2006). It also happened to me, the situation affected me a lot. I slowly became the
quantitative person too. I liked to deal with numbers rather than opinions,
observations and such a thing. In my previous study, quantitative took a huge part

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of it. On the other hand, qualitative just got a small portion of it. Qualitative
research was not common in my former department.
When I join this department, I am required to take a Qualitative Research
Methodology course. It is so difficult for me to understand it. It is due to that I
used to feel comfortable in anything deals with numbers i.e. quantitative ones. I
was quantitative-minded. It infected my point of view about research
methodology. In contrast, I have to understand the qualitative research. I feel that
I have to change my mind, switching my quantitative pole and begin the voyage
to the opposite pole that is qualitative ones.
Sailing the ocean to reach the qualitative pole is not easy for me. It is due
to that the ship that I use (my mind) is formerly designed for the quantitative.
When I assigned for the first time to present the topic about collecting data in
qualitative, it feels that the first storm has come. I read a lot of books dealing with
collecting data in qualitative, but I still got nothing. I needed a beacon, a
lighthouse to guide my ship to go through the first storm. Fortunately, my friend
of mine taught me a lot about it. And finally, I was successful enough to undergo
my first obstacle.
Winds and Waves in Sailing to the Qualitative Pole
My ship has to go on. It must not sink before it reaches the destination.
Fortunately, the winds and waves push my ship slowly to get closer to the pole.
My professor implemented cooperative learning for the course. Cooperative-
learning methods have proven effective in increasing motivation for learning and
self-esteem, redirecting attributions for success and failure, fostering positive
feelings toward classmates, and increasing performance on tests of
comprehension, reasoning, and problem solving (Johnson & Johnson, 1995;
Johnson et al., 1995; Slavin, 1995; in Mifflin, 1997). This makes me fell easy to
get accustomed to the qualitative atmosphere.
Presentation and discussion were chosen. My friends and I had to work in
pairs. Working in our own selected topic and presenting it in front of the class.
Then, we had to discuss our presentation with the whole class. There were many
comments, questions, critics, even suggestions which enrich my knowledge about

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the qualitative research methodology itself. It was like winds and waves that
pushed my ship to keep going forward to reach the qualitative pole. But it
sometimes struck my ship.
Those activities pushed my ship (my mind) to get closer to qualitative
pole. To master my own group selected topic, I had to find and read more and
more about the qualitative research methodology. It forced me to learn everything
about qualitative research itself.
Then, I had to review a research article, whatever it is based on the topic
selected. However, my professor did not say a word about the ways how to
analyze it. Because of it, I got not only a lot of difficulties, but also a lot of
experiences. It made me understand what qualitative research is and what the
types of qualitative research are, autodidact. It is because I had to read books,
journals and articles through the process of acquiring the course, qualitative
methodology.
It was a great way that my professor did. He applied one of cognitive
principles (Brown, 2007) that are meaningful learning. It was because he did not
only explain to us about the basic of the qualitative research methodology itself,
but he also guided us to go through the gigantic pole of qualitative research itself.
Therefore, it was stored in my long term memory. Moreover, Brown (2007:66)
states that the process of making meaningful association between prior knowledge
and new material will lead toward better long-term retention than rote learning of
material in isolated pieces. Now I realize that I have entered the pole of qualitative
which is a lot bigger than the quantitative pole that I feel comfortable to stay.
Entering the Gulf
After undergoing many obstacles, my ship can enter the gulf of qualitative
pole. The first thing that I do is to find the dock. My professor asked my class to
make a piece of writing that tells their own experience through naturalistic
observation. It had to contain 1500-2000 words. We could choose one of the
qualitative research approaches (Ary, et al., 2010:451) freely. Then I chose
narrative approach to my own experience qualitative research. Using experimental
learning, my professor tried to involve us in the process of qualitative research

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itself. Furthermore, in experiential learning, it states that learning is by doing
(Dewey, 1915; in Gentry, 1990). It means that learning can be done by action,
experience, discovery and exploration which will be more meaningful than we
have to listen our teacher’s speech all day long.
It was so hard to begin. I spent weeks to think who I want to observe and
what I want to write. Then, I decided to write my own experience in teaching in
SMP Negeri 4 Jember. I observed my self e.g. my teaching styles, my interaction
with the students, staffs, and so on and how I handle problems occurred in my
classroom. It was not easy to start writing a narrative research. It is because it was
my first time to write qualitative research. Besides that I have a shallow
comprehension in qualitative research. It seemed that my ship would not be able
to dock well. However, I have tried my best to do it.
I was not the only one who got difficulties in writing qualitative research.
My friends also felt the same as I felt. I think it will be better if my professor
gives some feedbacks about our writing. As William and Burden (1997) states
that feedback is important to motivate learners. It means that in this way, learners
know why they did or did not do well, and what they can to improve (William,
and Burden, 1997:142). Therefore, by giving feedback, I am able to know my
mistakes. Then, I can learn from it to be better writer. Afterward, I can dock my
ship to the land safely.
Stepping on the Pole
I realize that qualitative pole is so wide. In contrast, my former pole,
quantitative pole is so structured which I have to follow the certain rules. It is not
as wide as here, the qualitative. There are many areas of qualitative that I have no
explored yet. There are many things beyond generating theories from this land.
In writing a qualitative research, I have to be ready to use my subjective
orientation point of view. It is because I have to be more responsible to my
subjective writing which will arouse a lot of critiques, comments, reproaches from
the readers. The other reasons are I am an outsider here, coming from other pole
in qualitative world whose lack knowledge of it. Therefore, I am so worried to

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explore this area such as writing the real qualitative research such as thesis
project.
My Voyage’s Log
Qualitative and quantitative have different characteristics but it is not
necessary to debate them all the time. The only thing I can do is to decide the
suitable research methodology for my later project. It is because it depends on the
researcher, which type of research methodology they need and want to use.
Although, qualitative is something new for me but I am trying to acquire
and understand it. It is because I used to do anything quantitatively rather than
qualitatively. Therefore I was blind on it. Then, cooperative learning through pair
work, presentation and discussion open pushed my ship to keep going forward to
the qualitative world. At that moment, I had to force myself to read more and
more about qualitative research methodology.
I had not only to present a selected topic with my group, but also I had to
write an academic writing in form of qualitative research through naturalistic
observation. Although I could go through it but it was not easy for me to deal with
a new thing. I think it will better if my professor gives feedback about my work.
I have already passed the ocean in my voyage to understand qualitative
research methodology, but I am not confidence enough to write the real qualitative
research such as my future thesis. I still feel that I am a stranger in this qualitative
pole.
References
Ary, D., Jacobs, L.C., Sorensen, C., and Razavieh, A. 2010. Introduction in
Research in Education (8th
Edition). Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning.
Brown, H.D. 2007. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy (3rd
Edition). New York: Pearson-Longman.
Creswell, J.W. 2012. Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and
Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (4th
Edition). Boston:
Pearson Education, Inc.

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Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. 2012. How to Design and Evaluate
Research in Education (8th
Edition). New York: The McGraw Graw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
Gentry, J. W. 2013. Chapter2: What is Experiential Learning? Available at
http://www.wmich.edu/casp/servicelearning/files/What%20is%20Experien
tial%20Learning.pdf. Retrieved on December, 16th
2013.
Mifflin, H. 1997. Teaching Concepts: Cooperative Learning. Available at
http://college.cengage.com/education/pbl/tc/coop.html. Retrieved on
December, 15th
2013.
Perrins, M. 2011. Is qualitative research too subjective to be scientific?. Available
at http://psucf0.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/is-qualitative-research-too-
subjective-to-be-scientific/. Retrieved on December, 13rd
2013.
Saukah, A. (alisaukah@yahoo.com). 14 October 2013. Lecture Notes –
Quantitative Research Method Semester 1 2013-14. Email to Ahmad Faiz
(vaiz_daviqi@yahoo.com)
Slavin, R.E. 2006. Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (8th
Edition).
Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Williams, M., and Burden, R. L.1997. Psychology for Language Teachers: A
Social Constructivist Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.