Aims of the workshop
In the past few decades, mixed-methods studies have proven very useful to account for the multidimensional nature of language learning and the complexity of authentic classrooms. The plurality of research methods allows for a higher ecological validity and thus for a better transferability of findings into practice. Implementing mixed-methods studies remains an exciting but also a challenging endeavor. Simply including different data collection instruments (performance assessment, questionnaires, interviews, etc.) does not automatically lead to convergence between quantitative and qualitative methods. Instead, researchers need to carefully plan how the different methods in data collection will contribute to the study aims and to identify the study design that is best-suited to connect and integrate data. Therefore, the present workshop addresses some of the questions regarding the planning, implementation of and data analysis in mixed-methods studies, such as for instance:
- How can qualitative and quantitative methods foster empirical convergence?
- How can ecological validity be improved in classroom-based studies?
- How can measurements be constructed and validated in mixed-methods studies?