Mixed Methods Research in Education: Capturing the Complexity of the Profession

Mixed methods research is recognized as a third model of research in social and behavioral sciences. Its value for educational research just recently began to be discussed in the literature (Ponce, 2014: Scott & Sutton, 2009: Ellis, 2005). A mixed methods research study means the use of quantitative and qualitative methods as components of a research design (Caruth, 2013; Ponce, 2011; Creswell, 2009; Greene, 2007) or a research program (Phillips, 2009). Most of the literature on mixed methods research could be considered generic (Creswell, 2009). This means that the discussion centered on research designs with little or no relation to any particular disciplinary context. According to Creswell (2009), the development of literature in a particular discipline's context, using mixed methods research, will help to strength the mixed research movement. In this article, the authors explain mixed methods research and its possible uses, strengths, and challenges in educational research.