Viewing Agricultural Education Research Through A Qualitative Lens

The Journal of Agricultural Education has primarily published research that uses quantitative research methods. Perhaps this is due partly to the lack of a qualitative research conceptual framework to guide our profession. Most researchers in agricultural education were academically prepared to conduct empirical research. Those who are in the professoriate are teaching and mentoring graduate students without the prerequisite skills to conduct qualitative research. In order to practice “good social science” research, agricultural educators need to understand the history of qualitative research, common types used in education, sampling techniques, data collection, analysis procedures, and issues of rigor and quality for the qualitative research paradigm. This study uses a heuristic research approach through a content analysis of the literature to create a qualitative research conceptual framework to guide the Agricultural Education profession.