The focus was on quantitative research methods when the second edition of Knowledge Hub’s six part webinar series on Mixed Methods Research (MMR) for postgraduate communication students in Nigeria as well as professionals with interest on research, held, recently.

A spinoff of the Jacksonites Professional Development Series (JPDS), Knowledge Hub’s sessions boasts of erudite academics and researchers of global repute as facilitators.
One of these facilitators is Prof. Charles Okigbo of the North Dakota State University set the ball rolling with his presentation on what qualitative research is.

While informing participants at the webinar that qualitative research builds on the premise that not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts, he explained that qualitative research involves researchers trying to understand and explain what people do in their natural setting and putting themselves in the shoes of the research subjects.

Okigbo who is the pioneer Registrar and Chief Executive of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) further explained that qualitative research is open-mindedly: “we look for patterns in the data, rather than collecting data to test preconceived models, hypotheses, or theories. We go with the flow and explore all possibilities.

“Qualitative research is the other side of Mixed Methods. It is not Mixed Methods if we don’t have some qualitative methods that complement the quantitative methods in the design – so that the advantages of quantitative data will make up for the disadvantages of qualitative data, and vice versa, thus yielding better results than when only one type of data was used.

“Qualitative research adds much to our Mixed Methods designs: authenticity, dramatic quotations, immersion in the setting, empathy, putting us in the shoes of the research subjects, etc. It has such a wide scope, it can be employed in almost all areas of knowledge, including the natural and pure sciences, engineering, medicine, artificial intelligence, and technology,” he revealed.

Okigbo’s presentation is followed by that of Dr. Diraso Gapsiso of the University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, whose presentation centred on how qualitative research is done. Gapsico took participants through the fundamentals of doing qualitative researcher from choosing methodologies to collecting data, analysing it and writing up the research.

His presentation gave way for that of Professor Mustapha Malam’s which dwelt on some notable examples of qualitative research from the Bayero University, Kano, BUK. Malam presented three case studies, ‘Social Media and Changing Newspaper practices in Nigeria: A Study of Six newspapers; ‘Adaptation of Media Content from Book to Film: Text and Textual Analysis of some selected stories in ‘Magana Jari ce’ and ‘Mass Communication Research in Nigerian Universities (1980-2006): An Analysis of Themes and Trends.’

After his presentation, Prof. Bellarmine Ezumah of the Murray State University, Kentucky presented further examples of qualitative research, giving an in-depth, using some research works from outside Nigeria. These works include ‘Toward a successful plan and implementation of educational technology in low-income communities: Formative evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) projects in Nigeria and Ghana.’ She also looked at media reports on the resignation of Pope Benedict in February 2013 with the research, ‘Agenda setting, framing, and news interpretation of mass media coverage of the 2013 papal resignation’, and ‘Countering the Image: A South African Aids Choir and the counter-narrative to African Media Representation. Journal of Asian and African Studies’.

Dr. Raheemat Adeniran of the Lagos State University provided final thoughts with two more qualitative research examples as the webinar paved way for the highly interactive question, answer and comment session of the series.

In her closing remark, the Chairperson of the Jacksonites Professional Development Series Steering Committee, Prof Chinedu Mba of the Algonquin College, Ottawa, Canada thanked all participants and facilitators for remarkable outing. She also noted that the series is the second in the 6-part series of seminars on mixed methods research under the Knowledge Hub brand of the JPDS which is “committed to building top scholars.”

She applauded participants and resource persons and announced that the next edition on Action Research is scheduled for next month.

The event, moderated by Dr Chuks Enwerem of the National Open University, Abuja, Nigeria was attended by postgraduate students, scholars and professors across Nigeria.