Qualitative Research Cafe

The increased use of virtual space as a cultural site for communication and social interaction opens a new space for social inquiry. The latest issue of the Forum: Qualitative Social Inquiry is devoted to this topic.

This peer reviewed journal is completely online and is truly international in its scope, indeed articles are available in several languages. You can subscribe to the journal and will get an email when each issue is published.

Here are links to the five elementary and middle school ethnographies that focus on the impact of state mandated testing on teaching and learning. In each case, one researcher spent a year doing participant observation with the team of 3 or 4 researchers involved in teacher, parent and administrator interviews.

Creating a Culture of Preparedness: One Suburban School’s Experiences with High-Stakes Testing

Make It a Great Day or Not. The Choice is Yours: Teaching & Learning Amidst Low Test Scores in an Urban Middle School

Hemlock’s Stand: One Urban Elementary School’s Efforts to Raise Test Scores

Doing the Best on the Tests: A Suburban Elementary School’s Response to High Stakes Test

Finding a Path In A High Stakes Environment: One City Elementary School’s Experience with State Standards & Testing