Technological Changes, Effects on Students: COMP640 Capstone Project

This capstone project investigates the multifaceted effects of technological changes on students within the context of a Forecasting and Management Technology course (COMP640) at the University of the Potomac. The project begins by identifying the problem of increased technology dependency in modern life, setting the stage for an exploration of e-learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and the broader impact of technology on student learning and cognitive abilities. The study encompasses a literature review, methodology, findings, and conclusions, providing a comprehensive analysis of the positive and negative consequences of technology integration in education. The project includes a table of contents, acronyms, and references, offering a structured approach to understanding the complex relationship between technology and student outcomes. The research aims to determine the impact of these changes, considering various perspectives, and contributes to the ongoing discussion about effective technology integration in educational settings. It also includes an appendix.

European Journal of Education Studies
ISSN: 2501 - 1111
ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.
© 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group
doi: 10.5281/zenodo.887089 Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
André Queirós1,
Daniel Faria1,
Fernando Almeida2i
1Higher Polytechnic Institute of Gaya,
V. N. Gaia, Portugal
2Faculty of Engineering of Oporto University,
INESC TEC, Porto, Portugal
Abstract:
Scientific research adopts qualitative and quantitative methodologies in the mode
and analysis of numerous phenomena.The qualitative methodology intends to
understand a complex reality and the meaning of actions in a given context. On
other hand, the quantitativemethodology seeks to obtain accurateand reliable
measurementsthat allow a statisticalanalysis. Both methodologiesoffer a set of
methods, potentialitiesand limitations that must be explored and known by
researchers. This paper concisely maps a total of seven qualitative methods and
quantitativemethods. A comparativeanalysis of the most relevant and adopted
methods is done to understand the main strengths and limitations of them.
Additionally, the work developed intends to be a fundamentalreferencefor the
accomplishmentof a researchstudy, in which the researcherintends to adopt a
qualitative or quantitative methodology. Through the analysis of the advantages a
disadvantages of each method, it becomes possible to formulate a more accurate
informed and complete choice.
Keywords:researchmethods, qualitative analysis, quantitativeanalysis, research
process

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 370
1. Introduction
The scientific methodology is a tool of fundamental importance for the knowledge of
the methods that are used in the elaboration of a scientific document,such as a
manuscript,dissertationor a work of completinga university course. Scientific
methodology includes the study of the methods or the instruments necessary for
elaboration of a scientific work.
Flanagan (2013) claims that the scientific method is the most powerful too
discovering truths about the world, explore new theories and perform their empirical
validation. Therefore, scientific research is the process of performing systematic
intensive inquisitions, which aims to discover and interpret the facts that are inserted in
a certain reality. In relation to its approach, scientific research can be qualitativ
quantitative.
Qualitative research is not concerned with numerical representativity, but with
the deepening of understanding a given problem. In qualitative research, the researche
is both the subject and the object of his research. The objective of the qualitati
methodology is to produce in-depth and illustrative information in order to understand
the various dimensions of the problem under analysis.
Qualitative research is therefore concerned with aspects of reality that cannot be
quantified, focusing on the understanding and explanation of the dynamics of soc
relations. Maxwell (2013) advocates that qualitative research works with the universe o
meanings, motives, aspirations, beliefs, values and attitudes, which corresponds t
deeper space of relationships, processes and phenomena that cannot be reduced to the
operationalization of variables.
On the other side, in quantitative research, the data can be quantified. Because
the samples are generally large and considered representative of the population,
results are taken as if they constituted a general and sufficiently comprehensive view of
the entire population (Martin & Bridgmon, 2012). Disciplines such as mathematics and
statistics assume a fundamental importance in the process of analysis and
generalization of the results obtained.
Quantitative research focuses on objectivity and is especially appropriate when
there is the possibility of collecting quantifiable measures of variables and infere
from samples of a population. Quantitative research adopts structured procedures and
formal instrumentsfor data collection.The data are collected objectively and
systematically. Finally, the analysis of numerical data is performed through statistical
procedures, often using software such as SPSS, R or Stata.
Table 1 summarizes the main differencesbetween the quantitativeand
qualitative research methodology through looking for several dimensions, such as....

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 371
Table 1: Differences between quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
Dimension Quantitative researchQualitative research
Focus on understanding the context of the problem Smaller Bigger
Dimension of group studies Smaller Bigger
Proximity of the researcher to the problem being studied Smaller Bigger
Scope of the study in time Immediate Longer range
Researcher's point of view External Internal
Theoretical framework and hypotheses Well structured Less structured
Flexibility and exploratory analysis Lower Higher
The study of the potentialities and weaknesses of the various research methodologies
has been of interest to several researchers. However, in practice, there are seve
difficulties in choosing the most appropriate research methodology and methods best
suited to a given study. This work intends to give an important contribution in
decision process, through the systematic analysis of several research methods in order
to emphasize its strengths and limitations. The paper is organized as follows: First, we
perform a review of the state of the art in the field of qualitative and quantitat
methodologies.Then, we present the adopted methodology, followed by the
comparisonof the most relevant advantagesand disadvantagesoffered by each
research method. Finally, we draw the conclusion of our work.
2. State of the Art
There are several studies that analyze generically the fundamental models of scientific
research, in which qualitative and quantitative methodologies are used. Atieno (2009)
looks to the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research and discusses how those
limitations can be overcome by the option of quantitative research methods. Borrego et
al. (2009) analyzes the presence of quantitative, qualitative and mixed research method
in engineering education. They reach to the conclusion that there is a primacy by the
adoption of quantitative methodologies, but they advocate that the choice must b
driven by the research questions. Castellan (2010) uses two service-learning rese
projectsto explain the differencesbetween quantitativeand qualitativeresearch
methodologies. Choy (2014) compares the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and
quantitative studies. He reaches to the conclusion that both methodologies can b
appropriate, but he advocates that a complementary approach between qualitative and
quantitative approaches for a same research topic may provide better results than use
only just one isolated methodology.
There are studies that look in detail for several methods that can be used
qualitative research projects. Williams (2007) presents and discusses the potentia

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 372
and vulnerabilitiesof the three most common researchapproaches,qualitative,
quantitative, and mixed methods. Baxter & Jack (2008) offer a concise guide tar
undergraduate students that identifies and summarizes the key elements for designing
and implementing qualitative case study research projects. Roshan & Deeptee (2
justify the increasing use of qualitative research methods due to their potentialit
explore several areas of human behavior that cannot be quantified. Crescentini &
Mainardi (2009) study the limitations of qualitative research articles in order to establis
a set of guidelines that should be followed to increase the effectiveness of a res
paper. The study concludes that the adoption of qualitative research techniques is not a
handicap for publishing a research article. Then, the study identifies that the mo
important elements are: (i) well structured; (ii) transparent adoption of the resea
process; and (iii) easily understood by readers.
Starman (2013) presents a full description of the case study methodology.
gives a detailed description of its definition, some classifications,and several
advantagesand disadvantages.Oppong (2013) analyzes the sampling issues in
qualitative research in order to ensure that the sample size of a given study is adequate
or representative. Alshenqeeti (2014) critically assesses the value and limitations
interviewing as a research instrument. He looks at the practical issues of adopti
interviews and he discusses the validity and reliability of interviews in research studies
Jamshed (2014) advocates the use of interviewing and observation as two main method
to have an in depth and extensive understanding of a complex reality.
Qualitative studies have been used in a wide range of domains. Moriarty (2011)
describes how the qualitative research has been successfully in social care. Mori
Nakayama (2013) perform a bibliometric analysis study to identify the academic impact
of qualitative studies in healthcare. For that, they compare the number of publications
in the field and the number of citations received by qualitative and quantitative studies.
The conclusion points out that despite the lower number of qualitative studies, i
impact in terms of citations is not statistically different. Noble & Smith (2015) evaluate
the effectiveness of qualitative studies into care delivering. For that, they look in
issues of validity and reliability in qualitative research and compare how concepts such
as reliability, validity and generalizability can be valid in qualitative studies. Pon
(2015) describes how to use a case study method in the context of a doctoral degree in
the field of information systems and entrepreneurship. Almeida & Monteiro (2017
adopt case studies together with in-depth interviews to understand the approach
adopted by web design companiesto offer UX web experiences.Rahman (2017)
discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and ethical issues of employing qualitat
and quantitative methods in a research project in the field of language testing a
assessment.

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 373
The importance of quantitative studies and the analysis of their many seve
methods are also addressed in the literature. Kelley et al. (2003) propose a set of good
practices to conduct a survey research and guides the reader through the processes of
data collection, data analysis and reporting. Schneider (2013) looks to the limitations of
using statistical significance tests in research assessments. Maher et al. (2013) confirm
the limitations of adopting statistical significance testing techniques and propose
measure of the effect size to increase the robustness of the analysis. Felix (2015) looks
into the implications of adopting parametric and non-parametric statistical methods in
marketing research studies. Special attention was given to the interpretation of results
and to the process of making inferences. Etikan et al. (2016) analysis and compares two
non-probability sampling techniques for quantitative studies.
Finally, several book references can also be found in the literature. Kothari (2013
publishes a book around the big concept of research methodology. In this book, both
qualitative and qualitative methodologies are explained in detail. It also includes
chapter about the use of computer software as an indispensable part of research
equipment. Creswell (2013) includes in his book also a chapter dedicated to the analysi
of mixed methods research and makes an extensive coverage of the ethical issues that
can be found in each research methodology approach. Books describing the seve
methods that can be used in qualitative research studies can be found in literat
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2015; Creswell & Poth, 2017). The same applies to quantita
research techniques (Martin & Bridgmon, 2012; Hoy & Adams, 2015).
3. Methodology
In order to get a comprehensive background for understanding the current knowledge
in research methods for qualitative and quantitative methodologies we adopted a
narrative literature review. Two very important of this approach are the following (i) it
is helpful in developing conceptual or theoretical frameworks (Coughlan et al., 2007);
and (ii) it can be undertaken independently of a research study (Polit & Beck, 2006).
For each methodology, we capture its main methods and we describe the various
needed steps in the application of each of the methods. A mind map representation of
these identified methods may be found in Figure 1 and Figure 2. According to Davies
(2011) mind mapping is a very useful tool for understanding a complex reality and it
also promotes creative thinking, and encourages brainstorming.

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 374
Figure 1: Mind map representation for qualitative methodologies
Figure 2: Mind map representation for quantitative methodologies
After that, we synthesizethe main characteristicsand propertiesof each of the
identified methods, both for qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In a first step,
we present the evolution of the total number of publications for each method. Then, we
describe each method and, in a second phase, we perform a comparative analysis of the
advantages and disadvantages of each method. This approach will enable a reader of
this manuscript to easily identify in which situations the use of each of the methods is
advised.
4. Results and Discussion
4.1 Qualitative Methodologies
Figure 3 provides an overview about the evolution of the number of published research
studies indexed by Web of Science (WoS), Scopus and EBSCO that use qualitati
methods. The total number of publications includes academic journals, books,

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 375
conference proceedings, reports, dissertations, among others. A total of around 2
million of studies that use qualitative methods were identified.
Figure 3: Evolution of studies that adopt qualitative research methods
There is a steady increase in the number of studies published using qualitative methods
over the past ten years. However, in 2016, there is a decrease in the number o
publicationsregardlessof the consideredmethod. Two reasons may justify this
behavior: (i) number total of publications in 2016 may be decreased; and (ii) so
studies may not yet be indexed, since the average indexing time typically extends for
several months. In the year of 2017, only the studies published until August of
were considered.
Figure 4 shows the distribution of the total number of publications by each
qualitative method. We highlight the following three kinds of methods: (i) case studies;
(ii) field research; and (iii) focus group.
Figure 4: Distribution of publications by each qualitative method
0.00
200,000.00
400,000.00
600,000.00
800,000.00
1,000,000.00
1,200,000.00
1,400,000.00
1,600,000.00
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Observation
Ethnography
Field research
Focus groups
Case studies
Structured interviews
In-depth interviews

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 376
4.1.1 Observation
Observation is a systematic process of collecting information, in which researche
observe a given phenomenon in their natural environment. This method is espec
indicated when a given topic is relatively unexplored and it becomes important t
understandin detail a given phenomenon,while maintainingthe environmental
conditions in which it occurs.
Observation is a good way of collecting data simultaneously with the occurrence
of the event, without interfering with the occurrence of the event. It is an unobtrusive
and very flexible method, oriented to the discovery of knowledge. In some situat
such as the analysis of the behavior of people and animals, is the only way to obtain
data in a reliable way. On the other side, it is a very time consuming method, which
requires prior preparation and the availability of the researcher to visit the place where
the event occurs. Moreover, the method is quite sensitive to the independence o
researcher's analysis, since the interpretation of the data is done exclusively by him/her
4.1.2 Ethnography
Ethnography consists of observing a situation and conducting interviews with its
participants. In an ethnographic research the researcher tries to interpret the situation
being observed from the perspective of the participants. According to Nurani (20
two basic characteristics of ethnography can be found: (i) the observation takes place in
a natural setting, and (ii) researchers must understand how an event is perceived and
interpreted by the people in a speech community. Observation and ethnography
very similar methods. However, Charmaz (2006)states that in ethnographythe
researcher must have a more holistic view, where the researcher should examine
details of all the aspects available.
The biggest advantage of ethnography is that the researcher can have an
depth knowledge about the situation in analysis. On the other side, ethnography
requires a huge investment in the researcher's time and the results produced by
study can be very diverse and it can become difficult to extract precise and tar
conclusions.
4.1.3 Field research
Field researchallows researchersto have a depth perceptionabout people and
processes. The collection of data is done on the field and it can occur over an extended
period of time. As stated by Blackstone (2012), social facts may not appear and
revealed to a researcher in a first moment, but they can be discovered over time during
the course of a field research project.

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 377
Field research is an excellent method for understanding the behavior of people
their experiences. However, it is not easy to generalize this approach to a very
number of people or groups, and documenting observations may become a challenging
process.
4.1.4 Focus groups
Focus groups are a very popular and useful method to investigate complex behavior,
where the research can interact with the participants. The information is typical
provided more quickly than if people were interviewed separately.Two main
characteristicsthat differentiatefocus groups from other techniquesare: (i) the
information source is a group; and (ii) the heuristic value of this technique lies in the
kind of interaction that emerges during the debate (Acocella, 2012).
Focus groups can provide a broader range of information and they offer th
opportunity to seek clarification, if there are topics that need further clarification
However, focus groups can be hard to control and manage. Additionally, it can
difficult to encourage people to participateand, therefore,they may not be
representative of non-users.
4.1.5 Case studies
Case studies provide a mean to investigate complex situations with multiple variables
under analysis. Case studies are particularlyappealing for advancing a field's
knowledge base. They are very popular in the fields of applied sciences in the areas of
social sciences, education and health.
Case studies offer a good opportunity for innovation and challenge current
theoretical assumptions. They can also be a good alternative or complement to the focu
group method. However, it can be difficult to establish a cause-effect connection
reach conclusions and it can be hard to generalize, particularly when a small number o
case studies are considered.
4.1.6 Structured interviews
Structured interviews are an assessment method design to get and compare responses
from all the interviews. The interviewee is inquired about past experiences and/o
proposed hypothetical situations. The process is standard for all people interviewed.
Structured interviews typically offer a high response rate and the interviewer is
present to explain the question to avoid misinterpretation from respondents. However,
preparing a structured interview can also be time consuming. Additionally, they don't
have the same flexibility in the choice of the answers that are predefined, which cannot

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 378
be changed by the researcher, even if during the interview new lines of research sound
interesting to be explored.
4.1.7 In-depth interviews
In-depth interviews are a kind of unstructured, direct, and personal interview with each
respondent. In this process, the researcher typically begins with a generic question, and
then encourages the respondent to speak freely about the topic. There is also a variant
that considers the existence of semi-structured interviews, in which there is a set of pre
defined questions, but in which freedom is given to explore one of the questions
greater depth.
In-depth interviews provide very rich information and it offers the opportunity
to ask follow-up questions, probe additional information, justify previous answers, and
establish a connection between several topics. It also offers a comfortable atmosphere i
which people may feel more comfortable to establish a conversation. However, t
are some limitations and pitfalls, because it is time-intensive and it is not generalizable.
4.1.8 Comparison of approaches
Table 2 summarizes the main advantages and disadvantages associated with each
method considered for the qualitative methodology.
Table 2: Comparison among qualitative methods
Method Advantages Disadvantages
Observation - Collect data simultaneously with the
event occurrence
- Unobtrusive way, which is not
dependent on upon someone's response
- Flexible and oriented to knowledge
discovery
- Very time consuming
- Dependent on the observer's
impartiality
- Requires significant preparation
- Difficult to collect data in real time
Ethnography - Based on observation and interviews
with the direct involved authors
- Provide in-depth findings
- Suitable to explore new lines of research
- Very time consuming
- Difficult to get concise and precise
conclusions
- Researcher needs to have a deep
knowledge of the problem domain
Field research - Adequate to get very detailed data
- Emphasizes the role and relevance of
social context
- Difficult to generalize and get data from
a very large number of people or groups
- Dependent on the observer's
impartiality
- Documenting observations may become
a challenging process
Focus groups - Adequate to get detailed information
about personal and group
- Hard to control and manage
- Difficult to get the participation of

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 379
- Offer opportunity to seek clarification
- Lower costs and time when compared to
individual interviews
people
- Can be no representative of all
population
Case studies - Provide detailed information about
individuals
- Offer a good opportunity for innovation
and change current theoretical
assumptions
- Can be a good alternative or complement
to focus groups
- Difficult to establish cause-effect
connections
- Hard to generalize from a small number
of case studies
- Ethical issues, especially of
confidentiality, may appear
- Difficult to create a case study that suits
all subjects
Structured
interviews
- Well-structured and easy to compare
respondent's answers
- Can reach a large sample
- Easy to replicate
- Conducting an interview is fairly quick to
conduct
- Very rigid
- Low flexibility in the response's choice
- Difficult to obtain detailed data
- Preparing an interview can become time
consuming
In-depth
interviews
- Adjusted to get detailed and insightful
information on a given domain
- Need only fewer participants to provide
useful and relevant insights
- Can be performed in informal
environments
- Time consuming and relatively high
costly
- Longer verification process to extract
compared information
- Participants should be carefully chosen
to avoid bias
- Not generalizable
4.2 Quantitative Methodologies
Figure 5 shows the evolution of the number of published research studies in the last 10
years that use quantitative methods. The approach followed is identical that was
performed for the qualitative methodologies.A total of around 16 million of
quantitative studies were considered.

André Queirós, Daniel Faria, Fernando Almeida
STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3│ Issue 9│ 2017 380
Figure 5: Evolution of studies that adopt quantitative research methods
The behavior followed by quantitative studies is in every respect similar to what
happened with qualitative studies. Based on Figure 6 it is possible to realize that two
quantitative methods stand out against the others: (i) surveys; and (ii) correlation
studies.
Figure 6: Distribution of publications by each quantitative method
4.2.1 Field experiments
Field experimentstake place in real life settings.It involves the isolation and
manipulation one or more variables to test the effect. It allows the researcher to observ
more natural behavior, but he/she will have a lot more variables to consider. Th
approach is also common in sociology and applied science like bioengineering an
medicine.
Field experiments offer significant strengths when compared to lab experiments.
It offers a natural setting rather than an artificial lab setting. It is suitable to o
0.00
100,000.00
200,000.00
300,000.00
400,000.00
500,000.00
600,000.00
700,000.00
800,000.00
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Field experiments
Simulation
Surveys
Correlation study
Multivariate analysis