Critiquing Qualitative Research In Higher Education

My observations are that Business Management and Fine Art degree subjects are not normally focussed on any specific career path. The QAA subject benchmark statements used in Higher Education to design degree courses refer to the knowledge and skills generally associated with students who have studied a particular degree subject (QAA, 2008; 2015; 2017). According to the QAA, (2015) Business and Management benchmark statements, the skills and knowledge students gain from their degree “...while being highly appropriate to a career in business and management, are not restricted to this...” (QAA, 2015:6) The skills include subject specific skills and generic skills relevant to work including: networking skills, numeracy and commercial acumen, problem

I adopted a visual research methodology to apply to a subject that is normally associated with research of a quantitative nature, namely surveys to gain a deeper level of understanding of the strategies students’ adopt when developing their career aspirations. There is little qualitative research on the career development of students who are studying a Fine Art or a Business Management undergraduate degree that is not focussed on demographics of the student or pay expectations. The majority of research on career development is based on information gained and extracted from the DLHE survey including the annual report, What do Graduates Do? collated by HECSU and AGCAS. The annual report states that many Fine Art graduates describe their job title (six months after graduation) as an artist (HECSU and AGCAS, 2014). Fine Art graduates, more so than graduates from other degree subject areas usually work part-time in roles such as retail, catering, waiting and bar staff (HECSU, 2013). Part-time work allows Fine Art graduates to supplement their artist career, and is often termed portfolio careers. This information would suggest that students study Fine Art because they want to be an artist

This chapter discusses the advantages of various visual methodologies and methods as outlined by Guillemin and Drew, (2010) who found visual research gives the participants the opportunity to create an image that may be difficult to express in words. Gauntlett and Holzwarth, (2006) who discuss how visual research bridges the communication gap, and Milligan, (2016) who found visual research can provide access to insider views of everyday lives. I have also considered the disadvantages as outlined by Strecker, (1997) who argued that images alone are open to a range of interpretations, and Banks, (2007) who discusses ways in which visual research can unintentionally offend the participant or the reader. I also discuss ethical guidelines and ethical issues that might arise when using a visual research methodology. After considering the pros and cons of various visual research methods I chose to apply the Auto-Driven Photo-Elicitation (ADPE) process to this research. The typical ADPE method is slightly adapted to include video and audio recording of the interviews to enable accurate transcribing. Hand gestures were recorded so the photographs under discussion could be recognised. I also discuss the implementation of the research; the benefit of an initial study which helped direct the main study, and