A grounded theory approach to understanding diverse students’ learning narratives over time / Kristi Girdharry.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Girdharry, Kristi, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Reflective learning--Case studies.

Reflective learning.

Experiential learning--Case studies.

Experiential learning.

Grounded theory--Case studies.

Grounded theory.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026.

Summary:

This case study documents a five-year, longitudinal, interview-based research project designed to center undergraduate student voices in conversations about writing, experiential learning, and global education. Conducted at Northeastern University, the study followed 20 diverse students across their college careers, using open-ended, semistructured interviews each semester to understand how students made sense of their learning in their own words. Rather than evaluating outcomes, the study prioritized reflection, narrative, and meaning-making to emphasize how students integrated experiences across academic, professional, and global contexts.Grounded in qualitative, participant-centered methodology and analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2014), the research evolved in response to students’ insights. Interview protocols were regularly revised to capture emergent themes, and collaborative coding practices ensured methodological rigor. Reflexivity, relationship-building, and a commitment to inclusivity shaped all phases of the project, from design to dissemination.What emerged was a reconceptualization of writing transfer as integration: a more expansive, process-oriented framework for understanding how students build knowledge across time and contexts. The study also revealed how the act of participating in longitudinal research strengthened students’ metacognitive development and reflective agency.This case study offers practical guidance for conducting ethically responsible, inclusive, and adaptive qualitative research in higher education. It argues that inclusive methods are not just about who participates but about how we listen, revise, and share authority. The project models how sustained, participant-led inquiry can yield deeper insights into student learning and more responsive and transformative approaches to research itself.

Notes:

Description based on XML content.

ISBN:

9781036243661

OCLC:

1594889487

Publisher Number:

T300880