Webinar recording: When the ‘field’ is online – qualitative data collection

This NVIVO webinar explores ways that researchers can adapt their research approach using online data collection when face to face fieldwork isn’t possible.

The webinar was a response to the disruption to fieldwork created by the worldwide Covid 19 pandemic. The Methodspace page links to the NVIVO webinar archive. 

This resource and the following information was contributed by Kaye Stevens.

Authors and their affiliation

Janet Salmons, Methodspace Brought to you by SAGE Publishing

Key features

The goals of the webinar were to support researchers to:

  • think through the potential to conduct their proposed or current qualitative study using information and communications technology ; and
  • think about how choices can be defended , if a proposal or design needs to be revised.

The webinar refers to the Qualitative e Research Framework to prompt thinking about implications of using ICT and discusses the following questions:

  • Have questions or problems changed?
  • What methods will you use? Extant, Elicited or Enacted
  • With what communication tools?
  • Why and how will you use ICTs?
  • Do participants have access to & comfort with tools?
  • What timing of message and response works best?
  • How will you relate to participants online?
  • How will you address privacy, and protect data?
  • What type of data: Visual, audio, multimedia, text data?

The NVIVO site includes a link to “tips for choosing online data collection”

How have you used or intend on using this resource?

The Qualitative e-Research Framework is a useful prompt for thinking through how to conduct online research.

Why would you recommend it to other people?

The webinar is helpful for evaluators who are new to online data collection, prompting them to think about whether and how to collect data online.