Abstract

This case study will reflect on the ethical and technical challenges of designing and conducting online qualitative research. Utilizing photoelicitation and a written survey, our research team investigated the new or adjusted workspaces that educators and students used during the social restrictions and campus closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. As a new team conducting online and remote research for the first time, we identified a number of challenges involved in adapting qualitative and creative research to a fully online format. This case study will focus on exploring these challenges and the bespoke approach we adopted which permitted flexible, anonymous collection of multiple forms of data via a single submission point. We reflect on our team’s learning as we collaboratively embarked on an ‘emergency remote research’ project as a new team and we make recommendations for the adoption of a customized approach.

Cite as

Simpson, A., Douglas-Smith, N., Kaparounaki, K. & Sidhva, D. 2021, 'Changing rooms: navigating the ethical and technical challenges of exploring workspaces online', SAGE Research Methods: Doing Research Online. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781529601374

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Last updated: 16 June 2022
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