WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2008
12:15-2:15 PM

THINKING THROUGH QUALITATIVE DATA
Tom Schram, Associate Professor of Education, University of New Hampshire. Dr. Schram is an educational anthropologist who has conducted fieldwork in the United States and Brazil, and currently teaches graduate seminars in qualitative research design, ethnography, field relations and qualitative data analysis.

How do we work with and through data generated through ethnographic fieldwork? What are some foundational tools of inquiry for making sense of what people do and say? This workshop will address these questions and related issues that include:

• How might we think about the central analytical task of the ethnographer?
• What are the essential operating assumptions of the ethnographer?
• How can we generate and frame data sets from field notes?
• What sorts of questions can we ask of our data to move our analysis forward?
• How do context and sequence matter in qualitative data analysis?

In addressing these questions, Tom will draw upon examples from his own research and his experience working with doctoral students across a range of qualitative studies. Workshop participants will be encouraged to share their own insights, experiences, frustrations, and ideas about making sense of data generated through qualitative fieldwork.

ISSUES IN MEASUREMENT AND ASSESSMENT
H. Swaminathan, Professor, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut

This session will provide a follow-up to his workshop on measurement and assessment this past year; details will follow.

OTHER FEATURED SESSIONS:

WORKSHOP IN GRANT WRITING
Stan Shaw, Professor, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut

A special session on grant writing that will be held during the conference.

MENTORING ROUNDTABLES
These roundtables will allow mid-level and senior scholars to work with a small number of doctoral students and junior faculty, again in the spirit of strengthening educational research.

TEACHER-AS-RESEARCH AWARD WINNER PRESENTATION
GRADUATE STUDENT ISSUES COMMITTEE SESSION