What is the best way to qualitatively code this interview? I started it but I am getting confused some because my professor says I need to code every sentence my interviewee says...

Transcript

MJ: Miss Williams, how are you? FW: I am doing well. MJ: Thank you for taking the time to let me interview you. What are you going to school for? For your doctorate. What will it be in? FW: I am working on a PhD in instructional design and technology. MJ: Awesome. OK. What led you to pick that area? FW: Well, I recently graduated from Kennesaw within EDS and instructional technology, and I started that program because I really have a love for anything that is technology-enriched. I enjoy learning about emerging trends in technology and how to help people to be their best just by simply using technology. You know when you teach using technology as a tool to get an assignment done such as video editing or graphic arts? Things like that. So, I decided I would just go back to school and learn more about the field of instructional technology. MJ: I think we talked about this. That's what my ED.S is in. I loved it. FW: Yeah. Question 1: Please describe the support sources you found beneficial in your doctoral program and how they contributed to your success. MJ: Well, let's talk a little bit about your journey through this. Will you describe some of the support services sources that you found beneficial in your doctoral program? FW: Currently, I spend a lot of time online using the Jerry Falwell Library. Um. As I'm preparing for the dissertation process and want to learn more about my area of interest, which is the digital divide gap. I use that resource daily and I've I have found it to be very good. Actually, one of the best I think there are online libraries is extremely good. I'm able to access different databases, whereas at another school I was at, it would be restricted not speaking in reference to Kennesaw, but at another school. Literally, I couldn't do anything, so it's just wonderful when you want to learn, and you want to read and acquire more knowledge about your area because you know you're writing this massive dissertation. You have everything that you need at your fingertips. MJ: And do you feel like they've contributed to your success so far? FW: Yes, that particular support service has. Yes. I would like though for them to do and I might be leading you into another question, but I would like to have a little more instructional support on that online portal, but yeah. Question 2: Please share the types of support, such as academic, emotional, or practical, that were most helpful to you during your doctoral program. MJ: Please share the types of support, such as academic, emotional, or practical, that were most helpful to you during your doctoral program, which you kind of went into. FW: OK, I'm sorry. I haven't had any support as an online student, and that's a concern that I have. There needs to be more support. Some universities, of course, will have a cohort-based structure to their programs. Liberty doesn't, which I'm happy about. For me, I don't. I didn't really care for the cohort system, but there are other structures that can be in place to kind of bridge that gap or to make a connection to adult learners who are not physically on campus in Lynchburg, and I don't think that they do a very good job with that aspect. Question 3: Were any specific individuals or groups within the university community significantly offered support and guidance throughout your doctoral program? MJ: OK. Were there any specific individuals or groups within the university community that significantly offered support and guidance throughout your doctoral program? FW: I've had a couple of teachers that I have really enjoyed who have been very supportive. I've already started going over the...I looked at the qualitative chair list; even though I'm a year out, but I like to plan in advance. So, I started reaching out to some people with that and was able to make a connection with the professor whose background is very similar to mine and she was very supportive, but again, I think that's where the university is lacking. Maybe they do have a structure or have things put in place, but it hasn't been present it to me. MJ: Right, because that was something you on your own went and did with the connect with her. FW: Yes, I did. Yeah, because I know that it is a competitive process, and you know, like your field, your background is Special Ed, right? MJ: Yeah FW: So, you and I won't be competing for a chairperson, but I would be with someone else. And you also with someone who's in your field so. Umm, it's very important to start that process early, but yeah, they need to have something formal or umm they do a lot of webinars but they're prerecorded. You can sign up for those. They'll send your email, but again, they're not live. They're pre-recorded and who knows how old they are. And so that's, that's the disconnect, too. Having a pre-recorded webinar doesn't create a relationship or doesn't create some type of relationship between that student and the university. All you're doing with the webinars? Really just disseminating information. MJ: Yeah, I agree. And especially with their different types of learning styles too. Like I like to ask tons of questions to reiterate that I am following along and understanding what is being asked of me. So, I agree with that on the webinar. Completely. Question 5: When it comes to taking care of yourself and balancing your work and personal life, which resources or sources of support have you found crucial for maintaining your overall well-being? NOTE: I asked this question out of order before question 4. MJ: And when it comes to taking care of yourself and balancing your work and personal life, which resources or sources of support have you found crucial for maintaining your overwhelm? Your overall well-being. FW: Umm, well, having a good work. School life balance is very important. I've been in school since 2019, so I didn't have that much of a break from the EDS to the doctoral program. Umm, which might not have been the best idea. But my thinking is you know, because I spent the last two years in school prior to that, it had been probably 10 years before I had been in a formal school situation to earn a degree. And so, I kind of wanted just to keep the ball rolling and not stop. Umm, but what I found is I do need to take breaks because you do get overwhelmed. You do get burned out, and you feel like you're missing out on life. So, what I'd like to do is for me, I'll work on my homework every single day. Umm. And it's very painful to do so because I do have a long commute going to work and coming home. I think I spent about 3 hours in the car. I'm tired a lot of times. By the time I get home, but even if I just read a couple of pages that helps so that by the time I get to the weekend, I don't have to just stay inside in front of a computer and work on my homework, I can actually get up, get out. I like to go bike riding. Here in Georgia, we have some wonderful bike trails. So, uh, something I'd like to do every weekend is to go to a new bike trail and explore. MJ: That's uh, actually probably very soothing, and you can help you get your mind off of everything too for just a moment. You know, while you're on the bike, so maybe I need to do that too. FW: Yes, wonderful. MJ: Yeah. FW: So great, and it's free. You don't have to pay for anything so. MJ: You know what I was just thinking. I have a peloton in there collecting dust that is not free; it's like I need to be doing one or the other. FW: Yeah. MJ: I know you mentioned before and the work balance, but is there something like daily also that you did for your, you know, practical side too, like with your school work and then your day job? FW: Umm. MJ: How did you break those apart? FW: Umm. Well, lucky for me, what I do full-time work is considered to be a form of instructional technology. I am a training and development manager, and so I'm just a year out of the classroom. It's been my goal to be able to actually get out of the classroom and to, you know, work in the technology field. So, I think that helps as well because it's extremely stressful when you have to teach full time all day long, you're dealing with 30 kids times seven or six classes that you have, that's a lot, very draining and it doesn't allow you time to even think about doing homework at work. Umm, there's nothing about it so. One thing I do as well that helps is prayer and meditation. Over the past five weeks, I've had to do a lot of praying. Umm to, you know, try to maintain in this class. Umm, a lot of prayer and a lot of, you know, just meditation, trying to keep positive. Umm, so those are the things that I do for myself. Affirmations, knowing that I am good enough and despite what someone might say or how you feel like you're being assessed, you know an assignment. You are good enough, and you are smart, and you got this. You can do this, so I try to do those types of things to help motivate me outside of school. Question 4: When you reflect on your doctoral program experience, did you first miss or underestimate any sources of support or resources but later realize their importance? MJ: I know we talked about this, but was there anything that you did miss or underestimated that you realized later on during this process? Umm that were super important? Maybe. FW: Through the tutorial process. MJ: Yeah, like when you're thinking back to like your very first couple of classes. FW: Umm. MJ: Was there something you wish you did differently, like kind of that you learned along the way? FW: Ohh. No, because I left one institution and started another. MJ: Yeah, you went right into. FW: So, I think it was a lot easier for me. The only thing that was different is just, and I'll say this again, not to kind of compare. Well, maybe I do want to compare. I'm going to compare. I'm gonna say I don't wanna put, you know, the two universities against each other. Kennesaw and Liberty. But I will because I paid for both of them. MJ: Yeah. FW: So, I mean it's my shared experience. Nobody could tell me that I'm wrong, right? MJ: No ma'am FW: So, lot more support with Kennesaw. Lot more. A lot more of a closer relationship with your professors now. You're not gonna have that with every single professor because it's about personalities. But I can honestly tell you that I have reached back even now and have communicated with a couple of professors from there just for letters of recommendations to get into this program, and it wasn't a problem, and it wasn't a problem because I already had a relationship with those professors outside of class. Meaning, I get, you know, reach out to them. If I had a question or concern about anything, umm, they were very sympathetic and understanding that for some people, maybe they haven't been to school in 15 years, you know, and maybe this is their first class in 15 years. MJ: Yeah. And how about emotional support? FW: So, there was a lot more to me. Emotional support? Umm, the other thing too. I was taking classes during the pandemic, so maybe that had something to do with it as well because we were all going through the same. Situation together. Uh. And of course, unfortunately, you know, it was affecting people differently of, you know, some people lost loved ones, friends and things like that. But at the end of the day, it was a shared experience that does tend to bring people closer. But with liberty. Uh, it's just to me, just very hands-off. Here you go. Here's your class. If you finish your grade, if you don't finish it, come back and register, and that's so, again, I'm not used to that type of treatment. You know, it being a university, I've always attended state schools. MJ: Right. FW: Umm, so there's definitely a difference. I can tell you that. MJ: Well, thank you again for letting me interview you.

Proud. Success. Dedicated. Loves technology. Motivated by technology. Bettering herself. Teaching with technology. Going back to school. Instructional Technology. Jerry Falwell Library. Likes it. Digital divide gap. Access. Databases. Knowledge. More instructional support. Let down. Online portal disappointing. Concern. Not enough support. Doesn't care for cohort. Bridge the gap. Make connection. Disappointed. Online students little support. Supportive teachers. Plan in advance. Make a connection. Similar background. Advocating. University lacking support. Let down. Disappointed. Competitive. Different backgrounds.