COMPLEMENTARITY APPROACH

The complementary approach is often used in mixed-method research, where there is an explorative aim (Frederiksen, 2015). As the intention of this PhD project is to use mixed methods based on Educational Design Research as the overall methodological framework, the project is built around an explorative approach. The primary purpose of complementary research is to provide more comprehensive knowledge through the use of several methods. The approach is linked in the literature with terms such as

Triangulering Complementarity Development Initiation Expansion Figure 8 – An overview of five different approaches to mixed methods.

“elaborate”, “enhance”, “deepen” or “broaden” with the point of departure being to uncover different facets or dimensions of the same phenomenon. The complementarity of the mixed-method approach is therefore particularly well suited to social research, which is often characterised by being complex and multifaceted (Bazeley, 2018;

Frederiksen, 2015; Greene, 2007; Moran-Ellis et al., 2006). The approach may be reminiscent of triangulation but there is no expectation of a convergent validation between the methods. More specifically, the methods must be seen as an analytical complementary to one another in order to gain a deeper understanding (Frederiksen, 2015).

It is, therefore, about being able to analyse the meaning and quality of the educational components that constitute a given teaching design from the perspective of both the students and the teachers. According to Greene (2007), the combination of different data sources contributes to a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the educational design and the participants’ experience of it (Greene, 2007). Greene (2007) writes, among other things: “For purposes of complementarity, however, methods are intentionally chosen or designed to measure different facets of the same complex phenomenon” (Greene, 2007, p. 101). Thus, data in a complementary analysis are either collected at the same time or sequentially dependent on the research design itself (Bazeley, 2018). The integration of the different data types thus provides an improved insight when data and analysis through an iterative process inform design elements in the next iteration (Bazeley, 2018). In addition to understanding mixed methods as a research approach based on a vision of being able to combine and integrate different types of data and methods in different ways, it is also crucial to decide at what level and time in the research process this integration should take place.

Frederiksen (2015) identifies six different forms of integration that form certain types of relationships between sections of the project: theory integration, design integration, method integration, data integration, analysis integration and interpretation integration (Frederiksen, 2015). Therefore, the research design for this PhD project is built through a series of iterations based on a complementary strategy through the six phases of the research process (see Figure 9). This means that the application of theory, study design, methods, data collection, analysis and interpretation strategy is intended to inform the development process of the design principles for the next iteration. Thus, complementary data are collected through various methods in carrying out three iterations of the design. These data are subsequently intended to provide a basis for the development of new designs. The data collected for the pre-study phase will also serve as the engine for the development of the first design. When the three iterations of the design are completed, all the data are used in a complementary final analysis (see Figure 10). It is said about mixed methods that the integration of the research disciplines indicates a specific relationship between methods with the aim of “knowing more” (Moran-Ellis et al., 2006). The quality of the research, therefore, relies on the question of when in the process the elements of the project are integrated, and the earlier this takes place, the more likely it is that an actual integration will occur and not just a combination of different methods. Another criticism that has been raised is the

Theory integration

By using Practice Theory as the ontological point of view, it is possible to create a bridge between the empirical parts of the study through theoretical

arguments

Design integration

Two study methods are used: Educational Design Research and critical utopian research (pre-study). These two methods are also assigned specific

roles to answer the research question.

Method integration

The following four data collection methods are used: interviews, reflective conversation, surveys, workshops methods. These are not directly linked but

are subject to the same conditions at each stage of the research process. For example, the quantitative questionnaire survey contains the same questions.

Data integration

Connections are made between the particular data sets as the students constitute the population for both the quantitative questionnaire survey and the qualitative

interviews. As a result of this, the qualitative and quantitative data sets are directly linked.

Analysis integration

The procedure for the analysis is an application of the individual data sets through a double analysis process, where the results from each iteration are

used as a basis for a renewed analysis process across datasets.

Interpretation integration

The interpretation is the results of how the analyses are related to theory, hypotheses and previous research. The goal is thus to use the results of the analysis to create a new theoretical model for how the use of Game-Based Learning supports the development of an inquiry-based teaching environment.

problem of linking research paradigms based on different epistemological philosophies.

To this, Moran-Ellis et al. (2006) reply that, based on pragmatic philosophy, it can be argued that methods can be regarded as tools rather than an epistemological framework (Moran-Ellis et al., 2006).

Later, in Chapter 8, under the heading “Criteria of quality within an EDR project”, the quality criteria that apply in social research and more specifically concerning the chosen research strategy in this PhD project are elaborated.

Figure 9 – How each used method is integrated and mixed into a coherent research design.

Data: Focusgroup interview /teachers

Data: Survey /students

Design workshop w/ Teachers

Design workshop w/ Teachers

Design workshop w/ Teachers

Design workshop w/ Students

Data: Focusgroup interview /teachers

Data: Survey /students

Data: Reflection conversation / students Data: Focusgroup interview /students

Data:

Transkript of conversa

- tions Data: Focus group interview /students

PilotPre-study1. iteration

Critical utopian Workshop w/ Students

Implementation of design (1. iteration)

2. iteration3. iteration

Innovation Workshop

based on the use of Game Based-

Learning Data: Reflection conversation /students Data:

Transkript of conversa

- tions

Data: Reflection conversation / students Data: Focusgroup interview /students

Implementation of design (3. iteration)

Data: Survey /students

Data: Reflection conversation / students Data: Focusgroup interview /students

Implementation of design (2. iteration) Data:

Transkript of conversa

- tions

Data:

Transkript of conversa

- tions

The main