(NCU) Review Qualitative Articles

Review Qualitative Articles 
BTM 8108, Assignment 6 
DuBose, Justin Z. 
Dr. Craig Martin 
26 August 2018 

​Introduction 
This paper will examine five qualitative articles and studies on a variety of academic subjects.  These articles will be examined individually, and their topic, problem, design, and findings will each be identified and explained.  This is to further and better understand qualitative research, the design and methodology employed, and the outcomes and aims of the researcher. 
Article One 
The first qualitative article addressed the perceptions of Chinese students regarding university life in the United States of America (Tang, Collier, & Witt, 2018).  The problem being researched was exploring the motivation for pursuing degrees in the United States, student expectations of life in the United States, and post-graduation plans.  This study recruited students who were already enrolled in Chinese colleges but who had plans to travel to the United States to further their education.  These students were already enrolled in a summer institute which was designed to expose them to American culture and the American system of higher education to prepare them for their transition. 
The students all came from a variety of geographic locations in China and data was collected on them for the purposes of recruitment at a large research university in the Midwestern United States.  Students were targeted based on their declared major, with business and engineering majors serving as the screening criteria for selected students.  In total, sixty students were selected, fifty-one females and nine males.  As the study noted, “forty of them majors in business, 16 in mechanical engineering, one in education, one in psychology, and one in architecture” (Tang, Collier, & Witt, 2018).   
  Research findings from interviews with selected students suggest that these students expect classes in the United States to be more difficult than in China.  This was due to two factors: a different learning environment and a different language.  Additionally, the students expressed a desire to develop relationships with American students but had pre-conceived notions that this would be challenging.  As far as post-graduate plans, it was discovered that parental expectations served as the greatest determining factor for what students planned after graduation. 
Article Two 
The second qualitative article purposed to determine “what reflections the Syrian asylum seekers have on school culture in a primary school, which is also used as a Temporary Training Center (TTC) in the capital city of Turkey, Ankara” (Arslangilay, 2018).  In other words, this studied Syrian refugees who were emigrating into Turkey and assimilating into Turkish primary schools and the effect of such immigration on primary school culture.  Thus, the research problem being addressed in this qualitative study is: how does Syrian immigration impact the culture of Turkish primary schools?  
The design of this qualitative study was to interview participants with a semi-structured form prepared with descriptive analysis technique.  In total, there were twelve research participants which included two school administrators, five Turkish parents, and five primary school teachers.  Research findings concluded that Syrian families did bring about “some changes in the school culture” (Arslangilay, 2018).  Despite these small cultural changes, it was discovered that there were no major issues associated with immigration which researchers credited to school leadership. It was also concluded as experience with immigration increases, cultural changes will gradually decrease. 
Article Three 
 The third article addressed online learning management systems in the classroom and their effectiveness as determined by those teachers implementing and operating such programs (Sonmez & Koc, 2018).  Specifically, the research problem investigated by the researcher is “what and how teachers and students think about and experience with learning management systems based on their actual usage” (Sonmez & Koc, 2018).  Researchers in this study are seeking to better understand the perceptions of both students and teachers of learning management systems in order to discover the degree to which they are effective and any untapped potential. 
The design of this research included the collection of data through semi–structured interviews and analyzed through content analysis technique.  The Nvivo 7.0 software was used as the tool for conducting data analysis.  Researchers interviewed twenty-five college students at a university in Turkey.  These students were selected based on their major of Computer and Instructional Technology Education. 
Research findings concluded that most research participants indicated that the Moodle platform for online education was “user–friendly, beneficial and enhancer for interaction with both instructor and course content” (Sonmez & Koc, 2018).  Of those available functions on the Moodle platform, participants indicated three functions as being the most effective: forum, assignments, and resources.  Researchers also concluded that course registration was the most technologically challenging aspect to the platform.  Furthermore, it was discovered that certain mathematical functions were more effectively served by face-to-face classroom instruction than by online learning management systems.  This was due to the added benefit of personal and specific addressing of questions by teacher which were unable to be addressed by the online learning management system. 
Article Four 
The fourth qualitative research article addressed the issue of young migrant workers searching for work opportunities in the major city of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand and their movement across the border (Tangmunkongvorakul et al., 2017).  More specifically, this research examines and describes their “sexual behavior, lifestyles, relationships and experiences with youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services” (Tangmunkongvorakul et al., 2017).  The specific research problem being addressed her is the sexual reproductive health issues of young Thai migrant workers to Chiang Mai in their efforts to obtain and maintain employment. 
This qualitative study was designed using focus group discussions comprised of these young migrant workers.  Each of these young migrant workers were between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four years of age and lived in urban Chiang Mai.  Six focus group discussions were constructed which were comprised of a total of eighty-four participants.  Forty-three participants were male and forty-one were female.  Each focus group discussion consisted of ten-to-fifteen people. 
Research findings concluded that several issues existed which contributed to low condom use among these young migrant workers.  Chiefly, a lack of parental controls and a constant “pressure to assimilate into Thai society” were major contributing factors to sexual behavior and low condom use (Tangmunkongvorakul et al., 2017).  It was also concluded that an easy access to social media and other communication technologies combined with a “limited knowledge and access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services interplayed to shape lifestyle and sexual behaviors, including low condom use among young migrants” (Tangmunkongvorakul et al., 2017). 
Article Five 
The fifth qualitative research article explores the condition of Tinnitus and its prevalence among military Veterans (Tuepker et al., 2018).  Specifically, the research addresses the problem of Progressive Tinnitus Management as an effective care solution for Tinnitus sufferers.  This study “was designed to address a gap in knowledge of PTM clinical implementation to date, with a focus on factors facilitating or hindering implementation in VHA audiology and mental health clinic contexts, and whether implementing sites had developed intervention adaptations” (Tuepker et al., 2018).  
This qualitative study was designed by conducting a series of interviews with twenty-one “audiology and mental health clinicians and service chiefs across a regional service network” (Tuepker et al., 2018).  These interviews were then transcribed and coded using analytic coding software.  These codes were then developed into larger themes and placed within existing research frameworks.   
This research concluded that Progressive Tinnitus Management was not prioritized highly by clinicians and audiologist in the region surveyed.  Furthermore, it was discovered that health care providers lack the means and capacity for implementing Progressive Tinnitus Management in their area of operation.  In those areas where Progressive Tinnitus Management was prioritized and executed, it was delivered due to the health care provider recognizing the unique value of the treatment to those suffering from Tinnitus.  It was also concluded that in those areas where Progressive Tinnitus Management was implemented, a flexible adaptation produced the most effective results.  For example, a shifting back and forth of individual to group sessions proved to be effective as well as a combining of sessions when required. 
 

References 
Arslangilay, A.S.  (2018).  “The reflection of immigration on school culture: A qualitative study”.  International Journal of Instruction, 11(2), 585-602.  Retrieved August 26, 2018, from http://e-iji.net/ 
Sonmez, E. E., & Koc, M. (2018). PRE–SERVICE TEACHERS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES WITH TAKING COURSES THROUGH LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 19(2), 101-116. Retrieved August 26, 2018, from http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/ 
Tang, X., Collier, D.A., & Witt, A. (2018). “Qualitative study on Chinese students’ perception of U.S. University life”. Journal of International Students, 8(1), 151-178. Retrieved August 26, 2018, from https://jistudents.org/ 
Tangmunkongvorakul, A., Musumari PM, Srithanaviboonchai K, Manoyos V, Techasrivichien T, SuguimotoSP, et al. (2017) "When I first saw a condom, I was frightened": A qualitative study of sexual behavior, love and life of young cross-border migrants in urban Chiang Mai, Thailand. PLoS ONE 12(8):e0183255.https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0183255 
Tuepker A, Elnitsky C, Newell S, ZauggT, Henry JA (2018) “A qualitative study of  implementation and adaptations to Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM)  delivery” PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196105.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.  pone.0196105