Equipping The Saints: Collaboration Instead of Altercation

Abstract

There is a creative tension between qualitative and quantitative researchers which encompasses differences on a wide variety of topics. Perhaps the most concise overview of various aspects of this debate is contained in Smith (1994). Part of the national debate revolving around qualitative-quantitative evaluation centers on the topic of teacher-as- researcher (e.g., Sechrest, Winter 1993; Reichardt & Rallis, Spring 1994). The situation is no different in Florida. The 1992 special issue of the Florida Journal of Educational Research (Emihovich, 1992) has generated much comment. At least one such formal comment, and rejoinder, was printed in the 1993 issue (Davis, 1993; Emihovich & Students, 1993). These were followed by a symposium (Emihovich, 1993a) and an institute (Emihovich, 1993b). And recently, there was an article by Vitale and Romance (1994) in the latest issue of FJER which treated parts of this discourse. The purpose of this brief position paper is to present three perspectives of a person who has been trained in classical research methods, has read and received some training in qualitative research methods, and lives – daily – with the practical realities of holding a central office school board researcher/evaluator position.