Over two years of doctoral study, I have worked as a graduate research assistant across six research projects, developing both quantitative and qualitative research skills alongside experienced faculty researchers. Quantitative research included gathering data to guide the development of the University of Prince Edward Island’s (UPEI) PhD in Educational Studies. I completed a comparative study of PhD programs in education across Canada. What was of interest to the graduate studies coordinator was the guaranteed funding models used by larger universities, and the residency requirements for each program. We looked at the data from UPEI’s past PhD applicant intakes to see how many PhD candidates accepted the invitation to study at UPEI, how many completed the degree, and if the degree was incomplete, how far in the process did the students go before leaving the program. 

     I am confident in descriptive statistics including organizing and categorizing data, frequency distribution, central tendency, and variability. Drawing conclusions through inferential statistical tests like the t-test, Mann Whitney U test and the Analysis of Variance test (ANOVA) has been part of my course work at UPEI as was measures of association and linear and multiple regression. I have used these quantitative approaches with sample data, however, my developing research design connecting global citizenship, the Orff approach and pre-service teacher education is to work with qualitative data, to move beyond statistics and words, toward a richer context through the creative process.

     Qualitative research gains insight through subjectivity and interpretation. This element of qualitative research, although offering a deeper context and nuance of lived experiences, is criticized as unreliable and lacking rigor. Most of my work with faculty researchers has been within the paradigm of qualitative research using qualitative data. The largest research assistant project to date has been Empower and Enhance, a research and seminar series on executive functioning in collaboration with ADHD PEI and the Learning Disabilities Association of Prince Edward Island (LDAPEI). We have gathered data through semi-structured qualitative interviews with the participants. Two neurodivergent Bachelor of Education students were interviewed as a focus group to gather data on how the seminar series affected their practicum experiences. After gathering, and transcribing the interview notes, I used Braun and Clarke’s six step thematic analysis to analyze the data including familiarizing myself with the data, generating initial codes, searching for theme, reviewing themes, defining themes, and writing up the findings. The codes across both participants’ responses included personal diagnosis as a pedagogical lens, community-based learning as a transformative process, bridging theory to practice, and advocating for students who are neurodivergent. Open coding was used to analyze the interview data using an inductive approach. 

    Through my course work at UPEI, I developed a broad foundation in qualitative research as a socially and culturally responsive approach to real world issues and societal challenges. Engaging with a range of qualitative designs deepened my understanding of how methodology shapes not only what we study, but how knowledge is created and shared. It is from within this methodological landscape — and particularly through the lens of arts-based research — that I began to see the generative possibilities of Orff Schulwerk not merely as music pedagogy, but as a participatory arts-based research methodology in its own right.

     I have shared two artifacts for the pillar of research competency, a paper Beyond Words: Methodological Foundation, and Contemporary Challenges of Arts-Based Research, and a portfolio of my work as a graduate research assistant.