Research Design

The study was developed using a mixed methods design.  The study contains both quantitative and qualitative data.  A mixed methods approach was determined to be the best way to obtain information on the topic of Reading Intervention because it allowed me to explore quantitative achievement data from this past year using AIMSweb progress monitoring and benchmarking scores, as well as both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from staff members.  The data was collected concurrently, giving equal priority to both quantitative and qualitative data.  The study used the convergent mixed methods design.  Creswell states that “the purpose of a convergent mixed methods design is to simultaneously collect both quantitative and qualitative data, merge the data, and use the results to understand a research problem” (540).