Mixed methods approach in the theses of a postgraduate program in education: analysis in the light of Creswell

Abstract

Mixed methods research embraces the association of procedures to collect and analyze data as well as the combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques. In the past years there has been an increase in the use of mixed methods, especially in the international literature. This article focuses on the use of mixed methods to education research in Brazil. The following question guides the investigation: “to what extent the mixed methods approach is present in Brazilian Postgraduate Programs in Education whose academic performance matches the international standards of excellence?”. A documentary research was conducted to map and analyze the theses of a postgraduate program that reached the highest score according to Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) from 2013 to 2018. The studies of John Creswell provided our theoretical basis and the analysis criteria for the selected theses. The search conducted on the Sucupira Platform found that 11 of 104 theses (10.6%) from the appointed Postgraduate Program in Education make use of mixed methods. Thus, it was verified, to greater and lesser degrees, the perception of the potential use of mixed methods in the theses, which improves over time as more recent theses present clearer justifications for integrating qualitative and quantitative techniques. In addition, both theoretical and methodological developments were verified, however, researchers in the Postgraduate Program have yet to employ more up to date references regarding mixed methods research.