1. TO THE EXTENT FEASIBLE:
PERSPECTIVES OF PRINCIPALS ON
STUDENTS WITH ALCOHOL,
TOBACCO, AND OTHER DRUGS
Adiscussionabout methods
Daniel J. Bissonnette, Ed.D
June 5, 2014

2. • Abstract
• Overview
• Literature review*
• Methodology
• Analysis
• Conclusions
Most research write-ups include
similar kinds of content:
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

3. To The Extent Feasible:
My interest was to learn from principals about how principals
think about these students
For this discussion, I will focus on methodology and data
analysis
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

4. Methodology
• Grounded theory qualitative research design with
positioned subjects.
• Social justice framework
• Interviews with principals
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

5. Research Questions
• What has enabled principals who demonstrate particular care
and concern for students with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug
issues?
• What resistance do they face and what are leadership
consequences for their actions?
• How do they convey their leadership to others and sustain
themselves as they face leadership pressures with regards to
these issues?
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

6. Grounded Theory
• Emphasizes processes by which individuals construct meaning
in relationship to their social context (Charmaz, 2006)
• A general, abstract theory of a process, action, or interaction
grounded in the views of participants (Creswell, 2009)
• No a priori assumptions (Glasser & Strauss, 1967)
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

7. Positioned Subjects
• Positions the perspectives of participants at the center of the
research (Conrad, Haworth & Millar, 1993)
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

8. Selection of Participants
• Snowball or chain sampling (Merriam, 2009; Gall et al., 2005)
• 25 initial potential subjects
• 8 final subjects
• All principal roles
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

9. Data Sources
• Interviews
• Adapted interview protocol, with permission, from Theoharis (2004)
• Semi-structured, with key questions and probes
• Two rounds
• Archival documents
• Questionnaires
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

10. Analytical Process (Creswell, 2009)
• Organize data
• Read all data
• Analysis with coding
• Describe people and categories or themes
• Decide how to represent
• Make meaning from the data
• Constant comparative method (Merriam, 2009)
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

11. Coding
• Read, reread, read again, repeat.
• Jigsaw metaphor
• Word by word
• Overarching themes (p. 82)
• Describe the themes
• Incorporate participant data
• Decide what it all means
• (See sample transcript)
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

12. Interviews
• With prior demographic questionnaires
• Signed consent approved by IRB
• Scheduled via email
• Face-to-face
• Structured questions
• Recorded and transcribed
• See sample transcript
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

13. Themes that Emerged
• Background
• Alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, family issues
• Mentors in their lives; motivation and preparation for this work
• Perspectives
• Empathy; culture; resilience; all means all
• Actions of their Leadership
• Student centered; discipline; mentorship and modeling
• Challenges they Face
• Pressures
• Coping
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

14. Questions & Discussion
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

15. THANK YOU
Daniel J. Bissonnette, June 5, 2014

16. Research Questions
• What has enabled principals who demonstrate particular care
and concern for students with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug
issues?
• What resistance do they face and what are leadership
consequences for their actions?
• How do they convey their leadership to others and sustain
themselves as they face leadership pressures with regards to
these issues?
Daniel J. Bissonnette, August 28, 2013