Audio diaries are an underutilized but important tool in longitudinal qualitative research This PPT summarizes guidelines on how to approach Audio-diaries as a research method

1. USING AUDIO DIARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND
EDUCATION
AGABA SAPHAN
MSc. Health Professions Education
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY,

2. Presentation Outline
• Definition of key terms
• Aim of the paper
• Why use the audio diaries?
• Role of the researcher
• How to use audio diaries
• Associated Challenges
• Ethical considerations associated

3. Key Terms
• Audio diaries: Research method used to collect qualitative data and
participants’ behaviors and experiences over time: Longitudinal self-reporting
by participants
• Longitudinal research methods: A type of correlational study that involves
looking at variables over an extended period of time
• Ethnomethodology – Sociological analysis that examines how individuals use
everyday conversation to construct a common-sense view of the world
• Audio diary prompts – Semi-structured guide to supporting participants in
recording their reflections

4. Aim of the paper
• To present a guide on how to approach audio
diaries in the context of educational research.
• To provide recommendations for the use of the
audio-diary method for educational and teaching
purposes.

5. What are audio-diaries?
• Do you or anyone you know keep a diary about important events of
their lives?
Dear diary “…” “….It’s been 2 months,
and I feel much better
than…….”

6. Why Use Audio-diaries
1. Co-construction of experiences/knowledge
2. High utility and usability of the diary
3. Ability to share a rolling stream of consciousness
and share unique experiences and stories
without worrying about writing skills

7. Why Use Audio-diaries
4. Can capture naturalistic and non-verbal data, which are critical
to understanding how experiences, feelings, and
consciousness change over time
5. They can foster of focus and critical reflection about making
sense of experiences, perceptions, thoughts, and emotions
with support from a research and/or educational facilitator

8. The role of the researcher, participant,
and educator in the use of audio-diaries
Researcher:
• Build a thoughtful and trustworthy
relationship
• Early mitigation of any emerging
ethical issues
• Make sure participant is actively
involved
• Provide prompts
• Empowers participant to become an
empowered agent of the research,
rather than a subject for exploration
Educator
•There is still limited
evidence on how
educators may further
utilize or integrate
audio diaries into their
educational practices.

9. Before starting
• Prior to commencing the use of audio diaries, the
researcher should be able to discussing issues
pertaining to;
• The core questions,
• Ethical considerations,
• Implementation and analysis of audio diaries.
• Consider the theoretical underpinnings of the
audio diary study to inform how you collect and
make sense of the data

10. How to Use Audio-diaries

11. Analyzing audio diaries
• Data that spans multiple participants’ longitudinal
experiences + cross-sectional data used to capture
overarching themes
• Organize data for easy access
• Critical point= Time (How have themes changed over
time)
• Cross sectional data analysis for nonverbal qualitative
data
IPA could be used as an important tool

12. Challenges associated
• Arranging, tracking, and following participant exit interviews –
collaboration & team work may help
• Technological challenges – recording and submitting diaries, using
Dictaphones, uploading heavy files etc
• participants retention and engagement

13. Ethical Considerations
• Normal best practices for ethical research
• What about audio diaries unintentionally capturing audio data that is
not from the participants??
• What about if these diaries unknowingly and indirectly shape or
affect participants’ behaviors in the long run?
• HOW DO YOU MITIGATE SUCH RISKS

14. THANK YOU