Case study 1

Research Article Organizer

Article Title

Author(s)

Topic

Problem

Purpose

Theory

Research Design

Research Method

Research Questions

Analysis Method

Findings

Notes about article

The Perceptions of K-12 Administrators' Self-efficacy on the Usage of Skype as an Online Communication Software Tool

Kiriakidis, P.

Online Communication Tools

Need for online communication systems to support administrators

Examine whether or not a software program such as Skype can assist school administrators in professional development in providing support to administrators

Self-determination Theory (SDT)

Qualitative Case Study

Open-ended interviews that were transcibed; Member checking

Case analyses conducted for each participant

All participants reported that they gain a more positive self-efficacy via interactive skype and insightful online communication experiecnces provided via Skype.

Implementing a “Circle of Friends” Peer-Mediated Intervention for High School Students with Autism

Schlieder, M.

“Circle of Friends” (CoF) Autism Intervention for Older Students

The problem is the need for effective social skills training for children with ASD

The purpose of this study was to understand individuals' interpretations of the CoF phenomenon

The conceptual framework that guided the study was constructivism, which postulates that learners construct knowledge based on a combination of previous experiences and social interactions

A collective case study was used to investigate experiences of parents, teachers, and community agency leaders participating in this project.

Qualitative

1. What are the experiences of group facilitators, parents, and nonprofit community agency directors in three area high schools implementing “Circle of Friends” (CoF) PMI? 2. How do the contributions of the community organization providing professional development, funding, and ongoing support influence CoF implementation in three area high schools

Inductive analysis to code for themes: Hand analysis involved coding information from sources, the interviews, and partnering agency documents. In order to do a cross-case analysis, a comparison table was created organizing information generated from parent, facilitator, and partnering agency.

Four main themes emerged from a cross-case analysis of the data. The research uncovered the influence a CoF partnership initiative has on inclusion, social skills improvement, empowerment, and sense of wellbeing. In addition to benefits, participants shared challenges and recommendations for future CoF implementation. Several unexpected findings also came to light.