Chapter Summary

This chapter outlined the research methodology for this investigation, including a description of the general characteristics of mixed methods research. The design of this thesis investigation was described as a 2-phase QUAN/QUAL concurrent triangulation model, with the rationale that the 2 phases of data analysis would be compared and merged into a coherent whole that was stronger than if either method had been used in isolation. The next sections provided descriptions of the participants in the study, the data collection procedures, and the instrument used to collect the data. The data collection survey was divided into four sections, one for each of the research questions and one final section for those students who did not participate in the study buddy activity. The next section of chapter three described how the quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed and merged. The chapter ended with a description of the ethical considerations and the review and approval by the Athabasca University Research Ethics Board.