A Joint Autoethnography on Collecting Qualitative Data Remotely: Insights From Doctoral Students’ Experiences

Abstract

Researchers in general and those conducting English Language Teaching (ELT) studies in particular have been using alternative data collection methods and strategies due to recent technological advancements, natural events, as well as personal researchers’ predicaments. In this article, we present our research insights into remote qualitative data collection from the perspective of doctoral students. Using a joint-autoethnography research design, we share our reflections on collecting data from two different studies conducted in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. We support these reflections with similar literature about remote data collection. Our focus is on the use of remote observations and remote surveys in qualitative studies. In our settings, while collecting data through remote observation, the major challenges we faced were related to technological management for the use of in-class video-recordings. Consequently, the change to audio-recordings demonstrated to be appropriate in such contexts. Furthermore, the use of remote qualitative surveys for data collection taught us that despite a high rate of initial acceptance for participation in other studies, the response rate in our study was quite low. As a result of this challenge, additional data collection methods were used in the relevant study. These experiences reveal that there will be a need to improve our procedures for a successful collection of remote qualitative data, not only in our future studies, but also for those researchers intending to use these data collection methods in similar situations.