The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), together with the UPOU Alumni Foundation, Inc. (UPOUAFI), held its fifth Masterclass with the topic Understanding the Philosophical Assumptions of Qualitative Research led by Dr. Jean A. Saludadez as the thought leader. This was held on 8 November 2018 at the Oblation Hall of UPOU in Los Banos, Laguna.
The lecture focused on the organization of knowledge in the field of communication, as well as the philosophical assumptions of qualitative research. The thought leader also gave a run through of the post-qualitative research. In her lecture, she emphasized the concept of multiplicity of meaning in the qualitative approach.
One of the question raised by a participant was on the level of maturity needed to engage in qualitative research method, which is especially applicable for youths who want to employ the qualitative method in their studies. The thought leader answered, “When doing a qualitative research, you have to act as a student who needs to learn from those who have experienced the social phenomenon rather than a sage.” This emphasized that as a researcher, no matter how young or old, should always assume the role of a learner in the field to be able to get unbiased data or insights.
For this Masterclass, Dr. Felix Librero, Professor Emeritus and Former Chancellor of UPOU, served as the reactant. He articulated his views on Dr. Saludadez’s discussion. Dr. Librero shared his thoughts on the common question asked by researchers, which research method is better: qualitative or quantitative? He said that what is more important is how the problem is explained and how the terminologies are used compared to the method itself.
Dr. Alexander G. Flor, Dean of the UPOU Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, mentioned that the multidisciplinary approach in research contributes to the openness of the university. It facilitates knowledge exchange and promotes co-creation among learners and researchers.
Dr. Librero also gave motivational words to those who are struggling with their research. “It is not the question of doing again, it is the question of what type of learning you got. It will not be same as the kind of learning experience you will get later.”
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