Leveraging qualitative analysis software to complement traditional qualitative research approaches for curriculum design: Results of a needs assessment study

Educational programs are continually challenged with maintaining a curriculum that meets the current and future needs of the industry they serve, and accreditation requirements. Research methodologies of interviews, focus groups, and surveys to accomplish these requirements have a long-standing documented history in the literature. Interviews and focus groups can provide collection of rich information, but have limited sample size, and greater potential for participant and researcher bias. Survey research can be more objective and reach larger population, but results are limited to the type and quality of questions posed by the researchers, and honesty of the participant responses. Technological advances in data collection and analysis have been improving research methodologies for decades. This paper describes a research approach for conducting a program needs assessment. Using structured focus groups and qualitative artificial intelligence software, MAXQDA, the methodology identified 15 themes for activities commonly performed by entry-level construction management graduates. Within the themes, 17 common types of knowledge, and 15 types of skills were identified. Key knowledge included Terms & Symbols, Project Documents, Materials & Methods, Software Platforms, Scopes of Work, and Contract Structures. The top skills identified were Oral & Written Communication, Using/Learning Software/Technology, Collaboration/Teamwork, Analyzing/Interpreting Documents, and Personal Organization/Time Management.