A Mixed Methods Analysis of Students’ Views of Politics

Mixed methods research (MMR) on learning combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a broader picture of the phenomenon being studied. Interest in politics has been regarded as the foundation of civic commitment in adulthood. Therefore, there is a need for studies that can show the multifaceted aspects of students’ view of politics. The aim of the present study is to describe students’ ideas about politics by means of a mixed methods study. Data is based on the open answers of 152 eight grade students in Italy. Parallel mixed data analysis was performed. Results showed a complex structure of the students’ ideas about politics. Both qualitative and quantitative aspects are depicted. Results showed that mixed methods research can discover aspects and properties of a phenomenon that are not predictable a priori by the researcher.