Knowing the New by Reviewing the Old: Retrospection of and Prospection for the Qualitative Research Methods Course

This article consists of the last two reflective memos of the author in her teaching of the one-year qualitative research methods course. The first memo examines the process of the last class of the course and the general design and implementation of the whole course. The purpose is to summarize the experiences and strengths as well as areas to be improved in the course. The second memo discusses some of the issues left over from the course, such as whether qualitative research needs a theoretical framework, how the researcher can dialogue between his/her own theory and the existing theories, and if there is a specific format for the writing of qualitative research papers. By discussing these issues, the author hopes to provide some ideas for the improvement of similar courses in the future.