El huerto escolar comunitario. Experiencia diagnóstica para la aplicación de metodologías cualitativas

Research in the educational field revolves around three methodological paradigms: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed, which guide the research process by adopting methods, techniques, and instruments. Regarding the hegemony of the quantitative paradigm in educational research, this study suggests that the application of a rigorous design and specific analysis techniques allow qualitative studies to guarantee quality and precision of results. The study is qualitative, and the methodological design is structured under the socio-critical paradigm, aimed at carrying out a community project directed towards sustainability in an initial diagnostic stage to optimize its implementation for students at a secondary school in the municipality of Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. It is oriented to assess to what extent the application of qualitative methodologies such as expert review, grounded theory used as a technique, under a socio-critical context, and triangulation in the treatment of the data generated by the diagnostic instruments affects the rigor of data analysis, granting them validity and reliability. The results show that expert judgment is reflected in a favorable content validation index within a range of 3.88, with a maximum of 4.0, and the application of grounded theory leads to the construction of a categorical system, giving meaning to the data provided by the diagnostic instruments. Triangulation allows for the comparison of data obtained from different diagnostic instruments. In conclusion, a qualitative design applied rigorously can provide validity and reliability to the study, establishing the diagnosis as a valid foundation for the implementation of the school community project.