Page 42 - Vseživljenjsko učenje kot temelj trajnostne družbe

Mirko Prosen, Anita Trnavčević, Nina Krmac, and Klavdija Kutnar

All Zoom sessions were recorded (with the consent of the participants) and
transcribed verbatim. No field notes were taken during the live sessions to
maintain theflowofdiscussion.However,reflectivenotesweretaken in some
cases and used later to support thematic analysis.

Data Analysis
To identify patterns and meanings within the data, a thematic analysis was
carried out according to Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework. The
analysis was conducted in Slovenian, and selected illustrative quotes were
translated into English for reporting purposes. The process was supported by
the qualitative data analysis software NVivo, which facilitated coding, organ-
isation and thematic mapping. The analysis involved familiarisation with the
transcripts, generation of initial codes, development of themes, review and
refinement of themes and interpretation in line with the study aim (Braun &
Clarke, 2006; Kiger & Varpio, 2020). An inductive approach was adopted that
remained close to the participants’ perspectives and provided a rich, descrip-
tive account of the alumni’s experiences and perceptions of lifelong learning
(Sandelowski, 2000).

Trustworthiness
To ensure the trustworthiness of the study, several strategies were employed
throughout the research process, focusing particularly on credibility, con-
firmability,and reflexivity.First,the research process, from data collectionto
analysis, was meticulously documented to establish an audit trail, enhancing
transparency and allowing readers to assess the dependability of the find-
ings (Elo et al., 2014; Lincoln & Guba, 1985). During data analysis, collegial de-
briefings were held to discuss emerging codes and themes, aiming to reduce
researcher bias and enhance confirmability (Ahmed, 2024; Lincoln & Guba,
1985). The thematic analysis followed the six-step framework proposed by
Braun and Clarke (2006), and data saturation was monitored to ensure the
richness and completeness of the identified themes (Kiger & Varpio, 2020).
Reflexivity was maintained throughout the study via researcher notes and
critical self-reflection (Villamin et al., 2024). Informal member checking was
conducted during interviews by summarising and verifying participants’ re-
sponses to strengthen credibility (Elo et al., 2014). Triangulation was achieved
by involving multiple researchers in the coding and interpretation of the
data, further supporting the confirmability of the results (Ahmed, 2024). Fi-
nally, thick descriptions of the research context and participant characteris-
tics were provided to enable readers to assess the potential transferability of
the findings to other contexts (Elo et al., 2014; Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
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