Introduction to Educational
Research
A. What is research?
Research is the systematic application or use of a
set of methods to provide trustworthy information about problems. Educational research utilizes sets of
methods to provide trustworthy information about educational problems/issues.
Give examples.
Human beings draw conclusions based on
(a)
Inductive
reasoning—drawing generalizations from a limited number of specific
observations—give examples
(b)
Deductive
reasoning—developing specific predictions from general principles,
observations, or experiences-give examples
Research helps to provide “facts”/reliable information or verifiable information instead of assumptions.
·
A
scientific and disciplined inquiry approach is based on systematic approach to
examining educational issues and questions. It combines features of inductive
and deductive reasoning with other characteristics to produce an approach to
understanding that, though fallible, is generally more viable and reliable than
traditions, experts, personal beliefs/experiences or inductive/deductive
reasoning alone.
·
It is extremely difficult to tally or remove
the biases and beliefs of the researcher in any study. It is extremely difficult to be “objective”.
Research is always influenced by the researcher’s subjectivity even though
researchers try to be objective. The complexity of humans and the contexts
within which research is contacted makes objectivity an impossible task.
Attempts to follow a scientific inquiry requires the researcher to describe in
detail the procedures used to conduct the research study-provides a basis
for examination and verification of claims/the result. These checks
and balances allows research studies to be critiqued in ways
that are not available to critique traditions, personal experiences etc.
(a)
Recognize
and identify a topic to be studied. A
topic is a question, issue or problem related to education that can be examined
and answered through the collection and analysis of data
(b)
Describe
and execute the procedures to collect information about the topic being
studied. This involves identify the
subjects/participants, the measures needed to collect the data, and the
activities describing how and when the data will be collected.
(c)
Analyze
the data-how will data be analysed? Are data requiring qualitative or
quantitative analyzes processes?
(d)
State
the results or implications based on analysis of data. Conclusions reached in
the research study should relate back to the original research topic. What can be concluded given the information
provided by the study? Are the conclusions drawn from the data? Etc.
(Refer to page 5-6)-Researchable topics.
1. Do students learn more from our new social studies program than from the prior one?
2. What is the effect of positive versus negative reinforcement on elementary students’ attitudes toward schools?
3. How do teachers in our school district rate the quality of our teacher evaluation program?
4. What do high school principals consider to be the most pressing administrative programs they face?
5. Is there a relationship between middle school students’ grades and their self-confidence in science and mathematics?
6. Do students’ high scores on an anxiety test relate to the scores they get on the Scholastic Assessment Test?
7. What factors led t the development of standardized achievement tests from 1900 to 1930?
8. What were the effects of the GI Bill on state colleges in the Midwest in the 1950s?
9. How do special needs students adapt to the culture of junior high school when transitioning from a strongly child-centred elementary school?
10. How do the first 5 weeks of school in Ms. Foley’s classroom influence activities and interactions in succeeding months?
(a)
1&2-deal with comparisons (comparing) two
things
(b)
3&4 –descriptive
(c)
5&6-relational
(d)
7&
8-Historical (what led)
(e)
9&
10 require long-term, in-depth observation to obtain information about the
adaptation of special needs children.
The nature of the question determines the method/methodologies to be used to collect data that will help to understand the issue at hand. Some research questions require that you involve many subjects before you can draw conclusions etc.
(a)
Basic
Research-involves the process of collecting and analyzing data information to
develop or enhance theory
(b)
Applied
Research is conducted for the purpose of applying or testing theory and
evaluating its usefulness in solving educational problems.
Most educational research deals with finding what
works best rather than why it works best. Educational research tends to find
solutions to issues/problems.
This type of research is
used for evaluative purposes. It seeks to examine the usefulness of a
project/program.
Formative Evaluation- is
used to inform and improve what is being evaluated
Summative Evaluation: Helps
in the making of decisions of the overall quality/usefulness of the program
|
Qualitative (subjective) |
Quantitative (objective/natural science methods) |
|
Develops hypotheses |
Tests hypotheses |
|
Does not seek to control the contexts |
Seeks to control the context |
|
Researcher interacts with the participants |
Researcher does not interact with participants |
Involves a smaller sample |
Involves large number of subjects/participants for
results to be statistically significant |
|
Is more holistic |
Seeks to generalize results |
|
Assumes individuality |
Assumes that contexts are relatively stable,
uniform and can be controlled |
|
Interpretation of data |
Data analyses relies on statistical procedures |
Both research methods should
not be considered oppositional.
Quantitative approaches are
used to describe current conditions, investigate relationships, and study
cause-effect phenomena.
(a)
Descriptive
or survey studies-studies designed to describe current conditions. Usually
utilizes questionaires/surveys
(b)
Correlational
research-studies designed to investigate whether or not a relationship exists
between relationship between two or more quantified variables
(c)
Causal-comparative
or experimental research-studies designed to investigate cause-effect
relationships experimental if the relationship is studied after the fact or in
a controlled environment.
Correlational Research:-the
degree of correspondence between the variables is measured by a correlation
coefficient between –1.00 and +1.00. If
there is no correlation between two variables, the coefficient is 0.00 if there
is a correlation, the coefficient is either –1.00 or +1.00 depending on whether
if one variable increases the other increases (+1.00) or decreases (+1.00).
Causal-Comparative and
experimental Research:-aim at making cause-effect statement about the
performance of two or more groups, methods or programs. The basic difference
between the two is the amount of control the researcher has over the
comparisons studied. In experimental research, the cause is under the control
of the researcher and is manipulated by the researcher while in the
causal-comparative research, it is not. The alleged cause-the characteristic
believed to make a difference is referred to as the treatment or independent variable. The effect is referred to as the dependent variable.
With the causal-comparative
study, the researcher does not control the variable eg. Gender, height
smoking. The independent and dependent
variables are already in place. It is unethical to attempt to control the
variables. (go through examples on page 14-15).
Although a type of
qualitative research methodology, it is past oriented and it collects different
kinds of data than that of most other qualitative approaches.
It involves studying,
understanding and interpreting past events. It is more than collecting and
compiling data. It requires interpretation of data/information.
Data sources include:
Primary and Secondary sources.
External criticism-this
assesses the authenticity of the data (i.e did Martin Luther King write this
diary? Could it be forged etc.
Internal criticism evaluates
the worth or truthfulness of the content of the data. I.e are the author’s
statements biased for some reason? Are important pieces of information left out
and why?
(a)
It
is the problem/question that determines which research method is appropriate.
Questions that seek ask “should” cannot be answered
through research. (p. 23).