Week 1_Intro to Edl Research

8/3/2019 Week 1_Intro to Edl Research

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Introduction toEducational Research

Week 1


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Discussion Topics

Ways of knowing

Educational research as scientific inquiry

Types of research designs

Quantitative Qualitative

Analytical

Mixed methods

Functions of research Ethics of educational research

Research report formats


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Ways of knowing

All of us frequently make decisions related toour professional lives

Some decisions are very, very important, othersquite trivial

Some decisions are made in very formal,deliberate manners, others quite capriciously

Where do we turn for such knowledge?


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Ways of knowing

What is the likely basis upon which each ofthe following questions could be answered?

What is the best way to relax, today?

What are we going to do for the holidays thisyear?

What are the legal implications of the new

attendance policy?


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Ways of knowing

Three legitimate ways for making decisions of thisnature

Personal experience

Tradition Authority

Characteristics of these ways

Idiosyncratic

Informal

Subjective in nature


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Ways of knowing

What is the likely basis upon which each ofthe following questions could be answered? Will students benefit by being held back in the

second grade next year if they do not yet learn toread?

How many students should be scheduled into Ms.Salmas third grade class?

Does block scheduling have an effect uponstudents achievement?


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Ways of knowing

Research is the mostlegitimate way of findinganswers to questions of this nature

Research is a systematic process that is guided by

accepted procedures to establish credibility Data collection

Data analysis

Interpretation

The systematic, testable, and objective nature of researchpermits careful examination of the process and results


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Ways of knowing

Describe some of the more important

decisions youve made recently in yourwork with other students, lecturer, or otheruniversity staffs.

On what basis did you rely to make thesedecisions?


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Research as Scientific Inquiry

Scientific inquiry is the search for knowledge usingrecognized methods in data collection, analysis, andinterpretation

The purpose of scientific inquiry is to Describe phenomena

Develop knowledge

Examine empirical relationships between or amongphenomena

Test whether such relationships are causal in nature


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Research as Scientific Inquiry

Knowledge is typically presented in the formof theories

A theory is a set of propositions that explain therelationships among phenomena

A theory is a means of simplifying andunderstanding complex realities

Examples of learning theories
http://www.funderstanding.com/theories.cfmhttp://www.funderstanding.com/theories.cfm


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Brief Definition of Research

A carefully prescribed process of collectingand analyzing data with the intent ofproducing findings and drawing conclusions

that are valid.


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Educational Research

No single, appropriate methodologicalapproach to study education

Two major approaches

Quantitative

Qualitative


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Differentiating characteristics

Goals

Quantitative: tests theory, establishes facts, shows

relationships, predicts, or statistically describes Qualitative: develops grounded theory, develops

understanding, describes multiple realities, capturesnaturally occurring behavior

Research design

Quantitative: highly structured, formal, and specific

Qualitative: unstructured, flexible, evolving


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Differentiating characteristics Participants

Quantitative: many participants representative of the groupsfrom which they were chosen using probabilistic sampling

techniques Qualitative: few participants chosen using non-probabilistic

sampling techniques for specific characteristics of interestto the researchers

Data, data collection, and data analysis

Quantitative: numerical data collected at specific times fromtests or surveys and analyzed statistically

Qualitative: narrative data collected over a long period oftime from observations and interviews and analyzed usinginterpretive techniques


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Differentiating characteristics

Researchers role

Quantitative: detached, objective observers of events

Qualitative: participant observers reporting participantsperspectives understood only after developing long-term,close, trusting relationships with participants

Context

Quantitative: manipulated and controlled settings

Qualitative: naturalistic settings


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Types of Research Designs

Descriptive

Comparative

Correlational

Causal Comparative

Non-Experimental

True

Quasi

Single Subject

Experimental

Quantitative

Case Study

Phenomenaology

Ethnography

Grounded Theory

Qualitative

Concept Analysis

Historical Analysis

Analytical Study Mixed Method

Research Designs

Copyright Allyn & Bacon 2008


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Quantitative Designs

Two major categories

Experimental

The investigation of causal effects through direct

manipulation of an independent variable and control ofextraneous variables

Non-experimental

The investigation of the current state of a variable or

the relationships, other than causal, between variables


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An example of an experimental design

Randomly assign students to one of two classrooms in which thesame social studies unit is being taught. Teach the first classusing the traditional lecture approach, the second class using co-

operative learning groups. Examine the achievement differencesbetween the two groups to see if the type of approach to

instruction had an effect.

This study is characterized by the investigation of cause(instructional approach) and effect (achievement), manipulation

(choice of instructional approach), and control (same unit beingtaught, random assignment, etc.)


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Differentiating the three types of experimentaldesigns

True experimental Random assignment of subjects to groups

Quasi-experimental

Non-random assignment of subjects to groups

Single subject Non-random selection of a single subject


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Examples of non-experimental designs

Approximately 10% of Louisianas public school students do not finish high

school.

The GPA of students participating in extra-curricular activities is higher thanthat of student who do not participate

Student attitude is moderately related to achievement

Several factors are related to the high dropout rate in Louisiana. Theseinclude the students age, academic record, repetition of grade(s), gender,

and ethnicity.

These studies are characterized by descriptions (dropout rate,

GPA differences, opinions) or relationships (attitudes andachievement, factors related to dropping out)


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Differentiating the four types of non-experimental designs

Descriptive Makes careful descriptions of the current situation or status of a

variable(s) of interest

Comparative Compares two or more groups on some variable of interest

Correlational Establishes a relationship (i.e., non-causal) between or among variables

Ex-post-facto Explores possible causes and effects among variables that cannot be

manipulated by the researcher.


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Qualitative Designs

Much less precision in the definitions of anddistinctions between qualitative designs incomparison to quantitative designs

Four major categories of designs Case study

Phenomenology

Ethnography

Grounded theory


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Qualitative Designs

Case Study

An examination of a specific instance of aphenomena in its natural context viewed fromthe perspective of the participants

This study explored the meaning of inclusion for three

disabled students who had been placed in a regulareducation setting.

This study examines in-depth a phenomena of interestto the researcher (i.e., the meaning of inclusion) in anatural context viewing it from the participants

perspectives


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Qualitative Designs

Phenomenology

A description of the meaning of an experience

The purpose of this study was to examine the

meaning of being left out for an adolescent

This study examines in-depth the experiences of being

left out from the perspectives of the adolescent

experiencing this phenomena


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Qualitative Designs

Ethnography

A description of the beliefs and practices of a cultural orsocial group or system

The purpose of this study was to identify and describethe conflicts that experienced second-grade teachersencountered as they switched from a traditionalapproach to teaching mathematics to a constructivist-sociological approach

This study examines the beliefs and practices of secondgrade teachers experiencing a common phenomenonrelated to their approach to teaching


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Qualitative Designs

Grounded theory A description of a conceptual understanding of a particular

phenomenon

The purpose of this study was to understand the

relationship of the bar to the teachers who frequented it onFriday evenings. We found that teachers used the bar tofacilitate their movement from professional to personalself.

This study examined a phenomena of interest to the

researcher (i.e., teachers congregating at a particular baron Friday evenings) and developed a conceptualunderstanding of it.


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Analytical Designs

Descriptions of historical, legal, or policy issuesthrough an analysis of documents, oral histories,and relics

Two basic approaches Concept analysis the study of educational concepts

(e.g., co-operative learning, leadership, etc.) todescribe the different meanings and the uses of theconcept

Historical analysis the systematic collection andcriticism of documents that describe past events ofrelevance to education


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Analytical Designs

An example of a concept analysis

The purpose of this study is to examine the

meanings and uses of the term standards-based curriculum.

This study examined the varied meanings,interpretations, and uses of an important

curricular concept.


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Analytical Designs

An example of an historical analysis

The purpose of this study is to examine thechanges in standardized testing over the last40 years.

This study addresses the historical

developments characterizing the use ofstandardized tests over a 40 year period.


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Mixed Method Designs

The use of quantitative and qualitativedesigns and methods within a single study

Allows the researcher to better match theapproach to gathering and analyzing datato the research questions

Relative emphasis given to any particular

method varies widely


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Action Research Design

Systematic investigation

Emphasis on teachers, counselors, andadministrators

Brings together characteristics of systematicinquiry and practice


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Four Functions of Research

Basic: research designed to test or refinetheory

Applied: research conducted in a field ofcommon practice and concerned with theapplication and development of researchbased knowledge


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Four Functions of Research

Action: research designed to solve a specificclassroom or school problem, improvepractice, or make a decision at a single local

site

Evaluation: research designed to assess themerit and worth or a specific practice in terms

of the values operating at a site


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Ethics of Educational Research

Ethical considerations are an important partof research.

Researchers must be aware of and attend to

ethical considerations. Two main overarching ethical rules guide

researchers.

Participants should not be harmed.

Researchers obtain participants informed consent.


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Most societies for behavioral researchershave similar codes for ethical researchlargely due to the National Research Act

of 1974 which Created a code for theprotection of human subjects.


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Most institutions have review groups thatassure participant protections. IRB (Institutional Review Board) or HSRC

(Human Subjects Review Committee) Researchers must submit their proposal

for review and approval.


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Informed consent and protection fromharm

Research participants must not be harmed in

any way Physically, mentally, socially

Research participants freely agree to participate

Informed consent: Researchers provide

information about the study and any potentialdangers


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Researchers ensure freedom from harm

No undue risks

Personal privacy and confidentiality

Limit access of data to those whoneed to know

Participants involvement should not be reported

E hi f Ed i l


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Ethics of Educational

Research

Anonymity

Study participants have completeanonymity when their identities are

unknown to the researcher.

Confidentiality

Study participants are known to

researcher but are not disclosed. e.g., removing names from data


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The Buckley Amendment (The Family

Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974)

Data that identifies a student is not available

without written permission Must describe what data, for what purposes, and to

whom


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Deception poses an ethical dilemma. If theparticipants know the purpose of a study, itmay change their behavior.

e.g., gender, race, attitudes, medical status When a study must use deception it causes

problems for informed consent. These typesof studies must undergo strict ethical review.


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Ethics of Qualitative Research

In addition to ethics of educational researchgenerally, qualitative research often posesadditional ethical challenges. The nature of the research changes so informed

consent is challenging. The close relationship between the researcher

and the participant may allow the researcher toknow personal and perhaps ill-acts of theparticipant that may pose ethical challenges.


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Ethical Guideposts

A researcher should have an ethicalperspective with regard to the researchthat is very close to her personal ethicalposition.

Informed consent should be obtainedthrough a dialogue between theresearcher and the participants.


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Ethical Guideposts

Be cognizant of the broader socialprinciples that define your ethical stance.Potential results do not drive ethicalstandards.

Minimize the potential for harm to yourparticipants.

Attend to confidentiality and omitdeception.


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Gaining Entry to the Research Site

Researchers need cooperation to conducttheir studies. Identify and follow procedures for gaining approval

at any given site.

e.g., superintendent or school board Procedures generally require filling out forms that

describe the study. Researchers may need permission from principals

or teachers. Written permission from parents is often required.


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Gaining Entry to the Research Site

Gaining entry and obtaining permission oftentakes considerable time.

Schools and other research communities

may request something in return for theirparticipation in your study.

e.g., a final report prior to dissemination,professional development, parent education


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Educational Report Formats

Title and author

Abstract

Introduction Quantitative: specific research questions

Qualitative: general problem statement

Review of the literature

Quantitative: extensive Qualitative: brief


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Research problem statement or questions

Quantitative: specific, narrow questions and hypotheses

Qualitative: general, foreshadowed questions

Method and design Quantitative: participants, instruments, and procedures

Qualitative: participants and settings/sites


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Results

Quantitative: statistical explanations

Qualitative: narrative descriptions

Discussion

Conclusions

References

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Week 1_Intro to Edl Research

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