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Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Introduction to Educational Research
Chapter 1
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Discussion Topics
Sources of knowledge Educational research as scientific inquiry Types of research designs
– Quantitative– Qualitative– Analytical– Mixed methods
Functions of research Research report formats
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Sources of Knowledge
All of us frequently make decisions related to our professional lives– Some decisions are very, very important, others
quite trivial– Some decisions are made in very formal,
deliberate manners, others quite capriciously
Where do we turn for such knowledge?
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Sources of Knowledge
What is the likely basis upon which each of the following questions could be answered?– What is the best way to relax, today?– What are we going to do for the holidays this
year?– What are the legal implications of the new
attendance policy?
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Sources of Knowledge
Three legitimate sources for decisions of this nature– Personal experience– Tradition– Authority
Characteristics of these sources– Idiosyncratic– Informal– Subjective in nature
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Sources of Knowledge
What is the likely basis upon which each of the following questions could be answered?– Will Gabrielle benefit by being held back in the
second grade next year?– How many students should be scheduled into Ms.
North’s third grade class?– Does block scheduling have an effect upon
students’ achievement?
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Sources of Knowledge
Research is the most legitimate source for 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 research permits careful examination of the process and results
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Sources of Knowledge
Describe some of the more important decisions you’ve made recently in your work with students, faculty, or clients.
On what basis did you rely to make these decisions?
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Research as Scientific Inquiry
Scientific inquiry is the search for knowledge using recognized methods in data collection, analysis, and interpretation
The purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop knowledge
– Describe phenomena– Examine empirical relationships between or among
phenomena– Test whether such relationships are causal in nature
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Research as Scientific Inquiry
Knowledge is typically presented in the form of theories– A theory is a set of propositions that explain the
relationships among phenomena– A theory is a means of simplifying and
understanding complex realities
Examples of learning theories
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Educational Research
Lack of a single, appropriate methodological approach to study education
Two major approaches– Quantitative– Qualitative
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Educational Research
Differentiating characteristics– Goals
Quantitative: tests theory, establishes facts, shows relationships, predicts, or statistically describes
Qualitative: develops grounded theory, develops understanding, describes multiple realities, captures naturally occurring behavior
– Research design Quantitative: highly structured, formal, and specific Qualitative: unstructured, flexible, evolving
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Educational Research
Differentiating characteristics– Participants
Quantitative: many participants representative of the groups from which they were chosen using probabilistic sampling techniques
Qualitative: few participants chosen using non-probabilistic sampling techniques for specific characteristics of interest to the researchers
– Data, data collection, and data analysis Quantitative: numerical data collected at specific times from tests
or surveys and analyzed statistically Qualitative: narrative data collected over a long period of time
from observations and interviews and analyzed using interpretive techniques
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Educational Research
Differentiating characteristics– Researcher’s role
Quantitative: detached, objective observers of events Qualitative: participant observers reporting participant’s
perspectives understood only after developing long-term, close, trusting relationships with participants
– Context Quantitative: manipulated and controlled settings Qualitative: naturalistic settings
Types of Research Designs
Descriptive
Comparative
Correlational
Causal C omparative
Non-Experimental
True
Quasi
S ingle Subject
Experimental
Quantitative
Case Study
Phenomenaology
Ethnography
Grounded Theory
Qualitative
Concept Analysis
Historical Analysis
Analytical S tudy Mixed Method
Research Designs
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Quantitative Designs
Two major categories– Experimental
The investigation of causal effects through direct manipulation of an independent variable and control of extraneous variables
– Non-experimental The investigation of the current state of a variable or the
relationships, other than causal, between variables
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Quantitative Designs
An example of an experimental design– Randomly assign students to one of two classrooms in which the
same social studies unit is being taught. Teach the first class using the traditional lecture approach, the second class using co-operative learning groups. Examine the achievement differences between 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 being taught, random assignment, etc.)
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Quantitative Designs
Differentiating the three types of experimental designs– 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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Quantitative Designs
Examples of non-experimental designs– Approximately 10% of Louisiana’s public school students do not finish high
school.– The GPA of students participating in extra-curricular activities is higher
than that of student who do not participate– Student attitude is moderately related to achievement – Several factors are related to the high dropout rate in Louisiana. These
include the student’s age, academic record, repetition of grade(s), gender, and ethnicity.
– These studies are characterized by descriptions (dropout rate, GPA differences, opinions) or relationships (attitudes and achievement, factors related to dropping out)
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Quantitative Designs
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 and distinctions between qualitative designs in comparison 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 a
phenomena in its natural context viewed from the perspective of the participants
This study explored the meaning of “inclusion” for three disabled students who had been placed in a regular education setting.
This study examines in-depth a phenomena of interest to the researcher (i.e., the meaning of inclusion) in a natural context viewing it from the participant’s 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 the beliefs and practices of a cultural or social
group or system The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the
conflicts that experienced second-grade teachers encountered as they switched from a traditional approach to teaching mathematics to a constructivist-sociological approach
This study examines the beliefs and practices of second grade teachers experiencing a common phenomena related 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 on Friday evenings. We found that teachers used the bar to facilitate their movement from “professional” to “personal” self.
This study examined a phenomena of interest to the researcher (i.e., teachers congregating at a particular bar on Friday evenings) and developed a conceptual understanding of it.
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Analytical Designs
Descriptions of historical, legal, or policy issues through 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.) to describe the different meanings and the uses of the concept
– Historical analysis – the systematic collection and criticism of documents that describe past events of relevance 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 the
changes in standardized testing over the last 40 years.
– This study addresses the historical developments characterizing the use of standardized tests over a 40 year period.
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Mixed Method Designs
The use of quantitative and qualitative designs and methods within a single study
Allows the researcher to better match the approach to gathering and analyzing data to 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, and
administrators Brings together characteristics of systematic
inquiry and practice
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Four Functions of Research
Basic: research designed to test or refine theory
Applied: research conducted in a field of common practice and concerned with the application and development of research based knowledge
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Four Functions of Research
Action: research designed to solve a specific classroom or school problem, improve practice, or make a decision at a single local site
Evaluation: research designed to assess the merit and worth or a specific practice in terms of the values operating at a site
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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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Educational Report Formats
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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Educational Report Formats
Results– Quantitative: statistical explanations– Qualitative: narrative descriptions
Discussion Conclusions References
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