Classroom Research & Research Question

Goals• Introduce education research

terminology• Problem• Question• Taxonomy of questions

• Draft a research question• Begin to think about and start to

develop a strong research design

Defining the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)

Write a list of words you would use to define the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) - A Brief History

According to Boyer:• "Excellence in the classroom is all

too often undervalued." • SoTL involves planning, assessing,

and modifying one's teaching.• SoTL means applying to teaching

the same exacting standards of evaluation that are used in research.

The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning•Many definitions• Some are discipline,

institution specific• Systematic investigation

of a selected aspect of student learning where data is gathered and analyzed•Results are made public

Problem

In scholarship and research, having a “problem” is at the heart of the investigative process. …. But in one’s teaching, a “problem” is something you don’t’ want to have and if you have one, you probably want to fix it.”

Randy Bass. 1999. “The Scholarship of Teaching: What’s the Problem?” Inventio

Moving from Problem to Question

“Changing the status of the problem in teaching from terminal remediation to ongoing investigation is precisely what the movement for a scholarship of teaching is all about.”

Randy Bass. 1999. “The Scholarship of Teaching: What’s the Problem?” Inventio

Taxonomy of SoTL Questions

What works?-measurement of

efficacy

What is?-examination of a

process

What’s possible?-exploration

What unifies?-defining models &

conceptual frameworks that

influence practice

Example

Activity- Examining ArticlesHoskins, Lopatto, & Stevens (2011). “The C.R.E.A.T.E. Approach to Primary Literature Shifts Undergraduates’ Self-Assessed Ability to Read and Analyze Journal Articles, Attitudes about Science, and Epistemological Beliefs”. CBE-Life Sciences Education. 10: 368-378.

•What is the research problem?•What is the research question?• Taxonomy of question?

Activity- Examining ArticlesDarland & Carmichael (2012) “Long-Term Retention of Knowledge and Critical Thinking Skills in Developmental Biology”. JMBE. 13(2):125-132.

•What is the research problem?•What is the research question?• Taxonomy of question?

Your Turn…..

•What is your teaching/learning problem?•What is/are your research question(s)?

Steps Towards Defining the Problem

Ask yourself:1. What learning/teaching problem do I

have?2. What is the evidence that the problem

exists?3. Is this evidence strong? Are my

assumptions few?4. Is my problem local, nationwide, or

global?

Properties of a Good Research Question

• Something you care about •Connects with things others care about•Helps open “the black box of student

learning”• Focused and manageable• Leads to other questions

Checklist of things to think about when identifying your research questionIs the scope of your project reasonable?Is the question one that can be answered? How much time can you realistically devote to

this research?Have you done a literature review that helps

further define your research question?Do you have expertise in the methods you plan

to use? Do you have colleagues to support you?Who can help you if you get stuck?

Places to find your answer• Exams• Reading of student papers• Student reflections• Student portfolio• Classroom assessments• Think alouds• Survey• Focus groups• Case study of a single student over time• Tracking patterns or achievement