EDUC 500:

Stating Research Problems

Dr. Stephen Petrina

Dr. Franc Feng

Department of Curriculum Studies

University of British Columbia

(Explanation)

Cultural & Social Processes & Forces, Nature, Ideologies,

Mentalities, Grand Narratives Structure

Introduction to Research Designs

Problem Statement (Due on 10 July).

• Identify and state a general problem, research question or hypothesis, clearly defining terms and variables. Provide a justification or rationale for its background and relevance in Education. Include statement of problem, purpose and rationale. (20 % of final mark; length, 2-3 pages maximum)

• Topic (what)- General area of inquiry or study (e.g., immigrant women’s rights and independence; second language literacy acquisition; addiction and needle exchange programs)

• Purpose (why)- Statement of intent or objective in conducting the research. The statement of purpose tells the audience what the research is likely to accomplish. Research typically involves one of six major purposes: to describe, explain, evaluate, interpret, deconstruct or predict (or confirm or discriminate) . To explore is also a viable purpose, as is to emancipate, especially in qualitative research.

• Problem Statement, Hypothesis or Question (what)- Articulates and focuses the problem to be addressed in a researchable way. Questions have an advantage of sharpening or focusing the topic but declarative statements are more common.

– Avoid overly broad problems i.e., Research topic v. problem), overly narrow, local or trivial problems, and hortatory (i.e., urging specific people to take a specific course of action) problems.

– Remember, you will not prove anything in research.– The goal is, however, to persuade people.

• Rationale (why)- Provides a justification for the research, based on personal interests and desires, institutional needs, and, especially, existing research and current theory. In this way, the significance of the research is provided as well. Typically, the rationale suggests your contribution to existing research literature by identifying the significance for practice, policy, action or theory.

Introduction to Research Designs

Purpose ProblemExploratoryThe purpose is to investigate the littleunderstood phenomenon of…The purpose is to explore categories ofmeaning in…

The purpose is to generate hypotheses forfurther research related to…

What is happening in Surrey's interventionfor sexuality education?What are the salient themes and categoriesof meaning for participants in Surrey'sintervention for sexuality education?How are the patterns in teachers utilizationof Surrey's sexuality education materialsrelated to sexuality education programs inother jurisdictions?

ExplanatoryThe purpose is to explain patterns relatedto…

The purpose is to identify plausiblerelationships shaping…

What are the attitudes and beliefs thatSurrey secondary school teachers bring tosexuality education?How are unpreparedness and phobiasinteracting to create the patterns underlyingthe use of Surrey's sexuality educationmaterials?

DescriptiveThe purpose is to document and describe… What are the salient methods that teachers

adopt in Surrey's sexuality educationprogram?

InterpretiveThe purpose is to interpret the meaningof…

What does sexuality education mean tostudents?What feelings surface for teachers as theyteach about sexuality?

EmancipatoryThe purpose is to create opportunities andthe will to take up action related to…

How can pro-Gay and Lesbian videos, suchas Out, empower teachers to help BGLTstudents?How can teachers assist in accepting andcelebrating same sex parents?

PredictionThe purpose is to predict the relationshipbetween…

What is the effect of Surrey's sexualityeducation program on students'understanding of sexuality?

DeconstructionThe purpose is to deconstruct (undermine,contradict, etc.) the binaries of…

What are the messages embedded inSurrey's sexuality education materials?

Stating Purposes and Problems

Qualitative Research DesignsTitle

Introduction (Brief History of the Problem, Rationale, Theoretical Framings, Positionality— Relation of Self to Problem)

(1/2 page)

Purpose (General Focus) (Why?) (1/2 page or less)

Problem or Focus of Inquiry (What?) Clear Statement—Research Question(s) or Problem(s), Limitations

(1/2 page or less)

Review of Literature

History & Significance of the Problem

Theories

(6-10 pages)

Method(s) (How?, When?, Where And Who?)

Appropriateness of and Issues around methods chosen

Sample (Participants) and Unit(s) of Analysis

Data Collection

Sites (Sources)

Participant Ethics

(6-8 pages)

Data Analysis (How?)

Analysis, Coding, Instruments

(2-5 pages)

Report of Outcomes

Recipients of Outcomes

Utilization of Knowledge

(1 page or less)

References Attach

Quantitative Research DesignsTitle

Introduction (Brief History of the Problem, Rationale, Theoretical Framings, Positionality— Relation of Self to Problem)

(1/2 page)

Purpose (General Focus) (Why?) (1/2 page or less)

Problem or Focus of Inquiry (What?) Clear Statement— Research Question(s), Hypotheses or Problem(s), Limitations

(1/2 page or less)

Review of Literature

History & Significance of the Problem, Preliminary Studies, Pilots

Theories

(6-10 pages)

Method(s) (How?, When?, Where And Who?)

Appropriateness of and Issues around methods chosen

Sample (Participants) and Unit(s) of Analysis (Variables)

Data Collection

Participant Ethics

(6-8 pages)

Data Analysis (How?)

Variables, Statistical Techniques

Instruments

(2-5 pages)

Report of Outcomes

Recipients of Outcomes

Utilization of Knowledge

(1 page or less)

References Attach

Example (from xx doctoral dissertation):

Purpose of the Research StudyThe purpose of this study was to research ICT literacy in both elementary and secondary teacher education programs and to investigate the status of ICT literacy among teacher education students at UBC. My rationale for conducting this research lies in the following. First, the shift from traditional practice to the incorporation of newer technological practices in education is underway. Second, a systematic study of the characteristics and basic structure of ICT literacy will help policy makers effectively design technology curriculum. Third, making analytical comparisons between the data collected from pre- and post-program surveys on pre-service teachers’ skills and beliefs pertaining to ICT literacy will provide better understanding of the pedagogical usefulness of technology.

Example (from xx doctoral dissertation):

Research Problems or QuestionsAs the integration of ICT in teacher education is an imperative for many

universities, my research interest focused on how teacher candidates are prepared andhow they obtain ICT literacy. Although there exists a significant body of researchaddressing aspects of this double-pronged question, including some large-scale studies(e.g., Watson, 1997; Gibson & Nocente, 1998), much of the literature consists of reportsof small-scale projects (Albion, 2001; Kellenberger, 1996; Watson, 1997; Watson,Proctor, Finger & Lang, 2004; Wetzel, Zambo, & Buss, 1996; Wetzel, 1993). These casestudies suggest the degree to which educators are laboring to bring ICT into teachereducation. However, these studies fail to present a more general sense of whether variousefforts to integrate technology in teacher education programs are significantly improvingstudent teachers’ competence and comfort levels with ICT. With a view to examining thistwo-pronged question at UBC, the Faculty of Education conducted a large-scale study ofpre-service teachers enrolled in two academic years (2001/2002 and 2003/2004).

Example (from xx doctoral dissertation):

Research Problems or QuestionsAs the integration of ICT in teacher education is an imperative for many universities, my research interest focused on how teacher candidates are prepared and how they obtain ICT literacy. Although there exists a significant body of research addressing aspects of this double-pronged question, including some large-scale studies (e.g., Watson, 1997; Gibson & Nocente, 1998), much of the literature consists of reports of small-scale projects (Albion, 2001; Kellenberger, 1996; Watson, 1997; Watson, Proctor, Finger & Lang, 2004; Wetzel, Zambo, & Buss, 1996; Wetzel, 1993). These case studies suggest the degree to which educators are laboring to bring ICT into teacher education. However, these studies fail to present a more general sense of whether various efforts to integrate technology in teacher education programs are significantly improving student teachers’ competence and comfort levels with ICT. With a view to examining this two-pronged question at UBC, the Faculty of Education conducted a large-scale

study of pre-service teachers enrolled in two academic years (2001/2002 and 2003/2004). This study was guided by the following research questions:

1. Are there differences between pre- and post-program perceptions of ICT competencies? 2. Are there gender differences in pre-service teachers’ views of, and attitudes toward, ICT competencies?3. How do the student teachers perceive their progress in ICT competencies?

Critical MassHow can we study critical mass?

• Critical mass begins at 6:00 on the last Friday of each month at the Vancouver Art Gallery. This large crowd or critical mass of bicyclists ride rather democratically through the streets, “corking” cars and stopping vehicular traffic until the critical mass moves on. The CM bike ride typically lasts about 2.5 hours.

• For the June 28th CM, about 2500 bicyclists converged for a ride up Howe St. across the Granville Street Bridge, east of 6th and across the Cambie Street Bridge, over the Georgia Street Viaduct, down Hastings through Strathcona to Clark St. and back down Hastings to Georgia to Denman and a split-up...

Critical MassHow can we study critical mass?

• What research methods and designs can be used to study Critical Mass?

• What are the challenges or implications of these methods and designs?