Introduction to Educational Research and its fundamental application

This is an introduction to educational research and its application in the different fields.

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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

15. Types of Research Designs
D escriptive
C omparative
C orrelational
C ausal C omparative
Non-E xperimental
True
Quasi
S ingle S ubject
E xperimental
Quantitative
C ase S tudy
P henomenaology
E thnography
Grounded Theory
Qualitative
C oncept A nalysis
Historical A nalysis
A nalytical S tudy Mixed Method
Research D esigns
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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