Educational Research Chapter 2

1. Educational Research Chapter 2

2. Types of Educational Research • Quantitative – positivism – discover general principles and apply them to predict human behavior • Qualitative – phenomenology – understand human behavior by focusing on the meanings that events have for the people involved. • Should match the method with what you are studying – can use both methods in one study

3. Purpose Design Approach Tools Sample Analysis Differences in Quantitative and Qualitative

4. Quantitative Research • Uses objective measurement and statistical analysis of data to try to explain the causes of changes in social phenomena • Two types: • Experimental – manipulation of the independent variable; experimental and quasi experimental • Nonexperimental – no manipulation of the independent variable; ex post facto/causal comparative, correlational, survey

5. Qualitative Research (chapt 15new) • Approach-Qualitative Research – seeks a complete understanding of social phenomena through the researchers total immersion in the natural situation – aims at generating theory • Approach-Important to determine the meaning that is constructed by the participants in a particular setting • Generalization-Looks for patterns in events • Generalization-Interpret the social meaning of events • Generalization-Analyze relationships between events and external factors • Method – Direct observation and interview • Values-Is value bound – interplay between the researcher and participants values and beliefs.

6. Qualitative Research cont • Types • Ethnography – study natural behavior of a culture – field research • Case studies – in depth of one person, group, organization – use multiple methods to gather data • Document or content analysis – analyze material within its own context – example – study textbooks for their readability • Naturalistic Observation – study behavior as it naturally occurs – Piaget used with children – unobtrusive techniques used

7. Qualitative cont • Phenomenologic studies – multiple realities in a perspective – unstructured interviews to explore thoughts and feelings • Grounded theory – called field data and develop theory of social phenomena • Historical – analyzes data to understand the past

8. Qualitative Research cont • Major Characteristics(chapter 15new) • Concern for the context – human behavior inseparable from social, cultural influences • Natural setting – take place in the field – no manipulation of behavior • Human as instrument – researcher interviews, observes subjects • Descriptive data – deals with data in the form of words – rich descriptions of people, events, places

9. Qualitative Research cont • Major characteristics cont • Emergent design – design emerges as the study enfolds • Inductive analysis – collect and analyze data at the same time

10. Typical Stages in Research(Regardless of Methodology) • Select a problem • Review the literature • Design the research • Collect the data • Analyze the data • Interpret the findings and state conclusions • Report results

11. Additional Systems of Classification • Theoretical and Practical Questions Theoretical -develop new theories or test existing ones – Why does one forget? Practical -aimed at solving specific problems encountered everyday – What is the most effective means of remediation for kids falling behind?

12. Additional Systems cont • Basic and Applied Research Basic Research – obtain empirical data to formulate and expand theory – example – the laws of learning or reinforcement Applied – carried out for the purpose of solving practical problems – example – how the laws of learning or reinforcement operate in the classroom

13. Language of Research Construct – an abstraction from observed events – example - intelligence. Constructs may be defined by: constitutive definition is a formal definition in which a term is defined by using other terms - example - intelligence is the ability to think abstractly operational definition ascribes meaning to a concept or construct by specifying the operations that must be performed in order to measure or manipulate the concept- example – intelligence is defined as score on Stanford Binet Test of Intelligence

14. Language of Research cont. • Variable – any attribute or property in which organisms, event, objects vary – height for example • Independent variable – presumed cause • Dependent variable – presumed effect • Variables are not inherently independent or dependent, depends on purpose of study

15. Language of Research (continued) Example: • Effect of motivation (independent) on achievement • Effect of testing procedures on motivation (dependent) • Categorical variables – sort into mutually exclusive groups – example – religions, countries • Continuous variables – infinite number of values within a give range - example - height • Constant – a fixed value within a study – if only dealing with preschool girls – then “preschool girls” is a constant even though grade level and gender are variables.