week 1 intro to research 702 2015
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EDU 702
Research Methodology
Housekeeping
» Lecturer info » Recommended texts» Materials
˃ Online˃ Handouts
» Research portfolio˃ Electronic˃ Google sites
» Research Seminar» Invited “speakers”
Sample Originality Report
Introduction
» What is research» Why carry out research» Types and approaches» Terminologies
If we knew what it was we are doing, it would not be called research, would it be?
Albert Einstein
What is research to you?
Is it..about problems?
» Response to a problem?» Solving a problem?
˃ What do you do when solving a problem?+ Understand the problem+ Devise a plan to obtain a solution+ Use the plan+ Evaluate the outcome
Sleep habits and academic achievement
General definition
» Research is the formal systematic application of the scientific and disciplined inquiry approach to the study of problems
General definition
» Research is the formal systematic application of the scientific and disciplined inquiry approach to the study of problems
» What do we mean by scientific?
The scientific method1 2 3 4
Formulate the hypothesis (a tentative proposition about the relation between two or more theoretical constructs)
Test the hypothesis (design a study to establish whether the relationship between the constructs are as predicted)
Collect data Decide to accept or reject hypothesis
A research is..
A diligent search or inquiry - scientific investigation and study to discover facts
All claims open to question Knowledge can be observed and
tested again
The purpose of scientific research
» To Describe - describe the shape, colour, change over time, relation to other constructs and so on..
» To Predict - given what is known the scientist attempts to predict what might happen..
» To Control - by manipulating certain variables the scientist is interested in determining whether it will lead to controlling a particular condition.
» To Explain in the form of a Theory - ultimately the scientist is interested in forming a theory to explain the phenomena being investigated.
So what then isEDUCATIONAL RESEARCH?
An educational research is..
A systematic, and organized effort to investigate and provide trustworthy information about educational problems, issues and topics
HP IN SCHOOL
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Academic dishonesty
Characteristics of research
» Research begins with a question in the mind of the researcher.
» Research demands a clear statement of the problem.» Research requires a plan » Research seeks direction through appropriate
hypotheses or research questions» Research deals with facts and their meaning.
Systematic processes in educational research
1 2 3 4
Identify a problem
Review known information in the problem area – put forward a hypothesis/ formulate research questions
Collect dataAnalyze and interpret data
Report findings – give answers, solve problem based on analysis
Design a study to test hypothesis/ answer the research questions
Why carry out research?
Explore? Describe? Predict? Control? Explain?
Why carry out edu research?
» To provide evidence to help people decide which opinions are correct – or more correct
» To help develop better ways to think about the field of education
Why carry out edu research?
» To investigate problems or questions concerned with improvement of education (Sowell, 2001)˃ contribute to the advances of knowledge and theory˃ provide insights into societal concerns˃ solve a particular problem within a particular setting
Educational research continuum
» Basic˃ contribute to the advances of knowledge and theory
» Applied˃ provide insights into societal concerns˃ solve a particular problem within a particular setting
» Evaluation˃ Decision making
Compare
»Basic˃ Apply to many people and
situations˃ Relate to general theory˃ Results may not have
immediate or clear implications for practice
»Applied˃ Apply to specific group of
people and situations˃ Not necessarily related to
broader field of knowledge˃ Results have immediate and
clear implications for practice
Educational Research
Purposeful SystematicEthical ValidReliable
outcomes
Validity and Reliability
» Validity˃ Outcomes are accurate?˃ Data collection provide
accurate data?˃ Analysis suitable for answering
the research questions?
»Reliability˃ Outcomes are trustworthy?˃ Can depend on the outcomes?˃ Can replicate data?
Terminologies
research methodology The study of research methods A singular that does not admit of a plural
research technique A specific means, approach or tool-and-its-use,
whereby data is gathered and analysed, and inferences are drawn
research method The manner in which a particular project is
undertaken
Terminologies
variable any characteristic that is not always the same characteristics that vary
relationship A statement about variables
hypothesis Statement that can be tested
theory An explanation of how and why things happen Tested
Terminologies
Research instrument Anything used to collect information
Questionnaire Researcher as the instrument
Deduction Starts with a theory, apply to data Tested
Induction Data leads to theory
Consider
»Research 1˃ Investigates how fluid cools off
»Research 2˃ Investigates how the
motivation of TESL students change with the utilization of different technology in class
Research 1
» Variables˃ Dependent -Temperature of fluid˃ Independent – Time˃ Others – type of fluid, room temperature
» Hypothesis˃ Temperature decreases with time
» Theory˃ Newton’s law of cooling
» Instrument˃ Thermometer
» Analysis˃ Tabulate, graph
Research 2
» Variables˃ Dependent –Motivation˃ Independent – ?˃ Others – level of difficulty, personal problems etc
» Hypothesis˃ The more recent the technology, the higher the level of motivation
» Theory˃ “No specific law” – but have been researched
» Instrument˃ Questionnaire
» Analysis˃ Compute correlation coefficient
How do we define motivation ‘operationally’?
» Specify actions or operations to measure motivation˃ States that he/she likes research class˃ Display interests – pays attention˃ Observed to ask questions about subject˃ Turns in all homework/assignments on time
Are younger students more anxious in math courses compared to older students?
What are the variables?Is there a relationship to be tested?
How to operationalise “anxiety”?
Identify research area
» Your personal interest» Accessibility» Socially relevant / useful» Reiterate the significance of your would-be
research
English language research
» University of Edinburgh http://www.lel.ed.ac.uk/research/
» Syntax & Semantics Research- research in both of these core areas of linguistic theory, and in the interfaces between them and other areas, such as pragmatics.
» The Phonetics & Phonology - researchers treating a very broad range of topics - "from speech synthesis to OT" - as part of a unified field of activity; hardly anyone in the group can readily be pigeonholed as a "phonologist" or a "phonetician".
» The Centre for Speech Technology Research (CSTR) - concerned with research in all areas of speech technology including speech recognition, speech synthesis, speech signal processing, information access, multimodal interfaces and dialogue systems.
» The Language in Context Research - investigates how the social, interpersonal and discursive context of language shapes its forms and uses.
» The Developmental Linguistics Research - undertakes theoretical and experimental research on language acquisition, language attrition, and language change. The fundamental research aim is to investigate the nature of the constraints on how linguistic knowledge can vary over time, both within and between individuals.
Educational Management
» Analysis of political, economic, social, legal and cultural environment in which educational organisations work
» Autonomy, professionalism and decision policies » Change management and education quality » Classroom management » Computers in educational administration » Differing cultural perceptions of management in education » Distance education and multimedia environments » Education economics » Educational leadership » Educational systems planning/strategic planning » Equity and education
Educational Management
» Globalisation and education » Information systems for education and training support » Leadership in education » Lifelong learning and development of competences » Management in higher education / Management of e-education » Managing the curriculum » Marketing in education » Organisations as learning communities » Policy analysis and evaluation of institutions and study programmes » Professional development of teaching staff » Public policies management » School and school system improvement » Transactional education, student and teaching mobility
Art Education
Art Education
» The Nineteenth-Century Artist-Teacher: A Case Study of George Wallis and the Creation of a New Identity
» Dyslexia and the Studio: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice
» Facilitating meta learning in Art and Design Education» Making Creative Spaces: The Art and Design Classroom
as a Site of Performativity» Ecological mural as community reconnection
Do background reading
» Systematic» Start with newspaper, magazines, tv news» Read textbook» Read reports» Read journals
Big picture
Problems
Topic
Variables
Concept
Theory
Methods
Issues
Concerns
Most important
» You have research questions and you answer them by providing data collected through valid and reliable processes.
TASK
» Explore the contents in the i-Learn portal» Think of an area you want to research» Set up your portfolio
˃ Start posting your reflection/thoughts/ideas
» Register as National Academies Press user at http://www.nap.edu/ and ˃ read “ Scientific Research in education (2002)” chapter 5
» Better still read the whole book :-D
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