Transcript Slide 1

Introduction to Educational
Research
EDU 710
Steve Gibbs
Touro University
• Forget the word Proof. Replace it with
evidence.
• Will the sun come up tomorrow?
• Will 1+1=2 the next time I add it up?
Basic vs Applied Research
• Basic research is about fundamental processes, like
salivating, thinking of fruit. It’s usually
experimental and done in controlled lab
• Applied research is about practical questions in the
real world, driven by current problems
• Action research focuses on solving practitioner’s
local problems. It cyclical because problems are
rarely solved through one research study.
• Evaluation research determines the worth, merit, or
quality of an evaluation object. i.e. Is the new
teaching method working?
Action Research – solving local problems
• Brainstorm…
– What local problems could be researched?
– What problems could your projects solve?
• Does teaching to the test improve learning?
• Is all learning observable? Should all learning be
observable?
• Are PLCs good or evil? Are they always practical?
• Does administrative performance have a statistically
significant impact on classroom learning?
• Do students do better on silent activities when they listen
to music on their iPods?
• Does familiarity with CA Content Standards make one a
better teacher?
Hypothesis vs Theory
• A hypothesis attempts to answer questions by
putting forth a plausible explanation that has yet
to be rigorously tested.
• A theory, on the other hand, has already
undergone extensive testing by various scientists
and is generally accepted as being an accurate
explanation of an observation. This doesn’t mean
the theory is correct; only that current testing has
not yet been able to disprove it, and the evidence
as it is understood, appears to support it.
Hypothesis vs Theory
• A theory will often start out as a hypothesis -- an
educated guess to explain observable phenomenon.
The scientist will attempt to poke holes in his or her
hypothesis.
• If it survives the applied methodologies of science, it
begins to take on the significance of a theory to the
scientist.
• The next step is to present the findings to the scientific
community for further, independent testing. The more
a hypothesis is tested and holds up, the better
accepted it becomes as a theory
Null Hypothesis
• A hypothesis set to be nullified by your research
• When your expected hypothesis is not proven by
statistically significant correlation either positive
or negative, then the Null hypothesis IS proven.
• Hypothesis: Students with cars have lower grades
• Null hypothesis: Owning a car has no negligible
effect on students’ grades
Grounded Theory
• When one does the research and
experimenting without first reading any
literature on the subject, without studying
previous findings, and without having a clear
hypothesis to prove.
• Grounded theory research is done to give
researchers uncontaminated perspectives of
the data collected.
Hypothesis & Theory
• Brainstorm…
• What educational theories can be thrown into question?
• Why hypotheses do you hold to be true but have never
formally tested?
• Teaching grammar is a waste of time
• Technology in the elementary classroom can
be detrimental to growth and learning
• Never assign writing as punishment | 2 | 3
• Do not attach grades to behavior
Criterion of falsifiability = the
property of a statement or theory
that is capable of being refuted
by experience (Karl Popper ‘02-’94)
Rule of parsimony = the simplest
answer is often the best
Any examples?
Expectation theory – the
Pygmalion effect - Limited
expectations bring limited
results, high expectations lead to
exceptional results.
Any classroom examples?
Formative vs. summative Assessment
• Formative = focused on improving the
evaluation object
• Summative = focused on overall effectiveness
of evaluation object
Share examples of formative assessment.
Share examples of summative assessment.
4 Key Questions to Pose in
Evaluation Research:
• 1. Did the evaluation object have its intended
impact? Did it work?
• 2. How does the evaluation object operate?
• 3. Is the evaluation object cost effective? Is
there a cheaper alternative?
• 4. How can the evaluation object be
improved?
Sources of Knowledge
• Experience = empiricism – experiments, tests,
surveys, questionnaires, interviews, focus
groups, observations, secondary data
• Expert Opinion = interviews, reading
research articles and books (vested interest?)
• Reasoning = Rationalism Descartes –
researchers’ evaluative skills – common
sense, logic, inductive-deductive reasoning
Reasoning – deductive and inductive
• Deductive = general to specific
• Inductive = specific to general – it’s
probabilistic
– Problem of Induction: the past doesn’t always
repeat
• Back to the issue of proof. Will the sun come up?
• Share examples of inductive reasoning
• Share examples of deductive reasoning
Scientific Method
• Empirical observations
• Generation and testing hypotheses
– “Students who own cars have lower grades.”
• Building and testing theories
• Attempting to predict and influence the world
positively
Topics that can’t be adequately
researched
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Value, morality – right and wrong, religion
Issues of school prayer
Abortion
Capital punishment
– NOTE: Research can be performed to gather data,
such as incidence of abortions based on cultural
settings, frequency of school prayer, tendencies for
capital punishment to deter crime; research CANNOT
prove any of these issues to be right or wrong.
• Other subjects that cannot be adequately
researched?
Quantitative and Qualitative
Research
Quantitative
Qualitative
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numbers
mathematical
laboratory
statistical
narrow-angle lens
deductive
cause & effect - determinism
tool perform data collection
Reality is objective
Statistical report
words
humanistic
natural settings
holistic
wide-angle lens
inductive
behavior is fluid
Research is the data collector
Reality is socially constructed
Narrative report
Quantitative Methods
• Follows Scientific Theory
• The generation of models, theories and
hypotheses
• The development of instruments and methods
for measurement
• Experimental control and manipulation of
variables
• Collection of empirical data
• Modeling and analysis of data
• Evaluation of results
Qualitative Methods
• Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth
understanding of human behavior and the reasons that
govern human behavior.
• Qualitative research investigates the why and how of
decision making, not just what, where, and when.
• Uses smaller but focused samples rather than large
random samples
• Categorizes data into narrative patterns for reporting:
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(1) participation in the setting,
(2) direct observation,
(3) in depth interviews, and
(4) analysis of documents and materials
Quantitative Elements
• Variables – a condition or characteristic that
can take on different values
– Age, Intelligence, Gender, Temperature
• Constants – a single value or category of a
variable
– Male, Female, 12-years-old, 49-years, old, IQ 130,
98.6 degrees
Quantitative vs Categorical Variables
• Quantitative Variable – varies in degree or
amount, usually involving numbers
• Categorical Variable – varies in kind or type,
usually involves groups
Examples
Quantitative Variables
• Height
• Weight
• Temperature
• Annual Income
• Aptitude Tests
• School size
• Class size
• GPA
• Anxiety level
Qualitative Variables
• Gender
• Religion
• Ethnicity
• College major
• Political affiliation
• Native language
• Teaching methods
• Personality types
• Problem solving strategies
Variables vs. Constants
• Independent Variable – that which influences
the dependent variable
• Dependent Variable – that which is influenced
by Independent Variable – usually the focus of
the research
– Independent = owning car; Dependent = grades
– Independent = praise; Dependent = performance
– Independent = standardized test; Dependent = real
learning
– Independent = educational technology; Dependent =
real learning
• Share other examples of independent and
dependent variables
Extraneous Variable
• Extraneous Variable = research pollution =
may compete with independent variable’s
influence on dependent variable. Can result
in alternative explanations or rival
hypotheses. An issue in experimental
research.
Extraneous Variables
– Independent = owning car; Dependent =
grades
• Extraneous = Parenting, intelligence, attitude,
car, laws
– Independent = praise; Dependent =
performance
• Extraneous = false or easy praise; amount of
praise; attitude
Extraneous Variables
– Independent = standardized test;
Dependent = real learning
• Extraneous = quality of test; faculty – student
attitudes, subject matter
– Independent = educational technology;
Dependent = real learning
• Extraneous = appropriate use; teacher skill;
selection of application
• Share extraneous variables to your previous
independent-dependent variables
Intervening Variables
• Another form of possible pollution
• A variable that comes between indep/depend
in their causal chain X  Y; X  I  Y
• X = test, I = familiarity with test, Y = retest
• X = test, I = growth of participant, Y = retest
• X = text, I = researcher change, Y = retest
Experimental and nonexperimental
research (both quant, & qual.)
• Experimental = manipulates independent variable
• Nonexperimental = does not. Simply observes what transpires
(quan or qual)
• Experimental = uses control group and controlled setting
• Causal-comparative research = type of nonexperimental
research that studies categorical independent variables like
gender, religion and qualitative dependent variables like test scores
or self-esteem levels.
• Correlational research = nonexperimental method that studies
relationships between two or more quantitative variables such as
class size and reading scores.
• Correlation coefficient = +1 0 -1 Do the two objects increase
together (positive correlation) like GPA and SAT scores, or do they
push in opposite directions (negative correlation) such as malnutrition
and performance level.
Qualitative Research
• Ethnography = Writing about People
• Shared attitudes, values, norms, practices,
language and material things of a group of
people.
Qualitative Research
• Holistic = how members make a group. The
group is more than the sum of the parts.
• Does not dissect the frog to learn about
frogs; it observes frogs in their ponds
Qualitative Research
• Historical – examines the trends in
education over the years; examines the
changes in culture and careers; examines
impacts of various reform policies
• Ex: How has technology integration
changed in BUSD schools since the
inception of the PC in the 1980s and the
Internet in 1992
Quantitative Research
Experimental
NonExperimental
Quasiexperimental
CausalComparative
Correlational
Qualitative
Research
Ethnography
Historical
Multi-method research
• Recommended that serious topics are
approached in a variety of ways. This allows
for full coverage and future meta-analysis.
Other Forms of Research
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Individual case-study
Group case study
Developmental over time
Descriptive
Action – direct application of hypothesis,
theory in the classroom
• Gonzo – You make it happen. You are the
Independent Variable (Hunter S. Thompson)
References
Johnson, B, & Christensen, L. (2000). Educational Research:
Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Needham Heights,
MA: Pearson Education Company.
Isaac, S., & Michael, W. (1987). Handbook in Research and
Evaluation.San Diego, CA: EdITS Publishers.