Research Design in Education Research Methods

Describe your research topic What is the nature of the problem and your research question? To answer the question will you: –Observe individual behavior? –Examine documents? –Compare one group to another? –Manipulate one group, but not the other? –Describe the behavior of a group? –Interrogate an argument to make a new point? What will your data look like and what will you do with it?

General Educational Method Types (Glatthorn 2005) 1. Tests & measurements 2. Interviews 3. Observations 4. Surveys 5. Document analysis 6. *Argumentation

Sample of Methods Causal, Correlational Case Study Descriptive Document analysis Experimental; Quasi-Experimental Historical Interview Philosophy How will you learn to conduct a ___________ study?

Research Design (Glatthorn 2005) A research design is a specific plan for studying the research problem Key elements include –Perspective (Qualitative, Quantitative, Foundational) –Type and subtype, ie Qualitative, ethnography –Context - when, where, access be specific –Participants - be specific –Methods & Instruments –Data Analysis Before study = PLAN After study = REPORT WHAT YOU DID

Methods & Instruments How might you collect data? –Documents - online, archive, on-site? –Interviews? –Testing? –Observations? “Data was collected by weekly observations of all teachers, followed by interviews in focus groups of 4-5 teachers.” “Data was collected using the XYZ Survey of Community College Students. 600 surveys were distributed via in November 2006 and 60 respondents completed the survey by December 2006.

Data Analysis How will you organize, reduce, analyze and display the data? –Audiotaped interviews were transcribed, then coded using emic and etic terms. Grounded theory was used in the analysis….. –Individual survey responses were uploaded into SPSS and checked for missing data. T- tests were then performed to determine if new student and returning student group means were statistically different.

Sample Headings (p.188) Methodology Section “This section explains the methods used in carrying out the study, giving special emphasis to the analysis of data. It should be noted at the outset that the methodology to a certain extent was an evolving one, which took definite shape as the study progressed.” The General Perspective The Research Context The Research Participants Instruments Used In Data Collection Procedures Data Analysis Summary of the Methodology

Evaluation & Action Research Evaluation Makes judgments on program merit Aids in program specific decision- making –Single entity –Originates w/client –Helps with decision-making Action Carried out by someone deeply involved in the process Study of: –own teaching or leadership –people or organization you are a part of

Revisit your research topic With a partner discuss, what is the nature of the problem and the research question? To answer the question describe if you could: –Observe individual behavior? –Examine documents? –Compare one group to another? –Manipulate one group, but not the other? –Describe the behavior of a group? –Interrogate an argument to make a new point? What will your data look like and what will you do with it?