Research in Education

Research in Education

By KHO CHUNG WEI

Open Ended

Why should you learn the fundamentals of research ?

​- Johnson & Christensen (2020)

" First of all, research can be more interesting than you might think, and we hope that in time you will find the material and the ways of thinking not only interesting but also beneficial. Second, you will be learning critical thinking skills. Rather than assuming that what is written in a book or what someone says is “fact” or undeniable “truth,” you can use the techniques that you will learn for evaluating arguments. In all cases, the question is one of evidence. As a start, we suggest that you take the word proof and eliminate it from your vocabulary this semester when you talk about research results. Proof exists in the realms of mathematics and deductive logic, but in science and research, the best we can do is to provide evidence. Sometimes the evidence is very strong and convincing; at other times, it will not be." 

​- Johnson & Christensen (2020)

" Another important reason to study research is to help you better understand discussions of research you hear and see in the media, such as on television and radio, on the Internet, or at professional meetings...The point is that other people study you all the time and, you will learn about the techniques they use. Understanding these techniques should help you be more aware of their efforts. You will learn here that not all research is created equal. That is, some research studies are more defensible than others...One day you might need to e amine the research on a topic and make an informed judgment about what course of action to take or to recommend to someone else. On a practical level, understanding research techniques might even help you in your career as a student and as a professional teacher, counselor, or coach. Perhaps one day you will be asked to write a proposal to obtain a grant or conduct a research study on your own." 

​- Creswell (2015)

" Research is important for three reasons.

Research Adds to Our Knowledge

Research Improves Practice

Research Informs Policy Debates" 

BIG IDEA

" Theory-driven and Evidence-based Teaching Practices " 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. How do theories help you improve your practices as a teacher-researcher? 

2. ​How does evidence improve your practices in the primary ESL classroom?

3. ​How does research help you to become a better teacher?

In a world where educational researchers are often criticised for prescribing what teachers should do from an ivory tower, it is not surprising that there is a great disconnect between research and teaching. However, as an aspiring teacher, you can right the wrong by becoming a teacher-researcher. This coursework provides you a safe haven to explore the role of a researcher as a teacher.

TASK 1 : RESEARCH PROPOSAL (60%) - Due Date: 25 April 2022

Based on your reflective observation during your practicum and school-based experiences, identify an area of research in the primary ESL classroom context and propose an educational research project. When planning the research project, make sure that you take into consideration the research ethics involved and the relevant literature. 

You may choose any of the following research designs:

• Experimental / Quasi-experimental

• Ethnographic

• Survey

• Case study

• Action research

Write your research proposal in about 2500 words, excluding the tables, figures, reference list and appendices.

​

You must adhere to the guidelines stipulated in the Garis Panduan Pelaksanaan Penyelidikan IPGM when writing the proposal.

TASK 2 : PRESENTATION (10%) - Due Date: 29 April 2022

Present your research proposal within 15 minutes. During the presentation, you are expected to provide justification of your proposal. Use of multimedia and audio-visual aid is highly encouraged.

 

After your 15-minute presentation, you will be given another 15 minutes to answer questions from the panel of examiners and/or the audience.

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

In this topic, you will:

• Define the concept of research

• Explain the different types of research

• Describe the two approaches in research

• Discuss the different research designs

• Discuss the ethics involved when conducting research in education

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

Concept of Research

Open Ended

What is "research"?

Research is...

A process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue. At a general level, research consists of three steps:

1. Pose a question

2. Collect data to answer the question

3. Present an answer to the question (Creswell, 2015)

​

​A systematic investigation using appropriate methodologies to provide justified answers to questions about our world (Johnson & Christensen, 2020)

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Characteristics of Research

1. Research is directed towards the solution of a problem.

2. Research emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles, or theories that will be helpful in predicting future occurences.

3. Research is based on observable experience or empirical evidence.

4. Research demands accurate observation and description.

5. Research involves gathering new data from primary, or firsthand, sources or using existing data for a new purpose.

6. Research is often characterised by carefully designed procedures that apply rigorous analysis.

7. Research requires expertise.​

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Characteristics of Research

8. ​Research strives to be objective and logical, applying every possible test to validate the procedures employed, the data collected, and the conclusions reached.

9. Research involves the quest for answers to unsolved problems.

10. Research is characterised by patient and unhurried activity.

11. Research is carefully recorded and reported.

12. Research sometimes requires courage.

(Best & Kahn, 1998)​

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Open Ended

What do you think are the attitudes / dispositions / characteristics of a good researcher?

Dispositions of a Good Researcher (Johnson & Christensen, 2020)

1. Researchers are curious about how people, groups, and the world work.

2. Researchers are patient and committed to systematic inquiry because advances often come through hard work over time.

3. Researchers let reality and the world “push back” and they document what they learn about the world.

4. Researchers are creative and open to change, so that knowledge can continually grow in new ways.

5. Researchers always respect their human participants in the research process and follow good ethical guidelines.

6. Researchers (and students) always write with integrity, avoid any possibility of plagiarism, and give credit to others’ previous works and ideas when relevant.

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Types of Research

Basic research

• aimed at generating fundamental knowledge and theoretical understanding about basic human and other natural processes

• often conducted in more controlled settings (e.g., laboratory)​

• to develop new pedagogic theories that explain different behaviors by teachers and students within the learning environment

• theoretical in nature

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Applied research

• focuses on answering real-world, practical questions to provide relatively immediate solutions

• often conducted in more natural settings (i.e., more realistic or real-world settings)

• to improve teaching and learning methods by providing practical solutions to pedagogic problems

• practical in nature ​

Multiple Select

Which of these are examples of basic research?

• How the human memory works

• How to improve classroom interaction among students

• How to be a good teacher

• How to build students' interest in learning English

• How children acquire new languages

Multiple Select

Which of these are examples of applied research?

• How the human memory works

• How to improve classroom interaction among students

• How to be a good teacher

• How to build students' interest in learning English

• How children acquire new languages

Evaluation Research

• Determines the worth, merit, or quality of an evaluation object (evaluand), such as an educational program

• ​TWO types:

  • formative evaluation: focused on improving the evaluation object

  • ​summative evaluation: focused on determining the overall effectiveness and usefulness of the evaluation object

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Evaluation Research

• FIVE areas:

1. Needs assessment: Is there a need for this type of program?

2. Theory assessment: Is this program conceptualized in a way that it should work?

3. Implementation assessment: Was this program implemented properly and according to the program plan?

4. Impact assessment: Did this program have an impact on its intended targets?

5. Efficiency assessment: Is this program cost-effective?

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Open Ended

Give examples of evaluation research in education.

Action Research

• A type of applied research that focuses on solving specific problems that local practitioners face in their classrooms, schools and communities

• ​Based on the idea that having a “researcher attitude” is helpful in dealing with your complex and changing environments. This attitude involves continuously identifying new problems that you want to work on and trying new strategies and actions to see what improves your situation

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Open Ended

Give examples of action research conducted by teachers.

Approaches in Research

(​Interpretive)

(​Positivist)

Exploratory

• bottom-up approach

• inductive reasoning

• theory discovery, generation​, and construction

• logic of discovery (movement from observations / data to ​descriptions / patterns and sometimes to theory generation)

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Confirmatory

• top-down approach

• deductive​ reasoning

• theory testing​ or justification​

• logic of justification (movement from theory​ to hypothesis to data to conclusion)

Multiple Select

Which is used by quantitative researchers?

• Exploratory

• Confirmatory

• logic of justification

• logic of discovery

• Both approaches

Multiple Select

Which is used by qualitative researchers?

• Exploratory

• Confirmatory

• logic of justification

• logic of discovery

• Both approaches

Preparation for next class

Read up on the following research designs in Creswell (2015) and / or Johnson & Christensen (2020) and / or any references of your choice:

• ​Experimental

• Survey

• Case study

• Ethnography

• Action Research​

In groups of ​4, discuss the characteristics of one of these designs and prepare a 10-minute presentation.

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