EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

•It is a systematic enquiry made public (Stenhouse, 1975)

• It is the process of arriving at dependable solutions to problems through the planned and systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data. (Mouly, 1978)

• It is conducted to solve problems and to expand knowledge…It is a systematic way of asking questions and a systematic way of enquiry. (Drew, 1980)

• It involves seeking through methodical processes to add to one’s own body of knowledge, and hopefully to that of others, by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insights. (Howard & Sharpe, 1983)

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

• It should be systematic, credible, verifiable, justifiable, useful, valuable and trustworthy (Lincoln & Guba, 1985)

• It must contribute to knowledge; the relevant policy arenas should find usefulness and meaning in the study; and the study should be useful for practitioners (Marshall & Rossman, 1989)

• It is a systematic, critical and self-critical enquiry, which aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge. (Bassey, 1990)

FOUR PHASES OF RESEARCH

INVENTION• Denotes a phase of preparation or research design• And produces a plan of action

DISCOVERY• Refers to a phase of observation and measurement or data

collection • And produces information

INTERPRETATION• Points to a phase of evaluation or analysis• And produces understanding

EXPLANATION• Indicates a phase of communication or packaging• And produces a message

ONTOLOGY

• What is the nature of being? What constitutes reality?

 • People’s views, experiences, understandings – use interviewing

 • People’s actions, interactions and behaviours – use observation

EPISTEMOLOGY

• What are the methods or grounds of knowledge?

• Interact, listen, talk to people – gather data through interviewing

 • Watch, and/or participate in real life settings – gather data through

observation

 

PARADIGMS & METHODOLOGIES

POSITIVIST PARADIGM:

Quantitative Methodology

• Numerical data • Statistical analysis• Large samples• Achieves breadth • Claims objectivity • Claims generalisability

PARADIGMS & METHODOLOGIES

INTERPRETIVIST PARADIGM:

Qualitative methodology

• Textual data• Non-statistical analysis• Small samples• Achieves depth• Accepts subjectivity• Non-generalisable

APPROACHES TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

• Action Research

• Case Study

• Ethnography

• Experimental Design

• Life History / Narrative

• Survey

ISSUES TO CONSIDER

• EthicsWhether ethical considerations have been taken into account

• SamplingMethods of choosing the sample and sample size

• ValidityDoes a particular instrument measure what it claims to measure

• ReliabilityWill similar results be found if the research is conducted on a similar group in a similar context