Educational ResearchWhat is experimental research ineducation• Started in educational psychology– Issues of Transfer• Thorndike• Woodworth• Used in each of the educational paradigms–behaviorism– cognitivism– objectivism– instructivismconstructiviemQualitative and QuantitativeDesigns• Quantitative research paradigm– hypothesis confirming– physical science experimental model– analyze components of the phenomena• Objective instruments of measurements– static and positivistic• all things are equal (on/off, right/wrong)• we can test it• attempts to objectify human events•presumes lawful behaviorQualitative and QuantitativeDesigns• Qualitative research paradigm– hypothesis seeking– anthropological naturalistic-inquiry model– analyze phenomena holistically• Subjective instruments of data collection– descriptive rather than causal–dynamic– presumes that social reality constantly changesand is therefore unlawfulQualitative Analysis• Analytical Framework• constitutive ethnography -• within totality of meaning for the group[emic insiders; etic outsiders]• symbolic interactionism - reality known associal production -• people define their own definitions ofsituations, they interact with others,More Qualitative Analysis• situations are negotiated, unpredictable,• involve the manipulation of symbols, rolesand meanings of the objects• Types of data collected– naturalistic observations– interviews - formal and informal narratives– surveys– historical documents– unobtrusive forms of data collectionMore Qualitative Analysis• Search for cultural themes– semantic patterns - terms, expressions, idioms– important factors as viewed by the culture– hegemonic (power) issues– use of artifacts (tools)• The power of this research is to richlydescribe the environment so one cangeneralize from one setting to anotherQualitative Analysis• Interchangeable with– naturalistic– ethnographic– subjective– postpositiviisticQualitative Analysis• developing an understanding of humansystems• conducted in natural setting• without manipulation• rich descriptions• research questions evolveQualitative methods• methods fit the questions to be addressed• questions change over time• observations• interviews• document and artifact analysisQualitative methods• Participant observation• Nonparticipant Observation• Interviews–structured– nonstrucutred– schedule, protocols• Document Analysis– Content analysisMore on methods• Issues–scope–biases– observers roles– what to record–sampling– multiple observersAnalysis Methods• Data reduction– interpretists do not reduce data but scan forpatterns• Constant comparison -– coding data - data collection ceases when nonew categories are found• Field notes• Video/audio logs• Data ManagementGrounded Theory• type of qualitative method• general methodology for developing theorythat is grounded in data systematicallygathered and analyzed• develop a theory through an iterativeprocess– data analysis– theoretical analysis– verification of hypothesisGrounded Theory• Open minded collection• looking for patterns• patterns build theory• continue collecting data until patterns repeator new ones emerge– hence groundedEthical Issues• Preventing harm to subject• Protecting anonymity and privacy• Not deceiving subjects• Informed consent• Does pursuit of science justify this?• What’s public and what’s private• Researchers immunity?• Paid research?Evaluation of QualitativeResearch• Expressions of subjectivity and biases• Multiple observers, repeated interviews• Constant refinement and testing• Making the world real tot he reader - torecognize the authenticity of the studyOther Criteria• Participant observers are less like to err• free access to broad range of activities• intense observations over a long time•use of both Qs• Triangulation• Unobtrusive measuresValidity and Relevance• Validity - truth of the study– findings reasonable– ethnographer’s judgement• nature of phenomena• circumstances of research• characteristics of researcher• Relevance– Public value evenhanded– policy related, interdisciplinary–sorted out descriptions analysis and opinionsQuantitative Analysis• Descriptive– Frequencies, graphical representation– Central tendency - mean, median, mode,– Variability - standard deviation 68% lies within1 SD (16% in each wing)– Correlation measures - use of scatter diagram– Regression analysis - Knowing "x" can predict"y” correlation does not mean causation!More Quantitative Analysis• Inferential• Sampling distribution - random sampling– Hypothesis testing• hypothesis formed• sample drawn• accept hypothesis if outcomes are different fromexpected– Generalizing from the results to other samplesTypes of Design• True Experiments• Repeated Measures• Quasi-experimental• Time Series Design• Ex Post Facto DesignComparing The Two Qs• Some suggest diametrically opposite• positivistic vs naturalistic– nature of reality– relationship of researcher to subject– generalizability– discussions of causality– role of valuesPositivism• posing hypothesis• manipulation• active observation• testing of