escriptive research

8/7/2019 escriptive research

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Descriptive ResearchMethodologies

By

Connie McNabb


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What is Descriptive Research?

Can involve collecting quantitative information

Can describe categories of qualitative

information such as patterns of interaction

when using technology in the classroom.

Does not fit neatly into either category


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What isDescriptive Research?

Involves gathering data that describe events

and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, anddescribes the data.

Uses description as a tool to organize data into

patterns that emerge during analysis.

Often uses visual aids such as graphs and

charts to aid the reader


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Descriptive Researchtakes a what is approach

What is the best way to provide access to

computer equipment in schools? Do teachers hold favorable attitudes toward

using computers in schools?

What have been the reactions of school

administrators to technological innovations in

teaching?


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Descriptive Research

Refers to the nature of the research question

The design of the research

The way that data will be analyzed for the topic

that will be researched

The type of research question will determinewhether descriptive research approach is

appropriate to use.


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Descriptive Research Advantages

Educational research

and experiences maycontain many variables

that cannot be

realistically controlled.

Educational research

may requireobservations of life

experiences

Data collection may be

spread over a largenumber of people over a

large geographic area


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Data Collection Methods

Surveys Interviews

Observations Portfolios


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Descriptive Research1. Surveys

May be used to reveal

summary statistics byshowing responses to all

possible questionnaire

items.

Often provide leads in

identifying neededchanges

May be used to explore

relationships between 2or more variables.


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Descriptive ResearchCritical Components

Sound

methodology

Well-designed

data collection

instruments


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Descriptive ResearchSurvey Forms

Written questionnaires

Personal interviews Telephone interviews

Factors to be considered

Sampling

Type of population

Question Form

Question Content

Response rates

Costs

Available facilities

Length of data collection

Computer assistedtechniques for data collection


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Descriptive Research2. Survey Form - Interviews

More time efficient

Allow the researcher to establish a rapport withthe respondent

Allow the acquisition of more in-depthinformation

Allow for interviewer observation Allow the interviewer to obtain visual cues

May be personal or telephone interviews


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Descriptive ResearchSurvey Form Personal Interviews

Disadvantages

Require more staff time Require more travel time


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Descriptive ResearchSurvey Form Telephone Interview

Advantages

Less expensive Less time-consuming

Disadvantages

Limited telephoneaccess

Lack of interviewers

ability to observe the

respondent and obtain

visual cues


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Descriptive ResearchSurvey Form Mailed Questionnaires

Advantages

Ability to reach large numberof people across a wide

geographic area

Ease and low cost of

distribution

Minimal amount of staff

required

Allows respondents to

respond in their time frame

Disadvantages

Lower response rate Need to design a survey

instrument with a simple

format


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Descriptive ResearchSurvey Form Mailed Questionnaires

A letter of transmittal should accompany mailed

questionnaires. Should state purpose and importance of research

Should state importance of responding

Should give a time frame to respond

Should include a confidentiality statement Should include an offer to share results

Should include a thank-you note to the respondent


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Descriptive ResearchCharacteristics of a Good Survey

Good questioning techniques

Use complete sentences Offer a limited set of answers

Interesting

Worded so that questions mean the same to all Provide definitions for confusing terms

Uses the I dont know answer very carefully


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Descriptive Research3. Observational Research Methods

1. Naturally occurring behaviors observed in

natural contexts2. Contexts that are contrived to be realistic


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Descriptive ResearchObservational Research Methods

Require direct observation of behavior

Data gathered without intermediaryinstruments

Can yield a wealth of invaluable information

Can be a complicated process


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Can be employed productively to support many

purposes in educational technology Can be used to determine how people interact

with technology in various stages of design and

implementation


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Descriptive ResearchObservation Research Methods

How do learners interact with a specific program?

How do learners interact with a new hardware system?

Observation makes it possible to explore the

implementation of a particular technological innovation

and assess the instructional outcomes.


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2 Forms of Observational Research

Structured Unstructured


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Structured Observations

Rigid and controlled Predetermined methods

Unstructured Observations

Used to determineunselective, detailed,

continuous description of

behavior.

Detects unintended effects

More time consuming

because of time and labor

required to collect and

analyze sets of extensive

observations


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Develop observation form

May be paper and pencil or electronic May use a rating scale to evaluate behavior

A 3-point rating scale is sufficient


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Newer Mediated Observation Techniques

Audio Videotape

Computers provide on-line monitoring (process of

capturing characteristics of the human-computer

interaction automatically)

Keystroke records

Audit trails

Logging data


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Descriptive Research4. Portfolios

Provide a descriptive measure of student work

based on actual performance Consist of learner-created products that reflect

the processes of learning and development

over time


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Impact and Future ofDescriptive Research

Although descriptive studies are important,

most educational studies involve questionsabout cause.

What causes underachievement?

Will multimedia cause students to be more

motivated or lead to high achievement levels?


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Impact and Future ofDescriptive Research

Not always easy to isolate variable that will

explain those causes, so descriptive researchcan play an important role in providing

information from another perspective.

By gathering descriptions of what is and

comparing them to what we would likeeducators can see the area that needs to be

addressed.


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Impact and Futureof Descriptive Research

Descriptive Research methods have gained

acceptance Number of descriptive studies published in

research journals has increased

Descriptive research leads to prescriptions that

instructional designers and educators can heedas they consider future direction


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Descriptive Research

The End

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escriptive research