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Chapter 2 Planning Educational Research

Planning Educational Research

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Page 1: Planning Educational Research

Chapter 2

Planning Educational Research

Page 2: Planning Educational Research
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What is a research problem and why it is important?

• The most challenging aspect of conducting research is to clearly identify the “problem” that lead to a need for purpose of your study.

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What is a research problem?

– Exactly - that a problem that someone would like to research.

– Is the focus of a research investigation.

– A problem can anything that a person find unsatisfactory or unsettling, a difficulty of some sort, a state of affairs that need to be changed, anything that is not working as well as it might.

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• Research problems:

• Areas of concern to researchers• Conditions they want to improve• Difficulties they want to eliminate• Questions for which they seek answers.

Fraenkel, Wallen & Hyun 2012

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Research problem are the:

– Educational issues– Controversies– Concerns that guide the need for conducting study

Creswell 2008

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Selecting the problem

• Research interest • Idea• Need• Literature review (books, journals and theses)• Talk to your supervisor

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Ask yourself:

1. What was the issue, problem, or controversy that the researcher wanted to address?

2. What controversy leads to a need for this study?

3. What was the concern being add. “behind” this study?

4. Is there a sentence like “ the problem add. In this study is ….”?

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Defining the problem

• Literature research• Two kinds

– Conceptual literature– Related research

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Three primary criteria should be considered:

1. Does the problem interest you?

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2. Is the problem worthwhile

# Value of a problem ….research topic/interest

# does the problem and its solution make a contribution to the body of knowledge within of the study? (theoretical or practical)

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3. Is the problem manageable

• Not to large or to complex• Expenses• Time

• instrument

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Without knowing the research problem, readers do not know why

the study is important and why they should read the study

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Differences among this part of research?

• Research topic: is the broad subject matter add by the study:– Seek to study weapon possession by student in school

• Research problem: general edu issues, contro….add in research that narrow the topic.– Escalating violence in school due, in part, to students possessing

weapons.• Purpose: obj of the study/purpose of study

– The purpose of my study will be to identify factors that influence the extent to which students carry weapons in high school

• Research Q: narrow the purpose into specific Q – Do peer influence student to carry weapon?

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• Research problems are usually identified :

– Lit Rev– Problem in practice or work related contexts– Personal history (current or past ex, identities,

race, ethnicity, gender, class background, family customs, religion etc)

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Distinguishing among the topic, research problem, purpose and research Questions

Generaltopic ----------------------Distance learningResearch Problem-----Lack of student in distance

education classesPurpose statement----to study why students do not

attend distance edu classes Research Q---------------Does the use of a web site tech

in the classroom deter students from enrolling in a distance edu class?

Specific

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Can and should problems be researched?

– Can you gain access to people and sites?• Need to gain permission to enter a site and involve

people at the location of the study.• Multiple levels of approval

– Can you find time, locate resources, and use your skills?• Time• Resources (equipment, budget)• Skills (qualitative and quantitative)

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Should the problem be researched?

• What your study will contribute to knowledge and practice?

• There are 5 ways to assess whether you should research a problem.

1. Study the problem if your study will fill a gap or avoid in the existing literature.

2. Study the problem if your study replicates a past study but examines different participants and different research sites.

3. Study the problem if your study extends past research or examines the topic more thoroughly.

4. Study the problem if your study gives voices to people silenced, not heard, or rejected in society.

5. Study the problem if your study informs practice.

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How does the research problem differ in Quantitative and Qualitative research?

Quantitative

• Measure Variables• Assess the impact of these

variables on an outcome• Test theories or broad exp.• Apply results to a large

number of people

Qualitative

• Learn about the views of individuals

• Assess a process over time• Generate theories based on

participant perspectives• Obtain detailed information

about a few people or research sites

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How do you write a “statement of the problem” section?

• After :– Identified your research problem– Determined that it can and should be researched– Specified either quantitative or qualitative appr.

– Now it is the time to begin writing about the “problem” in a statement of the problem section that introduces your research study.

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Statement of the problem

1. The topic2. The research problem3. A justification of the importance of the

problem as found in the past research and in practice

4. The deficiencies in our existing knowledge about the problem

5. The audiences that will benefit from a study of the problem

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The topic

• Encourage readers to cont. reading • Generate interest in study• Provide initial frame of reference for

understanding the entire research topic• Spark interest

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The research problem

• Edu. Issue, concern or controversy that the researcher investigates.

• What types of RP do you study?1. Practical research problem (policy)2. Research-based research problem-further

research …gap exists / extend the research into other area

3. Both (1 & 2)

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A justification of the importance of the problem

• Provide reasons• In several para in an intro (the need to study

the problem)• Citing evidence from:

1. Other researchers and experts as reported in lit rev

2. Experience others (workplace)3. Personal Exp

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Deficiencies in what we know

• In the statement problem ….student need to summarize how our present state of knowledge.

• Both from research & practice• Deficiencies …need to extend research,

replicate a study, explore the topic, add to practice.

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The audiences

• Benefit • Researchers, practitioners, policy makers,

coaches, athletes and individuals participating in the studies.

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Strategies for writing the “statement of the problem” section?

Sample “statement of the problem “ section

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Strategies for writing the statement of the problem

Topic

Research Problem

Justification

Deficiencies in the evidence

Relating the diss to audiences

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Research questions

• Posed as a question, which serves as the focus of the researchers investigation.

• Research Q should dictate the research type and paradigm (qualitative, quantitative or mixed method)

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• Many research problems are stated as questions.

• The essential characteristic of a researchable question is that there be some sort of information that ca be collected in an attempt to answer the question.

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Characteristics Of a Good Research Questions (RQ)

1. RQ should be feasible- that is, capable of being investigated with available resources.

2. RQ should be clear3. RQ should be sig4. RQ should be ethical5. RQ often (although not always) suggest a

relationship to be investigated.

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Researchable vs nonresearchable Questions

Not Researchable• Should I put my youngster

in preschool?

• What is the best way to learn and read?

• Are some people born bad?

Researchable • Do children enrolled in

preschool develop better social skills than children not enrolled?

• At which age is it more helphful to introduce phonics to children – age 5, age 6 or age 7?

• Who commits more crimes – poor people or rich people?

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