INTRODUCTION

TO
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
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 ESSENTIALS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• RESEARCH HAS BECOME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EDUCATION.

• EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS A SYSTEMATIC PROCESS OF INQUIRY AND

EXPLORATION OF ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, WITH AN
AIM TO FIND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

• EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH HAS A WIDE SCOPE, RANGING FROM THE

PHILOSOPHICAL, SOCIOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL FOUNDATIONS OF
EDUCATION TO ITS APPLICATION ON THE CLASSROOM LEVEL.
 EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AS DEFINED
• “EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS THE STUDY AND INVESTIGATION IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION” (GOOD)
• “THE FINAL PURPOSE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS TO ASCERTAIN PRINCIPLES AND DEVELOP
PROCEDURES FOR USE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.” (MUNROE)
• “ANY SYSTEMATIC STUDY DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION AS A SCIENCE CAN
BE CONSIDERED EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH.” (MULAY)
• “EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS A SYSTEMATIC AND REFINED TECHNIQUE OF THINKING, USING SPECIAL
TOOLS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A MERE ADEQUATE SOLUTION OF A PROBLEM“ (CRAWFORD)
• “EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS THAT ACTIVITY WHICH IS DIRECTED TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT OF A SCIENCE
OF BEHAVIOR IN EDUCATIONAL SITUATIONS. THE ULTIMATE AIM OF SUCH A SCIENCE IS TO PROVIDE
KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL PERMIT THE EDUCATOR TO ACHIEVE HIS GOALS BY THE MOST EFFECTIVE
METHODS.” (J.W. BEST)
• “EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS THAT ACTIVITY WHICH IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOUR IN EDUCATIONAL SITUATIONS.” (TRAVERSE)
 HENCE EDUCATION RESEARCH IS…
• IS A PROCESS OF STEPS USED TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE INFORMATION TO
INCREASE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF A TOPIC OR ISSUE.
• A SCIENTIFIC FIELD OF STUDY THAT EXAMINES EDUCATION AND LEARNING
PROCESSES AND THE HUMAN ATTRIBUTES, INTERACTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND
INSTITUTIONS THAT SHAPE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.
• A TYPE OF SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATION THAT APPLIES EMPIRICAL METHODS TO
SOLVING CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION.
 WHY SHOULD YOU STUDY RESEARCH?
• LONG CAREERS IN EDUCATION THAT WILL REQUIRE YOU TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE
CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FIELD.
• TEACHERS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS CONTINUALLY NEED TO
EXAMINE WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
1. DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SOLUTION OF A PROBLEM IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.
2. EMPHASIZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENERALIZATIONS, PRINCIPLES OR THEORIES
THAT WILL BE HELPFUL IN PREDICTING FUTURE OCCURRENCES.
3. GOES BEYOND THE SPECIFIC OBJECTS, GROUPS OR SITUATIONS INVESTIGATED
AND INFERS CHARACTERISTICS OF A TARGET POPULATION FROM THE SAMPLE
OBSERVED.
4. INVOLVES GETTING NEW DATA FROM PRIMARY OR FIRST HAND SOURCES OR
USING EXISTING DATA FOR A NEW PURPOSE.
5. ACCEPTS ONLY WHAT CAN BE VERIFIED BY OBSERVATION.
 CONTINUED…
6. MORE OFTEN CHARACTERIZED BY CAREFULLY DESIGNED PROCEDURES, ALWAYS
APPLYING RIGOROUS ANALYSIS.
7. RESEARCH STRIVES TO BE OBJECTIVE AND LOGICAL, APPLYING EVERY POSSIBLE
TEST TO VALIDATE THE PROCEDURES EMPLOYED, THE DATA COLLECTED, AND THE
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
8. RESEARCH REQUIRES EXPERTISE.
9. INVOLVES THE QUEST FOR ANSWERS TO UNSOLVED PROBLEMS.
10. BASED ON INSIGHT AND IMAGINATION.
11. REQUIRES INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
12. NOT SO EXACT A RESEARCH AS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
13. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH HAS A GREAT FIELD.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
(CRESWELL, 2012)
 RESEARCH ADDS TO OUR KNOWLEDGE
• ADDING TO KNOWLEDGE MEANS THAT EDUCATORS UNDERTAKE RESEARCH TO
CONTRIBUTE TO EXISTING INFORMATION ABOUT ISSUES.

• THROUGH RESEARCH WE DEVELOP RESULTS THAT HELP TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND AS

WE ACCUMULATE THESE RESULTS, WE GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
PROBLEMS.

• A RESEARCH REPORT MIGHT PROVIDE A STUDY THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONDUCTED AND
THEREBY FILL A
VOID IN EXISTING KNOWLEDGE.
 RESEARCH IMPROVES PRACTICE
• RESEARCH SUGGESTS IMPROVEMENTS FOR PRACTICE.
• RESEARCH OFFERS PRACTICING EDUCATORS NEW IDEAS TO
CONSIDER AS THEY GO ABOUT THEIR JOBS
• RESEARCH ALSO HELPS PRACTITIONERS EVALUATE APPROACHES CLICK ME

THAT THEY HOPE WILL WORK WITH

INDIVIDUALS IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS.
• RESEARCH HELPS THE PRACTICING EDUCATOR BUILD
CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER EDUCATORS WHO ARE TRYING
OUT SIMILAR IDEAS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
 RESEARCH INFORMS POLICY DEBATES
• RESEARCH ALSO PROVIDES INFORMATION TO POLICY MAKERS WHEN THEY
RESEARCH AND DEBATE EDUCATIONAL TOPICS.
 IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
1. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN KNOWLEDGE ADVANCEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT
FIELDS OF STUDY.
2. IT PROVIDES ANSWERS TO PRACTICAL EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES USING SCIENTIFIC METHODS.
3. FINDINGS FROM EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH; ESPECIALLY APPLIED RESEARCH, ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN
POLICY REFORMULATION.
4. FOR THE RESEARCHER AND OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED IN THIS RESEARCH APPROACH, EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH IMPROVES LEARNING, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND UNDERSTANDING.
5. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IMPROVES TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS BY EMPOWERING YOU
WITH DATA TO HELP YOU TEACH AND LEAD MORE STRATEGICALLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
6. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH HELPS STUDENTS APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO PRACTICAL SITUATIONS.
 SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
• EXPERIENCE
• AUTHORITY
• DEDUCTIVE REASONING
• INDUCTIVE REASONING
• SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
 EXPERIENCE
• EXPERIENCE IS A FAMILIAR AND WELL-USED SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE.
• AFTER TRYING SEVERAL ROUTES FROM HOME TO WORK, YOU LEARN WHICH ROUTE TAKES THE
LEAST TIME OR IS THE FREEST OF TRAFFIC OR IS THE MOST SCENIC.
• BY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, YOU CAN FIND THE ANSWERS TO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS YOU
FACE.
• MUCH WISDOM PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION IS THE RESULT OF EXPERIENCE.
• IF PEOPLE WERE NOT ABLE TO PROFIT FROM EXPERIENCE, PROGRESS WOULD BE SEVERELY
RETARDED.
• IN FACT, THIS ABILITY TO LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE IS A PRIME CHARACTERISTIC OF INTELLIGENT
BEHAVIOR.
 AUTHORITY
• “FOR THINGS DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW BY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, PEOPLE
FREQUENTLY TURN TO AN AUTHORITY; THAT IS, THEY SEEK KNOWLEDGE FROM SOMEONE
WHO HAS HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROBLEM OR HAS SOME OTHER SOURCE OF
EXPERTISE. PEOPLE ACCEPT AS TRUTH THE WORD OF RECOGNIZED AUTHORITIES.”
• CLOSELY RELATED TO AUTHORITY ARE CUSTOM AND TRADITION, ON WHICH PEOPLE
DEPEND FOR ANSWERS TO MANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL AS WELL AS
EVERYDAY PROBLEMS.
• AUTHORITY IS A QUICK AND EASY SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE.
 DEDUCTIVE REASONING
• A THINKING PROCESS IN WHICH ONE PROCEEDS FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE THROUGH
LOGICAL ARGUMENT.
• DEDUCTIVE REASONING LETS YOU ORGANIZE PREMISES INTO PATTERNS THAT PROVIDE CONCLUSIVE
EVIDENCE FOR A CONCLUSION’S VALIDITY.
• THE CONCLUSIONS OF DEDUCTIVE REASONING ARE TRUE ONLY IF THE PREMISES ON WHICH THEY ARE
BASED ARE TRUE
• BECAUSE DEDUCTIVE CONCLUSIONS ARE NECESSARILY ELABORATIONS ON PREVIOUSLY EXISTING
KNOWLEDGE, YOU CANNOT CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY THROUGH DEDUCTIVE REASONING ALONE
BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH THE UNIVERSAL TRUTH OF MANY STATEMENTS DEALING WITH
SCIENTIFIC PHENOMENA.
• DEDUCTIVE REASONING CAN ORGANIZE WHAT PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW AND CAN POINT OUT NEW
RELATIONSHIPS AS YOU PROCEED FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC, BUT IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT AS A
SOURCE OF NEW KNOWLEDGE.
 INDUCTIVE REASONING
• NOTE THAT IN DEDUCTIVE REASONING YOU MUST KNOW THE PREMISES BEFORE YOU CAN REACH A CONCLUSION, BUT
IN INDUCTIVE REASONING YOU REACH A CONCLUSION BY OBSERVING EXAMPLES AND GENERALIZING FROM THE
EXAMPLES TO THE WHOLE CLASS OR CATEGORY
• PERFECT INDUCTION
• TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF AN INDUCTIVE CONCLUSION, THE INVESTIGATOR MUST OBSERVE ALL EXAMPLES.
• IT REQUIRES THAT THE INVESTIGATOR EXAMINE EVERY EXAMPLE OF A PHENOMENON.

• IMPERFECT INDUCTION
• A SYSTEM IN WHICH YOU OBSERVE A SAMPLE OF A GROUP AND INFER FROM THE SAMPLE WHAT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE
ENTIRE GROUP
• AN EXAMPLE OF A CONCLUSION BASED ON IMPERFECT INDUCTION IS THE PRESENT THINKING CONCERNING THE PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF VERY INTELLIGENT CHILDREN.
 THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
1. INDUCTIVE–DEDUCTIVE METHOD, OR THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH.
2. THIS APPROACH DIFFERS FROM INDUCTIVE REASONING IN THAT IT USES HYPOTHESES.
3. A HYPOTHESIS IS A STATEMENT DESCRIBING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG VARIABLES THAT IS TENTATIVELY
ASSUMED TO BE TRUE.
IT IDENTIFIES OBSERVATIONS TO BE MADE TO INVESTIGATE A QUESTION.
4. FOR EXAMPLE, A RESEARCHER INTERESTED IN INCREASING STUDENT ON-TASK BEHAVIOR MIGHT
HYPOTHESIZE THAT POSITIVE TEACHER FEEDBACK INCREASES ON-TASK BEHAVIOR.
5. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH IS GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS A METHOD OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE IN
WHICH INVESTIGATORS MOVE INDUCTIVELY FROM THEIR OBSERVATIONS TO HYPOTHESES AND THEN
DEDUCTIVELY FROM THE HYPOTHESES TO THE LOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE HYPOTHESES.
6. THE USE OF HYPOTHESES IS THE PRINCIPAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH AND
INDUCTIVE REASONING
THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS.
 PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORKS FOR EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH
• SCIENTIFIC REALISM
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
ADVOCACY OR LIBERATORY FRAMEWORK
PRAGMATISM
 SCIENTIFIC REALISM
• KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTED
• SCIENTIFIC REALISM IS A TERM APPLIED TO THE
FRAMEWORK USED BY MOST RESEARCHERS WHO TAKE • RESEARCH AIMS TO DESCRIBE AN OBJECTIVE REALITY
THAT MOST OR ALL PEOPLE WOULD AGREE IS REAL
A PURELY QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO RESEARCH.
• EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS AND PROBLEMS CAN BE
• QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH IS CHARACTERIZED BY A STUDIED BY EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF COMPONENT
DESIRE TO ANSWER RESEARCH QUESTIONS BY PARTS
PRODUCING NUMERICAL DATA THAT REPRESENT • RESEARCH SHOULD BE VALUE-FREE
VARIOUS CONSTRUCTS AND VARIABLES. • RESEARCHERS SHOULD BE DETACHED FROM
• SCIENTIFIC REALISTS STRIVE TO ESTABLISH PARTICIPANTS AND STRIVE TO BE OBJECTIVE
CAUSE-AND-EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS WHERE POSSIBLE, • THEORIES AND HYPOTHESES ARE FORMED AND THEN
USING DATA COLLECTION METHODS SUCH AS CONFIRMED OR DISCONFIRMED THROUGH COLLECTION
QUESTIONNAIRES, TESTS, AND OBSERVATIONAL OF DATA
CHECKLISTS TO PRODUCE QUANTITATIVE DATA.
 SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
• PURELY QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IS OFTEN DONE BY • KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTED APPROACHES
PERSONS WHO HOLD A FRAMEWORK REFERRED TO AS • REALITY IS HISTORICALLY AND CULTURALLY
INTERPRETIVE, CONSTRUCTIVIST, OR NATURALISTIC. CONSTRUCTED SO THERE
ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE REALITIES
• SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISTS CHALLENGE THE SCIENTIFIC
• EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS AND PROBLEMS MUST BE
REALIST ASSUMPTION THAT REALITY CAN BE REDUCED
UNDERSTOOD
TO ITS COMPONENT PARTS.
AS COMPLEX WHOLES
• SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISTS VIEW SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY • RESEARCHERS MUST CONTINUALLY STRIVE TO BE AWARE
AS VALUE-BOUND AND NOT VALUE FREE. OF AND CONTROL THEIR VALUES
• RESEARCHERS SHOULD BECOME ACTIVELY INVOLVED
WITH PARTICIPANTS IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
PERSPECTIVES
• THEORIES AND HYPOTHESES ARE GENERATED DURING
DATA
COLLECTION AND ACHIEVE MEANING THROUGH
HUMAN
INTERACTIONS
 ADVOCACY-LIBERATORY
• RESEARCHERS TAKING AN ADVOCACY OR • ACTION-ORIENTED APPROACHES
LIBERATORY FRAMEWORK FOR RESEARCH ALSO • REALITY IS SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED AND
ASSUME THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE INFLUENCED BY SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL
REALITIES THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON SOCIAL, INEQUALITIES
POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC CONTEXTS. • ALTHOUGH QUALITATIVE METHODS ARE
PREFERRED, EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS AND
• IN ESSENCE, THE GOAL OF ADVOCACY OR
PROBLEMS CAN BE STUDIED USING ANY METHODS
LIBERATORY RESEARCHERS IS LIBERATION THAT TRULY REPRESENT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE
THROUGH KNOWLEDGE GATHERING. PARTICIPANTS
• THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH USUALLY USES • RESEARCH MUST BE BASED IN VALUES AND
QUALITATIVE METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION SHOULD EMPOWER MARGINALIZED GROUPS TO
IMPROVE THEIR LIVES
• RESEARCHERS SHOULD COLLABORATE WITH
PARTICIPANTS AS EQUAL PARTNERS
• THEORIES AND HYPOTHESES SHOULD PROVIDE
ACTION PLANS TO ACHIEVE A BETTER LIFE
 PRAGMATISM
• PRAGMATISM IS NOT CONCERNED WITH • ACTION-ORIENTED APPROACHES
WHETHER RESEARCH IS DESCRIBING EITHER A • THE IMMEDIATE REALITY OF SOLVING
REAL OR SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED WORLD. EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS SHOULD BE THE
FOCUS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• RESEARCH SIMPLY HELPS US TO IDENTIFY
• EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS AND PROBLEMS CAN
WHAT WORKS.
BE STUDIED USING ANY METHOD THAT
• THEY ARE LIKELY TO REPLY THAT KNOWLEDGE ACCURATELY DESCRIBES OR SOLVES A
ARISES FROM EXAMINING PROBLEMS AND PROBLEM
DETERMINING WHAT WORKS IN A • RESEARCH SHOULD STRIVE TO FIND WAYS TO
PARTICULAR SITUATION. MAKE EDUCATION BETTER
• RESEARCHERS SHOULD COLLABORATE WITH
PARTICIPANTS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT
WORKS
• THEORIES AND HYPOTHESES ARE USEFUL
TOOLS IN HELPING TO IMPROVE EDUCATION
 TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• DESCRIPTIVE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• CORRELATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
 DESCRIPTIVE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• IN THIS TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, THE RESEARCHER MERELY SEEKS TO
COLLECT DATA WITH REGARDS TO THE STATUS QUO OR PRESENT SITUATION OF
THINGS.
• THE CORE OF DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH LIES IN DEFINING THE STATE AND
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESEARCH SUBJECT BEING UNDERSTUDIED. 
• HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH: 
• A READING PROGRAM TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND STUDENT LITERACY LEVELS.
• A STUDY OF STUDENTS' CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE.
• RESEARCH TO GATHER DATA ON STUDENTS' INTERESTS AND PREFERENCES. 
 CORRELATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• THIS IS A TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH THAT SEEKS INSIGHTS INTO THE STATISTICAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO RESEARCH VARIABLES.
• IN CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH, THE RESEARCHER STUDIES TWO VARIABLES INTENDING TO
ESTABLISH A CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM.
• CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH CAN BE POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, OR NON-EXISTENT.
• EXAMPLES OF EDUCATIONAL CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH INCLUDE: 
• RESEARCH TO DISCOVER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS' BEHAVIORS AND CLASSROOM
PERFORMANCE.
• A STUDY INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS' SOCIAL SKILLS AND THEIR LEARNING
BEHAVIORS. 
 EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS A RESEARCH APPROACH THAT SEEKS TO ESTABLISH THE
CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO VARIABLES IN THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT.
• IT ADOPTS QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND EFFECT
IN TERMS OF THE RESEARCH VARIABLES BEING STUDIED.
• EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH TYPICALLY INVOLVES TWO GROUPS – THE CONTROL
GROUP AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP.
• THE RESEARCHER INTRODUCES SOME CHANGES TO THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP SUCH AS A
CHANGE IN ENVIRONMENT OR A CATALYST, WHILE THE CONTROL GROUP IS LEFT IN ITS NATURAL
STATE.
• EXAMPLES OF EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE BEST TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS IN A SCHOOL.
• A STUDY TO UNDERSTAND HOW EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AFFECT THE LEARNING PROCESS. 
 CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE RESEARCH.
• A RESEARCH APPROACH THAT SEEKS TO EXPLAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS
BY EXAMINING DIFFERENCES IN THEIR EXPERIENCES.
• LIKE EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH, IT EXAMINES THE EFFECT OF AN INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE (THE PAST EXPERIENCE) ON A DEPENDENT VARIABLE WHILE ALSO TRYING
TO CONTROL EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES.
• UNLIKE EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH, THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE (THE PAST
EXPERIENCE) HAS EITHER ALREADY OCCURRED OR IT WOULD BE UNETHICAL TO
MANIPULATE.
• FOR EXAMPLE, LET US SAY THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT CAUSES THE
DIFFERENCES IN THE READINESS SKILLS OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS.
 TYPES OF QUALITATIVE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• QUALITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACHES COLLECT DATA THROUGH OBSERVATIONS,
INTERVIEWS, AND
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS AND SUMMARIZE THE FINDINGS PRIMARILY THROUGH
NARRATIVE OR VERBAL MEANS.
• CASE STUDY
• ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY.
• GROUNDED THEORY.
• PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY.
• CASE STUDY IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUALITATIVE APPROACHES. ALTHOUGH
THEY ARE WIDE RANGING IN THEIR SCOPE AND SEQUENCE, CASE STUDIES TYPICALLY
FOCUS ON SMALL GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A GROUP AND DOCUMENT THAT
GROUP’S OR INDIVIDUAL’S EXPERIENCE IN A SPECIFIC SETTING
• ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDIES ARE OFTEN INCLUDED IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS CASE
STUDIES, AND FOR GOOD REASON. WHERE CASE STUDY RESEARCHERS FOCUS THEIR
ENERGIES ON THE INTERACTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS OR SMALL GROUPS IN SPECIFIC
SETTINGS, ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCHERS TEND TO INVESTIGATE HOW INTERACTIONS
IN A CULTURAL GROUP ARE INFLUENCED BY THE LARGER SOCIETY.
• IN GROUNDED THEORY RESEARCH, THE RESEARCHER USES DATA GATHERED THROUGH
QUALITATIVE TECHNIQUES TO DEVELOP A THEORY BASED ON THE DATA.
• PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDIES ARE ALSO A COMMON QUALITATIVE APPROACH THAT
ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THE “ESSENCE” OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE
RESEARCH APPROACHES USING QUALITATIVE OR
QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES (OR BOTH)
• MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH. MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH COLLECTS BOTH
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA BECAUSE THESE RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT
A COMBINATION OF APPROACHES RESULTS IN A MORE COMPLETE
UNDERSTANDING OF EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS.
• ACTION RESEARCH IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE CURRENT PRACTICE
WITHIN A SPECIFIC CLASSROOM, SCHOOL, OR DISTRICT.
• PROGRAM EVALUATION. THE FIELD OF EDUCATION IS FILLED WITH PROGRAMS
DESIGNED TO
IMPROVE BOTH LEARNING AND TEACHING
 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN RESEARCH
• ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN RESEARCH ARE A SET OF PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE YOUR
RESEARCH DESIGNS AND PRACTICES. SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS MUST ALWAYS
ADHERE TO A CERTAIN CODE OF CONDUCT WHEN COLLECTING DATA FROM PEOPLE.
• THE GOALS OF HUMAN RESEARCH OFTEN INCLUDE UNDERSTANDING REAL-LIFE
PHENOMENA, STUDYING EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS, INVESTIGATING BEHAVIORS, AND
IMPROVING LIVES IN OTHER WAYS.
• THESE CONSIDERATIONS WORK TO
• PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
• ENHANCE RESEARCH VALIDITY
• MAINTAIN SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY
 WHY DO RESEARCH ETHICS MATTER?
• RESEARCH ETHICS MATTER FOR SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY, AND
COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY.
• THESE PRINCIPLES MAKE SURE THAT PARTICIPATION IN STUDIES IS VOLUNTARY, INFORMED, AND
SAFE FOR RESEARCH SUBJECTS.
• YOU’LL BALANCE PURSUING IMPORTANT RESEARCH AIMS WITH USING ETHICAL RESEARCH
METHODS AND PROCEDURES. IT’S ALWAYS NECESSARY TO PREVENT PERMANENT OR EXCESSIVE
HARM TO PARTICIPANTS, WHETHER INADVERTENT OR NOT.
• DEFYING RESEARCH ETHICS WILL ALSO LOWER THE CREDIBILITY OF YOUR RESEARCH BECAUSE IT’S
HARD FOR OTHERS TO TRUST YOUR DATA IF YOUR METHODS ARE MORALLY QUESTIONABLE.
• EVEN IF A RESEARCH IDEA IS VALUABLE TO SOCIETY, IT DOESN’T JUSTIFY VIOLATING THE HUMAN
RIGHTS OR DIGNITY OF YOUR STUDY PARTICIPANTS.
 TYPES OF ETHICAL ISSUES
• VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
• INFORMED CONSENT
• ANONYMITY
• CONFIDENTIALITY
• POTENTIAL FOR HARM
• RESULTS COMMUNICATION
 OVERVIEW OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
• THE COURSE RESEARCH METHODS IN EDUCATION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PRACTITIONER
RESEARCH OR, MORE SPECIFICALLY, ACTION RESEARCH, REVOLVES AROUND THE CENTRAL
IDEA OF DEVELOPING TEACHERS AS THINKING/REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONERS.
• THE AIM IS TO MAKE CLASSROOM TEACHERS MORE INDEPENDENT IN AND MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT, DISSEMINATION, AND EVALUATION OF CURRICULUM.
• THIS COURSE AIMS TO PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE FOR CLASSROOM
INQUIRY AND
IMPROVEMENT OF PRACTICE, HENCE THE FOCUS ON ACTION RESEARCH.
 Seek answers thourgh scientific
research

Qualitative (inductive) versus

quantitative (deductive methods)

Traditional Educational Research

Nonexperimental versus experimental

designs

Mixed-methods research designs

Educational Research

Alignment with reflective teaching

Various models of action research

exist

Action Research
Importance: connecting theory to
practice * improvement of educational
practice * connection top school
improvement * teacher empowerment
* professional growth * social justice
advocacy

Applications: Identifying problems *

developing and testing solutions *
preservice teacher education *
in-service professional growth
 SEARCH FOR TRUTH
• HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE UNIQUE PRODUCT OF THEIR CREATION AND EVOLUTION.
 ACTION RESEARCH
• UNCOVER STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE TEACHING PRACTICES (SAGOR, 2004)
• REQUIRES TO DESIGN A STUDY IN AN AREA OF INTEREST
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
 DEFINITION
• 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.
 RESEARCH VS SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• THE TERM RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC METHODS ARE SOMETIMES USED
INTERCHANGEABLY
THEORIES IN LEARNING AND
TEACHING
 BEHAVIORISM LEARNING THEORY

• “BEHAVIORISM IS ONLY CONCERNED WITH OBSERVABLE STIMULUS-RESPONSE BEHAVIORS, AS

THEY CAN BE STUDIED IN A SYSTEMATIC AND OBSERVABLE MANNER.”
• IN BEHAVIORISM, THE IDEAS OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT ARE EFFECTIVE
TOOLS OF LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, AS WELL AS A PUNISHMENT AND
REWARD SYSTEM.
COGNITIVE LEARNING THEORY

• LEARNING THEORY DEVELOPED BY JEAN PIAGET IN WHICH A CHILD DEVELOPS COGNITIVE

PATHWAYS IN UNDERSTANDING AND PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO EXPERIENCES.
• LEARNING RELIES ON BOTH EXTERNAL FACTORS (LIKE INFORMATION OR DATA) AND THE
INTERNAL THOUGHT PROCESS.
• “IN COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, LEARNING IS UNDERSTOOD AS THE ACQUISITION OF
KNOWLEDGE: THE LEARNER IS AN INFORMATION-PROCESSOR WHO ABSORBS INFORMATION,
UNDERTAKES COGNITIVE OPERATIONS ON IT AND STOCKS IT IN MEMORY.”
• STUDENTS LEARN MOST EFFECTIVELY THROUGH READING TEXT AND LECTURE INSTRUCTION.
 CONSTRUCTIVISM

• KNOWLEDGE IS CONSTRUCTED.
• PEOPLE LEARN TO LEARN, AS THEY LEARN.
• ACTIVE PROCESS
• SOCIAL ACTIVITY
• CONTEXTUAL
• PERSONAL
• EXIST IN THE MIND
• KEY TO LEARNING
 HUMANISM LEARNING THEORY

• A “LEARNER-CENTRIC APPROACH” IN WHICH THE POTENTIAL IS THE FOCUS RATHER THAN THE
METHOD OR MATERIALS.
• THE PRIMARY GOAL OF A HUMANISTIC EDUCATION IS HUMAN WELL-BEING, INCLUDING THE
PRIMACY OF HUMAN VALUES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN POTENTIAL, AND THE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HUMAN DIGNITY.
 CONNECTIVISM LEARNING THEORY

• INFORMED BY THE DIGITAL AGE, CONNECTIVISM DEPARTS FROM CONSTRUCTIVISM BY

IDENTIFYING AND REMEDIATING GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE.
• STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY TECHNOLOGY, CONNECTIVISM FOCUSES ON A LEARNER’S ABILITY
TO FREQUENTLY SOURCE AND UPDATE ACCURATE INFORMATION.
• KNOWING HOW AND WHERE TO FIND THE BEST INFORMATION IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE
INFORMATION ITSELF.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING THEORIES
 TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THEORY

• THIS THEORY IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT TO ADULT LEARNERS. IT POSITS THAT NEW

INFORMATION CAN ESSENTIALLY CHANGE OUR WORLDVIEWS WHEN OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE
AND KNOWLEDGE ARE PAIRED WITH CRITICAL REFLECTION.
 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

• THIS THEORY INCORPORATES SOME OF THE TACIT TENETS OF PEER PRESSURE.

• SPECIFICALLY, STUDENTS OBSERVE OTHER STUDENTS AND MODEL THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR
ACCORDINGLY.
• SOMETIMES IT’S TO EMULATE PEERS; OTHER TIMES IT’S TO DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES FROM PEERS.
• HARNESSING THE POWER OF THIS THEORY INVOLVES GETTING STUDENTS’ ATTENTION, FOCUSING
ON HOW STUDENTS CAN RETAIN INFORMATION, IDENTIFYING WHEN IT’S APPROPRIATE TO
REPRODUCE A PREVIOUS BEHAVIOR, AND DETERMINING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION.
 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THEORY

• THIS APPROACH EMPHASIZES BOTH LEARNING ABOUT SOMETHING AND EXPERIENCING IT SO

THAT STUDENTS CAN APPLY KNOWLEDGE IN REAL-WORLD SITUATIONS.
• EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THEORY FOCUSES ON LEARNING BY DOING.
HOW EDUCATIONAL THEORIES INFLUENCE LEARNING

• PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH STRUCTURE AND A COMFORTABLE, STEADY ENVIRONMENT.

• HELPING EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS ALIGN ON GOALS AND OUTCOMES.
• EMPOWERING TEACHERS TO BE, AS BATES SAYS, “IN A BETTER POSITION TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT HOW TO APPROACH
THEIR TEACHING IN WAYS THAT WILL BEST FIT THE PERCEIVED NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS.”
• IMPACTING HOW AND WHAT A PERSON LEARNS.
• HELPING OUTSIDERS (COLLEGES, TESTING FIRMS, ETC.) DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION YOU HAD OR ARE
RECEIVING.
• ALLOWING STUDENTS A VOICE IN DETERMINING HOW THE CLASS WILL BE MANAGED.
• DECIDING IF INSTRUCTION WILL BE MOSTLY TEACHER-LED OR STUDENT-LED.
• DETERMINING HOW MUCH COLLABORATION WILL HAPPEN IN A CLASSROOM.
 HOW TO APPLY LEARNING THEORIES IN TEACHING

• TEACHERS CAN CREATE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES TO APPLY THESE LEARNING
THEORIES IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.
• TEACHERS NEED TO FIRST FOCUS ON GETTING A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION TO LEARN
ABOUT ALL KINDS OF TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHING AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT.
• TEACHERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND LEARNING THEORIES TO BE PREPARED TO UTILIZE THEM IN
THEIR CLASSROOMS.
• HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=H8NSMRFUR-G
• HTTPS://WWW.OECD.ORG/PISA/PUBLICATIONS/PISA2018_CN_PHL.PDF
• HTTPS://PIDSWEBS.PIDS.GOV.PH/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/PIDSPN1901.PDF