Beruflich Dokumente
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Research Defined and Described
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•All well designed and conducted research has potential
application.
•Failure to see applications can be due to:
–Users not trained or experienced in the specialized
methods of economic research and reasoning
–Researchers often do not provide adequate
interpretations and guidance on applications of the
research
• Researchers are responsible to help users understand
research implications
(How?) 4
The Process of Research
•The process is initiated with a question or problem (step 1)
•Next, goals and objectives are formulated to deal with the
question or problem (step 2)
•Then the research design is developed to achieve the
objectives (step 3)
•Results are generated by conducting the research (step 4)
•Interpretation and analysis of results follow (step 5)
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Why Study Educational Research?
Exploration. This is done when you are trying to generate ideas about
something.
Description. This is done when you want to describe the characteristics
of something or some phenomenon.
Explanation. This is done when you want to show how and why a
phenomenon operates as it does. If you are interested in causality, you
are usually interested in explanation.
Prediction. This is your objective when your primary interest is in making
accurate predictions. Note that the advanced sciences make much
more accurate predictions than the newer social and behavioral
sciences.
Influence. This objective is a little different. It involves the application of
research results to impact the world. A demonstration program is an
example of this.
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Categories of research
Quantitative Qualitative
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Quantitative
Experimental Non-experimental
Descriptive research
Pre-experiment Ex post facto
True experiment Correlation research
Quasi-experiment Survey research
[many designs]
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Experimental research
The most rigorous
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Correlation research
To establish relationship between two or more
variables
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Ex post facto
Also known as causal-comparative study
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Developmental study
Trend study
Cohort study
Panel study
Data are gathered at several points in time
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Qualitative
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Questions that educational researchers ask
Theoretical Practical
[focus on developing theories or [aim at solving specific problem]
testing theories]
What is intelligence? How effective is peer tutoring?
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Basic and Applied Research
Basic Applied
Aimed at obtaining empirical data Aimed at solving immediate
to formulate and expand theory. problems
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Action Research
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TYPICAL STAGES IN RESEARCH
Select a problem
Review literature
Design the research
Collect data
Analyze data
Interpret the findings
Report results
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Case study
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Creativity in the Research Process
• Research is a creative process
• “…research includes far more than mere logic
… It includes insight, genius, groping,
pondering – ‘sense’ … The logic we can teach;
the art we cannot” (p 30)
• Research requires (or at least works best) with
imagination, initiative, intuition, and curiosity.
• There are different types of creativity,
characteristic of different situations – “applied”
and “theoretical” most closely associate with
economic research
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Fostering Creativity (Ladd 1987)
A. Gather and use previously developed
knowledge
B. Exchange ideas
C. Apply deductive logic
D. Look at things alternate ways
E. Question or challenge assumptions
F. Search for patterns or relationships
G. Take risks
H. Cultivate tolerance for uncertainty 24
Fostering Creativity … cont.
I. Allow curiosity to grow
J. Set problems aside … and come back to them
K. Write down your thoughts
“… frequently I don’t know what I think until I write it”
L. Freedom from distraction … some time to think.
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ABOUT INTRODUCTION
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