An introduction to Research Approaches in Higher Education for new or existing university teachers or academics interested in using research to inform their teaching.

1. Introducing Research
Approaches in Higher
Education
NEW DIRECTIONS, 08 August 2023
Facilitators
Rita Kizito :r.n.Kizito@utwente.nl
Lynn Hewlett: lynn.hewlett@wits.ac.za
Najma Aghardien : najma.aghardien@wits.ac.za
Laura Dison: Laura.dison@wits.ac.za

2. Pre-session activities
Have you thought about the following?
Background Knowledge: "What experience do
you have with research methods? Have you
used quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods
in your work?"
Expectations: "What are the top three things
you hope to gain or learn from this session?"
Motivation: "What motivates you to want to
enhance your knowledge about educational
research methods?"
Challenges: "What are the key challenges you
face in your current research or teaching
practices that you hope this session/course can
address?"

3. Let’s share our viewpoints

4. Aim of this session
 Give you some sense of the methodological options and issues dominant and available in the
SoTL /Ed Studies and Learning Sciences fields without actual direct courses in Research
Methodology.( Sources will be provided for those who want to delve further in any area.).
 Link to the main assessment tasks where you are required to produce one of the following:
• A proposal for a research study/paper on a topic related to the degree and par
interests (you could use this for getting Ethics approval and/or as part of further study
or research work).
• A position paper for your School/ Unit/ Division/Faculty/University (or Professional
Body, if applicable).
• A systematic or narrative literature review on an issue related to the degree (this could
be the starting point for a scholarly paper or for developing a conceptual or empirical
study)
*We encourage you to use autoethnographic/self-study methodologies where possible as they fit
with reflective practices very well.

5. Three-parts to the workshop
I: Introducing Educational Research
 Categorizations
 Terminology
 Paradigms – “brush strokes”
II: Higher Educational Research
 Dialogue between research and teaching
 Research Approaches in different educational fields
 Two research design examples
III : How do I proceed as an Academic/University Teacher?
 What challenge am I trying to address ?
 What is my role? ( How can I become a competent researcher/ teacher?)

8. Method/ologies tightly related
Most frequently
used methods
include:
• Observation /
Participant
Observation.
• Surveys.
• Interviews.
• Focus Groups.
• Experiments.
• Secondary Data
Analysis / Archival
Study.
• Mixed Methods
(combination of
some of the
above)
How a researcher
systematically
designs a study to
ensure valid and
reliable results.
For qualitative
research – criteria
such as
credibility,
authenticity,
transferability,
dependability, and
confirmability

9. Positivist, Interpretive, Critical (Transformative) &
Pragmatic (Cohen, Manion& Morrison, 2002, Kivunja & Kuyini, 2017)
POSITIVIST INTERPRETIVE CRITICAL/
TRANSFORMATIVE
PRAGMATIC
QUANTITATIVE
Hypothesis testing
Survey research
Experimental
Quasi-experimental
Correlational
Causal comparative
Randomized control
trials
QUALIITATIVE
Interactionist
Humanistic
Naturalist
Narrative inquiry Case
study
Grounded theory
Phenomenological
Hermeneutics
Ethnographical
Ethnomethodological
Phenomenographic
Action research
QUALITATITVE
Interactionist
Phenomenological
Ethnographic
Feminist theories
Cultural studies
Critical race theory
Participatory emancipation
Postcolonial/indigenous
Queer theory
Disability theories
Action research
Naturalist
Narrative inquiry
Case study
Phenomenology
Ethnography
Action Research
Experimental
Quasi-experimental
Causal comparative
MIXED METHODS

10. Main Texts
Tight, M. (2018). Higher education
research: The developing field.
Bloomsbury Publishing.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison,
K. (2002). Research methods in
education. Routledge.
Trochim, W. M. K., Donnelly, J. P., &
Arora, K. (2016). Research methods:
the essential knowledge base .
Cengage Learning.

11. Some Readings
 Textbook: "The Research Methods Knowledge Base: 3rd edition" by
William M.K. Trochim and James P. Donnelly (2007).
https://worldcat.org/en/title/1359404842
Try to access this from your nearest library – at least read chapter 1.
 Kivunja, C., & Kuyini, A. B. (2017). Understanding and applying research
paradigms in educational contexts. International Journal of higher
education, 6(5), 26-41. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1154775.pdf
Do you have any questions about the readings or the topic in general?

12. Dialogue between research and teaching
The reason we study research is because we want to
improve the learning experiences of our students.
Research on learning can provide us with the
knowledge about teaching . We can use the current
knowledge in the different educational field(s)to
improve teaching and learning practices. Teaching
and research need to be in constant dialogue with
each other if we are to understand and improve
pedagogical practices. This happens during the
intersection between knowledge from theories
about teaching and learning and the real data and
experiences from actual practice.
THEORIES PRACTICE

13. Research in selected Educational Fields
Education
Educational Studies SOTL ( Scholarship of Teaching
Learning)
Learning Sciences (LS)
An interdisciplinary field that
employs qualitative, quantitative,
and mixed methodologies to
examine and address educational
research, policy, theory, pedagogy,
and related practices.
Educational Research is connected
to theory through Literature
reviews.
Involves the systematic collection
and analysis of data.
Includes dissemination of findings.
The systematic study of teaching
and learning and the public sharing
and review of such work through
live or virtual presentations,
performances or publications
( McKinney, 2006, p.39)
Research process entails:
Systematically reviewing literature,
Collecting and analyzing of data,
Disseminating Findings.
Is a field of interdisciplinary study
that works to further scientific
understanding of learning as well as
engage in the design and
implementation of learning
innovations. [Wikipedia]
The interdisciplinary empirical
investigation of learning as it exists
in real-world settings and how
learning may be facilitated both
with and without technology. [ISLS
International Society of the
Learning Sciences] Draws from Cognitive
Psychology, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational
Psychology, Math Ed., Science Ed,
Measurement/Psychometrics, Policy, Computer
Science , Statistics, Linguistics
Sociology, Design

14. The theoretical framework defines the key concepts in your
research, proposes relations between them, and discusses
relevant theories based on a literature review. A strong
theoretical framework gives your research direction, allowing
you to convincingly interpret, explain and generalize from your
findings.
A conceptual framework illustrates what
you expect to find through your research.
It defines the relevant variables or
constructs for your study and maps out
how they might relate to each other.
Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks
While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your
work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your
own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the
interplay between them.

16. Methods you could use to guide your
research
 Systematic review - a systematic study of previously published research on a topic.
Example :Banihashem, S. K., Noroozi, O., van Ginkel, S., Macfadyen, L. P., & Biemans, H. J. (2022). A systematic
review of the role of learning analytics in enhancing feedback practices in higher education. Educational Research
Review, 100489. ( A systematic review in a relatively new area of research – Learning Analytics).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1747938X22000586
 Qualitative Analyses.
Example : Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in
psychology, 3(2), 77-101. ( Step-by-step approach for thematic analysis).
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa?casa_token=BfuVJLk7SZYAAAAA:mVkGKBGYw
pOZWcg3bLBrpV39PcFDHFU0o0rsSqD14DTNm4I-VsKlz2YVD8fuEIwYEcSDZErtjUJNHQ
 Narrative, Self- study and auto-ethnography.
Example: Hamilton, M. L., Smith, L., & Worthington, K. (2008). Fitting the methodology with the research: An
exploration of narrative, self-study and auto-ethnography. Studying teacher education, 4(1), 17-28.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/17425960801976321?needAccess=true&role=button

17. 17
How do you do good research?
 Make sure that your research question / goal is clear.
 Select an appropriate methodology to answer the research question.
• Importance ( of significance and value)
• Feasibility ( can be easily or conveniently done)
• Interesting (arousing curiosity or interest; holding or catching the
attention)
• Falsifiability ( one can philosophically establish that a scientific
theory or principle is false)
Four criteria for a good research question
Critical in applied research
Critical in basic research
Ken Koedinger ( Wikipedia)

18. 18
Activity : ( 15 minutes)
In pairs, read through the following research goals and indicate which ones fulfill the :
Importance Criterion ( A);
Feasibility Criterion ( B);
Interesting Criterion ( C); and
Falsifiability Criterion ( D)
For each choice, provide a reason for your choice and discuss this with your partner
1. Help more students pass introductory psychology.
2. Create a more inclusive learning culture in the classroom.
3. Help students reach mastery with introductory neuroscience material faster.
4. Build an intelligent tutor that can teach any topic in human understanding, with no
prior preparation.
5. Does self-explanation promote better learning?
6. Does explaining correct answers or wrong answers lead to better learning?
7. Do intelligent tutoring systems do better than real tutors
8. Is formative assessment better than summative assessment for retention and transfer?

19. Let’s share our results
Can you analyze your own research
goals/questions for this course using the same
criteria?
There is usually a requirement that research proposals have “impact” and “intellectual
merit”
1. Which of the 4 factors influences impact?
Importance, feasibility, interestingness, or falsifiability?
2. Which of the 4 factors is intellectual merit?
Importance, feasibility, interestingness, or falsifiability?
Ken Koedinger ( Wikipedia)

20.  Has dispositions, skills and knowledge necessary for university teaching and
research.
 Has both disciplinary knowledge and pedagogic content knowledge and is
aware of the nature of learning ( learning theories) and learners.
 Understands educational research and can critically interpret and apply
recommendations from research to address classroom challenges and
improve student learning.
 Is digitally literate, can work with current and emerging technologies, with an
understanding of AI ( Artificial Intelligence)and how it can be used to improve
teaching.
 Is reflective and continuously engages with educational design, dialogue and
inquiry.
20
Competences of a 21st century university
teacher ( academic)
*van Aalst, J., Mu, J., Damşa, C., & Msonde, S. E. (2022). Learning sciences
research for teaching. Routledge.

21. References
Banihashem, S. K., Noroozi, O., van Ginkel, S., Macfadyen, L. P., & Biemans, H.
J. (2022). A systematic review of the role of learning analytics in enhancing
feedback practices in higher education. Educational Research Review,
100489
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in
psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2002). Research methods in education.
Routledge.
Hamilton, M. L., Smith, L., & Worthington, K. (2008). Fitting the methodology
with the research: An exploration of narrative, self-study and auto-
ethnography. Studying teacher education,
Ken Koedinger ( Wikipedia)
Kettley, N. (2010). Theory building in educational research. Theory Building
in Educational Research, 1-224.
Kivunja, C., & Kuyini, A. B. (2017). Understanding and applying research
paradigms in educational contexts. International Journal of higher
education, 6(5), 26-41.
Tight, M. (2018). Higher education research: The developing field.
Bloomsbury Publishing.
Tight, M. (2019). The neoliberal turn in higher education. Higher Education
Quarterly, 73(3), 273-284. *(1-12)
Trochim, W. M. K., Donnelly, J. P., & Arora, K. (2016). Research methods: the
essential knowledge base . Cengage Learning.
van Aalst, J., Mu, J., Damşa, C., & Msonde, S. E. (2022). Learning sciences
research for teaching. Routledge.

22. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
Rita Kizito :r.n.Kizito@utwente.nl
Whatsapp: +31684677979