The document provides an introduction to educational research. It discusses that research is important to understand educational processes, improve practices, and address policy issues. The research process involves identifying a problem, conducting an empirical study, replicating studies, and synthesizing results. Research aims to improve education through a scientific inquiry approach using methods like the scientific method. It can have quantitative or qualitative orientations depending on the approach and purpose.

1. Research in EducationResearch in Education
Introduction to EDUU 600
Notes from
McMillan & Schumacher

2. What is Research?
 “It all starts with a question!”
 Curiosity…why?
 What is the problem?
 What is the relationship?
 How can learning be improved?
 What’s the best program to purchase?
 How do attitudes change?

3. Why is Research Important?
 Need to understand educational processes to
make professional decisions
 State and federal mandates from educational and
non-educational policy makers
 Public or private concern – groups/foundations
 Need to build on prior research and add to
empirical knowledge
 IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES!

4. Developing Knowledge to
Improve Practice
Educational Practices and Policies
Previous Research
Methodological Advancement

5. Phases of Research
I.
Identify
Research
Problem
II
Complete
Empirical
Study
III.
Replicate the
Study
IV.Synthesis
the research
results and
reviews.

6. Result of Research
Final Phase
Practitioners and
Policymakers Accept the
Conclusions and Adopt
the “Program”
Continuous Re-

7. Scientific Inquiry
 Search for knowledge by using recognized
methods
 Disciplined Inquiry
 Scientific Method:
– Define a problem
– State the hypothesis to be tested
– Collect and analyze data
– Interpret the results and draw conclusions
about the problem

8. Characteristics of Research
 Objectivity (control for bias)
 Precision
– technical language
– Validity, reliability, random sample, statistical
significance
 Verification – Results can be confirmed
 Goal to reduced complex realities to
simple explanations

9. Characteristics
 Empiricism
– Guided by evidence or data obtained by
research
– Evidence obtained through systematic research
methods
– Not based on opinion or on authority
 Logical Reasoning
– Deductive Reasoning
– Inductive Reasoning

10. Conditional Conclusions
 Results are not absolute
 Conclusions are not true beyond a shadow
of a doubt
 “Behavioral science and research does not
offer certainty. (Neither does natural
science!)”
 “All it offers is probabilistic knowledge.”
 Common comments in Research
– “Tend to indicate”
– “are suggestive”

11. The Research Process
 Select a general problem
 Review the literature on the problem – prior
research and theory
 Decide on the specific research problem,
question, or hypothesis
 Determine the design and methodology
 Collect the Data
 Analyze the data and results
 Interpret the findings and conclusions and
summary generalizations regarding the problem

12. Orientations
 Two Major Paradigms
– Quantitative - Numbers
– Qualitative - Words
 Choice Based on Approach
– Assumptions about the world –
• logical positivism – stable single reality or social fact
• Constructionism – socially constructed multiple realities
– Research Purpose
– Research Process, Methods, Instruments
– Researcher’s Role
– Context: generalizable or strongly influenced or
bound by the social setting

13. Functions of Research
 Basic - Physical, behavioral, social sciences
– Test theories, basic principles, determine relationships
– Add to basic scientific knowledge
 Applied – Field of medicine, education, etc.
– Test usefulness of a theory in a field, determine relationships
– Add to research-based knowledge in field
 Evaluation – Practice at a given site
– Assess the value of the practice
– Add to research base
– Aid in decision making at given field
 Action Research – Work at a local level to make change
– Engage teachers, teams or school districts in finding solutions to
common issues or everyday concerns

14. Methods of Inquiry
Quantitative
 Single Objective
Reality
 Establish
Relationships between
variables
 Procedures
established
 Goal of context-free
generalization
 Experimental design
to reduce error or bias
Qualitative
 Multiple realities –
socially constructed
 To understand a social
situation
 Emerging design
 Research immersed in
situation
 Goal – Context bound
generalization
 Ethnography

15. Quantitative Characteristics
 Objectivity – Explicit Description
 Precision – Measurement and
Statistics
 Verification - Replication
 Explanation – Least complicated
explanation
 Empiricism – Numerical data
 Reasoning - Deductive
 Thinking – Statements of Statistical
Probability

16. Qualitative Characteristics
 Objectivity – Explicit Description
 Precision – Description of
Phenomenon
 Verification – Extend Understanding
 Explanation – Summary
Generalizations
 Empiricism – Sources, Evidence
 Reasoning - Inductive
 Thinking – Tentative Synthesized
Interpretations