Transcript Introduction to Educational Research (4th ed.) C.M. Charles/Craig A

Introduction to Educational Research (5th ed.)
Craig A. Mertler & C.M. Charles
Chapter 1
Educational Research:
Its Nature and Rules of Operation
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Seeking Answers to Questions
• Familiar sources of information:
» Tradition—relying on past behaviors
» Authority—seek out opinions of experts
» Common sense—logical human reasoning
• Familiar sources often prove to be unsuccessful…why?
• Less familiar sources of information:
» Science—study and theoretical explanation
» Scientific method—systematic discovery of facts and
relationships
» Research—systematic investigation
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The Scientific Method
• Definition—strategy used to determine facts and
relationships; then used to answer questions and resolve
problems
» Facts—agreements made by people knowledgeable in
the field
» Relationships—cause-and-effect associations among
facts
» Common sense—logical human reasoning
• Scientific method is a procedure for thinking and making
decisions objectively
3
The Scientific Method (cont’d.)
• Steps involved in the process:
(1) Identify a problem
(2) State the main question inherent in the problem
(3) State a hypothesis
(4) Collect information related to the question
(5) Analyze and interpret information
(6) Form conclusions derived from
analysis/interpretation
(7) Use conclusions to verify/reject hypothesis
• Steps may not be followed in precise order; dependent
on specific type of research being used
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Educational Research
• The application of the scientific method to educational
phenomenon
• Steps involved in the process:
(1) Identify a problem
(2) State the main question inherent in the problem
(3) State a hypothesis
(4) Review pertinent and related literature
(5) Collect information related to the question
(6) Analyze and interpret information
(7) Form conclusions derived from
analysis/interpretation
(8) Use conclusions to verify/reject hypothesis
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Educational Rules of Operation
• Necessary to credibly obtain reliable/valid information
from which to draw conclusions
• Legal Principles (for the use of human subjects):
» National Research Act of 1974
» Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (1974)
» College/school district institutional review boards
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Educational Rules of Operation (cont’d.)
• Ethical Principles (moral aspects of research):
» Principle of beneficence
» Principle of honesty
» Principle of accurate disclosure
• Philosophical Principles (anticipated value of
investigation):
» Principle of importance
» Principle of generalizability
» Principle of replicability
» Principle of probability
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Educational Rules of Operation (cont’d.)
• Procedural Principles:
» Principle of researchability
» Principle of parsimony
» Principle of credibility
» Principle of rival explanations
• A few words about the benefits of practically-oriented
research…EDUCATORS AS RESEARCHERS
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Applying Technology…
Web sites addressing ethical research practices
•
Bowling Green State University, Office of Sponsored Programs and
Research (SPAR) (http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/spar/hsrb)
•
University of Minnesota, Office of the Institutional Review Board
(http://www.irb.umn.edu/)
•
Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Title 45 Code of
Federal Regulations Part 46)
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oprr/humansubjects/45cfr46.htm)
•
American Educational Research Association (AERA) Ethical Standards
(http://www.aera.net/about/policy/ethics.htm)
•
American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Code of
Professional Ethics and Practices
(http://www.aapor.org/ethics/code.html)
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