Why is research important Propose theories Test theories Increase understanding Improve teaching and learning

Why is it important for you?

Two Schools of Research Qualitative Quantitative

Skim and consider Purpose Kinds of data collected How data were collected How data were analyzed

Qualitative v. Quantitative Qualitative Hypothesis generating Naturalistic Concept development Evolving approach Speculative Descriptive data Small, nonrepresentative sample Process/how, why Inductive Not generalizable Quantitative Hypothesis testing Experimental Theory testing Structured Process Detailed & specific Quantitative data Large, random samples Outcomes/what Deductive Generalizable

Historical Perspective Quantitative 60’s brought social change and a change of questions from WHAT to HOW AND WHY Mixed methods

Common questions Generalizable Subjective Observer Effect Reliable Scientific (Empirical) Can both methods be used together Valid Which is better

5 basic categories Phenomenology How one or more individuals understand a phenomenon Looking at something through the eyes of those being observed

Ethnography “culture” of a group of people Community is important

Case study Detailed account of one or more special cases

Grounded theory Generating a theory Grounded on observational evidence

Historical Research Understand events that have already occurred

Action Research Can be qualitative/quantitative/mixed Undertaken by individuals for their own, personal use Improve one’s teaching, leadership, address a specific local concern Focus on an individual, classroom, school, district

Qualitative or Quantitative This study examines changes in the public schools’ legal responsibilities regarding students with disabilities over the past 50 years. This study involved a group of teachers investigating ways to determine strategies to engage their students in math.

Q or Q This study was conducted to determine whether the Acme Interest Test provided similar results to the Acne Interest Test. This study divided fifth grade students in a school into two groups at random and compared the results of two methods of conflict resolution on students’ aggressive behavior.

Q or Q This study administered a questionnaire to determine how social studies teachers felt about teaching world history to fifth graders. Likert-type scale Open-ended question

When is Qualitative Research Appropriate? Theory development Complexities and processes Identify variables Why something works or not Looking at informal/unstructured linkages and processes in organizations Studying new phenomena

Deciding on a method Bread is Dangerous

Disadvantages of Qualitative Res. Requires practice and training to be an observer Takes time, costly, difficult to replicate Field notes are lengthy and difficult to interpret Observer may be biased Difficult to write down everything Active participation decreases validity

Advantages of Qualitative Res. Provides a complete picture of the environment being studied May provide a longitudinal perspective Leads to new insights and hypotheses Hypotheses are grounded in a naturalistic setting Less likely for researcher to overlook phenomena that do not “fit” expectations

Get a taste Asked of undergraduate seniors and MAT students looking for initial certification: Overall at this point in your education, do you believe your college mathematics and science courses have contributed to your preparation as a teacher? What has influenced this belief? Review answers and come up with generalizations that you can back up!

Closure Flow of the research classes Difference between qualitative and quantitative methodologies Concerns with qualitative methods Idea of what kinds of questions can be answered qualitatively Feel for qualitative research