Chapter.1

Chapter 1
Introduction to Educational
Research

Purpose of Chapter 1
To provide an overview of educational
research and introduce you to some
important terms and concepts.

Educational Research Chapter 1: Introduction to Educational Research

Why Study Educational
Research?
To become "research literate."
Because we live in a society that's driven
by research.
To improve your critical thinking skills.
To learn how to read and critically
evaluate published research.
To learn how to design and conduct
research in case the need arises one day.

Areas of Educational Research
There are many areas in educational
research. There are 12 major divisions
and many special interest groups in our
largest Association (see table 1.1 in your
textbook).


General Kinds of Research
There are five general kinds of research:
• basic research
• applied research
• evaluation research
• action research
• orientational research


Basic and Applied Research
Basic research is aimed at generating
fundamental knowledge about natural
processes.
Applied research is focused on practical
questions; goal is to provide relatively immediate
solutions.
Basic and applied research can be viewed as
two endpoints on a research continuum.
Basic......................Mixed.......................Applied


Evaluation Research
Evaluation: determining the worth, merit,
or quality of an evaluation object.


Evaluation traditionally classified
according to purpose:
Formative evaluation (purpose of program
improvement)
Summative evaluation (purpose of making
summary judgments to continue or
discontinue program)


Evaluation also classified into 5
“newer” types:
Needs assessment (Is there a need for a
program?)
Theory assessment (Is it well conceptualized?)
Implementation assessment (Was program
implemented properly?)
Impact assessment (Did program have impact?)
Efficiency assessment (Is program cost
effective?)


Action Research
Focuses on solving practitioner’s local
problems.
Conducted by practitioners.
It’s a state of mind; teacher takes on
research attitude, constantly testing new
ideas.


Orientational Research
Done for purpose of advancing an
ideological position
Focused on inequality and discrimination
Class stratification
Gender stratification
Ethnic and racial stratification
Sexual orientation stratification
International inequalities


Sources of Knowledge
How do people learn about the world
around them and gain knowledge?


Sources of Knowledge (con’t)
1. Experience

Knowledge comes from experience.

Historically, this idea is called empiricism


Sources of Knowledge (con’t)
2. Reasoning

Rationalism is idea that original knowledge
comes from reasoning.


Two Main Forms of Reasoning
Deductive reasoning (i.e., process of
drawing a conclusion that is necessarily
true if the premises are true).
Inductive reasoning (i.e., process of
drawing a conclusion that is “probably”
true).
The “problem of induction” is that future
might not resemble the present.


The Scientific Approach to
Knowledge Generation
Science is an approach for generation of
knowledge.

Relies on empiricism (collection of data)
and rationalism (use of reasoning and
theory construction and testing).


Dynamics of Science
Science is broadly progressive.
Science is rational.
Science is creative.
Science is dynamic.
Science is open.
Science is "Critical."
Science is never-ending.


Table 1.3 Summary of Common
Assumptions Made by
Educational Researchers


Scientific Methods
The confirmatory or deductive method:
1. State the hypothesis (based on theory or
research literature), & deduce what must be
observed if hypothesis is true.
2. Collect data to test the hypothesis.
3. Make a decision to tentatively accept or reject
the hypothesis.
Confirmatory method is commonly used by
quantitative researchers.


The Exploratory or Inductive
Method
1. Observe the world in all of its
particulars.
2. Search for patterns.
3. Make a descriptive conclusion or
generalization.
Exploratory method is commonly used by
qualitative researchers.


The Exploratory or Inductive
Method (con’t)
Virtually any application of science includes use
of both confirmatory/deductive and
exploratory/inductive approaches.
Exploratory or inductive method is “bottom up”
method for generating theories and hypotheses.
Confirmatory or deductive method is “top down”
method for testing theories and hypotheses.


Figure 1.1 The Research Wheel


Theory
Most simply means "explanation."
Explains "How" and "Why" something
operates as it does.
Some theories are formal and “grand”
Some theories are less formal and
"smaller"
Key criteria to use in evaluating a theory
are in Table 1.4.


The Principle of Evidence
Empirical research provides evidence,
NOT proof.
Research conclusions are tentative and
probabilistic.
Evidence increases when finding is
replicated.
Remember: Do not draw firm conclusion
from a single study.


Objectives of Educational
Research
Exploration.
Description.
Explanation.
Prediction.
Influence/Control.


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