EDU702: RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
WEEK 1 & 2
DATIN DR NAZEERA AHMED BAZARI
LECTURE OUTLINE

 Introduction to the Course

 Refer to the Course Outline
 Course Description
 Course Outcomes
 Assessment and Guidelines
 Scheme of Work
 Texts used
Course Description

 This course introduces learners to the basics of educational research.

 The course focuses on the various concepts and philosophies underlying academic
research in the field of education.
 It aims at developing students’ understanding of research methodology with
emphasis to aspects such as the identification of the research problem,
formulating research objectives and research questions.
 It also involves aspects such as research strategies, research design, data
collection and data interpretation techniques.
 Upon completion of this course, students are required to have the ability to
define a research problem and prepare a research proposal.

 This course is compulsory for all learners who intend to undertake a post graduate
degree at the Master’s level. The learners are expected to do a lot of independent
and critical reading of research journals and conducting research.
Course Outcomes
Upon completion of EDU 702 a student will be able to:
1. Acquire a good knowledge and understanding of the concepts and
philosophies underlining basic educational research.
2. Select and make a clear statement of a research issue and justify a
research approach, methodology, data collection and analysis techniques
appropriate for the specific research issue
3. Evaluate and critically review educational research articles and
reports.
4. Design a research and develop a research proposal that addresses an
appropriate research problem with related literature review and
appropriate research methodology.
Assessment and Grades

 Presentation - 20%
 E-Portfolio – 15%
 Quizzes – 25%
 Research Proposal – Final Assessment – 40%
Presentation - 20%
Instructor assigned task (Presentation of education research topics/design
seminar/Research review/ case analysis)*
Groups of 3-4
*selection of task varies according to groups of students
 In their task, students will demonstrate a critical and conceptual
understanding of their reading of a research article or topics related to the
research process. Students will exhibit their ability to read, understand and
critically review –they will display their understanding and analysis of
research methodology aspects such as the identification of the research
problem, formulation of research objectives and the research methodology
employed. The focus of this task is the research design.
E-Portfolio – 15%

Students will develop an e-portfolio that encompasses their research work

throughout the semester. This includes:
 selecting and assembling artifacts,
 write-ups of their research proposal from drafts to final proposal,
 collection and reflection of articles,
 reflection on research related tasks, etc.

This is an ongoing task, to be started early in the semester and completed at

semester end. e-Portfolio can be in the form of a blog, padlet or platform
students are familiar with.
Submit the link of the e-Portfolio to the lecturer on the due date.
Sample e-Portfolio

sample e-portfolio
 https://eyanaz6.wixsite.com/ilyana82

 https://maziyahpengiran.wixsite.com/mysite/home

 https://nurulzaty94.wixsite.com/mysite
Quizzes – 25%

 In the quiz, students will demonstrate their ability to recall their knowledge
and understanding of the various components involved in research
methodology such the differences between qualitative and quantitative
research methodologies, sampling and data collection and data analysis
techniques. They will also critically respond to cases involving research
approaches and/or methodologies in different contexts.
Research Proposal – Final Assessment – 40%

 In their writing and presentation of the research proposal students will display
their ability to use information and knowledge gathered from the course to
write a research proposal outlining the research problem, a concise literature
review and a description of the research methodology employed. Students
will also need to integrate theory into practice as well as reflect on
professional practice and ethical issues in order to display a conceptual
understanding of the area under investigation It is also an evidence of their
ability to communicate effectively in writing
Weekly Scheme of Work
 Refer to Scheme of Work provided
 Introduction to Educational Research
 Introduction to Writing a Research Proposal
 Defining the Research Problem
 Types of Educational Research- Characteristics of Qualitative and quantitative
research
 Literature Review
 Research Design- Qualitative and quantitative designs
 Population and Sampling
 Research Ethics
 Reliability and validity
 Instrumentation
 Data Analysis –Qualitative and Quantitative
Texts
•Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: A qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
(4thed.). Lincoln: SAGE Publications, Incorporated.
1.Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and
qualitative research. (4th ed.). New Jersey:
2.Fraenkel, J.R., Wallen, N.E. & Hyun, H.H. (2012). How to Design and Evaluate Research in
Education. New York: McGraw Hill Inc.
3.Gay, L. R. & Airasian, P. (2003 ) Educational research: Competencies for analysis and applications,
Upper Saddle River: Merrill Prentice Hall
4.Parmjit, S., Chan, Y. F. & Sidhu, G.K. (2006). A comprehensive guide to writing a research proposal.
Malaysia: Venton.
Introduction to Educational Research
 All of us engage in actions that have some of the characteristics of formal
research, although perhaps we do not realize this at the time.
 We try out new methods of teaching, new materials, new textbooks.
 We compare what we did this year with what we did last year.
 Teachers frequently ask students and colleagues their opinions about school
and classroom activities.
 Counselors interview students, faculty, and parents about school activities.
 Administrators hold regular meetings to gauge how faculty members feel
about various issues. School boards query administrators, administrators
query teachers, teachers query students and each other.
 We observe, we analyze, we question, we hypothesize, we evaluate. But
rarely do we do these things systematically. Rarely do we observe under
controlled conditions. Rarely are our instruments as accurate and reliable as
they might be. Rarely do we use the variety of research techniques and
methodologies at our disposal.
Definition of Research
 The term research can mean any sort of “careful,
systematic, patient study and investigation in some field
of knowledge (F&W, 2012).
 Research is a process of steps to collect and analyse
information to increase our understanding of a topic
(Creswell, 2014)
 Generally, research consists of three steps:
 1. pose a question
 2. collect data to answer the question
 3. Present an answer to the question
Basic Research and Applied Research
 Basic research is concerned with clarifying underlying processes, with the
hypothesis usually expressed as a theory. Researchers engaged in basic
research studies are not particularly interested in examining the effectiveness
of specific educational practices. An example of basic research might be an
attempt to refine one or more stages of Erickson’s psychological theory of
development.
 Applied research, on the other hand, is interested in examining the
effectiveness of particular educational practices. Researchers engaged in
applied research studies may or may not want to investigate the degree to
which certain theories are useful in practical settings. An example might be
an attempt by a researcher to find out whether a particular theory of how
children learn to read can be applied to first graders who are non-readers.
Many studies combine the two types of research. An example would be a
study that examines the effects of particular teacher behaviors on students
while also testing a theory of personality.
 We usually integrate both types of research
The Value of Research

 How can educators, parents, and students obtain the information they need?
 Many ways of obtaining information, of course, exist. One can consult
experts, review books and articles, question or observe colleagues with
relevant experience, examine one’s own past experience, or even rely on
intuition.
 All these approaches suggest possible ways to proceed, but the answers they
provide are not always reliable.
 Experts may be mistaken; source documents may contain no insights of value;
colleagues may have no experience in the matter; and one’s own experience
or intuition may be irrelevant or misunderstood.
 This is why a knowledge of scientific research methodology can be of
value. The scientific method provides us with another way of obtaining
information—information that is as accurate and reliable as we can get.
Benefits of Conducting Research

 Adds to our knowledge

 Address issues and gain deeper understanding about problems around us
 Systematic ways of finding solutions to problems
 Add to existing knowledge or literature
 Fill a gap in existing knowledge by exploring different locations, population, strategies, etc
 Improve practice: helps practitioners become more professional and contributes to
professional development.
 Research give new ideas to educators and practitioners about how to go about their jobs
 Evaluate approaches that might be effective
 Research informs policy: Policy makers read research that inform them about current trends
and debates/issues
 To fulfill the requirements of graduate studies: degree, master and PhdD studies
Research is a Scientific Method

The general order of the scientific method, then, is as follows (F&W, 2012):
 Identifying a problem or question
 Clarifying the problem
 Determining the information needed and how to obtain it
 Organizing the information
 Interpreting the results
Process of Research

Six steps (Creswell, 2014)):

1. Identifying a research problem
2. Reviewing the literature
3. Specifying a Purpose for Research
4. Collecting data
5. Analysing and Interpreting the data
6. Reporting and evaluating research
A Brief Overview of the Research Process

 Almost all research plans include:

 a problem statement,
 a research question or hypothesis,
 definitions
 a literature review,
 a sample of subjects,
 tests or measuring instruments,
 a description of procedures to be followed, including a time schedule, and
 a description of intended data analyses.
Statement of the Problem

 The problem of a study sets the stage for everything else. The problem
statement should be accompanied by a description of the background of the
problem (what factors caused it to be a problem in the first place) and a
rationale or justification for studying it. Any legal or ethical ramifications
related to the problem should be discussed and resolved.
Formulation of an exploratory question
or a hypothesis
 Research problems are usually stated as questions, and often as hypotheses. A
hypothesis is a prediction, a statement of what specific results or outcomes
are expected to occur. The hypotheses of a study should clearly indicate any
relationships expected between the variables (the factors,
characteristics, or conditions) being investigated and be so stated that they
can be tested
 within a reasonable period of time. Not all studies are hypothesis- testing
studies, but many are
Definitions

 All key terms in the problem statement and research questions/hypothesis

should be defined as clearly as possible.
Review of the related literature

Other studies related to the research problem should be located and their results
briefly summarized. The literature review (of appropriate journals, reports,
monographs, etc.) should shed light on what is already known about the problem
and should indicate logically why the proposed study would result in an extension
of this prior knowledge.
Sample

 The subjects (the sample) of the study and the larger group, or
population (to whom results are to be generalized), should be clearly
identified. The sampling plan (the procedures by which the subjects will be
selected) should be described.
Instrumentation

 Each of the measuring instruments that will be used to collect data from
the subjects should be described in detail, and a rationale should be given for
its use.
Procedures

 The actual procedures of the study— what the researcher will do (what,
when, where, how, and with whom) from beginning to end, in the order in
which they will occur—should be spelled out in detail (although this is not
written in stone). This, of course, is much less feasible and appropriate in a
qualitative study. A realistic time schedule outlining when various tasks are to
be started, along with expected completion dates, should also be provided.
All materials (e.g., textbooks) and/or equipment (e.g., computers) that will
be used in the study should also be described. The general design or
methodology (e.g., an experiment or a survey) to be used should be stated. In
addition, possible sources of bias should be identifi ed, and how they will be
controlled should be explained.
Data analysis

 Any statistical techniques, both descriptive and inferential, to be used in the

data analysis should be described. The comparisons to be made to answer
the research question should be made clear.
 Introduction to Writing a Research
Proposal
 A structured written plan for a study and possibly masters’s students’ thesis
proposal
 Core Components of a Proposal
3 main chapters
 Chapter 1
 Chapter 2
 Chapter 3
Chapter 1
Introduction
 Introduction
 Background
 Statement of the Problem
 Purpose of the Study
 Objectives of the Study Listed as 1. . . . 2. . . . 3. . . . . . .
 Research Questions Listed as 1. . . . 2. . . . 3. . . . . . .
 Significance of the Study
 Definition of Terms
 Study Limitations

*Headings may vary somewhat depending on the nature of the study

Chapter 2

 This chapter reviews what has already been written in the field on the topic of the research.
 The literature cited should support the theoretical argument being made and demonstrate that the author
has a grasp of the major ideas and findings that pertain to his or her topic.
 Refer to APA manual for additional information concerning literature reviews.
1. Historical Background a. Put things in perspective. This is more than just a chronology and does not
necessarily have to include every detail since day one. b. What are the major issues, controversies, etc. that
impact your study. Include background on all relevant variables.
2. Theory Relevant to Research Questions/Hypotheses. a. What theoretical models/perspectives inform your
research? b. Compare and contrast competing theories and justify the theoretical foundation of the dissertation.
c. Describe how the theoretical foundation of the dissertation applies to the problem.
3. Current Empirical Literature Relevant to Research Questions/Hypotheses a. Include in this section: i.
literature relating to individual variables ii. literature relating to specific combination of variables (specifically
examine background and relevant background literature as shown in Figure 4.1) relevant to the dissertation b.
This should be more than a listing of studies. What common thread holds them together? Use transitions to
effectively tie one section with another. c. Incorporate discussion of strengths/weaknesses of methodology in
previous studies and which you are building on/hoping to avoid/improve upon in your study.
4. Use headings and subheadings liberally to organize this section. Consider making a “concept map” of relevant
literature for organizational purposes (do not include in the dissertation text, however). This section should be
reflective of deductive reasoning; starting broadly and narrowing the focus as the chapter progresses
Chapter 3

 Introduction
 Research Method and Design
 Population and Sampling
 Site
 Instrumentation
 Data Collection Procedure
 Pilot Test
 Data Analysis
 Conclusion
In your Master’s Thesis

 5 Chapters
 Chapter 1: Introduction
 Chapter 2: Literature Review
 Chapter 3: Methodology
 Chapter 4: Results/Findings and Discussion
 Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation

For this course, you will be doing a proposal of Chapter 1, 2 and 3.

When you see your supervisor, upon approval of the proposal and instruments,
you may proceed with data collection, chapters 4 and 5.
Homework:

Write draft of Chapter 1

Read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of Fraenkel and Wallen textbook
THANK YOU