Web Quest Step #3

What?....

Descriptive Research: Descriptive research is when the researcher takes a straightforward measurement (qualitative or quantitative) of a classroom behavior, score, opinion, attendance rate, etc. In this kind of research a person could do anything between keeping track of a particular classroom's reading test scores, or making a log of the most prevalent behavioral problem in a 6th grade class. The most common descriptive research techniques include interviews, case studies, logs, databases, or spreadsheets. Basically, descriptive research allows you to "describe" a certain aspect of a student or classroom.

Correlational Research: Correlational research is a form of descriptive research involving comparisons. Through correlational research, a researcher can find relationships between two different sets of data. For example, a person could compare math test scores of a class in 8th grade and a class in 10th grade. A person could also examine behavioral problems of students in 6th grade and the same students when they get to 9th grade. They can measure changes or constants and determine a relationship. Correlational research, although it can help with seeing how relationships work, does not establish causation -- it cannot prove that x causes y.

Experimental Research: Experimental research establishes "causation." It is a formal experiment. A researcher finds a question they want to answer -- for example "Does background music stimulate learning in students in the 6th grade?" -- and then tries to answer the question. The researcher would randomly split the classroom into two groups -- a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group would be subject to background music during their time in class and the control group would experience no background music. After a determined period of time, the teacher would compare the grades and test scores of the students. In most situations a teacher can't perform perfect experimental research in his/her classroom because it is hard to separate the class, keep them unaware of the treatments being imposed on them, etc. However, they can perform "quasi" experiments or a sort of modified experiment according to the teacher's needs.

Action Research: Action research is research the teacher or any part of a school's faculty performs in a classroom. This usually involves a teacher implementing a new teaching program to see if it affects his or her students' test scores or learning capabilities. This is usually done in the form of a quasi-experiment. By doing this, the teacher can determine the effectiveness of the program in his or her own classroom. However, the teacher can not apply the findings to a general population of students since teachers can rarely perform a perfect experiment. Basically, action research is when a teacher takes "action" in his or her own classroom to measure effectiveness of a new teaching strategy or program.

So What?....

Educational research is extremely important because it allows a teacher to adapt to his or her students. The worst teachers are those who refuse to change. I know of some teachers who teach the same lesson plans each year without thinking of how they fit their students. Students change each year and with that comes a whole new set of personalities. Each of these personalities requires attention and care. It is important for a teacher to notice where his or her teaching methods are not effectively helping the students. Educational research allows a teacher to continually measure his or her affectiveness and makes him or her aware of the possibility of improvement. Teachers can answer questions through research, make discoveries about new programs, and solve problems they may have in their classrooms.

Now What?....

1) I still need to learn many things about educational research. For one, I am not naturally an experimental person. I love history, stories, hard facts, and do not have much of the ways of exploration. Since I have never really experienced the methods of experimentation, I would love to become more acquainted with how to go about different methods of study. For example, in descriptive research you can interview students, employ case studies and many other things. I am unsure how you would record results and how you would determine what to do with those results. These are all things which I need to learn.

2) Once I learn the proper processes of experiments and how to evaluate them, I plan to use educational research as a means of constantly improving my teaching. I want to be the kind of teacher that inspires students to learn and take hold of a subject. I believe the only way to do this is to always make evaluations of my teaching methods and styles. The best way to be aware of how effective my teaching is to the students is through research. I can interview students about a particular assignment, record test scores, or see the effects of a new program. All of these things will allow me to always improve my teaching.