EDD 8302 An Outline of Different Types of Research

An Outline of Different Types of Research

Capella University

An Outline of Different Types of Research

By definition “research imperative” is the drive felt by individuals to use research in gaining various forms of knowledge, or as a cause to attain a commendable practical end. Through an imperative, research generates both new knowledge and new leads for more future knowledge; which increases its excitement. This assignment is an outline of different types of research. The assignment constructs an outline for both the traditional research and action research. Using Stringer’s descriptions of how the approaches differ, the assignment briefly describes how a traditional inquiry study and an action study would assess the efficiency and effectiveness of an educational intervention (Melisa, 2005).

The difference between action research and traditional research comes in their imperative and research questions and structure. Traditional research chooses to focus its imperative on solving a problem e.g. what are the economic impacts of school dropouts. Action research on the other hand chooses to focus its imperative on improving an issue. For instance, in the issue of school drop outs an action researcher may ask ‘does best-practice teaching improve student outcomes in and attitudes toward schooling?’ If so then all teachers will have to use best practice to reduce school dropouts (Melisa, 2005).

As with the reading in the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) case study, the most evident research imperative is organizational improvement. The agency needed drastic changes in its management structure, program goals, measurement and systems. The management needs a seamless system that could support the children from the moment they are conceived to their college life and after college. According to the management this a ‘best-practice in the organization’s conveyor belt.

Outline of traditional inquiry: with reference to the HCZ case study the organization seems to be doing well when it comes to coverage and service provision. However the organization needs improvement in its management structure, program goals, evaluation, measurement and systems. The aim is to initiate drastic changes in the organization that will create seamless systems and ensure that the organization not only meets its goals but also attains a best practice organizational conveyor belt.

Outline of Action research: Analysis shows that management, staff and operators, with varying levels of experience, are charged with the management of the organization coordinating all its activities. Thus, management, staff and operators need the techniques to effectively communicate, coordinate and verify understanding to meet the board’s expectations, improve the organization’s performance and encourage performance evaluation and reporting for the organizations effectiveness. While creating a best practice conveyor belt, the aim is to attain a system that encourages communication, coordination, measurement and evaluation for the organization to attain best practices.

How Action Research Assesses Educational Intervention

There is a great difference between action research and traditional research comes in terms of their research imperative and structure especially in improving educational intervention. Traditional research focuses on solving an educational problem e.g. the economic impacts of school dropouts. Action research on the other hand focuses on improving an issue in the educational system to ensure the problem is sorted. It solves the causes of the problem rather than the symptoms. For instance, in the issue of school drop outs, as stated before, an action researcher may ask ‘does best-practice teaching improve student outcomes in and attitudes toward schooling?’ If so then all teachers will have to use best practice to reduce school dropouts (Melisa, 2005).

Traditionally, research in education aims to crate useful intervention or changes to the teachers or the students or to both. Often, educators working as teacher-researchers conduct research within their work stations usually their schools or classrooms to improve or intervene in their teaching and learners’ understanding, evaluate and implement an educational plan or assess a newly developed educational theory (Melisa, 2005).

The teacher-researchers in schools have coined and adopted the term “action research.” By this, they refer to their specific approach to research in the school or classroom setting. Thus, to attain the above mention educational intervention and changes, the educators can only be use action research, because it is action research that are suitable for such changes or interventions. Hitherto, action research has ascertained how suitable it is to education intervention and become more significant to educators and education organizations (Melisa, 2005).

According to Sagor (n.d) action research assesses an educational intervention in the following ways. First, the teacher has one key role, which is to teach. Thus, any research intervention must not interfere with or disrupt this key commitment. Second, data collection methodology must not be too demanding on the educator’s time for the teacher to commit to teaching. The research must use a reliable enough methodology to allow the teachers to confidently formulate the research imperative or hypotheses and develop the applicable strategies to a classroom situation. Research should primarily aim to improve a situation in the classroom or school system. Lastly, action researchers, where possible, must involve all members and stakeholders of the school community to build and share a common vision.

References

Capella University Library Guides (e.d) Action Research Library Resources Guide http://capellauniversity.libguides.com/c.php?g=197565&p=1299792

Melisa, M. W. (2005). The use of action research for designing and implementing a train -the -trainer program at a pharmaceutical company. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing ISBN 9780542179792, 0542179792

Sagor, R. (n.d.). What Is Action Research? Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/100047/chapters/What-Is-Action-Research%C2%A2.aspx