What is research?
We have already started to unpack the question of what is research. In this unit we look at this in more depth and ask, ‘Why should teachers be interested in research findings?’
Doing research
Research is a very complex activity. Apparently simple – and important -questions like ‘Do those who are taught in smaller classes do better than those in larger classes?’ have been extensively researched without a definitive ‘answer’ being arrived at. Why is it that research often appears to be so inconclusive or even contradictory?
Activity 1
‘Do those who are taught in smaller classes do better than those in larger classes?’
What do you think the answer to this question is?
What kind of information would you have to collect, and how might you collect it, in order to answer this research question to the satisfaction of teachers and researchers?
What factors do you need to consider? When you have thought about your answer, post it into the discussion site. What do others in the group think?
Reflective Activity:
Read the paper by Blatchford, Goldstein and Mortimore (1998) Research on class size effects: a critique of methods and a way forward. International Journal of Educational Research.29: 691-710
Make brief notes on factors that can affect the outcomes of research. Does anything surprise you?
Research
