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Research
The research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusion. Moreover, a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines.
Traditional Research
Traditional Research is fundamental or traditional type of research. It is characterized as independent experimental research studies which are aimed at the discover of truth from which educational practice may profit, it is concerned primarily with gathering knowledge which will be beneficial to education. (George V. Guy, 1949).
More traditional research methods involve either face-to-face or verbal conversation in real-time such as: Qualitative focus group or group discussion, enable topic discussion, exploration and idea generation, sharing, building and challenging. For example: by recruiting respondents with different views to conflict groups' it is possible to both challenge beliefs and understand and uncover way to overcome possible prejudices. The other such as depth interview-face-to-face or telephone, accompanied shopping environment, ethnography, and intercepts.
So, traditional research methods consist of implementing quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative research utilizes statistical analysis by breaking down components of observation that are compered to other elements, than qualitative research focuses on investigating the participant's range of behavior, usually with small group, which result in descriptive analyses.
Action Research
Action research is defined as any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher, administrators, and counselors, or others with a vested interest in the teaching and learning process or environment for the purpose of gathering information about how their particular schools operate, how they teach, and hoe their students learn (Mills, 2011). Action research allows teachers to study their own classrooms- for example their own instructional methods, their own students, and their own assessment- in order to better understand them and to be able to improve their quality or effectiveness.
The basic process of conducting action research consists of four steps: ​
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1. Identifying an area of focus
2. Collecting data
3. Analyzing and interpreting the data
4. Developing a plan of action (Mill, 2011)
Process of Action Research
Action Research
Planing Stage
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Identifying and limiting the topic
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Gathering information
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Reviewing related literature
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Developing a research plan
Acting Stage
Developing Stage
ReflectingStage
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Collecting data
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Analyzing data
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Developing an action plan
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Sharing and communicating result.
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Reflecting on the process
Action research can take on many forms, this employing a wide range of methodologies. The key worthwhile teacher conducted action on any research rests in the questions addressed by the project and the extent to which the results are meaningful and important to that teacher ( Parsons & Brown, 2002).
Action Research differs from traditional research in two way
Traditional Research
Purpose
To draw conclusion. Focus is on advancing knowledge in the field. Insights may be generalized to other settings.
Action Reseach
To make decision. Focus on the improvement of education practice. Limited generalizability.
Context
Theory: Hypotheses/research questions derive from more general theoretical proposition.
Practice: Research question derive from practice. Theory plays secondary role.
Data Analysis
Rigorous statistical analysis.
Focus on practical, not statistical significance
Sampling
Random or representative sample.
students with whom they work
Mc Millan, J. H. & Wergin. J. F. (1998).
Type of Research
1. Quantitative research methodologies:
“require the collection of numerical data and utilize a deductive approach to reasoning; they include both non-experimental (eg. descriptive, correlational, causal-comparative research) and experimental designs”. Basically quantitative data is statistical and is typically structured in nature-meaning it is more heavy-ended and defined. This type of data is measure using numbers and values, which makes it a more suitable candidate for data analysis. Researchers open for exploration, so quantitative is much more concise an close-ended, and it can be used to ask the questions "how much, how many by test, experimental, survey, and metrics.
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2. Qualitative research methodologies:
“require the collection of narrative data and utilize an inductive approach to reasoning; they include phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, and case study”.
Moreover, qualitative is basically non statistical and is typically unstructured or semi-structured in nature. This data is not necessarily measured using hard numbers used to develop graphs and charts. Instead, it is categorized based on properties, attributes, label, and other identifiers. Most researchers use question "why" to ask audiences and it is investigative and is often open-ended until further research is conducted. Qualitative data generate such as, text and documents, audio and video recording, images and symbols, interviews transcripts and focus group, and observations and notes.
3. Mixed-methods research designs:
combine both quantitative and qualitative types of data.
Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative
So, the most differences is qualitative data will almost always be considered unstructured data or semi-structure. This type of data is loosely formatted with very little structure because of this, qualitative data cannot be collected and analyzed using conventional methods. Then quantitative will almost always be considered structured data. This type of data is formatted in a way so it can be quickly organize and searchable within relational databases. Perhaps the most common example of structure data is numbers and values found in spreadsheets.
Data Analysis Qualitative and Quantitative
a. Quantitative is linear process.
Data collection-Formatting data into an analyzable form-Statistical analysis
b. Qualitative is not linear, no clear- cut process
Data collection and analysis overlap -Interim analysis which is cyclical process of collecting
and analyzing data. -Memoing: researcher records reflections, thoughts, insights, through the
collection and analysis process. -Theoretical saturation: researcher decide there is no need for
more data.
What we do in qualitative analysis is such as segmenting which means divide data into meaningful analytical unit, coding: marking segments of data with symbols, descriptive words, or category names, and master list of codes developed and use.
Coding and developing categories approaches:
a. Inductive codes: developed by researcher by directly examining the data.
b. A prior codes: brought to research study or developed before examining data.
c. Co-occurring codes: partially or completely develpping codes; same lines or segments can have more than one code.
Coding and developing categories
1. Open coding ( Descriptive codes)
This is how researcher read transcripts line-by-line; identify and code concepts in data
2. Axial coding ( Inferential/pattern codes)
This is researchers organize concepts and make more abstract; enumerate codes and search for
relationships among codes such as hierarchies and diagrams.
Finally I would like to say about two important qualities that we can do here reliability and validity
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Reflection ETEC 543
During learning ETEC 543, I have learned mostly about how to write an action research. This is useful for researcher in any field to do research. Anyways, I learned step by step how to plan and develop an action research. A lot of mistakes and errors, but the best thing is those are best thing to take long term study.
References
Mertler, C. A. (2013). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators. (4th ed., pp. 1, 3-34). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
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Guy V. George. (1949). Curruculum development. Recent development in curriculum research. A. pp 193- 198).
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H.J. Millian. & F. J. (2016). Understanding and evaluation education research. pp. 16-26.