RESEARCH APPROACH IN

EDUCATION
Lulus Irawati
Quantitative Research: Experimental
Research
 Experimental Research study variables that the
characteristics taking on different values across
people or things.
 It involves a study of the effect of the systemic
manipulation of one variable (s) on another
variable.
 The manipulated variable is called experimental
treatment or the independent variable.
 The observed and measured variable is called
dependent variable.
Cont.
 In experiment, the researcher seeks to control all
other variables that might influence the dependent
variable.
 To have true experiment, the researcher must use a
random process to assign available subjects to
experimental treatments.
 If the researcher cannot randomly assign subjects to
experimental treatment of study and he/she use
already assembled group such as classes, the
research is called quasi-experimental.
Non Experimental Research
 The researcher identifies variables and may look
for relationships among them but does not
manipulate the variables.
 Ex post facto research is similar to an experiment,
except the researcher does not manipulate the
independent variable, which has occured in the
natural course events.
 The researcher simply compares groups differing on
the preexisting independent variable to determine
any relationship to the dependent variable.
Cont.
 Correlational research gathers data from individuals on
two or more variables and then seeks to determine if
the variables are related/correlated.
 Correlation means the extent to which the two variables
vary directly (positive correlation) or inversely (negative
correlation).
 For example: The relationship between the quality of
writing samples produced by incoming college freshmen
and their academic performance during the freshmen
year.
Cont.

• Categorizes the participants

into at least two group on one
Ex post facto variable
• then, compares them on the
other variable

• Deals with one group of

individual
Correlational • measured at least two
continuum variables
Cont.
 Survey research (also called descriptive research) uses
instruments such as questionnaires and interviews to
gather information from groups of individuals.
 Surveys permit the researchers to summarize the
characteristics of different groups.
 -- or to measure their attitudes and opinions toward
issue.
 For example: A researcher might ask a group of
parents about what kind of sex education program, if
any they believe schools should provide for middle
school students.
A task to recall
 A task: a researcher wants to investigate the difference in
French grammar performance between high school freshmen
taught by two different methods.
1. Find the independent variable, dependent variable, and
not a variable.
2. What would the researcher do to make the study a true
experiment?
3. How would the study be classified if intact classes
assigned to receive teaching method A and B?
4. How would the study be classified if it compared the
French grammar performance of those who already been
taught using method B?
Qualitative Research: Basic
Interpretative Studies
 Basic Interpretative Studies
 descriptive accountd targeted to understanding a
phenomenon.
 Understanding the world or experience of another

 Collecting data using interviews, observations, and

document review.
 The most simple and the most common studies

 For example: describing how teachers perceive their

role in selecting curriculum.
Case Studies
 A case study is a type of ethnographic research
focusing on a single unit such as one individual, one
group, one organization, or one program.
 The goal is to arrive at a detailed description and
understanding of the entity (the ‘case’).
Document or Content Analysis
 Focuses on analyzing and interpreting recorded
material to learn about human behavior.
 The material may be public records, textbooks,
letters, films, tapes, diaries, themes, reports, or other
documents.
 Begins with a question that the researcher believes
can best be answered.
 It can be sometimes quantitative.
Ethnography
 It is an in-depth study of natural behavior within a
culture or social group.
 Aso called field research.
 It is rooted in anthropology.
 For example: how the educational experience in
suburban schools differ from that in inner-city
schools.
Grounded Theory
 It is designed to develop theory of social
phenomena based on the field data.
 The researcher constructs concept from an inductive
analysis of the data.
 He/she then forms a theory by proposing the
relationship among the concepts.
Historical Research
 Analyzes documents, artifacts and/or uses
interviews with eyewitnesses to gain insight into past
events.
 The success depends on the accuracy and
completeness of source material.
 For example: investigating the methods used to
teach reading in the past or study school practices
and policies.
Narrative Inquiry
 The researchers examine the stories people tell
about their lives and co-construct a narrative
analysis of the stories.
 Having an equal voice in determining the meaning
attributed to the experiences.
 For example: investigating teacher reflection or
teacher pathways into teaching.
Phenomenological Studies
 Beginning with the assumption that multiple realities
are rooted in subjects’ perspectives.
 Collecting data through unstructured interviews to
explore the subjects’ thought and feelings.
 For example: what is the relationship like between a
beginning teacher and his/her mentor?