Research seminar lecture_1_educational_research_proposal_&_apa

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Research Seminar for

Educational Sciences

Prof. Dr. Chang Zhu

Department of Educational Sciences

Getting to know each other

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Planning

• Please see the document course schedule

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Aim

• Competence to make scientific research

design in educational sciences

• Competence to conduct scientific

research in educational sciences

• Competence to critically analyze and

evaluate research reports

• Competence to develop a research

proposal

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Aim

Competence

Knowledge

Skills

Attitude

Aim

Research proposal

Master thesis

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Content

• Educational research

• Types of research method

• Research design

• The steps to conduct educational research

• To analyze research reports

• To develop research proposals in

educational sciences, specifically for your

master thesis

Working format

• Lecture

• Workshop

• Research projects

• Research groups

• Independent work

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Introduction to educational

research

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Why research?

Research

� Search for knowledge

Where does your knowledge come from?

• teacher, parent, another person, an authority

• book

• existing theory

• your own experience

• inductive and deductive reasoning

• ……..

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Why research?

However,

each of these approaches to understanding has limitations when used in isolation.

� Research and evidence is needed to deepen our knowledge by using different approaches together

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What is research?

� Formal, systematic application of the scientific

method to the study of problems

� Search for knowledge

� Systematic investigation (process of collecting and

analyzing information) to increase our understanding

of the phenomenon under study.

�Contribute to the (increased) understanding of the

phenomenon and communicate to others/public

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What research can do?

description

explanation

prediction

improvement

Knowledge

theory

practices

Increased knowledge

enhanced theories

improved practices

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Educational Research

� Formal, systematic application of the scientific

method to the study of educational problems.

� Describe, explain, predict educational

phenomena…

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Example

• The aim of this research is to investigate how a

university has responded to the widening

participation agenda by rethinking teaching

and learning through blended learning.

(Jones & Lau, 2010)

Describe Explain

Example

• There is a need for more in-depth research studies

investigating the complex issues of psychological

distance and its effects on student perceptions in

distance learning contexts. This study, therefore, has

the aim of examining how student perceptions of

collaborative learning, social presence, and overall

satisfaction are related, as well as identifying critical

factors affecting the different levels of students’

perceptions with those variables

(So & Brush, 2008)

Describe Explain

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Examples

What salient characteristics of self-regulation in

learning can be distinguished in diverse disciplines?

This study also predicted that the contributions of

thinking styles to academic achievement would surpass

those of abilities, personality traits, and achievement

motivation (Zhang, 2000).

PredictExplain


• Educational research can be conducted

involving actors & processes in teaching

and learning

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� educational actors

• Students

• Teachers

• School leaders

• Schools

• Adult learners

• Teacher educators

• Parents

• …….19


� Processes of teaching and learning • Tutoring

• Problem-solving

• Case-based learning

• Group learning

• Self-regulation

• Interaction

• Use of ICT, multimedia, games

• Assessment

• ……..20

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Research proposal

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Major sections of a research

proposal

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Title

Abstract

Introduction & Research problem

Literature review

Research questions

Research methods

Expects results & significance

Planning

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Research proposal

• Step 1: Why this research?

• Defining your research problem (status of an educational phenomenon, actor, process; problem or interests in knowing…)

• Purpose of the study

• Justification of the study

• Review of related literature (theory and empirical background)

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Research proposal

• Step 2: What are you going to research?

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Defining research problem

Defining research questions

Literature

Review

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Research proposal

• Step 3: How to do this research?

� Data collection (evidence from participants)

�From whom?

�How?

�What questions?

�Methods of data analysis (how to analyze your

data)

�Planning

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Major sections of a research

report/article

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Title

Abstract

Introduction & Research problem

Literature review

Research questions

Research methods

Results & conclusions

Implications, limitations…

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Sources of research ideas

• From theory

• From practices & experiences

• From experts, teachers, promotors….

• Publications: books, journals, research

summaries

• Conferences, symposiums

• …

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Suggestions for reading

• Book list

• Content online

• Research reports

• Resources from Internet

• Journal articles

� Science Direct

� Web of Science

� Web of Knowledge

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Reference book

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Reference book

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Reference book

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Reference book

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APA Formatting and Writing Style

What is APA?

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The American Psychological Association (APA) citation

style is the most commonly used format for manuscripts

in the social sciences.

APA regulates:

• Stylistics

• In-text citations

• References

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APA Style: Language

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• Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations

• Concise: condense information when you can

• Objective/Plain: use simple, descriptive words and

minimize figurative language

Language in an APA paper should be:

APA style: Basics

� the third person point of view rather than

using the first person point of view

The study showed that…, NOT

I found out that….

� the active voice rather than passive voice

The participants responded…, NOT

The participants have been asked….

Use:

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General Format

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Title page

Your research paper/article should at

least include four major sections:

Abstract

Main BodyReferences

General Format

An empirical research paper/article:

• Abstract

• Introduction

• Method

• Results

• Discussions

• List of references

• Appendices, tables, and figures

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In-text Citations: Basics

� the author’s name and the year of publication

Scott (2006) stressed that HEIs will not be able to bring

about the substantial improvements that are needed

unless changes are made.

�for quotations and close paraphrases, provide a

page number as well

(Author, year, page)

In-text citations help readers locate the cited source in the

References section of the paper.

In-text Citations: A work with two authors

� When citing a work with two authors, use “and”

in between authors’ name in the signal phrase

yet “&” between their names in parenthesis:

The interface design of a computer program ought to focus on

ease of learning, ease of use and aesthetics (Wang & Cheung,

2003).

Vrasidas and McIsaac (2009), however, argued that an

increased structure for collaborative tasks led to active

dialogue and interaction among learners.

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In-text Citations: A work with 3 to 5 authors

� When citing a work with three to five authors

First citation:

An educational system is a unique combination of

pedagogical, social, and technological components

(Kirschner, Strijbos, Kreijns, & Beers, 2004).

Kirschner, Strijbos, Kreijns and Beers (2004) argued that….

In-text Citations: A work with 3 to 5 authors

Subsequent citations:

It should also involve using various learning resources

and activities that support students’ learning, and allow

teachers to facilitate learning (Kirschner et al., 2004).

Kirschner et al. (2004) argued that a useful system

should meet two primary conditions: necessary utility

and high usability.

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In-text Citations: a work with 6 and more authors

� When citing a work with six and more authors,

identify the first author’s name followed

by “et al.”:

Smith et al. (2006) argued that….

(Smith et al., 2006)

References

• Journal article

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Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C.

C. (Year). Title of article. Title of

Periodical, volume number(issue

number), pages.

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Example: List of references

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Angeli, C., N. Valanides, & C. Bonk. (2003). Communication in a Web-based

conferencing system: The quality of computer-mediated interactions.

British Journal of Educational Technology, 34 (1), 31–43.

Beatty, K., & Nunan, D. (2004). Computer-mediated collaborative learning.

System, 32(2), 165-183.

Berry, J. W., Poortinga, Y. H., Segall, M. H., & Dasen, P. R. (2002). Cross-

cultural psychology: Research and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

Jonassen, D.H., & Kwon, H.I. (2001). Communication patterns in computer

mediated and face-to-face group problem solving. Educational Technology

Research & Development, 49 (1), 35-51.

Kirschner, P., Strijbos, J.W., Kreijns, K., & Beers, P.J. (2004). Designing

electronic collaborative learning environments. Educational Technology:

Research and Development, 52(3), 47–66.

Further resources

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APA Style Basics Tutorial:

http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm

APA Reference list:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/

APA General Format:


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more online resources

Online video

http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basi

cs-tutorial.aspx

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• http://www.easybib.com/

• http://research.easybib.com/

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APA Style Basics Tutorial:

http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm

APA Reference list:


APA General Format:



• http://content.easybib.com/citation-guides/apa-

format/

• APA Style guides for citations.

• Links to the most popular and helpful guides

so that you can get started on citing your

research

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Reading

� Read course material “Theme 1”

� Read APA Academic Writing Style

document

� Self-test of Theme 1

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Research groups

� Please discuss and share ideas of

research interests and topics; after

the discussions, please upload your

ideas (or group ideas) in the Forum

in PointCarré

• Max 6 persons per group

�Enrol in the groups in

PointCarré54

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Questions?

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