Crewsell Chapter 2 was very helpful

AKA: Trying to figure out my research question.

This chapter helped me understand the research processs. I could envision it and how it relates to my topic. A topic, according to Creswell, is “the subject or subject matter of a proposed study” (23). He recommends to describe the topic in a few words or a short phrase and it becomes the “central idea to learn about or to explore” (23). Therefore, my topic is iPads in the classroom.

I want to talk about the idea of exploring. I think I get caught up in the assumption that a research study must prove something or be the final word on a topic. However, I do not need to be so black and white about research. There can be many right answers, not just one. When one explores a topic, there might not even be an answer. Rather, the researcher makes meaning from the data.

I am focusing on iPads, even though there are other technological devices out there such as different tablet computers and laptop computers. With this in mind, I might need to broaden my topic to encompass such technological devices and not focus just on iPads. Furthermore, this technology is so new that the literature available would probably not focus on iPads.

I also appreciate the helpful hint of drafting a brief title to the study (23). In my case, my title could be “Use of iPads in the Classroom.”

Another way is to try completing this sentence: “My study is about…” In that case, my title still works. Creswell offers, “Another strategy for topic development is to pose the topic as a brief question” (24). Using this strategy, my topic might be “What are the best uses of iPads in the classroom?”

Researchers can also ask how this project contributes to the literature already out there about our topic. That leads me to the literature review. Where does it go in a qualitative study? Creswell offers three possibilities: in the introduction to the study, in a separate section as a review of the literature, and at the end as a basis for comparing and contrasting findings (27). In my idea for my research, I envision the literature review’s placement as at the end so I could compare and contrast my data and analysis with other research. This makes the most sense to me.

The Steps in Conducting a Literature Review section was helpful. It also explains why I can spend hours searching countless numbers of articles only to narrow them down to a significantly lower number of usable items. The design map on page 35 is brilliant! I’ve used my own method of organization with notes at the top and sticky notes, but having a map like that is something I want to try. It could show my research’s place in the overall literature available regarding my topic. It could answer the question of how my project contributes to already-existing literature.

Finally, the steps for writing an abstract on page 36 were invaluable. Without that list, I couldn’t have written my own abstracts.

Notes About and Connections to Creswell Chapter 1

• Three types of research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.
• Research design: the plan or proposal to conduct research (is this proposal term the same as the proposal that is my final project?)
• Worldview: basic set of beliefs that guide action (epistemologies, ontologies, broadly conceived research methodologies)
• Four worldviews: postpositivists, social constructivist, advocacy/participatory, pragmatic
• Strategies of inquiry: types of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs or models that provide specific direction for procedures in a research design (approaches to inquiry, research methodologies)
• Quantitative strategies: survey research, experimental research
• Qualitative strategies: ethnography, grounded theory, case studies, phenomenological research, narrative research
• Mixed Methods strategies: sequential mixed methods, concurrent mixed methods, transformative mixed methods

Upon reviewing the different worldviews, I think I lean more toward the social constructivist worldview. This makes sense to me because I have degrees in both English and American Studies. Social constructivists “hold assumptions that individuals seek understanding of the world in which they live and work” and “The researcher’s intent is to make sense of (or interpret) the meanings others have about the world. Rather than starting with a theory (as in postpostivism), inquirers generate or inductively develop a theory or pattern of meaning” (8). Creswell states that this worldview is “typically seen as an approach to qualitative research” (8). Furthermore, Creswell states, “Qualitative research is exploratory and is useful when the researcher does not know the important variables to examine” (18). Therefore, I believe I am more interested in the qualitative design of research and have a constructivist worldview; I want to observe and interview my subjects during my research in order to make meaning of what I observe.

*The following comment has been added after the original note. Now that I have spent a few weeks finding research articles and forming a research question, I am even more convinced that my worldview is that of social constructivist.

Creswell Chapter 10: Notes, Thoughts, and Connections

We haven’t read Chapter 5 yet, so when I read this line, “It also extends the discussion about research problems that incorporate the need both to explore and explain” (203), I wondered if research could be conducted just to explore or to explain, or if it always consists of both exploring and explaining.

Aspects that influence the design are timing, weighting, mixing, and theorizing. It seems to me that weighting would allow researchers to interpret data in a way that might show bias. Researchers are not supposed to do that, but in education, it seems that for many studies that show one result, there is another study that shows the opposite result. For example, at my school (I teach 8^th grade English), we have Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). There are studies that show SSR is a great addition to the students’ day and studies that show it is not. Of course, there are many factors regarding this issue, but when administration is focused on data, we have to be careful which studies are being cited.

After reading Chapter 10, I can safely say that I do not want to do a mixed methods study. I do not have enough time, nor do I have enough resources.

Having said that, I believe the study I am currently involved in with UCI (the Pathways Grant), is a mixed methods study. First, we are administering a pre- and post-assessment. The pretest is a written assignment and a survey, which are administered over a period of 2 days. They recommended to not give the writing test and survey on consecutive days, but to give them close together. That test is in October. Then, in May, students will take the posttest, which, I am assuming, will be two similar tasks. The goal is to measure growth in Pathways classes (the experimental group) and growth in the control classes. These assessments will give them their quantitative data. They will also visit and observe classes, which will give them qualitative data. I am also being assessed as I took the initial survey on Wednesday.

It seemed that the Introduction Kick-Off Day on Wednesday for the Pathways Project was like a research proposal. They cited us other case studies and explained what they were going to do with us. They showed us results of similar projects. They explained to us the methods of data collection.

I am proud to be part of this study and I cannot wait to begin implementing the program in my classroom. I have to use my period with the greatest number of English Language learners (EL’s) as my Pathways class. However, because the writing program is so phenomenal and better than anything I could have come up with on my own, I am going to use it with all my classes. It’s just that I will have one class for the grant project’s data collection and analysis.

It’s top secret, too. I cannot tell anyone anything about it, including my principal. I feel, though, that my involvement will give me a leg up on everyone else in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. I also get a stipend and $500 to spend on books for my classroom library!

Thoughts on Creswell Chapter 9

As I was reading this chapter, I kept wondering if my research would take on a more qualitative approach rather than a quantitative or a mixed methods approach, which would combine both. I think about whom my audience would be, and in my mind, my audience is my school, my administrators, and my peers. Perhaps, the district would be my audience too. Crewsell states, “If there is some question about their knowledge, present the basic characteristics of qualitative research in the proposal and possibly discuss a recent qualitative research journal article (or study) to use as an example to illustrate the characteristics” (174). This type of statement would be good to help prove the credibility of the study and the results to my data-driven principal.

Some characteristics of qualitative research I can see incorporating into my inquiry include collecting data in a natural setting and gathering multiple forms of data (175). The natural setting of my classroom would provide the participants (the students) and the multiple forms of data would include interviews and observations. I would observe their working with the iPads and I would interview them before, during, and after the study.

I need to go back to Chapter 1 to choose the strategy of inquiry: narrative, phenomenology, ethnography, case study, or grounded theory. Alas, I am so new to actually thinking about research in this way that I am still getting my footing and finding my balance!

Since I’d conduct research at my school with my students, this qualifies as “backyard” research, and I would have to be careful not to be biased.

Then, I worry about gatekeepers. Am I the gatekeeper because I am their teacher? Do I have to acquire permission from my principal or the students’ parents?

The section in the chapter concerning observational protocol made me think of my use of Cornell notes with my students. On the left, students write the term or concept and on the right, they write the definition, examples, descriptions, etc.

While reading about the stages of data analysis and interpretation, I especially recall noticing certain elements of these stages in research reports I have read so far for my abstracts. For example, Stage 6 involves making an interpretation. Creswell cites Wolcott (1994): “One way ethnographers can end a study…is to ask further questions. The questioning approach is also used in advocacy and participatory approaches to qualitative research” (190). Many of the reports I read concluded with the researchers asking questions for further study and inquiry or the implications of the study. In fact, I have highlighted a few of these questions because I might want to adapt them for my own research question. That way, my research idea would add to the current research about the topic by theoretically filling a gap.

Another aspect of the chapter that I am curious about is mentioned in the qualitative write-up section. Creswell recommends to use metaphors and analogies. I hadn’t thought of this before, but it makes sense. A metaphor or an analogy might clarify terms or data that the reader might otherwise not understand by comparing it in ways familiar to the reader.

In conclusion, the research I want to do is appearing qualitative rather than quantitative. However, I still need to narrow down my ideas and gain a concrete understanding of exactly what my question is!

List of Keywords and Search Terms

For later…

Electronic book readers

Libraries & teenagers

Teenagers—books & reading

Electronic books

Teenagers—attitudes

Young adult services librarians

Nook (Electronic book reader)

Kindle (Electronic book reader)

Education & iPads

Education & technology

Students & technology

Technology & classroom

Disclaimer...

I have not been posting to my blog because I am trying to write my journal entries first in Word, so I have quite a few lined up. I wasn't so sure I wanted my Research Journal to be a blog at first, but I have decided to keep it up.

This task seems quite open-ended and while that leaves me with much freedom, it also creates some stress. Am I doing this correctly? Or is doing this correctly not the point? Perhaps there is not one, single correct way. And isn't that what part of research is? To explore? To make mistakes and learn from them?

I am part of a research study!

I am very excited about a new development in my district. Once again, we are involved in the UCI Writing Project. Our district has worked closely with the University of California, Irvine, for many years on various writing projects. In these situations, experts in Language Arts and especially in the writing aspect of teaching English help teachers in our district learn best practices to implement in our classrooms.

However, this time, it’s different. This time, they are using the UCI Writing Project as a case study. The subjects are us, the teachers, and our students. There will be both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the effectiveness of the UCI Writing Project on student achievement and meeting Common Core standards.

Here’s how it works. This is a two-year grant project. Four teachers from each school volunteered or were chosen. In my school’s case, we volunteered. The teachers are paired with another teacher in the same grade level. One teacher is the test group and the other is the control group. The test group is not allowed to tell the control group what they are doing. This will be extremely difficult for me because my department chair and I are very close, we work very closely together, and we have always done new projects like this together. Alas, I am not paired with her. She is part of the control group and I am part of the test group.

The test group is provided extra training and a stipend to spend on literature for our classrooms. The literature collection will be focused on meeting Common Core standards.

Our first day is this Wednesday, September 26, in Costa Mesa. It’s an all day overview to get us started. In all, we will have six pull-out days and six after-school meetings. I do not know anything other than that, but stay tuned!

They’re providing lunch, too. Yay!