EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 

· Educational research is a field of inquiry aimed at advancing knowledge of education and learning processes and development of the tools and methods necessary to support this endeavor.

· Educational researchers aim to describe, understand and explain how learning takes place throughout the life cycle and how formal and informal processes of education affect learning, attainment, and the capacity to lead productive lives.

·  The purpose of educational research is to build cumulative and sound knowledge in the field of education. 

·  There are a variety of disciplines which are each present to some degree in educational research. These include psychology, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy.

·  The findings of educational research also need to be interpreted within the context in which they were discovered as they may not be applicable in every time or place.

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

In his book entitled Fundamentals of Educational Research, Gary Anderson has outlined ten characteristics that can be used to further understand what the field of educational research entails:

· Educational research attempts to solve a problem.

· Research involves gathering new data from primary or first-hand sources or using existing data for a new purpose.

· Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidence.

· Research demands accurate observation and description.

· Research generally employs carefully designed procedures and rigorous analysis.

· Research emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles or theories that will help in understanding, prediction and/or control.

· Research requires expertise—familiarity with the field; competence in methodology; technical skill in collecting and analyzing the data.

· Research attempts to find an objective, unbiased solution to the problem and takes great pains to validate the procedures employed.

· Research is a deliberate and unhurried activity which is directional but often refines the problem or questions as the research progresses.

· Research is carefully recorded and reported to other persons interested in the problem.

 

REFERENCES

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT IS RESEARCH?

Research refers to creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. The research process deals with the ways and strategies used by researchers to understand the world around us.  It establishes or confirms facts, reaffirms the results of previous work, solves new or existing problems, supports & develops new theories A research project may also be an expansion of past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures or experiments.  Research may replicate elements of prior projects, or the project as a whole. The following steps are usually part of most formal research, both basic and applied: 1.Observations and Formation of the topic:   Consists of the subject area of one’s interest  The subject area should not be randomly chosen  A keen interest in the chosen subject area is advisa...
Read more
  Scientific Method  Scientific method is the technique used in the construction and testing of a scientific hypothesis .  It is the process of observing, asking questions and seeking answers through tests and experiments.  In a typical application of the scientific method, a researcher develops a hypothesis , tests it through various means, and then modifies the hypothesis on the basis of the outcome of the tests and experiments.  The modified hypothesis is then retested, further modified, and tested again, until it becomes consistent with observed phenomena and testing outcomes. In this way, hypotheses serve as tools by which scientists gather data.  From that data and the many different scientific investigations undertaken to explore hypotheses, scientists are able to develop broad general explanations, or scientific theories. Steps of the Scientific Method 1. Ask a Question: The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you...
Read more