Educational Psychology: Quantitative Research Methods

Educational psychology decimal Research MethodsRachel PriceSelect a mental discipline and place the primary query manners and designs utilize in that discipline, and consider why that whitethorn be the elusion.This fitting will look at a human activity question methods and designs used in Educational psychology. While there argon numerous interrogation methods and designs used in Educational Psychology this assignment will focus on the use of quantitative look into in the forms of interviews, questionnaires and shift studies and will also discuss quantitative research in the form of psychometric exam used in the ratement of dyslexia such(prenominal) as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Wechsler 1949) and the Kaufman sound judgement battery for children (Kaufman Kaufman, 1983) and why for each one of the methods discussed ar used, while looking at the validity and limitations of the methods and design.Educational Psychology is defined by Wittrock (198 9) as the scientific discipline bear on with the schooling, evaluation, coat and principles and theories of human acquireing. Educational Psychologists complete research when they examine the cognitive renderment of young children, explore the relationship between teachers preferences, trainingal owns and classroom performance, and finagle the structural features of lessons and cartoon that result in student participation levels or explore the issues associated with the interaction of teachers and learners and erudi xess contexts in situations (Berliner Calfee, 2004). Alexander and Winne, (2006) suggest entirely of these argonas of research contribute to the science of learning and serve up develop guidelines for impressive class room practises.The two research methods that influence scientific educational research are quantitative and qualitative approaches. Educational research tends to be a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies (Willia ms, 2011). numerical research methods are primarily experi psychological in nature and concerned with the causal relationships between dependent and independent variables, whereas qualitative research methods are primarily non-experimental and concerned with identifying and describing themes underlying human experience or the experience of a particular phenomenon (Della Porta Keating, 2008). Willis (2008) pleads that quantitative and qualitative research methods are often borrow elements or techniques from each other. For example, program-evaluation research, action research, and teacher-as-researcher methods are forms of abstruse educational research design that use elements of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies (Johnson, Christensen, 2008).Educational psychologists rely on quantitative based research methods to help them found decisions about(predicate) school programs and practices (Slavin, 2002). Stanovich and Stanovich (2003) define quantitative based resea rch as a form of study that uses systematic methods that leave off on careful observation or experimentation in order to make valid, credible and reliable, conclusions. The science part of educational psychology seeks to sort particular from fiction by using particular strategies for obtaining information (Johnson Christensen, 2000 Kawachi, Kennedy Glass, 1999). Wolfe (2010) argues that the art of educational psychology lies in translating scientifically valid and reliable information into feasible and effective classroom practice. valued research is objective, political campaignable, and systematic ( Kothari, 2011). Gravetter and Forzano, (2015) suggest that It reduces the likeliness that information will be based on personal beliefs, feelings and opinions. Quantitative research is based on the scientific method, an approach that tin can be used to discoer accurate information. It includes these steps conceptualize the puzzle, collect data, draw conclusions, and revise res earch conclusions and theory( Cronbach, 1957).Once data has been collected, educational psychologists use statistical procedures to render the meaning of their quantitative data to help draw conclusions. They also oppose their findings with what others imbibe discovered about the same issue. The final step in the scientific method is revising research conclusions and theory (Mertens, 2014).Slavin and Davis, (2006) suggest that educational psychologists have generated a number of theories about the best ways for students to learnMcInerney, (2005) suggests that when an educational psychologist wants to test a hypothesis they can choose from to a greater extent methods, such as observation .Scientific observation is highly systematic. It requires knowing what is cosmos looked for, alloting observations in an unbiased manner, accurately recording and categorizing what was seen, and effectively communicating these observations (Hersen, Haynes Heiby, 2003). A common way to record o bservations is to write them down, using shorthand or symbols. In addition, tape recorders, video cameras, special coding sheets, one-way mirrors, and computers can be used to make observations more efficient. (Coolican, 2009). Educational psychologists conduct research in laboratories at the universities where they work and teach, although laboratories often help researchers gain more control in their studies, they have been criticized as being artificial. In eidetic observation, behaviour is observed out in the real world (McInerney, 2005).Educational psychologists conduct representational observations of children in classrooms, at museums, on playgrounds, in homes, in neighbourhoods, and in other settings (Gnc, Jain Tuermer, 2007).Educational psychologists use interviews and questionnaires to find out about students and teachers experiences (Vaughn, Schumm Sinagub, 1996). Interviews normally take place face-to-face, although they can be done over the phone or the Internet wher eas questionnaires are usually given to separates in printed form and can be filled out in nearly(prenominal) ways, such as in person, by mail, or via the Internet (Coolican, 2009). serious interviews and surveys involve concrete, specific, and unambiguous questions and some means of checking the authenticity of the respondents replies (Ritchie, Lewis, Nicholls Ormston, 2013). that Fowler (2008) argues that interviews and surveys are not without problems. One crucial limitation is that many individuals give socially desirable answers, responding in a way they think is most socially acceptable and desirable rather than how they truly think or feel. For example, some teachers, when interviewed or asked to fill out a questionnaire about their teaching practices, vary to admit honestly how frequently they chide or criticize their students (Loughran, 2002). proficient interviewing techniques and questions that increase forthright responses are crucial to obtaining accurate inform ation. Another problem with interviews and surveys is that the respondents sometimes simply lie (Coolican, 2009).Another type of research method used by educational psychologists are case studies (Woolfson, 2011). Crosling Webb, ( 2002) define case studies as descriptions of real-life experiences that illustrate important concepts and issues in a field of study . In other words, a case study is an in-depth examination of an individual or situation A case study presents a funny method for combining theory and practice in a problem-solving framework. matter studies differ from spoken or written statements, in that they typically do not contain outcomes or conclusions, but leave the reader to see the most appropriate course of action (Crosling Webb, 2002).Traditionally, case studies have been associated with business, medicine, and law. Recently, however, case studies increasingly have been used in education to help teachers and teacher-candidates develop essential problem recogni tion and resolution skills (Clandinin Connelly, 2000 Elliott, Woloshyn, DiPetta, Bennett, 2000).Educational Psychologists use psychometric testing during the assessment for dyslexia. Lyon, Shaywitz and Shaywitz (2003) define dyslexia as a specific learning difficulty that is unexpected in relation to an individuals cognitive abilities. psychometric testing methods such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) (Wechsler 1949), which is an individually administered intelligence test designed for children between the ages of six and sixteen (Cohen, 2011) and contains fifteen subtests that provide a comprehensive assessment of intellectual energy which are divided into ten core subtests and five supplemental subtests (Grizzle, 2011). The Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests (WIAT) (Wechsler, 1992) is also used, and is a comprehensive test that assesses academic achievement by testing the office to apply cognitive skills and knowledge to graded expectations It alsoinc ludes nine subtests designed to assess specific areas within the areas of reading, mathematics, written language, and oral language (Johnson, 2011) Another psychometric test used in the assessment of dyslexia is the Kaufman assessment battery for children (KABC)( Kaufman Kaufman, 1983), which is a consistent and valid measure of cognitive abilities for children aged three to xviii (Hall Noggle, 2011).Psychometric tests are defined by Coolican (2009) as instruments that measure mental measurement and include temperament home bases and also include measures of mental ability such as intelligence, linguistic ability, creative thinking etc. Psychometric tests are mainly used in educational settings to help identify students who may need additional learning support (Stapleton, 2001). Vernon and Parry (1949) argue that the variables that psychometric tests such as the WISC and KABC exceeds, use, are always the best measures, and for educational purposes most of the relevant variable s are measured by well authorized tests. They also suggest that this is one of the main arguments for the use of psychometric testing over interviews or recommendations from teachers (Vernon Parry, 1949). Mislevy, Behrens, Dicerbo and Levy (2012) suggest that psychometrics is the measurement of educational and psychological construct.As the WISC-V, WIAT-II and KABC-II scales are all variations on pervious scales (i.e. the WISC scale is currently on version five) and have been validated by comparing with previous models they have concurrent validity (Coolican, 2009).Coolican (2009) also suggests that new personality and IQ tests are often compared with older but similar models that have been known to have good validity. Stapleton (2001) suggests that if an assessment score can is nearly correlated with future performance, then the assessment used is said to have predictive validity, and that in turn the assessment can be used to predict the likelihood of future academic success o r failure. However Atkinson, Atkinson, Smith and Bem (1993) argue that the degree of correlation between IQ lashings and psychometric testing and peoples academic achievement declines as a student moves up from primary school to higher education. 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