EDUC 505.44July 20, 2011

Agenda

• Discuss Qcards• WITOR• Controlling and learning conversations• Field Work A• Literature Search• Combining rigor and respect• Ethics• WITOR (continued)?

What is research?

• Research– … systematic, critical and self-critical

enquiry which aims to contribute toward the advancement of knowledge and wisdom .

• Educational research– Critical inquiry aimed at informing

educational judgements and decisions in order to improve educational action

(Bussey, 1999, cited in Morrison, 2002)

Q-card discussion

• What did I connect with in the text?• What was problematic?• What did I have difficulty

understanding?• How do I apply this to everyday

teaching / life experiences?

Demonstrate that you have read and thought deeply.

PBM: Evaluating theories of action

Accuracy– What does accuracy mean in PBM

language?– What does evaluating accuracy sometimes

reveal?– What methods can be used to evaluate

accuracy?

Effectiveness– What does effectiveness mean in PBM

language?

PBM: Evaluating theories of action

Coherence• What does coherence mean in PBM

language?• Can constraints be challenged?• What is unique about the coherence

criterion?Improvability• What does improvability mean in PBM

language?• What does this criterion encourage?

Collaboration in research

• Controlling conversations–Describe–Criticize –Recommend

• Aim: impose one’s point of view on another

Collaboration in research

• Learning conversations–Describe– Explain– Evaluate –Recommend

• Aim: learn about the meaning and quality of one another’s views

Collaboration in research

Ladder of inference– Conclude Take action– Theorize– Evaluate– Interpret– Describe– Select

Pool of available information

Contexts,Assumptions

Values

Field Work A

• Find a partner (one group of three)• Go to a place where you can observe

people and landscape• Observe for 5-10 minutes without

speaking to your partner(s)– Make some field notes

• Compare your observations– What implications are there for your

research?

Literature search

• Using Google Scholar– Log into the StFX library– Advanced preferences– Advanced search– Key words– Using quotation marks– Limiting the date (last five years)

Validity

• « effectiveness » vs. « accuracy »?• Reducing bias– Sampling– Confirmation

• Describing accurately– Audit trail– Triangulation– Participant feedback

Ethical decision-making

• Free and informed consent• Prevent harm

Ethical decision-makingIdentify the issues

– Decide what the ethical problem is

Prepare an initial position – Prepare to defend your position

Defend a position – Present your understanding of the situation; identify

the issues and what the ethical problem is; give an overview of the discussion that took place; take questions

Revise position– Take a few minutes to consider the position you

presented to the group and if you might reconsider your initial assessment in light of peer comments

Before next class

READ Chapters 4 & 5

DO Q card 3

• Chapters 4 & 5

Prepare WITOROral presentation(5-6 copies of handout)

Complete ethics exercise