Teaching Research Methods Research Articles

Erratum: Using Non-Probability Sampling Methods in Agricultural and Extension Education Research

Erratum: Using Non-Probability Sampling Methods in Agricultural and Extension Education Research

Indigenizing research methods: making research outcomes better for all

In the context of Indigenizing academic practices and promoting cultural inclusivity within library and information institutions, this paper explores the significance of incorporating Indigenous approaches to research within LIS research methods courses. It argues that Indigenous research methods can be adapted and applied to other contexts, especially where research is being done in Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) communities, who also have a history of being marginalized in research. This paper advocates for research methods to be transformed by incorporating Indigenous approaches into research methods education and empowering students to become culturally competent researchers. The paper will demonstrate how the use of Indigenous methodologies provides students with an understanding of alternative paradigms informed by indigenous ways of knowing.

Editorial

This issue of RERM includes four papers that boldly attempt to propose ways in which educational research practices, traditions and methods might be enacted differently. They take seemingly foundational research methods (reviewing literature, ethnographic observation, walking methodologies) and transform them in to something less familiar that invite our readers to stutter and reappraise how else research might be done and with what outcomes. Firstly, researching from Danish inner cities, Staunæs and Vertelyte draw on affect theory and a concern with moods and felt pedagogies in education to explore how hopes and anxieties are woven through school objects and architecture. Through minor interventions the authors propose that there are abundant possibilities to improve the inclusion of racialized students in the inbetween, and often pathologised spaces of school. This holds the potential to radically shift perceptions, prejudices and behaviours that are not always identifiable but that can be sensed through the minor gesture. The authors attend to the significance of language and what happens through translation and diffractive readings. They stress that concepts that travel require careful consideration when transposed into alternative geopolitical contexts. They take Ahmed’s ‘happy objects’ as a case in point to make visible the specificities of local context and what that means for advancing theory that can pay closer attention to time and space. The next two papers address ways in which literature reviews – a staple element to any research project – can be up-ended and reimagined when post-foundational theories and practices are put to work. Naomi Pears-Scown makes use of Baradian theoretical concepts to think-with literature rather than merely review what is already known and organize a corpus of knowledge into useful categories. Through literature cartographies, Pears-Scown develops a mapping strategy that makes visible her affective engagement with literature through the crafting of found-poems which tell stories of the ways in which place shapes approaches to arts therapy in various geopolitical contexts. This novel approach to engaging with and encountering literature disrupts received wisdom about how literature should be reviewed and instead invites the reader to sit with the discomforts of expanding how literature stories can be told. In resonance with Pears-Scown, the next paper written by co-authors Boks-Vlemmix and Aspfors, offers a similar challenge to orthodoxies surrounding what a literature review is and how it should be undertaken. In their experimental piece the authors offer glimpses into what gets generated when the emphasis concerns processes and practices of doing a literature review rather than what it represents. Like the previous paper, the authors are inspired by a cartographic approach that holds the potential to map the processes involved in becoming deeply immersed and affect with a body of literature. They take literature on Teacher Educator Professional Learning as a case in point to explore how mapping and tracing entangled concepts can generate unanticipated insights and present new lines of thought. Finally, Louisa Allen explores the potential of smell, with all the senses and beyond the human, for educational research. She takes the reader on ‘smellwalks’ which presented themselves as an unlikely research method during pandemic lockdown. Allen provides detailed accounts of the ways in which smellwalks came into being in a small coastal town in Aotearoa-New Zealand and enabled a deep exploration of pandemic-transformed life at a daily and local level. The paper offers a theoretical examination of smellwalk methodology as a means to consider smell through multisensory conceptualisations where human senses are understood as distinct but overlapping. Further, the paper theorises the act of smelling as unbounded and ultimately, always more-than-human. A series of research moments are examined to demonstrate how smelling involves a multisensory experience that emerges with/through the material landscape. Together these papers offer important ways to reappraise approaches to research methodology in education that have become so deeply embedded that they unwittingly shape conventional expectations of how research should be done, has always be done. Each of these papers offer exciting invitations to interrupt this routine way of thinking. Respond to the invitation to pause, to ask, must we do it that way? The way it has always been done? What happens if we question and dare to experiment with alternative approaches? When theory is mobilized through research that seeks to pursue alternative lines of inquiry, what then? When theoretical concepts are taken up in/to ‘foreign’ spaces what happens to them? How do they travel? What do they agitate? What do they make possible? Aligned with the aims of this journal, these papers individually and collectively, invite a pause to business-as-usual in educational research. Jayne Osgood Camilla Andersen Mona-Lisa Angell Ann Merete Otterstad Editors

A Book Review on Research Methods in Education (8th edition)

A Book Review on Research Methods in Education (8th edition)

MLA Research Training Institute (RTI) 2018 and 2019: participant research confidence and program effectiveness.

The article reports on an assessment of the effectiveness of the MLA Research Training Institute (RTI) for the years 2018 and 2019. The RTI is a year-long continuing education research methods training and support program for health sciences librarians. The study focuses on assessing RTI participants' research confidence after program completion and compares these results with their perceptions of workshop/program performance and learning outcomes. In addition, the authors discuss how the findings were applied to inform and improve the program. The study used a 26-item questionnaire, RTI Research Confidence Questionnaire, to gather information on participants' self-reported research confidence before the workshop, immediately after the workshop, and one year after the workshop to determine statistically significant differences. Differences in research confidence were identified by using three nonparametric statistical tests. Additional workshop and program surveys were used to corroborate the research confidence findings. Post-workshop and one-year-after-workshop research confidence ratings were significantly higher than pre-workshop levels for years 1 and 2. A comparison of median ratings between years 1 and 2 showed significant increases in research confidence for nine items in year 2. Participants' positive perceptions of workshop/program effectiveness and learning outcomes corroborated these findings. Overall assessment findings indicated that RTI training helped participants understand, use, and apply research skills to conduct research. Findings also revealed that participants' heightened research confidence persisted at least 12 months postintervention. The RTI Research Confidence Questionnaire proved effective for rigorously assessing and improving the RTI program. This study enhances the currently limited evidence on evidence-based approaches for assessing and improving research instruction for librarians.

Essential Foundational Education Research Methods Articles for Graduate Medical Educators: A Delphi Study.

Background Graduate medical educators interested in designing and conducting education research may seek foundational general overview articles on education research methods. Objective We aimed to identify the most useful foundational education research methods articles for medical educators. Methods We identified candidate articles through a 2020 Ovid MEDLINE literature search augmented by the authors' personal files and by cross-checking references of included articles. Articles that were primarily about general education research principles were included; articles were excluded if they were not focused on medical education research methods, were published prior to the year 2000, were written in a non-English language, or had no available abstracts. We conducted a modified Delphi study with 10 participants representing a range of specialties and education research experience to find consensus about the most useful articles. We planned 3 rounds of the Delphi process, the first to eliminate any articles not deemed useful for this audience, and the second and third rounds to include articles that at least 80% of the panel deemed "most useful" to education researchers. Results Of 25 relevant articles identified in the literature search: one was excluded in round 1, 7 met the a priori threshold of 80% agreement for inclusion in round 2, and an additional 2 met inclusion in round 3. These 9 foundational education research methods articles relevant to graduate medical educators are described, along with a capsule summary and specific use for education researchers. Conclusions Our modified Delphi study of foundational education research methods articles identified 9 articles deemed useful for graduate medical educators who are seeking methods resources.

Research Methodology Courses in Advanced Studies in Education: Trends from the Portuguese Case

The identification and characterisation of all course syllabus on research methodologies in education in advanced studies in education allows to present the current Portuguese teaching and learning scenario in this field for the first time. The approach for the development of this empirical work was a national survey of all master's and doctoral programmes in education and in teaching, coding and translating the information. The data collected was validated with the respective higher education institution, the master or doctoral coordinator and the teacher responsible for the research methods teaching. A qualitative based methodology through descriptive statistical analysis enables a presentation of trends in the design and organisation of the course syllabus. The results show a research knowledge that is fragmented and not clear. The descriptions of course syllabus undervalue the epistemological and methodological issues inherent in the construction of scientific knowledge in education. Privilege is given to the operationality of the methodology with a view to developing a scientific project.

Модель интерактивного обучения: полиморфный подход

Introduction. The peculiarity of building a model of interactive learning lies in the polymorphism of the term “interactive”, which has different forms of realization. Interactivity is considered from two positions: a high level of activity of students and the technology of using information and communication technologies in distance learning. It is required to eliminate the contradictions existing in the perception and realization of interactivity in learning. The aim of the study is to develop a model of interactive distance learning, taking into account the polymorphic approach in interactivity. Methodology and methods: study of methodological literature of domestic and foreign authors on the issue of organizing interactive learning, acquaintance with the experience of leading educational institutions and large companies promoting interactive technologies. The obtained materials were subjected to theoretical and empirical methods of pedagogical research. Findings of the study. The author proposes to expand the informativeness of the interactive learning model. In the case of activation of classes in the classroom there is a contact model – “interactive learning”. For distance learning it is necessary to introduce the “model of interactive learning” and structure it by realized activity: a passive “model of interactive learning”, an active “model of interactive learning” and an interactive “model of interactive learning”. Conclusion. Interactive technology of distance learning has peculiarities. It is effective at alternation of small blocks of information and requires realization of “active learning strategy” – controlled change of learners' activity during classes.

Research Methods for Education and the Social Disciplines in Aotearoa New Zealand. Edited by Frauke and Kane Meissel. (2023)

Research Methods for Education and the Social Disciplines in Aotearoa New Zealand. Edited by Frauke and Kane Meissel. (2023)

Issues and Challenges of Qualitative Research Methods Education in Communication

Issues and Challenges of Qualitative Research Methods Education in Communication

The design, implementation, and evaluation of a blended (in-person and virtual) Clinical Competency Examination for final-year nursing students

IntroductionStudies have reported different results of evaluation methods of clinical competency tests. Therefore, this study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a blended (in-person and virtual) Competency Examination for final-year Nursing Students.MethodsThis interventional study was conducted in two semesters of 2020–2021 using an educational action research method in the nursing and midwifery faculty. Thirteen faculty members and 84 final-year nursing students were included in the study using a census method. Eight programs and related activities were designed and conducted during the examination process. Students completed the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory before the examination, and both faculty members and students completed the Acceptance and Satisfaction questionnaire.FindingsThe results of the analysis of focused group discussions and reflections indicated that the virtual CCE was not capable of adequately assessing clinical skills. Therefore, it was decided that the CCE for final-year nursing students would be conducted using a blended method. The activities required for performing the examination were designed and implemented based on action plans. Anxiety and satisfaction were also evaluated as outcomes of the study. There was no statistically significant difference in overt, covert, and overall anxiety scores between the in-person and virtual sections of the examination (p > 0.05). The mean (SD) acceptance and satisfaction scores for students in virtual, in-person, and blended sections were 25.49 (4.73), 27.60 (4.70), and 25.57 (4.97), respectively, out of 30 points, in which there was a significant increase in the in-person section compared to the other sections. (p = 0.008). The mean acceptance and satisfaction scores for faculty members were 30.31 (4.47) in the virtual, 29.86 (3.94) in the in-person, and 30.00 (4.16) out of 33 in the blended, and there was no significant difference between the three sections (p = 0.864).ConclusionEvaluating nursing students’ clinical competency using a blended method was implemented and solved the problem of students’ graduation. Therefore, it is suggested that the blended method be used instead of traditional in-person or entirely virtual exams in epidemics or based on conditions, facilities, and human resources. Also, the use of patient simulation, virtual reality, and the development of necessary virtual and in-person training infrastructure for students is recommended for future research. Furthermore, considering that the acceptance of traditional in-person exams among students is higher, it is necessary to develop virtual teaching strategies.

Characteristics of health-preserving competence of future physical education teachers in the structure of professional training

This article presents the results of a sociological study aimed at assessing health-preserving competence and its role in the professional training of future physical education teachers. The goal of the research is to characterize the health-preserving competence of future physical education teachers within the structure of professional training during wartime and postwar conditions. Research methods include theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature, sociological research, pedagogical research methods (observation), and mathematical analysis methods. The study involved 53 students from the first to fourth years of the specialty 014.11 Secondary Education. Physical Culture at Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Students' self-assessment of their level of health- preserving competence was divided into four levels: high, sufficient, average, and low. Only 7.4% of respondents rated their level as high, while the majority rated it as sufficient or average. The research identified the main reasons leading to low or average self- assessment of professional culture: insufficient number of practical classes (27.8%), lack of independent work (20.4%), insufficient theoretical knowledge (14.8%), and low level of motivation and interest (14.8%). Key aspects of health-preserving competence for future physical education teachers were determined. Despite the significant attention of higher education institutions to the formation of health-preserving competence, only 51.9% of students regularly implement components of a healthy lifestyle. The most effective means of forming health-preserving competence were identified as the integration of relevant aspects into the curriculum, conducting master classes, practical exercises, and organizing sports events. The study emphasizes the need to improve educational programs to enhance the level of health-preserving competence, which includes increasing the number of practical classes, stimulating students' independent work, and strengthening their motivation to actively apply the acquired knowledge in everyday life and professional activities.

Using Critical Race Mixed Methodology to Explore African American College Students’ Experiences with Racial Microaggressions

AbstractThere is a dearth of social justice or critical mixed methods research approaches, particularly in higher education. Critical Race Mixed Methodology (CRMM) is a type of critical mixed methods research that combines Critical Race Theory (CRT) and mixed methods research (DeCuir-Gunby in Educational Psychologist 55, 244-255, 2020). However, there are limited examples of CRMM within higher education research (Johnson & Strayhorn in Journal of Diversity in Higher Education 16, 539-553, 2023). Our study further operationalizes CRMM through the explication of an explanatory sequential mixed methods exploration of African American college students’ experiences with racial microaggressions, where the qualitative findings are used to expand upon the quantitative findings (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). The study uses Critical Race Theory (Bell, 1992; Ladson-Billings & Tate in Teachers College Record 97, 47-68, 1995; Solórzano & Huber, 2020) to focus on how African American college students’ experiencing of racial microaggressions influences their racial identity and feelings of belonging in historically white institutions (HWIs). The quantitative findings (n = 97) indicated that private regard (racial identity) protected students’ sense of belonging when experiencing racial microaggressions. The qualitative findings (n = 15) explored students’ stories regarding their experiences with racial microaggressions, focusing on their feelings of belonging. Through our discussion, we advance the use of mixed methods in higher education research to better understand the racialized experiences of African American college students and demonstrate how CRMM can be used to integrate quantitative and qualitative findings.

Why it works: Using qualitative methods in economic education research

The authors of this article present arguments for why and how qualitative research should be used in economic education. These arguments recognize the nature of economics as a discipline and economics educators’ current expertise and preferences. The authors have five goals: (i) clarifying how and why the use of qualitative research in economic education fits in with economics as a discipline; (ii) identifying practical limitations of quantitative research in economic education; (iii) reviewing the limited literature on qualitative research in economic education; (iv) proposing how qualitative and quantitative methods can be combined in a mixed methods approach that recognizes the methodological assumptions of economics and the expertise of economists, and finally, (v) suggesting characteristics of systematic and rigorous qualitative research in economic education.

Improving A2-Level German Syntax And Morphology Via Learningapps.Org: a Web-Based Approach

The rapid change of times made foreign languages necessary in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, including German, which is taught in formal education. German language learning faces challenges due to the difference in grammatical systems between German (inflectional language) and Indonesian (agglutinative language). This difficulty often causes boredom and a lack of enthusiasm for learning. This research aims to create an A2-level German language learning media through Learning app. org-based quizzes. This development study uses the educational design research (EDR) method. The subjects involved in this research are one material expert and one media expert. The data collection methods used were interviews, observations, and questionnaires, and the instrument used was a questionnaire sheet. After the data was collected, it was analyzed using descriptive qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods. The results showed that based on validation data provided by material and media experts, the material achieved a validation score of 90%. This indicates that the material is suitable for learning media and falls into the Very Good category. In addition, the validation conducted by Learningapp.org resulted in a final percentage of 92.85%, confirming that Learningapp.org media is suitable for use in the Very Good category. So, Learningapp.org media is ideal for use. This research is expected to help learners expand morphology, building sentences, and improve syntactic understanding interactively.

The Impact of Heterogeneous Forms for the Same Subject on the Professional Development of English Teachers

As an educational research method, heterogeneous forms for the same subject cannot only help teachers accelerate the internalization of teaching concepts in a short period of time, but also highlight the social value of individual teachers and generate collective wisdom, which can effectively and quickly promote the professional development of English teachers. This paper expounds the related concepts of heterogeneous forms for the same subject and English teachers' professional development, and basically illustrates that heterogeneous forms for the same subject is one of the effective ways to promote the professional development of high school English teachers.

Enhancing research engagement in MSW students by investigating social work majors’ adverse life events and mental health outcomes

ABSTRACT Research literacy for graduate social work students may be enhanced by approaching the process of teaching research methods from an experiential learning perspective. This article provides an overview of an introductory MSW research course where students investigated adverse life events (ALEs) and their association with mental health outcomes in social work majors (N = 51). MSW students’ inquiry into ALEs helped to increase their understanding of the practical elements of trauma exposure and aftermath, along with conducting research that adds to the knowledge base of the topic. The findings on childhood maltreatment, adult interpersonal violence, and mental health outcomes are presented, along with students’ process of constructing and implementing their research studies. ALEs were common across the lifespan. However, few associations were found between ALEs, whether in childhood or adulthood, and mental (depression, anxiety, stress) and behavioral (alcohol use, cannabis use) health. Such findings underscored for students the complex relationship between psychological distress and resilience for social work trainees. Implications include further investigation to examine how positive coping skills may serve as essential moderators that create stress-buffering effects for social work trainees in the context of risk. Such information may enhance curricula to prepare students better to achieve professional competence.

Effects of Action Learning Strategies and Reflection in Teaching Business Research Methods in Business and Management Education

In a rapidly changing business world, Research Methods (RM) and their application to real-world problems are becoming skills that equip students for the rest of their lives. Thus, there are ongoing debates about several practical and pedagogical challenges to teaching research methods. One of the questions to address challenges is how to make RM interesting to Business and Management (B&M) students. Addressing this issue becomes even more debatable for the large class seatings in an increasingly internationalised context. Arguably, to remain relevant, Management Education (ME) must reflect the realities that influence its subject matter, while at the same time addressing social needs and expectations. Therefore, introducing innovative and inclusive methods for learning, teaching and assessment is becoming undoubtedly important for shaping the future of ME. This article presents a reflective analysis of introduced innovative learning, teaching and assessment methods for teaching RM on one of the largest PG taught courses in one of the UK’s higher education institutions. In this course, students learn and develop a research proposal for the final PG project. The innovative methods employed in this course were to address the above-mentioned challenge, making RM more interesting for B&M students by improving an engagement. This was achieved by incorporating an active and action learning strategies in flipped classroom settings. The idea was to create an interactive environment where students could master technical information through Learning Set Conversation (LSC), Reflection, and Critical Analysis. Having, LSC about the Case Study, which was linked to research process, helped students to adopt multicultural environment and have a great experience while they were learning and developing their Research Proposal. In addition, introducing the weekly Reflective Work/Reflective Diaries submission as a form of assessment, helped students to keep Reflective Diaries, which allowed them to observe their own research practice and the lessons they have learnt. Effectiveness of the introduced methods and recommendations are based on the Mid-module feedback data which was taken form 3 different intakes between 2021-2023.

Mapping Of Occupation In Quality Management Within National Qualification Framework To Close The Gap Between Education And Industry Needs

In the face of rapid industrial changes and globalization, there is a growing demand for highly skilled professionals in quality management within Indonesia. The Indonesian National Qualifications Framework (IQF) seeks to align vocational education with industry demands by establishing a clear framework of work competency standards. However, discrepancies persist between the competencies taught in vocational programs and those required in the industry, particularly in advanced areas such as data analysis and strategic quality planning. This study undertakes a systematic occupational mapping in the quality management sector to identify these gaps and develop strategies to address them. Utilizing methodologies like the Rapid Assessment Process (RAP), Gall and Borg's educational research methods, and Regional Model Competency Standards (RMCS), the study formulates a comprehensive occupational matrix. This matrix serves as a crucial tool for planning human resources, developing relevant educational and training curricula, and fostering career development aligned with market trends and needs. The research outcomes are aimed at enhancing the alignment of vocational education with industry standards, thereby increasing the employability and effectiveness of graduates in the quality management sector.

Pedagogical implications of pragmatic HRM research.

This chapter examines the interplay between human resource management theory and human resource management practice. It advocates that effective human resource management practice and theory are intrinsically intertwined, and this indispensable link ought to be central to the pedagogy of management research methods. Through greater embeddedness of the institutional and societal context in research method teaching, students can develop as scholars who understand their roles as facilitators of dialogue between researchers and a significant part of their audience (practitioners). The chapter conceptualizes this perspective as a collaborative model in human resource management research, which then must hold centrality in the teaching of research methods in our university and college classrooms.