Research Projects

This section introduces my dissertation topic, two developmental research projects, and an information chart to help me comprehend the qualitative and quantitative differences in the research domain. For an overview of educational research, take a look at the concept map The Nature of Educational Research.

Dissertation

The Effects of Analytic Scoring Rubrics, Instructional Guidance, and Task Type (Well- or Ill-structured) on Self-efficacy and Academic Achievement

Core research question

Will teacher credential candidates, who are identified with high and low self-efficacy for either the well- or ill-structured task of developing a previously untried lesson plan format and who receive instruction for using the task's analytic scoring rubric as a goal-setting and self-assessment instrument, increase self-efficacy for the task and achieve a higher academic standard for the task greater than subjects who either receive the rubric without instruction in how to use it or who do not receive a rubric?

Rationale for study

Rubrics are an increasingly common tool for assessing student achievement on complex or multi-part tasks (Wiggens, 1998; Arter & McTighe, 2001), but little empirical evidence exists to support the claims that rubrics by themselves improve student performance for the designated task.

Tasks can be classified as either well-structured or ill-structured depending on the degree of detail for the end-product of the task given to the student (Feltovich, Spiro, Coulson, & Feltovich, 1996) and the amount of support the student receives to accomplish the task (Salomon, Globerson, & Guterman, 1989). Ill-structured tasks have been shown to positively affect the student's skills for analysis, synthesis, and problem-solving (Palinscar and Brown, 1984; Scardamalia, Bereiter & Steinbach, 1984).

Self-efficacy is a key element in motivation, which has been shown to contribute to academic success and is a trait that can be influenced by four factors, two of which are goal-setting and evaluation or feedback (Bandura, 1986, 1997; Schunk, 1996).

Review of the literature indicates room for a research study on the use of rubrics as an instrument to help student's goal-setting and SELF-evaluation for a given task. I propose that instruction on how to use a rubric for goal-setting and self-evaluation will increase a student's self-efficacy for that task, particularly an ill-structured task, but also well-structured tasks.

Quantitative

The Effects of Generative Learning Strategies and Learning Style (Field-dependent/Field-independent) on Facilitation of Learner Achievement of Different Educational Objectives

Abstract: The purpose of the research was to assess the effectiveness of using a generative learning strategy, written summaries, for improving comprehension when reading text-based instructional materials and to investigate the possible interaction of written summaries and the learner’s field-dependent or field-independent cognitive style. Sixty students from an introductory university course were tested for field-dependence/independence, blocked by cognitive style and then randomly assigned to three experimental and one control groups. The instructional treatments based on the physiology of the human heart, were designed to guide the learner to use one of three written summary strategies, (1) among the parts of the text and (2) between the text and prior knowledge, beliefs, and experience, and (3) a written summary that combines both strategies. Post treatment achievement data were collected on four criterion measures, drawing, terminology, identification, and comprehension, regarding the parts, interrelationships, and functions of the heart.
[Open pdf document]

Qualitative

Characteristics of Diversity Leadership Among Faculty of Color in Educational Technology in Higher Education

Abstract: This naturalistic research inquiry emerged from my observation that neither the research literature nor practice of educational technology in higher education addresses particular issues of minority and underrepresented students. These issues are well represented in the literature of other education fields. A possible reason for this lack of research focus on underrepresented students may be partially explained by a limited number of diversity leaders in the field. A diversity leader is one who has a disposition towards multiculturalism, which may include anyone. The research interests of faculty in educational technology are driven in part by their personal characteristics (i.e., interests, philosophy, experience) and in part by the accepted norms of the field. For further analysis, refer to my paper, By Character and Action: Towards a Leadership Diversity Model for Educational Technology in Higher Education [pdf].

To illuminate the uncertainty of understanding of this phenomenon, I propose this qualitative research study based on the ethnographic methodology. This is applied research that focuses on and seeks to explain a societal concern. The critical phenomena are the personal and professional characteristics and behavior of faculty of color in educational technology programs in higher education in the U.S. The broad comparison groups include five faculty members and select people within their sphere of influence (i.e., mentors, peers, students). The observation strategies for uncovering the essence of the lives of diversity leaders include interviews and document analysis.
The goal of the study is to develop a theoretical framework for identifying diversity leadership in educational technology. This framework can then be used for further research of the phenomena of developing or enhancing diversity leadership within the culture of educational technology in higher education.
[Open pdf document]

Quantitative or Qualitative! What's the difference?