What Are the Student Conception and Beliefs about Learning - Essay Example

RESEARCH METHODS IN EDUCATION STUDIES Research Methods in Education Studies Evaluation on Investigating Pupil’s Ideas of Learning 1. The research question was supposed to be ‘What are the students conception and beliefs about learning? The research aims to reveal the students ways of handling learning situations, the conceptions and the beliefs the students hold about learning. It also focused to get the relationship between these variables and how the academic performance has been addressed. 2. The theoretical framework of the research is divided into the phonographic and metacognitive line research .There are assumptions in the literature review. There is a conception on how the learner focuses is intended to be on learning alone (Boulton-Lewis, Marton, &Wilss, 2001, p. 154). 3. The epistemological assumption could be how students beliefs could undergo changes with time and how they could be related to some of their notions in learning. From epistemological questionnaire, the research explained and interpreted the statistical correlations. The correlations are between the independent variables obtained the school level and learning conception while the dependent variable included the factors scores obtained. The implications in the assumption are that by tabulating learning conceptions as the final variable, it resulted to a considerably small estimate of academic performance. 4. The data about procedural and conceptual traits of what learning is like and how learning took place were studied by qualitative data analysis method. The problems realized concerning the concluding sets of learning conceptions were abstracted to an honestly interpretive procedure, says Marton et al. (1993). 5. The design of the particular methods used (participants, procedure and instruments) were reliable and appropriate. The participants, who are secondary students were informed earlier before the investigation. Their parents consent is sought since the students were minors. Administering of questionnaires was done confidentiality by the respondents. Order of administering the questionnaires was random Schommers EQ (1993) and Tynjälas (1997). 6. Ethical consideration such as seeking permission from parents, requesting for student assistance for them to be examined and to test for instruments applicability, analysis such as exploratory and confirmatory were done. 7. Conclusions on the result are valid and relevant to the actual experiments that were conducted. For example, the first correspondence analysis was established on an interdependence technique that facilitated dimensional reduction of qualitative data (Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black, 1995, p. 17). 8. The research methodology is very reliable and not so much compared to surveying. The method by which they are administered is highly recommendable. The objective of the research is also of grave importance as it enables one to get a wider picture about varied beliefs in learning. 9. One major strength that not only do learners acquire experience but also get to understand and interpret the learning conceptions. The weakness is that it did not illustrate how teachers can benefit from the results on the beliefs in learning. On my opinion, the research on students has suggested on how the merger of different theoretical perceptions is necessary. Evaluation on Lived Childhood Experiences by Taylor L. 1. Research question ‘How can teachers contribute to a socially fair world". The aim of the research was challenge the social inequities, celebrate the multiple and contradiction and have a value in subjectivity of the matter. The significance of this study was to inspire teachers to reevaluate how they might be teachers. 2. The theoretical framework of the study was to trace the childrens journey through their period of four years to conduct a research on the project that was formed around collective storytelling. This has been framed using a critical informative theories on the teachers experiences. Teachers anticipated that the social story was useful in teaching social skills. 3. This research develops on the preceding research by the author on how the teaching professional can help to achieve progressive change in the social beliefs of people (Taylor, 2007, p.102). The implication was to deliberately challenge and cause disruption on the taken-for-granted ideologies. 1. Percentage respondents according to different ages. I could have phrased the question to be, "Which age group do I belong?" 2. It is important to always know the aim of the measurement one is going to carry before selecting the measuring instrument. Factors to consider include: a. Defining the construct and theoretical model. The construct one is interested in indicates the kind of measuring instrument one should choose. For example, administering of questionnaire. The construct should be different from other narrowly related constructs. Models such as that by Wilson and Clearly (1995) can be used. b. Aim of measurement. A measuring instrument can be used as a discriminative (to measure difference in people at a single time) or as an evaluative (to measure changes within people over time), or as predictive (for classification of individuals according to prediction). Interpretation and validation are imperative for all of the purposes. c. Target population. Measuring instrument to be intended for the targeted population for example age or gender. d. Feasibility. This considers costs, duration, expertise required and target group. e. Measurement properties. For example, when the instrument is used to discriminating purpose, reliability is significant. f. Targeted number of individual or group. Measuring individual respondents requires higher demand on reliability and few errors while, on a group level, the error is lesser. I could have first decided on the research method to apply, taking into consideration the appropriate instrument to use. 3. Data analysis and presentation Data presentation Data Analysis - The module prepared the most students for their dissertation. - Most students enjoyed the module. - The module prepared most of the students for their assignments. - Most of the assignments were relevant to the content of the module. - None of the students disagreed that the assessments was relevant to the content of the module. - Most of the students found that their leader of the module was helpful and approachable. - The time and day of the lecture never worked for any student. 4. I categorized the data using the priori category. Difficulties in Data Analysis. a. Insufficient skills to analyze data. Various studies suggest this could be the case more frequent than it is believed (Nowak, 1994; Silverman, Manson, 2003, p.65). b. Drawing impartial inference. Biasness occurring in data collection, selection of method of analysis increases the likeliness of getting impartial inference (Altman, 2001, p.24). c. Lack of clear objective in measured outcome. Whether done on purpose or not, this act increases likeliness of proper data analysis. d. Providing dishonest and inaccurate analysis. This results from altering data, missing data (Shamoo, Resnik, 2003, p.102). e. Environmental issues. Environmental factors can compromise data analysis and so researchers ought to take this into consideration when analyzing data. f. Reliability and validity. According Gottschalk, (1995, p.99) validity of any content to be analyzed refers to the correspondence to the assumptions and generalization to a theory. g. Extent of analysis. Raters when coding text materials for analysis must organize each code into a suitable group for referencing. Difficulties encountered are like students who did not participate in the process of data collection. Some respondents were not sure about the kind of answer to give. Making assumptions by the analyzer that perhaps there is no need of all respondents giving out their views. 5. Collection of data and its analysis are correlated. Accuracy and validity should always be taken into consideration. If data collected is incorrect then the analysis that is going to be taken from it is eventually going to be incorrect. Therefore in the future, I should try to be keen during processes of data collection and analysis to avoid giving incorrect information that can mislead. 6. a. Advantages of other research methods: - It is tailored to ones needs. One can research what he/she wants, how you want it. There is no reason to rely on other peoples information. - The research will gain accuracy for the current time it is conducted. - No need to rely on other peoples results as results can be interpreted on ones needs. - It is very cheap as there is no need to travel for long distances. - The researcher is able to reach more potential respondents and so one is able to have a clue of the desires of the respondents. - This method provides deep information on the particular case study. - Additional information. There is the likeliness to obtain large amount of information on a large number of the students. - Flexibility. This method provides for greater level of flexibility for example, in wording. - Motivational. The respondents are likely to take the questions with seriousness. Most people prefer talking to writing. - Since it is pictorial in nature, one can easily understand the analysed information. Disadvantages. - There is little or no control of the research situation. - Characteristics such as sex of the respondents can influence the respondents. - Observe effect which refers to how the presence of a researcher can in some way influence the behavior of the respondents. - It can be time consuming. The research method may not be feasible for a researcher due to limited time and therefore alternative strategies could be used. - Biasness of the interviewer can undermine the reliability and validity of the collected data. This is because the researcher records what he/she wanted to perhaps get. References Boulton-Lewis, G., Wills, L., & Lewis, D. (2003). Dissonance between Conceptions of Learning and Ways of Learning for Indigenous Australian University Students. Studies in Higher Education. 28, 79-89. Cliff, A. F. (1998). Teacher-Learners Conceptions of Learning: Evidence of a "Communalist" Conception Amongst Postgraduate Learners? Higher Education. 35, 205-20. Dillon, W. (1984). Multivariate analysis methods and applications. New York, John Willey & Sons. Dixon, W. J. (1985). BMDP statistical software. Berkeley, University of California Press. Furnham, A. (2013). Personality and Approaches to Learning. 588-607. Hofer, B. K., & Pintrich, P. R. (1997). The Development of Epistemological Theories: Beliefs About Knowledge and Knowing and Their Relation to Learning. Review of Educational Research. 67, 88-140. Kaluzniacky, E. (2004). Cognition, Creativity, and Learning. Kember, D. (2000). Misconceptions about the learning approaches, motivation and study practices of Asian students. Higher Education -New York Then Dordrecht- Elsevier Publishing Company Then Kluwer Academic Publishers-. 40, 99-121. Perry, W. G., & Sprinthall, N. A. (1968). Patterns of development in thought and values of students in a liberal arts college; a validation of a scheme. [Washington], U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of Education, Bureau of Research. Silverman, S., & Manson, M. (2003). Research on Teaching in Physical Education Doctoral Dissertations: A Detailed Investigation of Focus, Method, and Analysis. Journal Of Teaching in Physical Education. 22, 280-297. Read More