Methodology of Educational Research I - OINQ4P011A

• Title: Methodology of Educational Research I
• Guaranteed by: Katedra pedagogiky (41-KPG)
• Faculty: Faculty of Education
• Actual: from 2021
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 4
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Extent per academic year: 0 [hours]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (unknown)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Guarantor: prof. RNDr. PhDr. Hana Voňková, Ph.D. et Ph.D.

Annotation

English

Last update: prof. RNDr. PhDr. Hana Voňková, Ph.D. et Ph.D. (13.09.2021)

The course prepares students to conducting qualitative and quantitative research in education. Students are taught to work independently with data using statistical software Gretl and R. The content of the course is divided into two parts - educational research methods and statistical analysis of data. In the first part, we, for example, discuss characteristics of qualitative and quantitative research, main steps in the research process and selected instruments of data collection. We also focuse on international comparative studies in education (PISA, TIMSS, CIVED etc.). In the second part, students are introduced to the basics of descriptive statistics (frequencies, measures of central tendency and variability, correlation coefficient, graphing data) and inferential statistics (hypotheses testing and linear regression) using selected examples and demonstration of data analyses in statistical software Gretl and R. Students are also introduced how to develop and analyse achievement tests.

Aim of the course

Last update: prof. RNDr. PhDr. Hana Voňková, Ph.D. et Ph.D. (13.09.2021)

The aim of the course is that students learn to conduct independently qualitative and quantitative research of a selected topic in education and critically evaluate the Czech public sector of education based on their knowledge about international comparative studies in education. Next, they learn to analyze data using selected statistical methods in softwares Gretl and R and statistically analyze achievement tests.

Literature

English

Last update: PhDr. Monika Kadrnožková, Ph.D. (26.10.2020)

Bell, J., Waters, S. (2018). Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-time Researchers. Amacom.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K. (2017). Research Methods in Education. New York: Routledge.

Creswell, J. W., Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. London: Sage Publications.

Gay, L.R., & Mills, G.E. (2018). Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application. New York: Pearson.

Hinkle, D.E., Wiersma, W., & Jurs, S.G. (2003). Applied Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. Boston : Houghton Mifflin.

Shults, K.S., Whitney, D.J., & Zickar, M.J. (2014). Measurement Theory in Action: Case Studies and Exercises. New York: Routledge.

Williams, J. (2020). How to Read and Understand Educational Research. London: Sage Publications.

Requirements to the exam

Last update: prof. RNDr. PhDr. Hana Voňková, Ph.D. et Ph.D. (13.09.2021)

The final grade is based on the final test based on the content of the course.

Syllabus

Last update: prof. RNDr. PhDr. Hana Voňková, Ph.D. et Ph.D. (13.09.2021)

1. Qualitative and quantitative educational research - their characteristics and comparison and the most common types.

2. Main steps of research process (identifying a research problem, reviewing the literature, selecting participants, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting data, reporting and evaluating research).

3. Characteristics of a good research topic.

4. Questionnaire - construction, examples of questionnaires used in educational research.

5. Observation - example of structured observation a its use in educational research.

6. Types of attitude scales - Likert, semantic differential and rating scales.

7. International comparative studies in education - organizations conducting these studies, studies TIMSS and PISA and comparison of their goals, testing population and test items, results of Czech students in reading, scientific and mathematical literacy.

8. Descriptive statistics - frequencies, measures of central tendency and variability, correlation coefficient, graphing data.

9. Inferential statistics - population, random sample, normal distribution, hypotheses testing, error of the first and second kind, p-value. T-test, F-test, chi-square test and simple linear regression analysis. 10. Analyzing data using the described methods of descriptive and inferential statistics in free statistical softwares Gretl and R.