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Traditional & Action Research
Traditional & Action Research
Traditional Research
Purpose: Aims to contribute to general knowledge by testing theories, generating new knowledge, or providing empirical data for future reference.
Method: Follows a systematic, often quantitative, approach using controlled environments to ensure reliability and validity. Typically, it includes hypothesis testing, data collection, and statistical analysis.
Controlled Experiments
Traditional research often uses experiments where variables are controlled to find cause-and-effect relationships. For example, a study on sleep and academic performance might divide participants into two groups: one sleeping 8 hours a night and the other only 4 hours. Both groups would then take the same test in the same environment to measure performance.
Surveys and Questionnaires
Researchers collect data from a large group using surveys with set questions. For example, a survey on customer satisfaction might ask participants to rate a product on a 1-to-5 scale. The data is then analyzed to find patterns, like whether lower prices lead to higher satisfaction.
Action Research
Purpose: Aim to solve specific problems in a particular context or improve practice through iterative cycles of reflection, action, and evaluation.
Method: Involves practitioners (e.g., teachers or instructional designers) who engage in real-time data collection and reflection. It often combines both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Combination Applications
An instructional designer finds that students are struggling with an online course. They make small changes, like adding short videos and interactive quizzes. After the change, the designer observes and collects data on the students. Check how long students take to complete each part of the course and gather feedback through surveys. Eventually, they looked at the results to see if the changes made the course easier for students and refined it in the further.
Another example comes from healthcare. Nurses in a hospital observe that shift handovers are taking too long, causing delays in patient care. To address this issue, they develop and implement a standardized checklist for handovers. They collect data on the time taken for handovers before and after using the checklist and gather feedback from nurses involved in the process. Based on the results, they reflect on what works well and refine the checklist to improve the handover procedure.
Key Differences
Key Differences
Traditional Research seeks generalizable knowledge, whereas Action Research seeks practical solutions for specific contexts.
Traditional research is more theoretical, while Action Research is more hands-on and reflective.
Research Methodologies
Research Methodologies
Quantitative Data
This type of data is numerical and can be measured or counted. It focuses on the "what" or "how many" aspect. For example, in an IDT setting, quantitative data might include test scores, the number of students who completed a course, or the time it took for students to finish an activity. This type of data is often gathered through structured surveys, assessments, or tracking tools.
Qualitative Data
This type of data focuses on descriptive, non-numerical information. It helps us understand the "why" and "how" behind a situation. For example, in an educational context, qualitative data might include students' feelings about a lesson, their feedback on instructional materials, or interviews about their learning experiences. It’s usually collected through methods like interviews, observations, or open-ended survey questions.
Mixed
Data
This type of data focuses on descriptive, non-numerical information. It helps us understand the "why" and "how" behind a situation. For example, in an educational context, qualitative data might include students' feelings about a lesson, their feedback on instructional materials, or interviews about their learning experiences. It’s usually collected through methods like interviews, observations, or open-ended survey questions.
Reflection
I have always felt that doing research is the hardest part of academic study. It requires a lot of searching and reading back and forth. However, I have learned very important principles through this process, such as summarizing and paraphrasing content appropriately and reading articles in the most efficient way. The different research methods helped me approach a completely new research topic from a different perspective.
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