EDR8205-1 Week 1 Assignment: Analyze the Basics of a Quantitative Research Design
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The document is an assignment cover sheet for a graduate-level task at Northcentral University, focused on analyzing the basics of quantitative research design. It highlights the importance of understanding the role of highly qualified teachers in inclusive classrooms, particularly concerning students with disabilities and cultural diversity. The research conducted by Lucas and Frazier (2014) assesses the impact of a cultural diversity course on pre-service teachers' attitudes toward teaching diverse populations, emphasizing the methodologies, variables, and limitations involved in the study.
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It is relevant to note that the research subjects did not receive compensation for their
participation in the study. Researchers divided the participants into two group: Experimental
(Pre-service teachers who were completing or near completion of an introductory class on
cultural diversity [course work and hands-on field experiences].) and control group (Students
who had not taken the class on cultural diversity and were randomly selected.). Deciding
whether to use randomization depends, in part, on consideration for participants (Çaparlar, &
Dönmez, 2016). For example, in school settings, moving students around for randomization
purpose could pose disruptions in normal classroom activities.
Variables. If an object, event, idea, feeling or category can be measured, it can be
labeled a variable, and there are two types: Independent and dependent (Black, 2012; Lodico,
Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). The latter, for example, is changeable and the independent
variable would have been the cause of or related to the change (e.g., by implementing XYZ math
intervention program, students’ standardized test scores increased by 50%). In Lucas and
Frazier’s (2014) study, diverse learners, some aspects of participants’ background data, and the
service-based introductory diversity course were labeled independent variables. Research
Participants were dependent variables, and gender, age, and race were demographic variables.
Data Collection. Tools included a service-based diversity training course, a posttest
design (to control for pretest sensitization) rather than both pretests and posttest, a survey to
gather demographic data, and the Opinions Relative to Integration instrument (ORI) (designed to
measures attitudes, has a 7-point Likert scale, and four subscale categories).
Data Analysis. Researchers used an independent samples T-test (means variations
between the posttests the ORI and statistically significant differences between means of the
posttest and the 3 hours diversity course), the Cronbach coefficient (instrument validity), and the](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/quasi-experimental-paper-applied-basic-190221045317/85/EDR8205-1-Week-1-Assignment-Analyze-the-Basics-of-a-Quantitative-Research-Design-4-320.jpg)
![OHAYNESEDR8204-8 6
References
Black, T. (2012). Doing quantitative research in the social sciences: An integrated approach to
research design, measurement, and statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Çaparlar, C. Ö., & Dönmez, A. (2016). What is Scientific Research and How Can it be
Done? Turkish Journal of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, 44(4), 212–218.
http://doi.org/10.5152/TJAR.2016.34711
Creswell, John W. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating
quantitative and qualitative research (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Lodico, M., Spaulding, D., & Voegtle, K. (2010). Methods in educational research: From theory
to practice (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley &Sons.
Long, N. (2010). A personal connection to research: Survey research. [Media]. Walden
University: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/53028/CRS-EDUC8000-
4449580/presentation2/2-2/index.htm.
Lucas, D., & Frazier, B. (2014). The effects of a service-learning introductory diversity course
on pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward teaching diverse students populations. Academy
of Educational Leadership Journal, 18(2),91-124.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/quasi-experimental-paper-applied-basic-190221045317/85/EDR8205-1-Week-1-Assignment-Analyze-the-Basics-of-a-Quantitative-Research-Design-6-320.jpg)
EDR8205-1 Week 1 Assignment: Analyze the Basics of a Quantitative Research Design
- 1. Running head: OHAYNESEDR8205-1 1 NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Student: Orlanda Haynes Date: 05/13/2018 THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETELY FILLED IN Follow these procedures: If requested by your instructor, please include an assignment cover sheet. This will become the first page of your assignment. In addition, your assignment header should include your last name, first initial, course code, dash, and assignment number. This should be left justified, with the page number right justified. For example: DoeJXXX0000-1 1 Save a copy of your assignments: You may need to re-submit an assignment at your instructor’s request. Make sure you save your files in accessible location. Academic integrity: All work submitted in each course must be your own original work. This includes all assignments, exams, term papers, and other projects required by your instructor. Knowingly submitting another person’s work as your own, without properly citing the source of the work, is considered plagiarism. This will result in an unsatisfactory grade for the work submitted or for the entire course. It may also result in academic dismissal from the University. EDR8205-1 Week 1 Assignment: Analyze the Basics of a Quantitative ResearchDesign Instructor: Dr. Vance Faculty Only
- 2. OHAYNESEDR8204-8 2 Analyze the Basics of a Quantitative Research Design The purpose of this assignment is to advance Ed D students’ knowledge and skills about the research process as it applies to quantitative research designs. For illustration purpose, this paper includes an overview of Lucas and Frazier’s (2014) research including the design, methodology, and results. Education policy makers highly emphasize the importance of hiring highly qualified teachers, especially since the passing of the No Child Left Behind law. In addition, (to the extent possible), the Disabilities Education Improvement Act hold schools responsible for implementing educational practices that include students with disabilities (SWD) in regular classrooms (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010; Lucas & Frazier, 2014). Therefore, the definition of “highly qualified teachers” includes skills and abilities needed to teach SWD (Lucas & Frazier, 2014). Lucas and Frazier’s (2014) asserted that, “Pre-service teachers must be armed with the tools necessary for addressing the increasing diversity within the public- school classroom” (p. 1). As such, the purpose of their research was to explore and understand some of the issues and problems that inexperience teachers might have when it comes to teaching special needs students (e.g., those with intellectual, learning, and emotional disabilities) and culturally diverse students in regular classrooms and, secondly, to recommend practical solutions. ResearchDesign Research has two core categories: basic and applied. Researchers use the latter to answer specific questions or to solve real-world problems. Best practice recommends conducting studies in the settings where the phenomena occur, or in similar, naturalistic environments. Comparatively, the primary aim of basic research is to expand scientific knowledge through theoretical means, which excludes setting restraints (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010; Long, 2010). Lucas and Frazier (2014) used an applied framework to create a quasi-experimental
- 3. OHAYNESEDR8204-8 3 nonrandomized control group posttest design. Except for excluding one or more components (e.g., pre-post-tests, treatment and control groups, and random assignment of participants), the frameworks are comparative to regular experimental designs. Researchers, in most cases, use the design to evaluate the effects of intervention programs (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). Lucas and Frazier wanted to know what effects, if any, would a three-hours cultural diversity course have on inexperience pre-service teachers’ attitudes about the inclusion of both students with disabilities and culturally diverse students in standard classrooms. Their research foundation was based on Lev Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism, which included cognitive dissonance, scaffolding, zone of proximal development, and psychological tools (e.g., written, and oral communication skills). This school of thought posits that students’ prior knowledge, experiences, and skills will affect how they perceive new learning including positively or negatively. Lucas and Frazier (2014), therefore, needed to know what current beliefs the participants had. Method The research team conducted the study at a small private liberal arts university in North Carolina (general Education classrooms), which included a survey of 110 students who were either enrolled in a Teacher Education program or had declared it as their major and were either completing or near completion of an introductory class on cultural diversity. Lucas and Frazier (2014) noted that Of the 110 respondents, 70% (77) were 18-25 years of age, 43% (47) had taken the service-based introductory class in diversity, 60% (65) identified Elementary Education as their licensure area, 92% (101) identified as white/Caucasian, and 77% (85) were female. (p. 21).
- 4. OHAYNESEDR8204-8 4 It is relevant to note that the research subjects did not receive compensation for their participation in the study. Researchers divided the participants into two group: Experimental (Pre-service teachers who were completing or near completion of an introductory class on cultural diversity [course work and hands-on field experiences].) and control group (Students who had not taken the class on cultural diversity and were randomly selected.). Deciding whether to use randomization depends, in part, on consideration for participants (Çaparlar, & Dönmez, 2016). For example, in school settings, moving students around for randomization purpose could pose disruptions in normal classroom activities. Variables. If an object, event, idea, feeling or category can be measured, it can be labeled a variable, and there are two types: Independent and dependent (Black, 2012; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). The latter, for example, is changeable and the independent variable would have been the cause of or related to the change (e.g., by implementing XYZ math intervention program, students’ standardized test scores increased by 50%). In Lucas and Frazier’s (2014) study, diverse learners, some aspects of participants’ background data, and the service-based introductory diversity course were labeled independent variables. Research Participants were dependent variables, and gender, age, and race were demographic variables. Data Collection. Tools included a service-based diversity training course, a posttest design (to control for pretest sensitization) rather than both pretests and posttest, a survey to gather demographic data, and the Opinions Relative to Integration instrument (ORI) (designed to measures attitudes, has a 7-point Likert scale, and four subscale categories). Data Analysis. Researchers used an independent samples T-test (means variations between the posttests the ORI and statistically significant differences between means of the posttest and the 3 hours diversity course), the Cronbach coefficient (instrument validity), and the
- 5. OHAYNESEDR8204-8 5 the Levene Homogeneity of Variance test, which indicates if the assumption of equal variance is valid. Limitations Lucas and Frazier (2014) noted that (a) the study relied too heavily on self-assessments, (b) the sample size was small and convenience, (c) the sample participants lacked adequate diversity, and (d) the attitudinal surveys had fewer questions than those of a similar nature. Results Researchers suggested that the overall results showed that students who took the cultural diversity course had some statistical significant differences in their attitudes and understanding about potential benefits of including students with disabilities in regular classrooms than their counterpart did. That demographic data played a significant role in some students’ resistance to including students with disabilities. However, the data had no affect on students’ attitudes about including diverse student populations. And that education communities could use their research findings, in part, to help educators improve their knowledge about teaching diverse populations and students with disabilities, to address problems related to the high turnover rate of teachers, and to address how professional development programs could further advance teacher education. Conclusion The aim of this assignment is to identify and to discuss components of a quantitative research design. For illustration purpose, the paper includes Lucas and Frazier’s (2014) article: The Effects of a Service-Learning Introductory Diversity Course on Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Diverse Students Populations. Headings include the research design, method, variables, data collection and analysis, limitations, and results.
- 6. OHAYNESEDR8204-8 6 References Black, T. (2012). Doing quantitative research in the social sciences: An integrated approach to research design, measurement, and statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Çaparlar, C. Ö., & Dönmez, A. (2016). What is Scientific Research and How Can it be Done? Turkish Journal of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, 44(4), 212–218. http://doi.org/10.5152/TJAR.2016.34711 Creswell, John W. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Lodico, M., Spaulding, D., & Voegtle, K. (2010). Methods in educational research: From theory to practice (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley &Sons. Long, N. (2010). A personal connection to research: Survey research. [Media]. Walden University: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/53028/CRS-EDUC8000- 4449580/presentation2/2-2/index.htm. Lucas, D., & Frazier, B. (2014). The effects of a service-learning introductory diversity course on pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward teaching diverse students populations. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 18(2),91-124.