EDUC 607 - Murillo

In no more than two or three (2 or 3) paragraphs each, respond to any 5 of the questions below. Open Book – Open Note!!! Label each question # to which you are responding, worth 2 points each.

1) What are the purposes / goals of educational research?

2) If not through research, what do we base our educational decisions on? Can you recall examples of “non-disciplined” inquiry?

3) What kind of things can we find out by reading research?

4) Why is epistemology an important category for educators and / or educational researchers?

5) Are some forms of research better or more trustworthy than others? What types of preliminary questions might you ask?

6) In your own words, describe what this statement means: “You cannot save by analysis what you bungled by design?”

7) Thus far in your understanding and experience, describe what you see could be the advantages and disadvantages of working on a research project in a group?

8) Different types of research methodology appeal to different people. Do you feel more comfortable with the processes of quantitative or qualitative research methods? Why? What is it you specifically like or dislike about each?

9) Considering the difference between quantitative and qualitative approaches, what is the relationship between the investigator and that which is investigated?

10) How do values relate to methodological choice?

11) Not all “key terms” are equal in importance. What are the three most important research terms you have come across thus far? Describe why you think they are the most important.

12) What are some fundamental assumptions of positivistic research?

13) What are some fundamental assumptions of interpretivistic research?

14) What kind of research methods do you think school “actors” (teachers, counselors, administrators, etc...) would find the most useful and / or appropriate? Why?

15) This course emphasizes research design. Has your ability to understand research reports (articles) changed because of this emphasis? What about your attitude and confidence level? Explain.

16) Thus far in your understanding and experience, what do you see as the relationship between research and practice?

17) Why does research fail to substantially influence practice?