Reading & Crafting Research Questions

1. Reading & Crafting Research Questions Day #3, June 20th CEP 955 Summer Hybrid, 2013 Jack Smith Michigan State University

2. Overview • Work on the Wentzel piece (pick up some of yesterday’s content) • Features of “good” research questions • Work on your research questions (laboratory work) • Comfortable with your RQs or • Recently changed and want feedback • Two theory bites

3. Wentzel • Pick up what we did not do with conceptual frameworks yesterday • Examine the conceptual frame to RQs relationship • Look from RQs into her study design • Ten minutes to review her article front end (up to Method) • How well does her conceptual framework link the constructs she wants to study? • Does her diagram communicate this frame well? • Where are her RQs?

4. Questions & Research Questions • Not all interesting questions are RQs • RQs often only approximate what we want to know; rationality can entail disappointment • Two types of questions that are not RQs • Questions of wonder • Why are some teachers open to experimentation and others not? • What makes some kids voracious readers? • Why does “practice” work for some kids and not others? • Questions driven by compelling need (“do something” Qs) • How can I change these kids’ lives? • How can I reduce the stress on these teachers? • How can I increase students’ real interests • Non-RQs can be refined to RQs • Suggestion: Honor and record all your questions

5. Qualities of Well-formed RQs • Significant (SRIE, chap. 3) • Empirical (SRIE, chap. 3) • Feasible (has specific meaning in Practicum context) • Clearly stated • Key terms (nouns and verbs) are defined/explained • Linguistic forms of RQs align with study’s design and methods • How…? How much…? When…? What kind of…? • Does…? [suggests Yes/No response] • Yes/No answers are usually not very informative without follow-up questions to nature or extent of the Yes or No

6. Criteria (for evaluating RQs) • Is it empirical (or some other kind of question)? • Is it related clearly to the stated need/problem? • Are the key components (nouns & verbs) clarified sufficiently? • What sort of answers might result?

7. RQ Laboratory • Who is ready for some class attention to their current RQs? • Background (to make sense of RQs) • Features of the problem • What literature review has shown • Peers and Jack will • Apply the criteria for good RQs • Ask about or nominate alternative RQs

8. Conceptual & Operational Definition (of key terms) • The success of your proposal depends on your ability to clarify the meaning of your most central terms • Conceptual definition: Define the construct in terms that an educator could understand • Operational definition: Describe the conditions under which you will say that the construct is present • Conceptual precedes operational • Operational engages your measures • Sources (for both) • Prior research • Your own efforts

9. Theory Bites (x 2) • Reminder on time restriction = 10 minutes • Introducing Jessica’s Practicum • Jessica’s theory bite: UTAUT theory • Q&A; discussion • Introducing Josh’s Practicum • Josh’s theory bite: LPP • Q&A; discussion

10. Homework for tomorrow • Tomorrow’s focus: Uses of theory • Key (recommended) text: Greeno, Collins, & Resnick, “Cognition & Learning” (1996) • Distinguishes three families of perspectives on C & L • Discusses multiple influential theories within each perspective • Theories of technology use: CBAM, TPACK, UTAUT • Creswell chapters • 3: Uses of Theory (“preliminary consideration”) • Definition of theory • Test of theory or theory to frame and orient? • 6: Purpose Statements (not explicitly “theoretical”) • Issues for you to ponder: Am I engaging theory? If so, which? How to place my discussion of theory(ies) in my proposal?