Evaluating Research Methods

Scenario 1: Ten students are available for in-depth interviews. Participants will be selected based on their involvement with the peer mediation program. They will be observed over three weeks. Analysis will attempt to determine issues concerning peer mediation.

For the first scenario the qualitative method would be the most suitable. The participants in the scenario are subjects in a case study that examines the students over a period of time and describes personal experiences and detailed interviews.


Scenario 2: Two classrooms of students are selected. There are 30 students in each class; each group will have similar demographics—age, sex, race, socio-economic background, etc. Classes will be randomly divided into two groups of 15 students. Of these two groups, one randomly selected group will get training on peer mediation and the other group will not. Thus in each classroom there will be one group that is trained in peer mediation and one that is not. Analysis will occur on which groups have the fewest office referrals.

This second scenario has an experimental make up that makes it the quantitative research design. In this scenario “the researcher manipulates what the subjects will experience” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p. 23). The students in the study have been divided into groups that will be manipulated by either receiving or not receiving peer mediation. This scenario also uses the true experimental method with “random assignments” because “every subject used in the study has an equal chance of being in each group” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.24).


Scenario 3: A school counselor is interested in knowing how student attitudes affect the value of peer mediation to decrease the number of office referrals that are being filed for inappropriate interactions.

I believe that this scenario is mixed method. The research in this scenario is conducted in the natural environment of the subjects so that makes it quantitative. The number of referrals is also looked at in the study so that makes it qualitative.


Scenario 4: Peer mediation has become widely used in many schools. The feelings of those involved in the process are little known—either from those doing the mediation or those receiving it. The ZASK-R Acceptance Preference Survey will be given as pre- and post-tests to 40 students participating in mediation. Follow-up interviews will be conducted on a bi-monthly basis.

The last scenario also is mixed-method design. The pre- and post- tests in the scenario fall under the quantitative design surveys. The scenario is qualitative because it has face to face interviews on a bi-monthly basis which falls under “case study (which) examines a bounded system, or a case, over time in detail, employing multiple sources of data found in a setting” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.26).


As an educator I need to use the best method of research to get the best result possible when it comes to my students and their learning. I have learned through this class that I need to examine my educational practices and see which ones work well and which ones need tweaking. Through the research that I conduct in my class either quantitative, qualitative, or mix-method, I need to make sure that I use it proper and accurately so that the results are not skewed. I do not want to be that educator that delivers misleading statistics.

Reference

McMillian, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2006). Research in Education: Evidence-based inquiry(6th Ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.