Educational research - 6 Chapter Notes | Crash Course for UGC NET Education PDF Download

Understanding Educational Research

Scientific Education

Educational research involves a systematic effort to comprehend and improve the educational process. By utilizing the Scientific Method, researchers investigate various educational issues with the aim of enhancing effectiveness. The core objectives include understanding, explaining, predicting, and managing human behaviour in different contexts to achieve better outcomes.

The focus of educational research is on developing concepts and theories related to processes and practices, which aids in understanding educational events and phenomena. Knowledge in education is often acquired gradually and randomly through experience. Therefore, research-based solutions are essential to prevent future generations from being burdened by ignorance and bias.

Educational research aims to create a structured body of scientific knowledge about events crucial to educators, particularly concerning the behaviour patterns of pupils learned through education. A scientific understanding of education helps educators identify effective teaching methods and conditions necessary to nurture desired behaviours in school students.

What is Educational Research?

Mouly defines educational research as the systematic application of the Scientific Method to solve educational problems.

Overview of Educational Research

Research in Education

Educational research is a scientific approach to solving problems and understanding various aspects of education, including how children learn and develop. It aims to gather and organize knowledge to improve the teaching-learning process. Researchers focus on gathering facts about children’s personalities, learning processes, emotional development, social adjustment, and skills, as well as the factors affecting their growth and development.

Characteristics of Educational Research

• Purposeful: Educational research is conducted with a clear purpose in mind, aiming to address specific educational problems.
• Problem-Solving: The primary goal is to find solutions to educational challenges and issues.
• Empirical Evidence: Research is based on observable experiences and empirical evidence, ensuring that findings are grounded in reality.
• Data Collection: Involves gathering new data from primary sources or reusing existing data for new purposes. This may include surveys, experiments, or observations.
• Data Organization: Data is organized both quantitatively and qualitatively to draw statistical inferences and conclusions.
• Focus on Students and Teachers: Research addresses issues related to both students and teachers within the educational context.
• Development of Generalizations: Emphasizes the creation of generalizations, principles, or theories that aid in understanding, predicting, and controlling educational phenomena.

Need and Importance of Educational Research

Scientific Exploration

• Subjective interpretation and deductive reasoning are sometimes necessary.
• Involves carefully designed procedures and rigorous analysis.
• Uncovers new facts and creates new knowledge from a fresh viewpoint.

• The importance of research in education was acknowledged in the early 20th century during discussions on educational policy.
• After India gained independence in 1947, efforts to improve educational and classroom research became systematic.
• This involved setting up national and state organizations to enhance elementary and secondary education, develop curriculum and textbooks, and refine evaluation methods.
• Educational research is crucial for generating practical and reliable knowledge that can improve the educational process.

• Education is seen as both a science and an art.
• As a science, it involves understanding the human mind, its development, and administrative theories.
• It encompasses educational programs, curricula, and practices.
• There is a need to integrate new scientific knowledge to enhance practices across various fields because education is based on a body of knowledge.

• Research is crucial for clarifying and reinterpreting existing knowledge.
• Education is fundamentally linked to philosophy, history, economics, psychology, and sociology.
• Through rigorous scientific investigation in these areas, strong educational theories can be developed.
• The changing understanding of education highlights the necessity for ongoing educational research.

The International Commission on the Development of Education

Innovative Learning

In its report 'Learning Be', the International Commission on the Development of Education emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in the understanding of education.

UNESCO (1972) Emphasis on Education

UNESCO argues that education should not be confined to fixed content. Instead, it should be seen as a dynamic process where individuals:

• Express themselves
• Communicate effectively
• Question and explore the world around them
• Pursue self-fulfilment through lifelong learning

This perspective calls for expanding the scope of educational research to include non-formal and innovative educational systems grounded in ecological and cybernetic models.

Purpose of Educational Research

The primary goal of educational research is to generate new knowledge about the teaching and learning environment and to improve educational practices.

Various Purposes of Educational Research

Educational research is conducted for a range of purposes, including:

• Tackling immediate local educational challenges
• Identifying principles and developing procedures for educational use, including the scope of education for children and adults
• Engaging in reflective thinking to answer educational questions
• Uncovering new applications of existing principles and laws in education

Creswell (2002) identifies several reasons that capture the diverse aims of educational research:

• Improve Practice: Research can offer validated methods for enhancing practice that may be difficult for practitioners to implement on their own.

Expand Knowledge

Educational Growth

• Research can help us broaden our understanding in ways we may not have considered before.

Address Gaps in Knowledge

• Research can explore areas where we have limited knowledge, such as the impact of online versus traditional classroom teaching.

Replicate Knowledge

• Research can serve as a means to confirm previous findings.

Add Voices of Individuals to Knowledge

• Research can introduce important viewpoints for various learning styles.
• Much of the educational research before the 1980s focused on middle to upper-class males.
• This perspective does not reflect our diverse student population.
• Research helps update theories and practices to meet varied needs.

Scope of Educational Research

• The field of educational research can be grouped into several categories.

Educational Psychology

• Research in this area assists teachers in understanding children in the classroom to enhance the teaching-learning process.
• This research provides valuable insights into:
• The relative effectiveness of socio-cultural factors on child development.
• The usefulness of learning theories across different educational contexts.
• Identifying factors that support learning.
• The impact of physical and intellectual strengths and weaknesses on learning.
• The role of teachers and textbooks in addressing delinquency in adults.
• Conditions that promote effective learning and enhance memory and concept formation.

Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Factors

Educational Transformation

In the field of educational psychology, researchers are exploring the cognitive and non-cognitive factors that influence students. These include:

• Intelligence : Refers to the ability to learn, understand, and apply knowledge.
• Aptitude : The natural ability to do something, often related to specific skills or subjects.
• Attitudes : The feelings or opinions students have towards learning and education.
• Creativity : The ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas.
• Interest : The subjects or activities that capture a student’s attention and enthusiasm.
• Motivation : The drive or desire to achieve goals, which can significantly impact learning outcomes.
• Personality Traits : Individual characteristics that influence behavior, such as openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion.
• Needs : The fundamental requirements that must be met for a student to thrive, such as safety, belonging, and esteem.
• Adjustment : The ability to adapt to different situations and challenges in the learning environment.

Understanding how these factors interact and affect students can help educators develop more effective teaching methods and support systems.

Philosophy of Education

• The role of logic in various areas of education, from concept formation to theory development.
• The role of knowledge, beliefs, and values in developing educational theories.
• The influence of ideologies and religion on improving educational practices.
• The development of a practical philosophy in the Indian context.
• Exploring the contemporary implications of ancient Indian philosophies.
• This section discusses the re-organisation of the social structure and educational system in India.
• Determining the contribution of different philosophers and their implications.

Sociology of Education

• Effects of changes in the demographic structure on education.
• Effects of the National Education Policy (2020) on the expansion of education and employment.
• The role of educational institutions in bringing about social change and vice-versa.
• The role of social and cultural factors in bringing about social change and vice-versa.
• The role of teachers as agents of social change, modernisation, and social equity.
• Minorities and their problems.
• Reservation policy.

Comparative Education

• Administrative and educational policies of different countries and their impact on society as a whole.
• Impact of various systems of education in the world on one another.

Comparison of Educational Progress in Various Countries

Tech-Driven Education

• Examining the Differences in Educational Achievement

Impact of Economic Progress on Education

• Understanding the Relationship Between Economic Growth and Educational Systems

Allocating Budgets for Education and Its Impact on Progress

• Analyzing Funding Distribution and Its Effects on Learning Outcomes

Guidance and Counseling

• Exploring Family and Community Roles in Children's Social Adaptation
• Developing Tools to Identify Students' Adjustment Issues

Methodology of Vocational Guidance for Children from Different Backgrounds

• Detailing Approaches for Career Guidance Based on Socioeconomic Strata

Adaptation of Foreign Tests and Inventories to Indian Context

• Modifying International Assessment Tools for Relevance in India

Educational Technology

• Innovating Teaching Methods Through Action Research
• Examining the Role of Technology in Education
• Applying Psychological Principles to Address Teaching Challenges
• Creating New Audio-Visual Resources and Components
• Utilizing Technological Tools and Regulations in Educational Settings