Prior: TS09_Method III
Next: TS11: Method VI
Subject:: Thesis Seminar
Recap
Begin completing the Participants and Instruments and Procedure sections of your Method section. Remember the entire method section should be about 500 words and include the three sections (i.e., three level II headings according to APA, 7th edition): 1) participants, 2) instruments and procedure, and 3) data analysis. Also, review March 1, 2024 session: Unit II – Method and remember our next whole-group session is scheduled for April 12, 2024 at 11:00 AM in our regular classroom.
Benjamin L. Stewart
Data sources
As we enter the fifth of six weeks to collect data consider the following:
- Triangulate different data sources to fully answer your research questions. Consider the possible data sources as you collect data each day:
- Questionnaires from teachers, students, administrators, parents, etc. – four possible data sources
- Interviews with teachers, students, administrators, parents, etc. – four possible data sources
- Classroom observations
- Collecting text, audio, and video from planning (e.g., lesson plans, etc.) and any didactic materials and technologies used in class – each a possible data source
- Collecting text, audio, and video from student homework, projects, etc. – each a possible data source
- Etc.
- Only data obtained from recorded interviews and classroom observations are permitted.
- Avoid intervening unless absolutely necessary. See me if you feel you must do an intervention.
- Each time you collect data, analyze it to determine how it answers your research questions and then plan on what additional data you still need.
- Make sure you have received an informed consent form from each teacher (participant). Determine whether you need an informed consent form of students and obtain one if necessary.
Participants (one paragraph)
- Who are your participants?
- Avoid using their names but what are their titles, responsibilities, and/or rank?
- What demographic information relates to your study (i.e., answering your research questions, purpose, problem, etc.)?
- Age
- Experience working at the school and/or overall years of experience
- Gender
- Groups currently teaching and/or groups taught? Ages of the students, levels of the students, group sizes, etc.
- School information: public or provide, general location (city), size, mission and vision, etc.
- Socioeconomic information
- Why did you choose your participants?
- Explain the rationale for choosing participants
- What permissions did you get to collect your data from your participants
- Informed consent form
- Any other special permissions
Instruments and Procedure (one paragraph)
- Describe the instruments and procedure used to collect the data to answer your research questions. Describe your instruments and include a citation to the appendix section (e.g., “(see Appendix A)”, “(see Appendix B)”, etc.). Organize the paragraph chronologically in a way that would facilitate one to replicate your study.
Data Analysis (one paragraph)
- The data analysis will be discussed during our next whole-group session, April 12, 2024 at 11:00 AM in our regular classroom.
- In this section, include how you analyzed your data throughout the entire data collection process.
- For qualitative research, include how you coded and categorized your data, including any software used.
- Describe how you analyzed descriptive data (i.e., quantitative data) to create tables and/or figures showing percentages, frequencies, etc.