Topic: One significant issue in the field of education is the persistent achievement gap between students from low-income backgrounds and their more affluent peers.
Phase 1(week 6)
Step 1: Submit phase 1 of the research proposal: Introduction Purpose of the Study Research Questions Significance Research Design Population Sampling Methods Qualitative Instrumentation Quantitative Instrumentation Research Procedure Data Analysis Methods (Both Strands) phase 2(week 8)
Complete the abbreviated research proposal using a mixed methods research, that you have been developing through discussions and in phase 1 of the final project. Approach to answer your research question. Use the proposal template to add the remaining sections to phase 1 that you received feedback on. Additions Include the following:1) lLmitations/delimitations2) Conceptual/theoretical framework3) Literature Review: 20 cited scholarly articles to support the literature review and theory4) Validity and reliability5) Researcher bias/role6) Trustworthiness7) Ethical considerationsSee outline in final template located in the “getting Started” menu, or the course syllabi appendix.
Syllabus
Week 6 – Mixed Methods Research Proposal Phase 1
All aspects of this research proposal paper are addressed weekly in the course’s discussion forums. Use the feedback given each week as you develop your proposal.
Introduction:
Provide detailed explanation of the identified educational issue. State the problem, cite what others have also noted as the issue, and move into explaining why there is a need for the study.
Purpose of the Study:
Having explained the issue and need for the study, move into ……therefore, the need for the study is to……Here are a few tips for writing this section. In a quantitative study you use terms such as ‘to examine, to determine’ while in a qualitative study you would use terms such as ‘to explore, to understand’……Use the purpose of study, quantitative research question and hypotheses, and qualitative overarching research questions and sub-questions developed in weeks 2 and 3.
Research Question(s)
Ensure that the research question reflects the purpose of the study. They must align. Your quantitatively driven research questions must have a null and an alternative hypothesis following the question. Qualitatively driven research questions do not have hypotheses; however, ensure there is an overarching question followed by Sub questions.
Significance of the Study
Here is where you would consider all the entities that would benefit from the findings of this study and explain how each would benefit. For example, the findings of this study will benefit school leaders as they conduct yearly planning, taking into account factors that cause teacher stress.
Research Design
Declare the research designs that will be used. Scholarly define and discuss each type of design, its advantages and disadvantages -according to scholarly experts. Note that you will need to explain the type of design being used for the mixed methods component, quantitative component, and the type of design being used for the qualitative component. Address each strand thoroughly, using the subheadings below.
1. Mixed Method Design
2. Quantitative Strand
3. Qualitative Strand
Population
Demographically describe the population from which the sample will be drawn. Sampling Methods
Scholarly describe the sampling method to be used and the rationale for sample size in each strand. In the case of a mixed method study you will need to discuss sampling method and sample size for both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study; two different sample sizes. See research design textbooks.
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1. Quantitative Strand: Sampling Method and Sample Size
2. Qualitative Strand: Sampling Method and Sample Size
Quantitative Strand: Instrumentation
A discussion of the survey or data source to be used in the quantitative aspect of the study. Explain its psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability coefficients, Cronbach alpha scores, based on all the tests that have been conducted in the development of the survey. Is there a copyright issue with this survey? Who would you need to get permission from to use it?
Qualitative Strand: Data Collection
Declare the data collection methods that will be used in this strand of the mixed methods study. There may be several (interviews, focus groups, document review, observations, open ended questionnaire). Once they are declared, you then need to establish subheadings to thoroughly describe each in terms of the types (semi- structured interviews, structured interviews, unstructured interviews) or (participant observation/non-participant observation), benefits and challenges of each type, and rationale for selection these data collection methods.
Research Procedure
Explain in sequential order, the proposed steps in operationalizing the study. Beginning from receiving approval from the institution where the study is to be conducted, receiving IRB approval, ethical considerations in terms of protecting participants’ anonymity and data, informed consents content, recruitment methods, and data collection process. It is extremely important that as you describe these steps, strategies for ensuring validity and reliability in the research process is evident (Threats to internal validity for the quantitative strand and strategies for the qualitative strand such as audit trails, member checking, and triangulation).
Data Analysis
Scholarly explain the data analysis procedure for both the quantitative and the qualitative aspects of the mixed method study. Note that SPSS and NVIVO are not data analysis processes. Use the subheadings below. The statistical method being used for the quantitative strand must be appropriate based on the quantitative design; likewise, the appropriate analysis method must be used for the qualitative aspect (Thematic analysis for Case or ethnographic study; Colaizzi method or Modified Van Kaam for Phenomenological designs; Content analysis for document reviews).
1. Quantitative Strand: Data Analysis Method
2. Qualitative Strand: Data Analysis Method ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Week 8- Mixed Method Research Proposal Phase II
All aspects of this paper are addressed weekly in the course’s discussion forums. Use the feedback given each week as you develop your proposal.
Introduction:
Provide detailed explanation of the identified educational issue. State the problem, cite what others have also noted as the issue, and move into explaining why there is a need for the study.
Syllabus 2021 Page 8
Purpose of the Study:
Having explained the issue and need for the study, move into ……therefore, the need for the study is to……Here are a few tips for writing this section. In a quantitative study you use terms such as ‘to examine, to determine’ while in a qualitative study you would use terms such as ‘to explore, to understand’……In a mixed method study you would use one of each term. For example, the purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed method study is to examine the effects of stress management on teachers’ level of stress, and to explore teachers’ views on the factors that they believe, based on their experiences, contribute to teacher stress. Another example using the other terms, this sequential exploratory mixed method study is to understand teachers’ description of the lived experience and essence of teacher stress, and to determine if there is a relationship between teacher stress and student achievement.
Research Question(s)
Ensure that the research question reflects the purpose of the study. They must align. Note that all quantitatively driven research questions must have a null and an alternate hypothesis following the question. Qualitatively driven research questions do not have hypotheses. What do quantitatively and qualitatively driven research questions mean? It means that if your research question indicates that you will be examining the effect of one variable on another, or determining if there is a relationship between variables, then surely those can only be carried out in quantitative studies. It means then that your research question is quantitatively driven.
Limitation & Delimitation
Delve into a research design book to get a full understanding of these two terms. Meanwhile, note that limitations are elements in the study that will impact the research process; elements that are totally out of the researcher’s hands, so to speak. Delimitation has to do with anything that will impact the study’s generalizability (quantitative) and transferability (qualitative).
Significance of the Study
Here is where you would consider all the entities that would benefit from the findings of this study and how each would benefit. For example, the findings of this study will benefit school leaders as they conduct yearly planning, taking into account factors that cause teacher stress.
Conceptual/Theoretical Framework
Indicate the underlying theories that undergird the topic you are currently researching. Explain how they factor in the explanation of the variables being examined. For example, the variables being noted here are teacher stress and student achievement. What theories relate to teacher stress? What theories relate to student achievement? Discuss these theories in light of this study.
Literature Review
Locate previous studies that were done on your topic of interests. Discuss the findings of each study. Determine whose findings supported and/or refuted the others. Locate additional articles that help define the variables in this study. Ensure that your literature review is rich and content-laden.
Research Design
Declare the research designs that will be used. Scholarly define and discuss each type of design, its advantages and disadvantages -according to scholarly experts. Note that
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you will need to explain the type of design being used for the mixed methods component, quantitative component, and the type of design being used for the qualitative component. Address each strand thoroughly, using the subheadings below.
1. Mixed Method Design
2. Quantitative Strand
3. Qualitative Strand
Population
Demographically describe the population from which the sample will be drawn. Sampling Methods
Scholarly describe the sampling method to be used and the rationale for sample size in each strand. In the case of a mixed method study you will need to discuss sampling method and sample size for both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study; two different sample sizes. See research design textbooks.
1. Quantitative Strand: Sampling Method and Sample Size
2. Qualitative Strand: Sampling Method and Sample Size
Quantitative Strand: Instrumentation
A discussion of the survey or data source to be used in the quantitative aspect of the study. Explain its psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability coefficients, Cronbach alpha scores, based on all the tests that have been conducted in the development of the survey. Is there a copyright issue with this survey? Who would you need to get permission from to use it?
Qualitative Strand: Data Collection
Declare the data collection methods that will be used in this strand of the mixed methods study. There may be several (interviews, focus groups, document review, observations, open ended questionnaire). Once they are declared, you then need to establish subheadings to thoroughly describe each in terms of the types (semi- structured interviews, structured interviews, unstructured interviews) or (participant observation/non-participant observation), benefits and challenges of each type, and rationale for selection these data collection methods.
Research Procedure
Explain in sequential order, the proposed steps in operationalizing the study. Beginning from receiving approval from the institution where the study is to be conducted, receiving IRB approval, ethical considerations in terms of protecting participants’ anonymity and data, informed consents content, recruitment methods, and data collection process. It is extremely important that as you describe these steps, strategies for ensuring validity and reliability in the research process is evident (Threats to internal validity for the quantitative strand and strategies for the qualitative strand such as audit trails, member checking, and triangulation).
Data Analysis
Scholarly explain the data analysis procedure for both the quantitative and the qualitative aspects of the mixed method study. Note that SPSS and NVIVO are not data analysis processes. The statistical method being used for the quantitative strand must be appropriate based on the quantitative design; likewise, the appropriate analysis method must be used for the qualitative aspect (Thematic analysis for Case or
Syllabus 2021 Page 10
ethnographic study; Colaizzi method or Modified Van Kaam for Phenomenological designs; Content analysis for document reviews).
Use the subheadings below.
1. Quantitative Strand: Data Analysis Method
2. Qualitative Strand: Data Analysis Method
Validity and Reliability
Scholarly describe how external validity would be ensured, and threats to internal validity would be addressed in the quantitative portion of the study. Discuss the strategies that will be used in ensuring validity and reliability in the qualitative portion of this mixed method study.
Researcher Bias/Researcher Role
In the case of a qualitative or mixed method study, it is important to declare what the researcher’s biases are, and how the researcher will go about ensuring that his/her biases will not impact the study. Utilize your previous qualitative textbooks in order to assist you in addressing this section.
Trustworthiness
Explain the importance of trustworthiness (see qualitative textbook). How will you ensure that this vital component is addressed in this study?
Ethical Considerations:
Explain the importance of ethical considerations (see qualitative textbook). How will you ensure that this vital component is addressed in this study?
