Additional Topics – Research: a Practical Handbook

Evaluation and Research

What is the difference between evaluation and research?

Research and evaluation both generate new knowledge, and they can use overlapping methods and theories. However, the purposes of evaluation and research are different, and their outcomes are different as well. While not all education projects require research, all projects – education or otherwise – require evaluation. In this article, I outline some of the major similarities and differences between evaluation and research, and discuss some of the common elements of evaluation for education research projects.

Preparing Data for Analysis

How should you analyze your data? First you need to prepare it.

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How will you analyze your data? “Methodology” covers both the actions you will take (like transcribing or performing statistical tests) and the reasons why those actions are meaningful. Broadly speaking, you want to work to prepare your data for analysis, then analyze your data to develop a narrative about what it tells you. Different data types conceptualize data preparation differently, and different methodological frameworks conceptualize the steps of how you develop your narrative differently. However, there are some broad similarities across many methodologies in education research.

Design-based research

What is design-based research (DBR), and how should you develop your first DBR project?

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Design-based research (DBR) is a key method in the learning sciences, which is used to simultaneously develop both learning theory and the design of instructional interventions. This article is an exceptionally short introduction to design-based research; there’s tons of scholarship on this idea.

Interviews: a primer

How to do interviews in education research: a primer

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So you want to design a research study that involves interviews? Here are some major ideas to consider. This is a really short primer; it’s not a thorough exploration of the hows and whys of interview-based research. There are huge literatures on why & how to conduct interviews for research in education.