How does the research question type inform decisions about design and instruments?

This week, as I do the readings, I am thinking about:

·       How much of my outstanding questions do I need to work through on my own, how much can and should I use my cohort and advisor to work through these questions?

·       Trying to categorize my research question(s) according to the first chapters in Creswell. It seems that doing this may help me fine tune the design of my research project.

1.    My research question in its current form is: What are the efficacy expectations of classroom teachers in relation to their integration of student-directed, place-based STEAM learning?

    (2) For the classroom teacher(s) in this study is there a change in the relationship between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs following a collaborative teaching with a STEM specialist teacher compared with this relationship prior to collaboration?

What I am getting from Creswell (p. 19) is that these questions put my research into a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research.

Quantitative because the research problem will direct the type of questions asked in the study. Essentially, I am asking whether this educational practice/idea will make a difference for some individuals.  That part is clearly a quantitative question. I am certainly somewhere along the continuum because there are some aspects of the research project as proposed that feel qualitative. At least for the second part of my research study, the research problem is trying to establish the importance of an idea- namely if the collaboration of a STEAM specialist with a general ed. teacher effects a beneficial change.

Looking at the summary chart on p. 20, I feel, on the one-hand, that my research is “describing trends for a population of people” (quantitative/ survey research) and also, using quantitative and qualitative data to study education problems that they face in their setting” (mixed quan. And qual/ action research)  I feel drawn to the description of action research as work that seeks to address practical problems in the school and classroom with the objective to “empower, transform and emancipate individuals in educational settings” (p. 22).  What I am not sure about is if my research should have a goal other than gathering data and analyzing it to inform my question.  As a scientist, I feel a little uncomfortable with research having an objective that is determined not by results but declared at the outset prior to any data collection.

How does this aspect of categorizing the research problem as qualitative or quantitative impact the details of my research design?

(Data collection, data analysis and write-up)

Survey designs- these are used when the research seeks to describe trends in a population of individuals.  Can this design be effective with a small sample size? Without he statistical significance of a robust sample size of participants, can any meaningful trend be identified or application be applied to a larger population?

Grounded Theory design- examine a number of individuals who have all experienced an action, interaction or process (Creswell, p.21). This data is used to inform and generate a general explanation (grounded view of participants) that explains a process, action or interaction among people.  Is this more aligned with determining the change in teacher efficacy and outcome expectancy following STEAM and Gen. Ed. teacher collaboration?  What would the interview questions need to look like?  What sort of categories of responses might I expect in order to develop predictive statements about the experiences of teachers in this collaboration? What are some options for a visual model to portray the general explanation or theory from the findings?  How much of this do I need to know now, how much reveals itself with the analysis of the data?

Another thought that is on my mind for both the possible survey questions as well as interview questions is how can I create data collection instruments that separate teachers reactions to me as an individual and the general concept or idea of a STEAM specialist in general.  I think it matters for a variety of reasons:

1.     Bias based on my personal relationship with teachers at Pomaikai could impact their responses.

2.     If I want these findings to be transportable to other teaching and learning environments, the results need to reflect, as much as possible, a reality that is independent of individuals and, rather, dependent on the defined roles of the individuals.