Since the term Teacher Inquiry was introduced in week 16 , accompanied by cyclical diagrams, I have been uncertain as to the definition and meaning of this concept. My background is scientific and medical. I am familiar with medical research based on scientific method, and the concept of quality improvement cycles in the workplace. Social sciences is a new domain for me, as is this reflective writing.
The Creswell article on Educational Research, has in my mind, mapped the 'Teacher Inquiry' process to 'Research Project using scientific method' .
Creswell Fig 1.2 the Research cycle has the same steps as the Teacher Inquiry cycle. Essentially these cyclical processes are what I know as Quality Assurance cycles in my workplace, a medical laboratory, the purpose of which is incremental improvement. This seems the same as an experiential feedback cycle, the same as Kolbe. So just different terms for the same concepts.
Another reference I have found useful in clarifying Educational Research is by Mike Lambert. In Chapter 1 he categorises education research into:
- Theoretical
- Action research
- Evaluative
- Experimental
- Cause and Effect
- Case Study
- Systematic Review
- Exploratory
- Comparative
- Grounded Theory
- Ethnography
I have found this very useful when reading education research articles. By categorising the research article, I can better understand the framework and structure of each category, and understand if I am comparing within a category or between category. I should be comparing apples with apples, i.e. intra category comparison to be valid.
Medical research I have done in the experimental (case and control), case study categories.
Educational research I have written up for reports is evaluative (Utility of Structured Oral Examination Assessment) and case study (Community Engagement between K-12 school and Hospital Laboratory). There will of course be research that overlaps between categories.
In a 3 day Medical Education Research seminar I attended , facilitator Charlotte Ringstead insisted there be an explicitly stated theory underpinning the question or idea being tested. This is a point of difference to scientific research.
References
Creswell, J. (2011). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. London: Pearson. Chapter 1.
Lambert, M. (2012). A beginner's guide to doing your education research project. Sage.
Ringsted, C., Hodges, B., & Scherpbier, A. (2011). ‘The research compass’: An introduction to research in medical education: AMEE Guide No. 56. Medical teacher, 33(9), 695-709.
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