answer this queastions please AND then write feedback for my peers

Answer the questions in 250 words

Than write feedbacks for each peer 150 words

· The question is

After reading chapter seven and understanding philosophies of Social Science regarding educational research, what do you think about the following questions:

1-Should teachers be urged to use research?

2-Is there an alternative that is preferable from a professional perspective?

· Peer1: Bogle

Chapter 7 was very relevant to the lingo heard daily in the schools. “Research” and “data” are buzzwords. Teachers are and should be urged to use research as part of their professional development. Staying informed with current, sound educational research displays professional responsibility. The debate over quantitative versus qualitative research is interesting, and it seems to me that qualitative is more feasible for education. With that being said, I do not think that the hang-up should be what mode of research was used when teachers seek out educational research; rather, teachers should determine if the research is relevant to their situation (along with determining if it reliable as well). I do think that it is important to base our methods and approaches according to what has been proven through research to be effective. One could compare using this data to other professions, such as a business owner looking at sales in relation to his marketing strategies to determine what tactics are profitable, and these are all good analogies. Yet, there is always the “x-factor” when it comes to teaching.

To answer question 2, I would say, no, there is not a comparable, preferable alternative, but there are other factors to be considered in addition to sound research. As I mentioned, that x-factor year to year, and no research will give you the magic formula to appease it. Teachers have to be trusted as professionals to handle various situations and diverse groups of people. Using research in addition to other information collected through other means (i.e. observations, graded work, test scores, interactions) is a preferable approach to take.

· Peer 2: Kim

My answer to the first question is ‘Yes’. I strongly believe that teachers should use research and they have to do research for themselves about teaching methodologies, curricula, and child developments, etc. to understand students better and teach them effectively. The purpose of educational research can be to predict educational behaviors and problems so that educators can make general principles and practical steps to solve the problems. As far as I know, through this educational research, teachers can make their professional development, improve educational development and effectiveness, and adjust to the fast changing knowledge, technology, and society. There are quite many research competitions and conferences in my country to encourage teachers to take part in and to do research on their own interesting area. I also can remember having done research several times about effective teaching methodologies to develop my teaching professional. One of the English expressions I like most is lifelong learning rather than lifelongeducation, which means that we have to learn for our life time to live in this modern word. It is needless to say that teachers will also have to develop themselves to educate their students better. I hope that teachers can realize the fact that quality of education cannot surpass quality of teachers.

When teachers do research, the way of doing research can be quantitative or qualitative, or something else such as action research, interview. As we already talked about this a lot, students’ needs, and educational situation may be very different due to the various facts such as academic levels, grades, areas, parental backgrounds, etc. Teachers can choose either quantitative or qualitative research based on their own situations. I think it is difficult to say that there is a better alternative way of doing research because our society and the educational situation is getting more complex and the meaning of them can be also very different and various. I think if we can understand the way of doing research, and can take any advantages from any of the methods, this would be much better way of doing research.

· Peer3: Jennifer

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I do believe that research plays an important role in our schools. I am completing CIMT775 now and that is the sole purpose behind the class- to learn how to effectively implement educational research in your school for school and classroom improvement. Action Research is an alternative to the traditional scientific research that is discussed. It incorporates different aspects of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Action research is made to be used by teachers in their own classrooms. It allows you to select a problem you are seeing, and find ways to either discover why this is happening or find possible solutions that can lead to more effective instruction. It is a reflective process that can lead to curriculum change, and enhance the instruction that is already taking place. This type of research can also lead to more collaboration between teachers and a more open dialogue about what is happening within the school and each individual classroom. This type of research is cyclical. There are many formats but they all follow a basic idea....observe, plan, reflect, act- and then once you have collected your data you (may) start the cycle over again. You are still collecting data, in many cases both qualitative and quantitative, but there is more freedom for the classroom teacher with action research. Action research is meaningful because it is so focused on specific issues you are facing in your own environment. 

We need to be learning from what our students are doing, what is working, and what is not and shift our instruction to accommodate what we are seeing. I was not familar with action research at all before the beginning of my coursework but now am a strong believer it has a place in the classroom. These studies do not have to be large- they can be done on individual students, one classroom, or even school or district wide. I have learned a great deal through my research this semester about the instruction happening at my school.

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