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Scenario 1: Ten students are available for in-depth interviews. Participants will be selected based on their involvement with the peer mediation program. They will be observed over three weeks. Analysis will attempt to determine issues concerning peer mediation.
In this scenario the qualitative method would be the best research method to use. This scenario is a case study design where "the data focuses on one phenomenon" ((McMillan & Schumacher, 2008,
p.136). This scenario is looking at the interviews of the students rather than number data. For qualitative research, "most of these data are in the form of words rather than numbers"(McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.26).
Scenario 2: Two classrooms of students are selected. There are 30 students in each class; each group will have similar demographics—age, sex, race, socio-economic background, etc. Classes will be randomly divided into two groups of 15 students. Of these two groups, one randomly selected group will get training on peer mediation and the other group will not. Thus in each classroom there will be one group that is trained in peer mediation and one that is not. Analysis will occur on which groups have the fewest office referrals.
For this scenario quantitative research would be best used to answer the question. Within quantitative research the experimental design with more specifically being a true experimental design would seem to be the fit best. The reason for this is that there are two groups being looked at: one a controlled group and the other an experimental group. With a true experimental design there are random assignments. With this being a random assignment it "helps to ensure that there are no major differences between subjects in each group before intervention begins" (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.24). Since the researcher is manipulating who will receive the training the results will conclude which group has the fewest office referrals without any interferences.
Scenario 3: A school counselor is interested in knowing how student attitudes affect the value of peer mediation to decrease the number of office referrals that are being filed for inappropriate interactions.
This scenario would use the mixed-method design. The mixed-method design "combines quantitative and qualitative methods" (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.27). The counselor in the school is going to be collecting data on the attitudes of the students then will look at the data of the number of office referrals that are being filed.
Scenario 4: Peer mediation has become widely used in many schools. The feelings of those involved in the process are little known—either from those doing the mediation or those receiving it. The ZASK-R Acceptance Preference Survey will be given as pre- and post-tests to 40 students participating in mediation. Follow-up interviews will be conducted on a bi-monthly basis.
I also feel that this would be mixed-method research with a explanatory design. The research is still using qualitative and quantitative data. The researchers would first give out the survey and use the data that was collected (quantitative) and then the qualitative data would be collected second to "elucidate, elaborate on, or explain the quantitative findings" (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.28).
References:
McMillan, J., & Schumacher, S. (2008). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson.
I agree with you on all of these scenarios. As the situations become more complex, chances are mixed methods of research will be needed, especially if it is to be done correctly. I found scenario 3 to be a bit tricky because I felt there wasn't quite enough information provided to us. Mostly, why exactly was the survey being completed. In other words, ho exactly was going to see the results. Was it really to see if office referrals decreased, or is it a budget issue and they need to justify keeping the mediators?
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the research methods that you put with each scenario. I think that trying to match the research method with the different scenarios was very beneficial. Now, if we decide to conduct our own research in the future, we understand the different methods and how the research can be done.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to agree with Bret about scenario 3! It was a bit tricky, and I went a different route with the action research plan since the counselor was the main researcher in that case. Either way, action research also includes a mixed method approach, incorporating both the quanitative and qualitative methods, so I think both will fit.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others that the third scenario did not provide adequate information. Like Bethanne, I chose the action method which could be a type of mixed method approach.
Lisa