07 : 714 (NET)
Dr. Alexa Okrainec
2020-2021 (Term 2)
Introduction to Educational Research Methodologies
Course Outline
Course Overview
07:714, Introduction to Educational Research Methodologies, was the second mandatory course of the program. Its main purpose was to familiarize students with ethical research practices. The course was delivered asynchronously, with assignments including quizzes based on the course textbook (Mertler, 2016), written reflections, a literature review, and final research proposal. In addition, we were expected to achieve our TCPS 2 CORE certificate by completing the Government of Canada’s online tutorial on what is necessary to engage in ethical research. The course explored the differences between quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research, with a focus on how to write a research proposal and complete a research study.
Before completing this course, I was unaware that there were specific standards in place before individuals or institutions engaged in the formal research process. While I have always hoped that those engaging in research were going through the steps necessary to make sure that their data was accurate and unbiased, it was reassuring to learn about the checks and balances in place to ensure peer-reviewed research follows strict guidelines in order to keep it trustworthy and impartial. The quizzes completed after reading each chapter in the textbook, reflection assignments, and final research proposal all helped reinforce my understanding of the course material. It was also at this time that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was really starting to weigh on my professional wellbeing. As a result, I found myself reflecting on how I could use the material learned in this course to shape my response to teaching during and after the pandemic. Both artifacts from this course included below focus on COVID-19 and offer a glimpse into my mindset in the winter of 2021.
Mertler, C. A. (2016). Introduction to Educational Research (2nd ed). SAGE.
Artifact 1
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON K-12 EDUCATION AND THE ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH GOING FORWARD
Twice during the course, we were asked to submit a reflection on how educational research could be used in response to a particular issue. For my second reflection, I chose to focus on how research could be used to support teachers and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The assignment was not meant to go in depth on a particular issue, but rather explore how research methodologies could be used towards informing practice.
There are two reasons for including this particular assignment in my portfolio. The first reason is that it serves as a reminder of the challenges I, and many other educators, were facing in the winter of 2021. We were all doing our best to support the students in our schools while navigating a world that was completely unrecognizable from the one we had been living in a year prior. It was a difficult time that took up incredible space in all of our minds, even in the midst of graduate studies, working, and family dynamics. Second, it reminds me that even in the midst of incredible challenges, there are ways to solve problems. None of us knew how to teach in this new setting, and yet, we were working together to figure out how to rise to the challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed how educational researchers were able to engage in research, but the research never came to a complete stop. Instead, research was used to explore how to support students and teachers, while mitigating the loss of learning.
Artifact 2
ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSAL FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF UDL AT OAKENWALD SCHOOL FOLLOWING COVID-19 IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING
To complete the course, we were asked to develop a quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or action research proposal, following the recommended outline in our course textbook. This action research proposal focuses specifically on how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) could be used to have a positive impact on student learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. It introduces the problem, identifies research questions, highlights the use of UDL in education up until that point, explores how the research will be carried out and analyzed, and the potential impact it could have on the field of Education.
In the previous course, I recognized how using a strategy I was already familiar with could impact my current teaching practices through a new lens. If the familiar strategy of UDL could support my work with inclusive education, perhaps it could be used to support students with their learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, when this proposal was written, there was little research to suggest what best practices might be needed to support students following a global pandemic. It was therefore appropriate to base my action research proposal on a real-world need, while using a strategy that many teachers were already somewhat familiar with. The assignment not only demonstrates what I learned about educational research proposals, but also the importance of finding practical ways to use new learning in the real world. Sometimes on a hike, you come across a fallen tree blocking your path. The COVID-19 pandemic was a tremendous trial that required new learning and impactful practices to overcome. An action research proposal about how to navigate this challenge seemed appropriate and necessary.
