Research methods Archives - Page 3 of 3

What are the types of research frameworks?

Margaret Eisenhart (1991) has identified three types of research frameworks: theoretical, practical, and conceptual.

Theoretical Frameworks

A theoretical framework guides research activities by its reliance on a formal theory; that is, a theory that has been developed by using an established, coherent explanation of certain sorts of phenomena and relationships—Piaget’s theory of intellectual development and Vygotsky’s theory of socio-historical constructivism are two prominent theories used in the study of children’s learning. At the stage in the research process in which specific research questions are determined, these questions would be rephrased in terms of the formal theory that has been chosen. Then, relevant data are gathered, and the findings are used to support, extend, or modify the theory.

Practical Frameworks

This kind of framework is not informed by formal theory but by the accumulated practice knowledge of practitioners and administrators, the findings of previous research, and often the viewpoints offered by public opinion. Research questions are derived from this knowledge base and research results are used to support, extend, or revise the practice (Scriven, 1986)

A practical framework guides research by using “what works” in the experience of doing something by those directly involved in it.

Conceptual Frameworks

A conceptual framework is an argument that the concepts chosen for investigation, and any anticipated relationships among them, will be appropriate and useful given the research problem under investigation. Like theoretical frameworks, conceptual frameworks are based on previous research, but conceptual frameworks are built from an array of current and possibly far-ranging sources. The framework used may be based on different theories and various aspects of practitioner knowledge, depending on what the researcher can argue will be relevant and important to address about a research problem.

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of framework?

Source:

Lester, Frank. On the theoretical, conceptual, and philosophical foundations for research in mathematics education. ZDM 2005 Vol. 37 (6)

What is design-based research methodology?

Design-based research as described by Wang and Hannafin is “a systematic but flexible research methodology aiming at improving practice through iterative processes of analysis, design and revision in real-world settings”. In this approach, the refinement of practical products works hand-in hand with the refinement of theory.

My interest in this research methodology is its similarity with the Lesson Study process which although considered more as as model of professional development for teachers but is also a rich context for investigating learning objects, students learning and teacher learning.

Design research is conducted iteratively as a collaboration between researchers and practitioners in a real-world setting. Each iteration or cycle contributes to sharpening the aims and bringing the interventions closer to the desired design outcomes and research outputs. These outputs are of course the design principles and empirically underpinned innovative interventions.

Van den Akker emphasizes the following six features of design and development research:

Interventionist: the research aims at designing an intervention in a real-world setting.
Iterative: the research incorporates cycles of analysis, design and development, evaluation and revision.
Involvement of practitioners: active participation of practitioners in the various stages and activities of the research.
Process oriented: the focus is on understanding and improving interventions (a black box model of input – output measurement is avoided).
Utility oriented: the merit of a design is measured, in part on its practicality for users in real contexts.
Theory oriented: the design is (at least partly) based on a conceptual framework and upon theoretical propositions, whilst the systematic evaluation of consecutive prototypes of the intervention contributes to theory building (Van den Akker et al., 2006, p. 5).

Reference
Van den Akker, J., Gravemeijer, K., McKenney, S. and Nieveen, N. (Eds) (2006), Educational Design Research, Routledge, London.

Wang, F. and Hannafin, M. (2005), “Design-based research and technology-enhanced learning environments”, ETR&D, Vol. 53 No. 4, pp. 5-23.

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