Essentials of Research Methods for Educators

Essentials of Research Methods for Educators provides future teachers, specialists, administrators and educational leaders with a textbook and a resource that goes beyond the classroom to use in your career. With a focus on the wide variety of data available to educators and the importance of data literacy for all those involved in education, this book presents research methods in a relatable educational context with a variety of concrete examples. The authors use their expertise in educational psychology to optimize learning. The structure of the book breaks down research into discrete steps with the "Let′s See It," "Let′s Do It," and "You Do It" steps for each chapter so students feel motivated to complete their research projects. By covering qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research, with additional chapters on action research and program evaluation, students get a complete picture of the current research methods landscape. This highly scaffolded book supports future educational leaders in incorporating research and methods into their work and life.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction to Research The Importance of Educational Research Research as a Scientific Method Basic Research Versus Applied Research Ways in Which Educators Can Become Reflective Educator-Researchers Key Logistical Factors and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Considerations in Conducting Research Ethical Considerations A Look Ahead: Organization of This Book Chapter 2: Reviewing the Literature Critical Issues in the Workplace The Purpose of a Literature Review Conduct a Literature Review Synthesize Research Formulate Research Problems or Questions Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 3: Research Design: The What, When, and How of Research Introduction to Research Methodology and Design Comparison of Quantitative and Qualitative Methodologies Diversity of Research Designs Across Methodologies Making Decisions About Research Methodology and Design Cross-Cutting Themes for Research Methodology and Design Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 4: Non-Experimental Research Designs Using Non-experimental Designs Descriptive Designs Correlational Designs Comparative Designs Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 5: Experimental Research Designs Deepening Knowledge About Threats to Internal Validity Internal Validity Within Experimental Designs Pre-Experimental Designs True Experimental Designs Quasi-Experimental Designs Single-Participant Designs Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 6: Qualitative Research Designs What Is Qualitative Research? The Dynamic Nature of Qualitative Research Types, Purposes, and Features of Qualitative Research Designs The Qualitative Research Process Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 7: Mixed Methods Research Designs Mixed Methods Research Commonly Used Mixed Methods Research Designs Development of a Mixed Methods Design Study Making Sense of the Findings From Mixed Methods Research Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 8: Action Research for Educators What Is Action Research? Action Research and Other Research Methods Rationale for Conducting Action Research for Work-Related Problems Practical and Participatory Action Research The Cycle of Action Research Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 9: Program Evaluation Characteristics of Program Evaluation Research Studies and Program Evaluations Elements of Program Theory and Logic Models Types and Purposes of Program Evaluations Engaging in a Program Evaluation Ethical Considerations American Psychological Association Style Chapter 10: Sampling and Measurement Learning Objectives Sampling-Related Terminology Probability and Non-probability Sampling Techniques Sampling Across Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, and Action Research Measurement and Measurement Error in Research Levels of Measurement Types of Validity in Measurement Types of Reliability in Measurement Chapter 11: Data Collection Intersection of Data Collection Instruments and Sources Quantitative Data Collection Instruments Used in Educational Settings Qualitative Data Collection Instruments Used in Educational Settings Selecting Data Collection Instruments Chapter 12: Descriptive Statistics Key Components and Nature of Datasets Purpose and Importance of Descriptive Statistics Examining Distribution of Scores for a Variable Central Tendency: Identifying the Most Typical or Representative Score of a Distribution Measures of Variability Among Scores in a Distribution Metrics to Capture the Relative Standing of Individuals From a Larger Group Examining the Correlation Among Variables in a Dataset Chapter 13: Inferential Statistics The Purpose of Inferential Statistics Measures of Variability Probability and Statistical Significance Hypothesis Testing and Statistical Significance Various Inferential Tests Chapter 14: Qualitative Analysis The Researcher as the Instrument in Qualitative Research Strategies for Developing Codes in Qualitative Data Strategies for Building Themes in Qualitative Data Comparison of Data Analysis Principles Across Research Design Chapter 15: Communicating Research The Importance of Communicating Research Approaches to Written and Oral Communication of Research Key Considerations When Communicating Research The Role of Self-Regulated Learning in the Communication of Research Chapter 16: Using Research to Guide Practice Connecting Research With Practice Evaluating the Quality of Research Uses of Research for Teachers Uses of Research for Administrators Uses of Research for the Community and Policymakers Using Research to Impact Higher Education Programs and Professional and Personal Growth Applying Research Findings to Practice Using the Cycle of Self-Regulated Learning

About the Author :
Anastasia Kitsantas, PhD, is Professor of Educational Psychology and Director of the Office of Doctoral Studies in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University (GMU). She has also served as Director of the Educational Psychology, Research Methods, and Education Policy Division and as Academic Program Coordinator of the Educational Psychology Program. She received her PhD in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Development, Learning, and Instruction from the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York. She has previously served on the faculties at James Madison University in the School of Psychology and at Florida State University in the Department of Educational Research. Prior to working in higher education, she taught in K–12 settings. Dr. Kitsantas’ research interests focus on the development of self-regulated learning (SRL) and student motivation across diverse areas of functioning, including academic learning, athletics, and health. She has also studied the role of learning technologies in supporting student SRL. She finds joy in mentoring students to conduct research in these areas and has chaired more than 30 doctoral dissertations. She is the editor, coauthor, or author of three books and over 150 journal articles, book chapters, refereed proceedings, and reports, many of which are directed toward the training of self-regulation. Her publications have appeared in diverse outlets across many fields, such as educational psychology, teacher education, learning technologies, health psychology, and sport psychology. Her research output has been widely cited by others, with more than 19,000 Google Scholar citations. In fact, she has been recognized as ranking in the top 2% of scientists worldwide based on research conducted from Stanford University that covered ~7 million scientists in 22 major fields (Jeroen, Boyack, & Ioannidis, 2020). She has also presented over 200 papers or invited addresses at local, national, and international conferences. She has received funding support for her scholarship by various agencies. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator (PI) and a Co-PI on two projects funded by the Department of Education and the National Science Foundation, respectively. Both projects focus on the development of self-regulatory skills among school-aged students in literacy and STEM areas in preparation for postsecondary learning, the workplace, and lifelong learning. Dr. Kitsantas was awarded the Outstanding Dissertation Award by Division 15 of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1997 and had been honored to receive the 2019 Barry J. Zimmerman Award for Outstanding Contributions to the fields of studying and self-regulated learning research by the Studying and Self-Regulated Learning (SSRL) Special Interest Group (SIG) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association’s: Division 15, Educational Psychology. She has excelled at teaching in a variety of course modalities and was awarded a George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award, which is an institutional recognition for outstanding teaching and acknowledgment of the significant work that faculty members devote to teaching, advising, mentoring, and curriculum development. She is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Experimental Education and has served on the editorial boards of a number of xxviii Essentials of Research Methods for Educators professional journals, including Contemporary Educational Psychology, Educational Technology, Research and Development, Metacognition and Learning, The Journal of Experimental Education, and many others. Dr. Kitsantas has been extensively involved in the profession and has held numerous leadership positions in professional organizations. She served as a Member at Large of the Executive Board of Division 15 of APA in 2011 and most recently served as the Chair of the Fellows Committee and the Webinar Committee. She has also been involved in the SSRLSIG of AERA as the SIG Chair, Program Chair, and Chair of the Barry J. Zimmerman Award Committee. She has been a panel reviewer for the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and other funding agencies. She has developed partnerships with GMU and other universities abroad, taught abroad, and as an advocate for study abroad programs, continues to seed fruitful international collaborations. Timothy J. Cleary is Professor and Chair of the Department of School Psychology in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He obtained his PhD in Educational Psychology with a specialization in School Psychology from the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York, CUNY Graduate School in 2001. Dr. Cleary began his professional career working as a licensed school psychologist in the public and private sector. He began his academic career as a Visiting Professor at CUNY before serving as Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee prior to moving to Rutgers University in 2012. Dr. Cleary’s primary research interests include the development and application of self-regulated learning (SRL) and motivation assessment and intervention practices across academic, athletic, medical, and clinical contexts. Specifically, he has examined trends in school-based SRL assessment and intervention practices, developed and validated several types of SRL assessments (i.e., self-report, teacher rating scales, parent rating scales, microanalytic protocols), developed and tested academic intervention programs, and investigated links among SRL processes and performance indicators. He has published over 70 peer-review journal articles and book chapters specifically addressing SRL issues and applications, coedited a scholarly book on SRL, served as sole author on an edited volume targeting SRL intervention programs and a sole author for a research-to-practice book for K–12 teachers, The Self-Regulated Learning Guide: Teaching Students to Think in the Language of Strategies (2018). Most of his publications have appeared in top-tiered journals across multiple fields, including school psychology, educational psychology, medical education, teacher education, and sport psychology. His research productivity has been widely cited by others, with approximately 8,000 Google Scholar citations and 4,000 citations since 2018. He was the recipient of the 2021 Barry J. Zimmerman Award for Outstanding Contributions to the fields of studying and self-regulated learning research from the Studying and Self-Regulated Learning Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Dr. Cleary’s extramural grant funding is significant in both its quantity and quality, and most of his projects have been collaborative in nature. He is serving or has served as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on grants from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), Institute for Educational Sciences (IES), and the Spencer Foundation. Over the course of his career, Dr. About the Authors xxix Cleary has served in a lead or collaborative scholarly role on grants totaling approximately $12 million. Dr. Cleary has also taken on several leadership roles at the university and national levels. Across institutions, he has served as Program Director, Director of Clinical Training, and Department Chair. He also participated as a Fellow in the inaugural Rutgers Leadership Academy in 2015. At a national level, Dr. Cleary has served on the executive board for the Studying and Self-Regulated Learning Special Interest Group (SSRL SIG) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), performing roles of Chair, Program Chair, and Secretary. He also served as Chair for the Graduate Student Mentoring Program of the SSRL SIG for four years and has participated in various mentoring programs sponsored by NASP and Division C of AERA. Dr. Cleary currently serves on prestigious editorial boards for school psychology journals (Journal of School Psychology, School Psychology) and educational psychology journals (Journal of Experimental Education, Metacognition and Learning) and served as a panel reviewer for IES grant for several years. Dr. Cleary is frequently asked to provide professional development workshops to school personnel, researchers, and psychologists across the country regarding the application and motivation and SRL principles. Dr. Maria K. DiBenedetto holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Learning, Development, and Instruction from the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York. She has a rich history in working in various administrative positions in higher education, including admissions, recruitment, advisement, student services, assessment, and reaccreditation, as well as adjunct teaching of both undergraduate and graduate students (courses include research methods, educational psychology, counseling psychology, child and adolescent development, theories of learning in teaching, and management). She also has several years’ experience teaching as a high school science teacher and Chair of the Science Department, as well as experience as a second- and fourth-grade elementary school teacher. Dr. DiBenedetto’s current position is at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in the Bryan School of Business and Economics where she is a member of the Dean’s Leadership Team. In her position as Lecturer/Director of Assessment and Reporting, Dr. DiBenedetto oversees assurance of learning for the business school’s reaccreditation by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized organizations that reviews business schools throughout the globe. In addition, she ensures the business school is meeting the assurance of learning standards set by SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) for all graduate programs, undergraduate majors, minors, and certificate programs. She also serves on various committees throughout the university and within the business school and is a senator on the university-wide staff senate. Dr. DiBenedetto’s research interests are focused on self-regulated learning, self-efficacy, and motivation. She has published numerous chapters and articles on these topics and has collaborated with world-renown scholars in the field of educational psychology. She is particularly interested in research on self-regulated learning for college-bound high school students as well as study strategies for undergraduate and graduate students and their impact on achievement. Her research has been widely cited; for example, in a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education on first-generation college students’ study strategies, the authors cited one of her xxx Essentials of Research Methods for Educators studies in their discussion of study strategies for success (https://www.chronicle.com/article/Kn owing-How-to-Study-Can-Mean/246644.). Along with Dr. DiBenedetto’s empirical research, she has written several theoretical/conceptual publications focused on assessment, standards-based instruction, self-efficacy within a sociocultural lens, the mentoring of doctoral students, and two books, one edited and one coauthored. In the edited book Connecting Self-Regulated Learning and Performance With Instruction Across High School Content Areas (2018), each chapter is cowritten by outstanding content area high school teachers throughout the United States and well-known educational psychologists on applying self-regulated learning to classroom instruction. Self-Regulation and the Common Core: Applications to ELA Standards (2015) was her earlier coauthored book that discusses how selfregulated and the common core can be used to teach ELA standards to students in grades K–12. Dr. DiBenedetto has served on several prestigious editorial boards: Journal of Experimental Education; The International Journal of Educational and Psychological Assessment; and a special issue of Theory Into Practice. She has served as a guest reviewer for several premier journals including the Journal of Educational Psychology; Journal of Advanced Academics; Learning and Individual Differences; and Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy, & Practice, among others. DiBenedetto is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and served as chair of Division 15’s (Educational Psychology) Committee on the Development of Early Career Educational Psychologists. She served in several positions in the Studying and Self-Regulated Learning Special Interest Group (SIG) for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) including Chair, Program Chair, Secretary, and Editor of the SIG. Dr. DiBenedetto has presented her research internationally and domestically and has conducted professional development workshops for teachers in middle schools and high schools in addition to guest lectures for doctoral students on student learning and assessment. In addition, Dr. DiBenedetto serves on doctoral dissertation committees and has served and serves as a consultant on many projects for organizations such as ACT (American College Testing), Pearson Education, Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and the Portuguese Science Foundation.   Suzanne E. Hiller, PhD, has worked in the field of education as a practitioner, professor, researcher, and evaluator for over three decades. Notably, she was the Teacher Naturalist with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. She has served as an assistant professor teaching educational psychology, program evaluation, research, and preservice teacher courses in curriculum and assessment. While affiliated with Wingate University, she was the Director of the Graduate Education Program and the Director of Multidisciplinary Studies in Education with Hood College. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Blue Swallow Farm Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting inclusive, authentic experiences in outdoor education through research and training while motivating students in STEM careers. In light of this mission, Suzanne E. Hiller has been working with educators, administrators, researchers, and scientists on a variety of projects related to professional development, curriculum development, and research, with a particular emphasis on outdoor classrooms and citizen science. Most recently, she has conducted a series of research studies on the impact of water quality programs on student STEM achievement, career motivation, environmental attitudes, and social-emotional well-being. Through this type of research, professional development on designing and utilizing About the Authors xxxi outdoor classrooms, curriculum resources for educators, and mentorship and support for doctoral students, she continues to encourage growing interest in providing students with exposure in STEM activities within natural settings. In support of educational research at large, Suzanne E. Hiller has served on the editorial board for the International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology and the Journal of Experimental Education. She has also been a reviewer for a variety of journals, such as Learning and Individual Differences; Learning, Culture, and Social Interaction; and Heliyon. She has written one book on using metacognitive and self-regulatory strategies to promote student science achievement and coedited one book on fostering STEM career motivation through citizen science. Her background in motivation and self-regulation was particularly relevant as a co-principal investigator on a grant from the Maryland Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund to provide assistance for teachers during the recent health crisis. Using an online format, the program serviced teachers across the state of Maryland with presentations, mentorship, and projects related to social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, mind-brain education, and self-regulation, all topics that were critical for student success during the pandemic. The experience of working on this grant serves as a model for several upcoming programs to train educators and administrators in outdoor instruction through the Blue Swallow Farm Foundation as well as to develop curricular materials for outdoor learning, Grades K–12.