EDUC 5400
My brain is
full of methodologies and I can’t say I am all that much closer to deciding
which methodology I am going to take on my Research Proposal. I have come to understand that my worldview
is closest to some combination of Pragmatism and Constructivism (if that’s
possible) and that the methodology I presented on today (Phenomenology) is not
going to work at all for what I wish to propose. That being said, I knew that all along.
I think what is
confusing me somewhat is that there are so many similar elements within
qualitative research methods that I can’t yet identify just one. It was interesting to me that Cody indicated
today the Thematic Analysis works very well if the issue being researched is
metacognitive in nature. As this is
exactly one of the constructs in my Assessment as Research assignment for ED
5410, this comment perhaps gave me the clearest indication of the methodology I
should choose. What follows is a list of
some of the concepts I took note of from that particular presentation and how
they may play out in a Research Proposal that inquires into how increased
metacognition in young music students positively affects their technical
abilities. My thoughts are represented
in italics.
Thematic Analysis (Taken from C and C’s
presentation):
·
A
way of reporting themes or patterns within data
o I
am definitely looking for common themes/patterns that indicate if un-qualitative
practice habits are holding back students.
·
Two-types:
inductive and deductive
o Inductive - these are my themes and this
is what I am looking for
o Deductive – researcher sits back, looks
at data, and discovers the themes
§
Definitely more of a deductive study
·
Pitfalls:
o Failure to analyze data – I have 43 students in one band class and 63
in the other. This would take a lot of
effort to keep up.
o Bias in interpretation – I will have to keep this out of it. For too
long, band teachers in general tend to blame lack of development on lack of
practice. It’s a neat and tidy way to
explain it. I will have to get past this
myself in order to look objectively at each struggling individual.
o Questioning inconsistency – All students will get the same questions and
differentiations will be made by their responses and the results of their
performance tests.
o Making questions your themes – I am not certain how this would look yet in
my head.
o Weak or unconvincing analysis – I tend to be pretty thorough and not hand
in anything I consider to be substandard.
I also wouldn’t be satisfied if I didn’t get a complete picture of what
is going on because my purpose for designing this Research Proposal is to get
at the heart of why some students struggle far more than others. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it is
simply to help kids succeed and enjoy their musical experience.
·
Advantages/Disadvantages
o Flexible – I am all about flexibility. It’s
the Pragmatic side of me.
o Labor-intensive – No doubt! I need to put this
into play in the fall while I have a PS III student to do it alongside me.
o Can create large data sets – I have already mentioned the sizes of my
bands …
o Results are available to general,
educated public – If I can get even a few
parents to buy into the increased feedback and help their kids practice better
at home, the band as a whole will benefit and the student(s) will have better
technique as well as a more positive experience
o Allows for social and psychological
analysis of the data – I am not sure how
this would look at all.
“I”- Centric Statement: “I believe increased
metacognition regarding practice habits will result in stronger technical
ability in students who consistently struggle in instrumental music classes.”
Awesome Keith - you have clearly thought through the ups and down and considerations in your potential research project. I look forward to hearing how this plays out.
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