An Investigation Into Secondary Science, Dissertation – Methodology Example

An Investigation Into Secondary Science Teachers’ Knowledge Of And Attitudes

Brief Methodology

This chapter will cover the procedure with the help of which our research will be conducted. It explains and talks about the different practical issues that will be used in the thesis.

Research Approach

In order to answer our research issue we will use various approaches. At first the explorative approach will be used that will move with the literature in order to record the issues linked to the knowledge and attitudes of secondary science teachers about inquiry-teaching that will help in getting the basic essential information for the issue of research. Secondly, descriptive technique will also be used in theoretical section in which we will present insight to the knowledge and attitudes of secondary science teachers about inquiry-teaching. Our thesis will also have prospective section where we will describe that what to investigate about inquiry-teaching concerning to secondary science teachers. We are sure that these approaches will be proved as best approaches in conducting our research since these will let to document our issue in better way, prescribe and explain moreover, all these approaches are very important in for the answer of our research issue.

Research Philosophy

Hermeneutics approach is the interpretive knowledge or sense that has particular concentration to background and original reason. It acquires the point that not anything can be explained without some viewpoint so the main concern is to secure the viewpoint and explain the background of those people which are studied and the own viewpoint of researcher should be made clear and precise (Patton, 1990). This type of approach has solid concentrations on the view overall and it supposes that all social names, actions and values have a basis of human (Bierman Jr., 2001).

While in the positivist situation there is a mind-independent which can be explained through objective words. This approach presents that statement is only significant is it is synthetic in nature and stands for the truth which is experiential or analytic or empirical that signify the truth as formal. The statement meaning is provided from the technique of its verification (Ryan et al, 1992). In addition to this, Bierman Jr. (2001) present that the empirical study is the main and significant section in the positivistic method because the scientific value need to be confirmed with the help of empirical research.

Positivistic approach is the best option for our research because we gathered the data of empirical nature from the corporations and we conclude on the basis of these facts and it is vital for our research. Therefore, this type of data has much importance for our research. In addition, the data is gathered on the company viewpoint towards investigation of knowledge and attitudes of secondary science teachers about inquiry-teaching as a background that provide the expression of ignoring our personal opinion and community customs from our research. It is vital for our research because it presents how the knowledge and attitudes of secondary science teachers about inquiry-teaching are and not how it looks like to be.

Research Methods

It is possible to use two methods in the research these are named as quantitative methods and qualitative methods.

Quantitative Methods

In the quantitative research the central point of the study remains the quantity and its objectives are predictions, description, control, hypothesis testing and verification. Its associate expressions are empirical, experimental, and statistical. The sample in this research can be random, large, and even representative. The collection of data will be performed with the help of inanimate tools such as tests, scales, surveys, computers and questionnaires. The analysis style is deductive in quantitative study by statistical techniques and their findings may be narrow, precise or reductionist (Merriam, 1998).

Qualitative Methods

In comparison, the qualitative research method typically consist on the field work that requires the researcher to visit physically the concerned people, the organization itself so that the behavior of actual setting can be observed; but as exceptions some of the qualitative research can be carried out with the use of documents only. In qualitative research the researcher concentrates on quality that can be explain as nature and real meanings. The related words for this can be grounded, naturalistic and particular. In this type of method the size of sample can be nonrandom, small, and theoretical or focused. The qualitative research objectives are generally description, gaining knowledge, finding, hypotheses and meanings generating. For the collection of data in this type of researcher is the main tool, and can conduct interviews of the target population, interpretation and documents. The analysis model remains inductive in nature by the researcher while the results are wide-ranging, expansive, holistic, and completely descriptive (Merriam, 1998).

Both qualitative and quantitative sort of research methods will be used in conducting our research. Although, the nature of research method adopted generally depends on the nature of research that present what kind of information is required, but a grouping of both methods can be helpful for this thesis since it will make possible to understand, determine and deal with the research issues in more detail. We believe that this will also contributes to the significance of our research.

Data Collection

“Research is just collecting the data and information you require to solve the research question and thus assist you to answer the research problem” (Booth et al, 1995). To conduct our research paper, we required to gather the data. As collecting the data was one of the significant elements of our research work, so in this regard we needed to identify that type of data that can assist to answer our research question in better way. In this regard we came to the decision to use the experimental/empirical data and literature study so that we would be capable to provide fair view of what has been done and what is happening at present in the area of our study. The below discussion would explain each kind of information and thoroughly discusses about our selection of each kind of data collection methods.

Literature Study

From the study of literature we intend the facts that had been gathered by other people for numerous purposes and are exist to be used for other studies. We use various sources to collect the facts from literature study. In our research we use, books, journals, articles, annual reports, databases and web search engines. The survey of literature has been performed in relation to the literature material above discussed. Through the study of literature we fetch out the baseline information that will assist us to investigate the issues linked to the knowledge and attitudes of secondary science teachers about inquiry-teaching. For this purpose the annual reports of has also been studied and all this data of secondary type assisted us to understand our research problem in better way.

 Empirical Data

Empirical data means the facts and figures gathered from the fieldwork by the researcher. As we discussed in the qualitative research approach that there are numerous methods that can be employed for data collection. From these range of methods we adopted the interviews for gathering our empirical research data. The discussion that has been adopted in interviews covers the motives why we select to conduct interviews, how the interviewees have been chosen, interview structure, the interview questions formulation and the interview type.

We will select to conduct the interviews for data gathering on account of the type of our research and we were influenced that interviews are most excellent way we can adopt to collect information that was complete, reliable and up to date that was required for our research. This notion is supported by Merriam (1998) who stated that in qualitative researches interviews are only way to collect qualitative data required for identifying the phenomenon under the research.

We consider the interviews as best approach on the grounds provided by Dalphnem (2000) who labeled interview as a controlled and prescribed interaction that employs verbal conversation as the primary technique of posing questions that has some specific shape and direction. It is particularly devised and gives the chances to the interviewer to investigate the motives for the responses given by people.

In performing research interviews we will create a dynamic affiliation with the interviewees by letting them to express their thoughts freely. In case of difficult questions we will make them to understand that will help us to obtain the more relevant information in relation to our research issues. Sometimes we will ask for instant clarifications in case their answers will not be clear to us and we will also stay away from the unnecessary interferences because we will have the accountability of directing the interview and assuring that the direction are according to plan.

The data from interviews will be recorded in form notes during interviews. Immediately after interviews we will create the information portfolio to make sure that nothing has been missed. In order to duly check the information we will receive from interviews we will send our documented portfolios to some interviewee to make certain that noting is misunderstood. From start to end the dynamic connection with interviewees will be preserved and we will take agreement from interviewees for additional clarifications through telephone or on email if required.