MODULE 2

The Research Problem

By its name alone, a research problem is an issue that needs a solution. It is something that someone finds unsatisfactory or it may be a situation that poses difficulty, that needs to be changed, or improved, or that is not working as expected. In education, the areas of teaching, learning and all concomitant variables in the educational process can be potential research problems. These research problems usually serve as the focus of the research investigation.

OBJECTIVES
Most researches in education are conducted to help solve some problems. These problems are often stated in question form. Reading this module on research problem, you will be able to: 1. identify some potential problems in education; 2. formulate a research question; 3. differentiate a researchable and a non-researchable question; 4. identify the characteristics of a good research problem;

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Examples of general research problems in education are as follows: 1. Do students perform better if the medium of instruction is Filipino? 2. What activities do students do in an English language classroom? 3. What influence the academic performance of elementary school pupils? 4. How can we predict which students find trouble learning certain subjects? 5. How can a teacher improve students motivation in learning? These questions are considered researchable because we can collect data of some sort to answer them. For example, we can measure student performance by subjecting students to two media of instruction: English and Pilipino; or observe classrooms to observe and record what students do in the English classes. Thus, researchable questions are those that can be answered by data that can be gathered. Unresearchable questions are those of the opposite. These can not be answered because we cannot collect information to answer them. Example of these unresearchable questions are as follows: 1. Should values education be taught as a subject or integrated in the different subjects? 2. What is the meaning of life?

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There is no way by which we can collect information to answer these two questions. The first question is of value implying notions of right and wrong and does not have any observable referents. How can we say that it is something that should be done? However, if the question has a referent and stated this way, Do people think philosophy should be included in high school curriculum? then this can become a researchable question because then we can collect data (from parents, teachers, community, authorities, students) to answer the question. The second question is metaphysical and beyond the physical. Here are some more examples of research questions. No. 2 and 4 are not researchable questions because there is no way of collecting data to answer them. No. 2 poses a question without referent. No. 4 is a question of value but has no referent. 1. What affects the attitudes of kindergarten pupils toward school? 2. Is 7th grade good? 3. Do parents influence the course performance of students? 4. What is the best teaching method? 5. Will children learn more if their teachers use materials appeal to all their senses? When is a research question well stated? A question must possess four essential characteristics. The question must be feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. A question that is feasible can be investigated without incurring so much time, energy, or money. The scope of research usually depends on available resources which is not much in education unlike technical researches in which big amount of money is appropriated.

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A question is clear when it contains specific and concrete keywords. These words reflect what is to be investigated and how it is done. A question is significant when it contributes important knowledge about humanity. Meanwhile, a question is ethical if it does not physically or psychologically harm human beings and their culture and environment. According to Van Dalen (1966) as cited by Isaac and Michael (1982), A question well stated is a question half answered. Added to these four essential characteristics of a research question is that it suggests relationship. Relationship refers to association of variables to be studied like work experience and performance; teachers educational preparation and pupil academic performance; parents educational level and students achievement. How to arrive at well stated questions Problem formulation involves analyzing an issue following some procedures. Isaac and Michael (1982) suggested certain procedures to follow in problem analysis and evaluation so that a research question can be stated well. These procedures as follows (Isaac and Michael, 1982): 1. Select a problem that engages your attention and begs for a solution. 2. Accumulate the facts that may be related to the problem. 3. Settle by observation whether the facts are relevant or not. 4. Trace any relationships between facts that may reveal the key to the difficulty. 5. Propose various explanations (hypothesis) for the cause of the difficulty. 6. Ascertain through observation and analysis whether they are relevant to the problem.

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7. Trace relationships between explanations that may give an insight into the problem solution. 8. Trace relationships between facts and explanations. 9. Question assumptions underlying the analysis of the problem. Evaluation of A Problem (Isaac and Michael, 1982): A researcher must consider two aspects in relation to a research problem. These two are personal and social (Isaac and Michael, 1982). Under each aspect, some questions have to be answered by the researcher. Personal Considerations 1. Is the problem in line with my goal expectations and the expectations of the others? 2. Am I genuinely interested in this problem but free from strong biases? 3. Do I posses or can I acquire the necessary skills, abilities, and background knowledge to study this problem? 4. Do I have access to the tools, equipment, laboratories, and subjects necessary to conduct the investigation? 5. Do I have the time and money to complete it? 6. Can I obtain adequate data? 7. Does the problem meet the scope, significance, and topical requirements of the institution or periodical to which I will submit my report? 8. Can I obtain administrative support, guidance, and cooperation for the conduct of the study? Social Considerations 1. Will the solution of this problem advance knowledge in the field appreciably?

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2. Will the findings be of practical value to educators, parents, social workers, or others? 3. What will be the breadth of the application of the findings in terms of range of individuals, years of applicability, and areas of coverage? 4. Will the investigation duplicate the work that has been or is being done adequately by someone else? 5. If this topic has been covered, does it need to be extended beyond its present limits? 6. Is the topic sufficiently delimited to permit an exhaustive treatment yet sufficiently significant to warrant investigating it? 7. Will the conclusions of the study be of doubtful value because the tools and techniques available to conduct the inquiry are not adequately refined and sufficiently reliable? 8. Will the study lead to the development of other investigations? Planning a Good Research As in any major activity like research, good planning is imperative. Quality data are achieved only when research is planned well. Isaac and Michael (1982) suggested 10 steps to follow in planning a good research, as follows: 1. Basic difficulty - What is it that has caught your interest or raised a question in your mind? 2. Rationale and theoretical base - Can this be fitted into a conceptual framework that gives a structured point-ofview? In other words, can you begin from a position of logical concepts, relationships, and expectations based on current thinking in this area? Can you build a conceptual framework into which your ideas can be placed, giving definition, orientation, and direction to your thinking?

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3. Statement of the purpose or problem - What is that you plan to investigate? What are the general goals of the study? Define the problem. 4. Questions to be answered - When the research is finished, what are the questions to which reasonable answers can be expected?

5. Statement of hypotheses or objectives - Spell out the particular research hypotheses you will test or the specific objectives at which the research is aimed. Be concrete and clear, making sure that each hypothesis or objective is stated in terms of observable behavior allowing objective evaluation of the results. 6. Design and procedure - State who your subjects will be, how they will be selected, the conditions under which the data will be collected, treatment variables to be manipulated, what measuring instruments or datagathering techniques will be used, and how the data will be analyzed and interpreted. 7. Assumptions - What assumptions have you made about the nature of the behavior occurs, about your methods and measurements or about the relationship of this study to other persons and situations? 8. Limitations - What are the limitations surrounding your study and within which conclusions must be confined? What limitations exist in your method or approach -sampling restrictions, uncontrolled variables, faulty instrumentation and other compromises to internal and external validity? 9. Delimitations - How have you arbitrarily narrowed the scope of the study? Did you focus only on selected aspects of the problem, certain areas of interest, a limited range of subjects, and level of sophistication involved?

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10. Definition of terms - List and define the principal terms you will use, particularly where terms have different meanings to different people. Emphasis should be placed on operational or behavioral definitions.

SAQ
A. Here are some questions. Think of how you as a researcher can collect information (from friends, colleagues, students, or others) to help answer each question, at least in part. Can data be collected on all these questions? If so, briefly state how? If not, briefly state why not?

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A.1 Is lecture method more effective than laboratory method in teaching language? A.2 How may teachers morale be improved? A.3 Should conduct of masteral thesis be optional? A.4 Do students learn more from a teacher of the same gender? B. What relationship (if there is one) is suggested in each of the above questions? C. Here are three examples of research questions. How would you rank them for clarity? for significance? C.1 How many graduating college students signed up for the pre-employment training this summer? C.2 Why do so many students in the University dislike history? C.3 Is inquiry or lecture more effective in teaching mathematics?

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ASAQ

A. Question A.3 does not have a reference as to whom the data can be obtained. The other questions; A.1, A.2 and A.4, are clear and significant in education. Data in these A.1 and A.4 may be obtained through a survey or quasi-experimental method. A.2 may be done using survey method. B. A.1 - method of teaching (laboratory or lecture) and performance (language competence) A.2 - Benefits and teachers level of morale A.4 - Teacher Gender and Academic Performance C. C.1 - clear but no significance. It does not contribute ASAQ C.2 - clear and significant. It will contribute in identifying the causes for the dislike as basis for teaching methodology or strategy.

Problem Sheet. Complete the following statements:

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A. The research problem I want to pursue is: . B. The research question is : . C. The following key terms in the problem or question that may suggest relationship are: . D. My justification for investigating this question/problem (significance) is as follows: . E. The assumption I have for the problem is: . F. The theoretical basis for this assumption is: . Note: Be ready to present this to your tutor during the consultation.