Group+D+Words

According to Soy (1997) case study research “brings us to an understanding of a complex issue or object and can extend experience or add strength to what is already known through previous research.” Case studies are often referred to in education to support validity on a certain topic or issue. Educators use case studies to provide a type of research for a particular issue of study. In my early years of becoming an educator, I had to perform case studies on a particular student or students to analyze the student/s development or growth. Educators would find case studies useful to support possible instructional approaches in their classroom or learning theories. Kristen
 * Case study** – Form of qualitative, descriptive research that refers to the collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular participant or small group, frequently including the accounts of subjects themselves. (615 Glossary)


 * Field-based research ** – Includes activities aimed at collecting primary data rather relying on published material. Often involves face-to-face interviewing and direct observation. (615 Glossary)


 * Monica **

Focus groups are an integral component in a school improvement plan. Focus groups are usually comprised of select individuals with the knowledge to improve school routines and procedures. This group analyzes data and makes instructional decisions based on conversations and research about an issue or topic. The benefits to “focus group research can produce highly useful information about programs and services that surveys miss, so it may be worthwhile to rise to the challenge.” Grudens-Schuck et, al (2004) Our school uses focus groups that our school calls Professional Learning Teams (PLT’s). In these teams we meet to discuss a particular issue or topic. We become the experts of this topic and present the information to our staff. The goals we work on are aligned to our School Improvement Plan. Kristen
 * Focus groups** – Small number of people (usually between 4 and 15) brought together with a moderator to discuss and produce qualitative data about a particular topic. (615 Glossary)

“ **Inference** is a good guess” (based on logic, statistics etc.) to observations or by interpolating the next logical step in an intuited pattern. Most empirical research is statistical. Therefore inferences are mostly made from evaluating and analyzing the research to make an inference. The conclusion called an inference. The laws of valid inference are studied in the field of logic. In the classroom, a teacher may make an inference based on data. Such as if the majority of a class has not passed a specific section of a test, an inference could be made to reteach that specific topic. __ _ Heather Kalish

In most cases students’ grades are averaged to obtain the mean and grades are given accordingly. However when students earn a “0” for not handing in work, the student average drops greatly. Bracey (2006) suggests using the median so that the grade does not drop significantly. Mode can also be used to determine what the student consistent academic performance indicates. Our recent county professional development newsletter, cautions teachers in giving “0”’s and suggests that teachers calculate grades using median or mode rather than mean. The newsletter suggests that by using either of the two, that these accurately reflect what the students know and can do. Kristen
 * Literature Review ** often used with academic oriented literature. It usually is done before a research proposal and the results. It brings the academic reader up to date and sets the goal for future research in that area. A literature review will contain a logical flow of ideas, references, and unbiased view of previous research of the topic. In the classroom, a teacher could have students conducting a research paper, participate in a literature review. Students can analyze their research using theories and methodologies in that particular subject. _Heather Kalish
 * // Mode //** – Type of average that refers to the most common or most-frequently occurring value in a series of data. (615 Glossary)
 * Triangulation of data ** – A form of cross-checking by gathering of data through several sampling strategies—from different populations, at different times and in different place. (615 Glossary)


 * Triangulation of data** is looking at other data to either confirm or dispute your findings. According to Boudette (2005), it is helpful to draw on different types of assessments, such as tests, portfolios, and student conferences. The chapter goes on to say that assessments should be given at different times during the school year to help discover patterns or inconsistencies in student responses. Although the standardized tests are an important tool to use to gather data on students, triangulation of data allows for a more accurate assessment of student learning.
 * Monica **

Validity is often used when discussing research data. According to Bracey (2006), he considers there to be four types of validity important to educators. These are content validity, predictive or criterion validly, curriculum validity, and instructional validity. Content validity determines whether ‘a test measures that it claims to measure”. Predictive or criterion validity refers” to how well one test can be used to predict some other event at a later time”. Curriculum validity determines whether a test covers material in the curriculum and instructional validity and determines whether the students were taught the material. (Bracey, 2006). This concept is often referred to as educators validate a test. I often see this on the end of grade tests where educators question whether a test item was in our curriculum or whether it was something that was taught. We also ask questions on whether the materials were too difficult for the students or that the items required more time to complete. I have seen test items thrown out because validity claims were noted. Kristen
 * // Validity //** – Degree to which an instrument, selection process, statistical technique, or test measures what it is supposed to measure (615 Glossary)

Boudett, K., City, E, & Murnane, R. (2008). Chapter 4: Digging into data. In // Data wise a step-by-step guide to using assessment results to improve teaching and learning // (pp. 90-92). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press ~ Monica Moyer

Bracey, G. (2006). Reading educational research:How to avoid getting statistically snookered. Portsmouth,NH: Heinemann. Kristen

Grudens-Schuck, Nancy., Allen, Beverely L., Larson, Kathleen. (2004). // Focus group fundamentals. // Methodology Brief, Iowa State University, University Extension. Retrieved October 25, 2010 from [|www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1969b.pd] Kristen

Inference.(n.d.)In Wikipedia Retrieved October 21,2010.[] Heather

Soy, Susan K. (1997). The case study as a research method. Unpublished paper, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved October 25, 2010 from [] Kristen