Sorting Out Research Terms

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The following terms are defined and described in the sections that follow here: 

• research
• data and evidence
• wonderings and research questions
• theory and framework
• teacher inquiry and inquiry teaching

Research

When we want to answer questions about teaching practice, student learning, curriculum ideas, or any other phenomenon in education, we look to research. Research is the systematic study of something. Systematic means we follow a logical method for investigating answers to our questions. University-based researchers doing empirical studies (looking at actions in an educational setting) are required to follow a highly specialized system of methods that, if published in an academic journal, will be closely evaluated by peer reviewers for scientific quality.

Teachers who want to answer questions about their classroom could adopt university-based research methods, or they could use a research process that can more easily fit into their day-to-day classroom practice: inquiry. Inquiry is a type of research, and Dana and Yendol-Hoppey present a detailed and comprehensive definition and set of examples of teacher inquiry. For our current purposes, let's classify teacher inquiry as educational research conducted by teachers (solo and collaboratively) for the purpose of answering questions about the classroom or school and their own practice. We will use "inquiry," "teacher inquiry," "investigation," and "research" interchangeably to describe the teacher inquiry process and suggest its broad applicability to our classroom practice.

Data and Evidence

Data are information produced from inquiry, investigation, or traditional scientific research. Data are also found in our day-to-day teaching. One student seems to have an upset stomach every Wednesday morning. Another seems not to be able to spell correctly unless it "counts." Perhaps a group of students begin to act out whenever a new math topic is presented. All these observation use data to form ideas, questions, and possible hypotheses that might explain what is underneath the behaviors.

The data we are most familiar with in education are statistical data such as student scores on standardized tests, attendance rates, high school completion rates, or percentages of students on free and reduced lunch. Data in the form of numbers and statistics are referred to as quantitative data. Not all data are quantitative. A running record in reading instruction, a teacher's anecdotal notes, a student’s portfolio of compositions, a science experiment, paintings, or a student's recorded comments during a writing conference are all possible sources of word-based data referred to as qualitative data. Schools are rich with quantitative and qualitative data, and both kinds can be effectively used to answer teachers' questions about their classroom and practice.

Are data and evidence the same thing? For the purposes of this course, yes, they are. When we consider the efficacy of any teaching practice or school-wide reform or program, we ask for the evidence of such efficacy. “Show me the evidence,” is another way of saying, “Show me the data,” which are the indicators that what we perceive to be happening in a classroom is really occurring.

When a teacher wants to understand a phenomenon in the classroom or has a question about practice or student learning that needs an answer, that teacher should ask: What data will be most useful to me in answering this question? What evidence would be most compelling for an answer? Planning to collect the best data to fit your question takes practice. For example, at first you might not realize that the data you need to answer the question, "Why do these specific students consistently fail math worksheets?" (i.e., data from their work) could also include attendance data ("Do they consistently arrive to school late or miss school days and follow directions on homework?").

The effective use of data helps teachers make the case for improved practice and school policies. Instead of basing a proposed change in practice or program on opinion, teachers can conduct inquiry and present data to bolster their ideas.

Wonderings and Research Questions

Research studies ask questions and then try to answer them. Scholarly research in the social sciences, emanating from colleges of education, may ask research questions like "What are the conditions that enable and constrain student learning in algebra?" or “Does increased math time per week lead to better test scores?” or “How does student participation in blogs affect student writing?” Researchers might try to find support for a hypothesis (another form of a research question) such as "High school students learn more effectively when school starts after 9:00 a.m." These research questions can then be investigated through systematic investigations that involve reviewing existing literature, considering an applicable theory, applying a specific methodology, collecting and analyzing data, presenting findings, and sharing analysis. This formal process can be conducted by classroom teachers but is often limited to university-based or governmental researchers.

In contrast, teacher inquiry allows for more freedom and creativity to design and conduct investigations that will directly affect a particular class and teacher's practice. Nevertheless, inquiry is still guided by a research question—what our authors call a "wondering." An example of a wondering is: “How can I get my group of boys more engaged in reading?” or “Why is this student holding back from participating in the group project?” Wonderings fit well within teacher inquiry because teachers think about these specific questions all the time. They are not preoccupied, as more formal academic research may be, with asking a question that can be scientifically confirmed and generalized and then published in a journal. Wonderings get to the heart of a teacher's students and day-to-day practice. In this course we will use "wonderings," "questions," "inquiry questions," and "research questions" interchangeably.

Theory and Framework

Theory is an abstract and unproven explanation (or suggested explanation) for why something happens. Theories attempt to explain complex phenomena. Research and inquiry proceed with certain theories in mind. Education, and classroom teaching in particular, is such a complex endeavor that many theories may be needed to suggest an explanation for events. For example, your ELL students who have wonderfully improved their English language skills are not performing well on your teacher-made geography quizzes. Why? Several types of theories might be needed to explain: for example, psychological or social theories of learning, cultural theories about nonmajority students' test-taking or sense of geographic place, or test construction theories (maybe your test is biased). Teachers conduct their classroom practice based on theories every day.

A framework, such as the Danielson framework in Lesson 1, is a visual representation of a theory. Also called a conceptual framework, this could be an actual drawing or some other visual representation of an idea that tries to explain how complex events or actions might work. Think of a framework as a window frame: looking from the inside out, we can see some portion of the outside landscape, but the frame prevents us from seeing it all. In other words, a framework selects what you see so that you can observe the detail without the “noise” and distraction of everything else beyond that frame.

As you consider the wondering that you want to answer in your inquiry proposal (and the data you would need to answer that question), also think about a theory or conceptual framework that might help you explain what happens in relation to your question that might help you discover the answer.

Teacher Inquiry and Inquiry Teaching

These terms often get confused. Both ask questions, but each has a different purpose. Teacher inquiry is an investigation conducted by a teacher or group of teachers to answer a question or solve a problem about practice. This investigation sees teachers doing the research and changing pedagogy based on the results of that research.

Inquiry teaching is a teaching method in which teachers guide their students’ learning so they discover knowledge through an inquiry approach toward the curriculum.

Both share a similar assumption and process. The assumption is that we learn by asking and answering questions, and the process is to find those answers through a guided investigation. In teacher inquiry, the teacher or collaborative group guides the investigation in order to learn more about the classroom or school. In inquiry learning, the teacher guides the investigation for the students, ultimately teaching them how to guide their own future investigations in their own personal learning.