Discuss about the Research Methodology for Elaborating Works.
Research in simple term means systematic as well as a logical search of new along with useful information on certain particular topic. Research is not only a way of thinking but it is also set of skills. Research helps to understand, formulate the guiding principle that regulate a particular procedure in work sphere. Amongst key professions like medical, public health ,psychology and education,research and practice complement each other in a way that practice usually depend upon what is discovered in past through research.Researchers often use textbooks, articles in journals, thesis, company reports, internet, newspapers, and journals as major source to gather information to related topic. Research according to Creswell (2012) is a unique process that involves a small set of logical steps. All these steps help in collection as well as analysis of information in order to increase and create improved understanding about the topic or any specific issue. It’s a liberal term used for any kind of investigation that is intended to uncover interesting or new facts. The selection of research approach depends on the nature of the issues being addressed or research problem. Any research project does not have predefined independent as well as dependent variables rather it focuses on human sense- making complexity as and when the situation arises (Kaplan & Maxwell, 1994) . These research methods are commonly used to collect, analyze and interpret data that is collected through investigations. Research methodology showcases three major approaches namely Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Method.
Mixed methods research has emerged as key method along with quantitative as well as qualitative approach as an important tool for researchers.
The purposes of the study is to place mixed method research as the natural phenomena over conventional qualitative and quantitative research and to outlay a framework for formulating and implementing a sound and well established breadth of knowledge .
Background and context
Over the past ten years, and in the recent past it has been found to be associated with a groundswell articles, conferences along with specialist journals that are dedicated to mixed methods research (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010).
The proposed research study will address the individual inclusion of Israeli children diagnosed with autism in regular classes. The research study will examine a Comprehensive Inclusive Program developed by the researcher and a staff of experts for a group of mainstreamed children after the study day in the school, with the goal of improving the individual inclusion of the children in the regular classes during school hours. The program is led by a special education teacher in cooperation with Para-medical therapists and Group Psychotherapists for twelve academic hours. Five children who were diagnosed on the autism spectrum as higher functioning participate in the program as well as a group of five typically developing children.
Characteristics of Inclusive Intervention Program
The comprehensive inclusive intervention program includes para-medical treatments, Group Psychotherapy sessions and social group sessions for the reinforcement and development of the social relationships and interaction between the group members and non-disabled peers who are invited into the framework to participate in different activities, when the goal is also to develop and improve play and conversation abilities with them in task as shown below:
Research Aim
Study 1: To produce a systematic review on the types of inclusive programs for ASD children in regular classes and to identify the outcome variables and the instruments to assess the social inclusion (standard scales), with special attention to the existing inclusive programs in Israel.
Study 2: To investigate the attitudes towards inclusion of ASD children in regular classes in Israeli parents and teachers.
Study 3: To investigate the effects of the comprehensive inclusive program of Israeli ASD children at levels of their social communication and the perception of social inclusion by peers, parents and teachers.
Knowledge Gap
The literature review found till writing of this manuscript was insufficient academic work that addresses similar intervention programs on the individual inclusion of ASD children in mainstream schools after the introduction of the revised Diagnostic Statistical Manual of mental disorders (APA, 2013). Therefore, research study will fill this gap in knowledge and throw light on the necessity of inclusion programs in mainstream schools to improve the quality of the integration between ASD children and typically developing children.
Literature Review
With plenty of studies being done in health science, its difficult though not impossible for researchers to progress with the research methodology study.
Systematic reviews differ from conventional narrative reviews in many ways. Narrative reviews are usually descriptive, does not contain a structured research on literature, and lays emphasis on a subgroup of studies in a given area selected on the basis of either author’s preference or availability. Consequently narrative reviews although they are highly informative often contain an element of selection choice
Systematic reviews, generally envisages in depth and broader layout and search plan primarily derived with the goal of lowering bias by noticing ,reviewing and synchronizing all useful studies on a specific topic (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2009).
Further presenting the 8 stages of a systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
The present research study will examine and study various articles on the variety of inclusive programs for ASD children in regular classes. It will also identify the outcome variables and instruments to assess the social inclusion, with special attention to the existing inclusive programs in Israel (Iulia, Copacia, & Rusua, 2016).
Mixed method research is a composition of basic data types and methodological procedures. In mixed method research, the researcher gathers data based on research topic that contain both numbers and text along with related methodologies categorized within a qualitative or quantitative perspective .In the process of procuring relevant data for benefiting the young researchers/ students, teachers – it appears that either a strictly qualitative or in another case quantitative study will be insufficient .Though it’s important that some statistical evidence of strategy need to be found and used yet, it’s preferable that an assessment of strategy followed amongst participants also includes their own opinions and input (Burke Johnson & Gray, 2010).
In large and highly funded project researchers might prefer to collate quantitative data in the very first phase, which is then followed by a qualitative data collected during second stage, again followed by collection of quantitative data in third phase. Every project in itself is quite distinct as a study and the entire program of inquiry can be referred to as mixed method research. This is common case found in several large scale health science projects (Baskerville, Hogg, & Lemelin, 2001)
Study 2 will investigate the attitude toward inclusion of ASD children in regular classes among Israeli parents and teachers. The method used will be a snowball sampling method. 50 general education teachers and 50 parents will be introspected with respect to their discretion to include their student/child in a regular classroom to examine if there was a major difference in their behaviour and concepts toward inclusion. Independent sample test will be used in order to make comparison between the mean scores of the data along with a descriptive statistics method so as to analyse and find the ranges of the two groups.
Case study is defined as in detailed, wide angled investigation using qualitative research methods on a specific social phenomenon. It comprises of a highly in-depth investigation, often where data is being collated over a period of phenomena, or time within their context (Zainal, 2007).
Study 3 of research will investigate the effects of a comprehensive inclusive program of Israeli ASD children at different levels of their social communication and the perception of social inclusion by three different kinds of informants: teachers, parents as well as peers. This kind of outlook to research will provide examining of a phenomenon within its sphere utilizing different types of sources.
Study 3 – 100 participants. 50 teachers and 50 parents of ASD students attending mainstream primary schools in Israel. In study three- 10 participants, 5 High Functioning diagnosed ASD students who participate in the Comprehensive Inclusive Program, receive help from a personal assistant teacher during the school day .The left over 5 participants are typically developing children, coming from similar school, being spotted and identified by their class teacher as possessing equivalent academic abilities, matched in age and IQ of residents in the north of Israel.
As a part of data collection process research instrument refers to methodology adopted by researcher to obtain data from participants. Adedokun (2003: p 57) proclaims that data refers “to any fact, observation or facts relating to the subject of the study”. The term data refers to all forms of information that researchers obtain from the participant for study. Variety of instruments used by researchers for their understanding depends on the nature of study.
Data Collection Instruments
Research methodology tools used to procure data from audience for research are known as data collection instruments. Instruments include questionnaire, interviews, observations, focus group discussion and experiments. Instruments involved in this research study are discussed below:
The questionnaire is most widely used tool for collecting research data. “It basically seeks the opinions of individuals in a sample or a population on issues directly related to the objectives of the research study” (Aina, 2004: p 348). It consists of a set of systematic written questions designed by researchers to procure information from the audience. Questionnaire must be valid and reliable so that the data procured can authenticate the research. It provides large collection of data in a comparatively span period of time and is inexpensive.
Present research, would be using the Social Inclusion Survey (Frederickson & Graham, Social skills and emotional intelligence, 1999) , which is designed mainly to access the social outcomes of both inclusion as well as good psychometric properties (Frederickson & Furham, 1998). Along with these ratings of social inclusion; present research will also obtain reports formed by questionnaires on attitudes and concepts regarding inclusion from parents and teachers.
Study 3 will be using two research instruments namely interview and observation which are apt for case study. The purpose of instruments used is to investigate the effects of a comprehensive inclusive program of ASD students at levels of their social communication and the perception of social inclusion by peers, parents and teachers. Both the instruments are discussed below:
Interview also known as oral questionnaire is a measurement instrument in which the researcher collects various data and information with the help of oral communication from respondents. Lists of structured questions that are connected with the study are prepared by researcher, before interacting with the respondents to collect their opinions on subject matter. Interviews are either conducted personally or telephonically or through an electronic mailing system. The best feature of this method is that it helps in creating higher response rate. Some of the materials that are needed during interview are paper, pen and tape recorder. Along with producing higher response rate, it tends to be an effective representative of the entire population of the study. Ono the other hand the personal contacts between the respondents and the researcher assists the researcher in providing explanations for ambiguous questions in detail (Aina, 2004) .
In the case study performed by the researcher, in depth interviews will be held for parents, Special Education teacher who runs the program, para-medical therapists who are in contact with the children, so as to thoroughly understand the contribution of the intervention program to the quality of the children’s inclusion. The questions will be related to the data that is collected after the completion of study 1.
Observation is an instrument deployed by researcher in which a personal behaviour or situation is observed and recorded. Observation participants are mainly of two kinds: participant observation or the non-participant observation. When the researcher is considered to be a part of the group to be observed its participant observation whereas, when the researcher is not a part of the group to be observed it’s called as non-participant observation.
Study 3 Observations will be made by researcher throughout academic year in the implementation of the comprehensive inclusive program number of time so as to examine whether there is a change and how is it expressed in social-communicational skills of the children in the program. The observations will contain a standard sheet with Likert items for several dimensions such as initiations of interactions by the ASD child, level of prompt needed to perform a specific social skill etc., these will be filled in at the end of each class. Some of the items will address also the group of typically developing children, focusing on the interactions with the ASD peer.
The findings will be analyzed in both qualitative and quantitative manner that will address the understanding of the questionnaires, interviews and observations in research study .A perfect fusion of both types of data can provide a detailed understanding of problem.
In this research overview of research phases and evolution of Mixed Method Research has been brought into light. Research methods are basically techniques used for research purpose. They are the process and procedures followed to collect, sort and analyze information to draw inferences. With the evolution of time mixed methods research is commonly known as the “third methodological movement” and has become very much popular as research methods for more than a decade. Mixed Methodology research outlines the methodology and methods of research. Prominent researchers are now a part of the Mixed Method research community which has its own realistic, philosophical, analytical, theoretical and methodological reach as well as layout for the research. Mixed research is realistic as well as practical because it gives researcher a freedom to use all possible methods for addressing a problem. Most of the subfields for example physical education , leadership, counselling psychology etc. have started using mixed methods for research and it is expected that the sub fields of education will be placing their mark n the field (Plano Clark, 2005) .Reportedly, the influence of mixed methods can be seen as an emerging revolution. Many developments have been proclaimed in span of last 10 years, inducing many educators, researchers and attracting the attention of scholars worldwide.
Mixed Method research is inevitable due of complexity of problem that need to be catered and the rise demand of qualitative research and realistic needs in order to collect multiple types of data from a scattered audience. Primarily considering the factors that lead to the choice of mixed method inculcates result expectation, integration of database, their timing, selection of design and the implementation of project by the researchers. Though mixed method is still in debate and discussion stage and yet to reach consensus. Research outlines the basis of major government policies in an economy . The effect of mixed methods is regarded as a kind of movement as rapid developments have occurred in recent past 20 years . Authors like John W. Creswell and Vicki L. Plano Clark have provided an overview as well as given an introduction to mixed method research which includes the entire process of research starting with writing an introduction, followed by data collection and then data analysis and interpreting and writing mixed method studies .Hence it can be concluded that to get the best outcome of a research study you need to combine all the available techniques for research.
The overview of above study and its research methodology, and different types of research methodology like case study, research instruments such as questionnaire, interview, analysing data has helped me personally in reaching a consensus. Moreover, it had a huge impact on understanding of Research methodology by investigating several research methods and choosing the best one for my study. I have tried not to put the research objectives in any kind of jeopardy. I think this entire experience will help in enhancing both my academic competency as well as help in providing invaluable contribution in my professional development. Using mixed methods for the study has helped me in maintain a clear vision and move along with the research objectives
References
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American Psychiatric Association, A. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders . American Psychiatric Association .
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Burke Johnson, R., & Gray, R. (2010). A history of the philosophical and theoretical issues for mixed methods research.
Cresswell, J. W. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. London: Sage Publications.
Frederickson, N., & Furham, A. (1998). Use of sociometric techniques to assess the social status of mainstreamed children with moderate learning difficulties. Genetic, Social and General Psychology , 381-433.
Frederickson, N., & Graham, B. (1999). Social skills and emotional intelligence. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.
Copacia,I.A., & Rusub, A. S. (2016). Trends in Higher Education Service-Learning Courses for Pre-Service Teachers: a Systematic Review. Education, Reflection, Development”, ERD 2015. Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Kaplan, B., & Maxwell, J. A. (1994). Qualitative research methods for evaluating computer information systems. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Plano Clark, V. L. (2005). Cross-disciplinary analysis of the use of mixed methods in physics education research, counseling psychology, and primary care. Dissertation Abstracts International, 66, 02A.
Saunders, M., Lewis , P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students (5th edition ed.). Essex: Pearson Education Limited.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research methods for business students. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Tashakkori, A. .., & Teddlie, C. (2010). Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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