Research Strategies: Joining Research Strategies: Joining Deaf Educators TogetherDeaf Educators Together

Deaf Education Virtual Topical Deaf Education Virtual Topical SeminarsSeminars

Donna M. MertensDonna M. MertensGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University

October 19, 2004October 19, 2004

Oh OK I will add research to my Oh OK I will add research to my list of things to do….list of things to do….

Major ThemesMajor Themes• Why we need good research and Why we need good research and

evaluationevaluation

• Complexities that challenge usComplexities that challenge us

• Theoretical framework to guide our Theoretical framework to guide our path: Shifting paradigms in disability path: Shifting paradigms in disability community and in research community and in research communitycommunity

• Methodological ideas to address Methodological ideas to address challengeschallenges

Why we need good research & Why we need good research & evaluationevaluation

• We have a lot of challenges in deaf ed.We have a lot of challenges in deaf ed.• We don’t know everything we need to We don’t know everything we need to

know.know.• It is required by the grant.It is required by the grant.• We might even be able to document We might even be able to document

effective practices using technology to effective practices using technology to educate deaf and hard of hearing educate deaf and hard of hearing students and to prepare their teachers.students and to prepare their teachers.

Complexities that challengeComplexities that challengeHow can we How can we

incorporateincorporate• Systematic, Systematic,

empirical methodsempirical methods• Controls, random Controls, random

assignmentassignment• Different conditions, Different conditions,

evaluators, evaluators, observersobservers

• Multiple Multiple measurements, measurements, observations, and observations, and studiesstudies

When we have:When we have:• Heterogeneous Heterogeneous

populationspopulations• Low-incidence/Low-incidence/

geographic geographic dispersiondispersion

• Little federal Little federal fundingfunding

• Unsophisticated Unsophisticated designsdesigns

• Few researchersFew researchers(Ferrell, et al., 2004)(Ferrell, et al., 2004)

Research DesignResearch Design

STEPS IN THE RESEARCH PROCESSSTEPS IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS• Step 1: Identify own worldview Step 1: Identify own worldview

↕↕• Step 2: Problem sensing Step 2: Problem sensing

↕↕• Step 3: Literature review; research questionsStep 3: Literature review; research questions

↕↕• Step 4: Identify design Step 4: Identify design

(quantitative/qualitative/mixed) (quantitative/qualitative/mixed) ↕↕

• Step 5: Identify/select sources of data Step 5: Identify/select sources of data ↕↕

• Step 6: Identify/select data collection methods and Step 6: Identify/select data collection methods and instruments instruments

↕↕• Step 7: Data analysis, reporting, and utilization Step 7: Data analysis, reporting, and utilization

↕↕• Step 8: Identify future directionsStep 8: Identify future directions

Paradigms, Disabilities, and Paradigms, Disabilities, and Research & EvaluationResearch & Evaluation

• People with People with disabilities disabilities have been have been framed using a framed using a variety of variety of paradigms, paradigms, includingincluding

• The The medical/deficit medical/deficit modelmodel

• The socio-The socio-cultural modelcultural model

• Researchers and evaluators Researchers and evaluators have used a variety of have used a variety of paradigms to conduct paradigms to conduct systematic inquires systematic inquires on/for/with people with on/for/with people with disabilitiesdisabilities

• The transformative The transformative paradigm is the approach paradigm is the approach that most closely parallels that most closely parallels the socio-cultural view of the socio-cultural view of people with disabilities, so people with disabilities, so we will focus on that we will focus on that paradigm.paradigm.

Characteristics of the Transformative Characteristics of the Transformative ParadigmParadigm• Central importance: lives and Central importance: lives and

experiences of marginalized groups experiences of marginalized groups (e.g., women, minorities, people with (e.g., women, minorities, people with disabilities, those who are poor)disabilities, those who are poor)

• Analyzes asymmetric power Analyzes asymmetric power relationshipsrelationships

• Links results of social inquiry to actionLinks results of social inquiry to action• Use transformative theory to develop Use transformative theory to develop

the program theory/evaluation the program theory/evaluation approachapproach

Step 2: Problem SensingStep 2: Problem Sensing

• If a deficit paradigm is used to If a deficit paradigm is used to define the problem, it will look quite define the problem, it will look quite different than if a socio-cultural different than if a socio-cultural framework is used.framework is used.

• What does a research problem look What does a research problem look like in a deficit paradigm? How like in a deficit paradigm? How would a socio-cultural paradigm re-would a socio-cultural paradigm re-frame the problem? frame the problem?

• Raises issues of powerRaises issues of power

Last 6 steps:Last 6 steps:• Step 3: Literature review; research Step 3: Literature review; research

questionsquestions ↕↕• Step 4: Identify design Step 4: Identify design

(quantitative/qualitative/mixed) (quantitative/qualitative/mixed) ↕↕

• Step 5: Identify and select sources of Step 5: Identify and select sources of data data

↕↕• Step 6: Identify and select data Step 6: Identify and select data

collection methods and instruments collection methods and instruments ↕↕

• Step 7: Data analysis, reporting, and Step 7: Data analysis, reporting, and utilization utilization ↕↕

• Step 8: Identify future directionsStep 8: Identify future directions

Step 4: Identify design Step 4: Identify design (quantitative/qualitative/mix(quantitative/qualitative/mixed)ed)• What is the independent variable?What is the independent variable?• What is the intervention?What is the intervention?(Research = Intervention in a context with (Research = Intervention in a context with

an expected outcome – what is your an expected outcome – what is your claim?)claim?)

• Who will you give the intervention to?Who will you give the intervention to?• When will you give it to them?When will you give it to them?• Is it possible to have a comparison Is it possible to have a comparison

group?group?

LOGIC MODEL

Longer term outcome

(STRATEGIC AIM)

Intermediate outcome

Short term outcome

CustomersOutputsActivitiesResources/Inputs

WHYHOW

PROGRAMRESULTS FROM

PROGRAM

EXTERNAL CONDITIONS INFLUENCING PERFORMANCE (+/-)

A logic model is a diagram and text that describes/ illustrates the logical (causal) relationships among program elements and the problem to be solved, thus defining measurements of success.

Elements of the Logic Model

1. Resources/Inputs: Programmatic investments available to support the program.

2. Activities: Things you do– activities you plan to conduct in your program.

3. Outputs: Product or service delivery/implementation targets you aim to produce.

4. Customer: User of the products/services. Target audience the program is designed to reach.

5. Outcomes: Changes or benefits resulting from activities and outputs. Outcome Structure

– Short-term – Changes in learning, knowledge, attitude, skills – Intermediate – Changes in behavior, practice or decisions– Long-term – Changes in condition

6. External Influences: Factors that will influence change in the affected community.

Benefits of Logic Modeling

• Communicates the performance story of the program or project.

• Focuses attention on the most important connections between actions and results.

• Builds a common understanding among staff and with stakeholders.

• Helps staff “manage for results” and informs program design.

• Finds “gaps” in the logic of a program and work to resolve them.

Step 5: Re-framing sampling Step 5: Re-framing sampling with a transformative eyewith a transformative eye• Myth of homogeneityMyth of homogeneity• Understanding the dimensions of Understanding the dimensions of

importanceimportance• Theoretically important Theoretically important

characteristics (e.g., trust)characteristics (e.g., trust)• Impact of labels (at risk vs. Impact of labels (at risk vs.

resilience)resilience)• Barriers? Cultural appropriateness?Barriers? Cultural appropriateness?

Step 6: Reframing Data Step 6: Reframing Data Collection with a Collection with a Transformative EyeTransformative Eye•Mixed methodsMixed methods

•Benefits to/involvement with the Benefits to/involvement with the community (social validation)community (social validation)

•Appropriateness of methodsAppropriateness of methods

•Build trustBuild trust

•Data collection:Data collection:

culturally appropriateculturally appropriate

•Tie to social actionTie to social action

Action Research ResourcesAction Research Resources

• Action Research – the journal Action Research – the journal http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journal.ashttp://www.sagepub.co.uk/journal.aspx?pid=105462px?pid=105462

• Action research web sites:Action research web sites:

http://www.parnet.org/websites/http://www.parnet.org/websites/

• Cornell site: Cornell site:

http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/cparn/http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/cparn/

Worry about this later:Worry about this later:

• Step 7: Data analysis, reporting, and Step 7: Data analysis, reporting, and utilization utilization ↕↕

• Step 8: Identify future directionsStep 8: Identify future directions

What do you need to do now?What do you need to do now?Prepare a research proposal for your Prepare a research proposal for your

objective….objective….What???What???Yeah, well, we said we would…Yeah, well, we said we would…