Role of Hypothesis in Quality of Educational Research Dr Indrani Bhaduri Department of Educational Measurement &

1. Role of Hypothesis in Quality of Educational Research Dr Indrani Bhaduri Department of Educational Measurement & Evaluation N.C.E.R.T. New Delhi indranibhaduri@gmail.com

2. There are a variety of ways of validating truth: • Personal experience • Intuition • Social and/or cultural consensus • Religious scripture and interpretation • Philosophy and logical reasoning • Science and the scientific method

3. Characteristics of a Good Educational Research • Perception of some phenomenon needing explanation. • All researches need a clear statement of a problem. • All researches need a strategy or a plan of action. • All researches need to be carried out for obtaining the information needed according to their plans. • All researchers need hyphothesis/hypotheses • All researches result in some additional knowledge and some times lead to further problems.

4. Types of Researches Quantitative • data generated will be in the form quantity and comparisons are made. Qualitative • involving generation of descriptive data through observations and interviews are called qualitative studies

5. Quantitative Qualitative Research in Education Assessment Measurement Research Evaluation

6. There are Different Types of Studies Used in Educational Research Descriptive Study Used when we have little knowledge of a phenomena and we want to describe it accurately and truthfully

7. There are Different Types of Studies Used in Educational Research Experimental Study have groups Subjects must be randomly assigned One group must experience a treatment The INDEPENDENT variable is manipulated Change (if any) is observed in the DEPENDENT variable

8. There are Different Types of Studies Used in Educational Research Historical

9. Action Research • Action research is a practical approach to professional inquiry in any social situation. • It is the act of finding your solution which makes you understand your practice better – not only what you are doing, but also the factors that affect what you do. Action research therefore has two aspects. The starting point is to sort out a problem or issue in practice; to this extent an action researcher seeks a solution. But the process can also be used as a deliberate attempt to understand practice better – a traditional research attitude.

11. Methods of Gathering Data Paper/pencil -- any information gathered by asking the subject a question Systematic observation -- trained recorder gathers data on prearranged variables Participant observation -- the person collecting the data participates in the process being observed Clinical -- specially-trained practitioners gather data as part of a diagnostic/ prescriptive activity

12. Research usually starts with a problem. • Questions, Objectives and Hypotheses provide a specific restatement and clarification of the problem statement/research question.

13. Criteria of Problem Statement/Research Question •Should express a relation between two or more variables. Is A related to B? Should be clearly stated and unambiguously in question form. “How do incentives affect the performance?”(Question form) “The problem is to question the relation between incentives and performance.“(Statement form) Should be such as to imply possibilities of empirical testing.

14. Once, the research questions are developed, the researcher must be able to identify different variables, which need to be studied…While, so doing, the researcher takes each factor and attempts to identify different variables, which can be studied empirically.

15. Pupil Factors: Certain variables like interest, computational ability, presence of absence of any disability and motivation have to be studied. Teacher & teaching factors: Certain variables that can be studied are, teacher’s ability to relate to pupil’s levels, understanding of pupil’s readiness before starting with the new contents, teachers formative evaluation strategies, objectivity of teacher’s evaluation, and such Pupil’s background factors: The family history of the pupil, Family support and recognition, family values towards education, relevance of textual content to real life situations of learners, and many such variables. Teaching-learning environment factors: Certain variables that can be studied are presence or absence of textual material, classroom transaction style, and many such variables.

16. When the research questions are identified along with different variables, the researcher logically has to move to the next step, where he/she has to set the objectives. The research objectives are those, which will facilitate the execution of activities in a planned manner. Objectives serve as a ‘functional blue print of targets’ of a research activity.

17. Research in Education In order for a process to be described as “scientific” it must meet three criteria: • knowledge must be grounded in experience • knowledge must be grounded in a paradigm or exemplar • any hypothesis must be potentially falsifiable

18. What is a Hypothesis? Hypothesis is a tentative explanation that accounts for a set of facts and can be tested by further investigation.

19. Criteria of Hypotheses Statements expressing the relation between two or more measurable variables. They should carry clear implications for testing the stated relations.

20. Hypothesis needs to be structured before the data-gathering and interpretation phase of the research A well-grounded hypothesis indicates that the researcher has sufficient knowledge in the area to undertake the investigation. The hypothesis gives direction to the collection and interpretation of data.

22. A researcher can generate a hypothesis based on available information in; General Culture: The roots of the source of a hypothesis may lie in the cultural contexts.

23. A researcher can generate a hypothesis based on available information in; Scientific theory literature: Review of various sources of information available in scientific theory/literature or researches may enable the present researcher to develop conjectures, which can be put to test.

24. A researcher can generate a hypothesis based on available information in; Personal experience: Personal experience of self, and others through biographies and autobiographies can also be the genesis of hypotheses.

25. A researcher can generate a hypothesis based on available information in; Analogies: In many situations certain analogous situations may stimulate one to think of direct and inverse relationship between various variables. These situations may also serve as a potential source of hypothesis generation.

26. DEFINITIONS OF HYPOTHESIS • A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the relation between two or more variables. (Kerlinger, 1956) • Hypothesis is a formal statement that presents the expected relationship between an independent and dependent variable. (Creswell, 1994) • Hypothesis relates theory to observation and observation to theory. (Ary, Jacobs and Razavieh, 1984) • Hypothesis is a tentative explanation that accounts for a set of facts and can be tested by further investigation.

27. Characteristics of Hypothesis. • It is a statement, which can be tested. • It is a statement where, linkages and non-linkages between variables in terms of their relationship, associations differences, prediction are formed. • The statements are framed in simple terms where there are no double barrel statement and contradictory statements interwoven. • The statements are framed in such a manner, where after testing it, the researcher either accepts it or rejects it. There can’t be a third option. • The hypothesis focuses on the investigation and does not allow any deviation.

28. Importance of Hypotheses It provides a tentative explanation of phenomena and facilitates the extension of knowledge in an area. It provides the investigator with a relational statement that is directly testable in a research study. It provides direction to the research. It provides a framework for reporting conclusions of the study. It could be considered as the working instrument of theory. It could be tested and shown to be probably supported or not supported.

29. NULL HYPOTHESIS Null hypothesis is a statement that there is no actual relationship between variables. (HOor HN) A null hypothesis may read, “There is no difference between…….” The final conclusion of the investigator will either retain a null hypothesis or reject a null hypothesis in favor of a alternative hypothesis. Example: “There is no significant difference in the anxiety level of children of High IQ and those of low IQ.”

30. Null Hypothesis is one where, the researcher makes a conjectural statement that the variables under study are disjointed. He/She does not talk of any relationship between the variables. By so doing, the researcher wishes to explore whether the variables under study have any level and direction of influence on the other or not.

31. ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS An alternative hypothesis is a statement that suggests a potential outcome that the researcher may expect. Comes from prior literature or studies. The two types of alternative hypothesis are: • Directional Hypothesis • Non-directional Hypothesis.

32. In an alternative hypothesis, we say that the two variables are not disjointed but they have some influence on each other.

33. DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS Is a type of alternative hypothesis that specifies the direction of expected findings. Sometimes directional hypothesis are created to examine the relationship among variables rather than to compare groups. Directional hypothesis may read,…is more than..”, “…will be lesser..”· Example :“Children with high IQ will exhibit more anxiety than children with low IQ”

34. NON-DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS Is a type of alternative hypothesis in which no definite direction of the expected findings is specified. The researcher may not no what can be predicted from the past literature. It may read, “..there is a difference between..” ·Example: “There is a difference in the anxiety level of the children of high IQ and those of low IQ.”

35. DERIVATION OF HYPOTHESIS Inductive: Researcher notes the observations of behavior, thinks about the problem, turns to literature for clues, makes additional observations, derives probable relationships, and the hypothesizes an explanation. Hypothesis is then tested. May be limited in scope. Can lead to unconnected findings, which could explain little about the research. Observations Study Probable relationship Hypothesis Theory

36. DERIVATION OF HYPOTHESIS Deductive: Researcher begins by selecting a theory, derives a hypothesis leading to deductions derived through symbolic logic or mathematics. These deductions are then presented in the from of statements accompanied by an argument or a rationale for the particular proposition. Theories are not speculations but are previously known facts. Process is a technique to test the adequacy of the theory. Theory Hypothesis Study & Deduction Statement

37. FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS Formulation of Hypothesis differs with the method of research conducted. • •Qualitative method. • •Quantitative method.

38. QUALITATIVE METHOD The enquirer uses research questions. The enquirer poses a central question, which is being examined in the study in the most general form-“the broadest question that can be asked in a study.” Several sub-questions are raised related to the central question to narrow the focus of study but to leave the questioning at an open end. They are under continual review and restructuring along the course of research. Questions begin with “what”, “how” They focus on a single concept. The questions use non-directional terminology.

39. QUANTITATIVE The researcher uses hypothesis to compose and focus the purpose of study. Hypothesis : 1.May be used to compare the variables. 2.May be used to relate the variables. 3.May be used to describe the variables.

40. TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS Testing a hypothesis involves: Deducing the consequences that should be observable if the hypothesis is correct. Selecting the research methods that will permit the observation, experimentation, or other procedures necessary to show whether or not these do occur. Applying this method and gathering the data that can be analyzed to indicate whether or not the hypothesis is supported. There are two possibilities: Nothing Happened the Null Hypothesis (Hο) Something Happened the Alternative Hypothesis(H1)

41. TYPE I AND TYPE II ERRORS Type I error: Rejection of a true null hypothesis is called the type I error. The subsequent results might not produce the result observed inthe original investigation. Leads to changes that are unwarranted.

42. TYPE I AND TYPE II ERRORS Type II error: Retention of false null hypothesis is called the type II error. The ultimate truth remains unknown although evidence might support an alternative hypothesis. Leads to maintenance of a status quo when a change is warranted.