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EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH. Scope of the Breakfast Workshop. Planning your research. Conduct a basic research design. Conduct the research. Compile the research findings. Produce a final, written research report. Research Report. HOW MENTORNET PORTFOLIOS ARE UNPACKED. US TITLE AND PURPOSE.

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EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

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  1. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

  2. Scope of the Breakfast Workshop • Planning your research. • Conduct a basic research design. • Conduct the research. • Compile the research findings. • Produce a final, written research report. Research Report

  3. HOW MENTORNET PORTFOLIOS ARE UNPACKED US TITLE AND PURPOSE SO 1 SO 3 SO 2 AC 1 AC 2 AC 3 STEP 2 STEP 1 STEP 3

  4. Step 1: Planning your research Select a research question or problem 1. Formulate the purpose of your research 2. Describe your research paradigm 3. Explain the scope of your research 4. Describe the sequence of research activities 5. Prepare a time-frame 6. Identify potential research participants 7. Identify and list sources

  5. Research paradigm A general perspective – explaining your research idea in simple terms Epistemology versus ontology

  6. The research question or problem Wrong because of the objectives: Is the peace support training delivered at the PMTC targeted at all personnel deployed in peace missions? Aim and objectives: The aim of the research project is to evaluate the impact of peace support operation training as well as the feasibility of the peace mission training centre’s (PMTC) involvement in combat readiness and mission specific training for SANDF members before their participation in peace missions. Better: The current South African PMTC training is not sufficient.

  7. The purpose of the research Aim and objectives (acceptable with the new research question): The aim of the research project is to evaluate the impact of peace support operation training as well as the feasibility of the peace mission training centre’s (PMTC) involvement in combat readiness and mission specific training for SANDF members before their participation in peace keeping missions. • Better: The purpose of the research project is to determine if PMTC training is sufficient. • KEEP IT SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT!

  8. The significance of the research Jumping the gun: The importance of conducting this research is that the training gap in peace support training would be closed, SANDF members at all levels would be better informed about PSO which would minimize negative incidents that are caused by the members deployed in peace missions due to lack of education and unawareness of how peacekeepers should conduct him- or herself. PSO modules should also be integrated in all corps training. • Better: Judging from reports on the performances of peace keeping forces they are not always sufficiently trained to do a professional job...

  9. The research paradigm – shows the approach to the research • Can be positivist, interpretive or constructionist. • Positivist – test what is right or wrong. • Interpretive – analyse a situation. • Constructionist – philosophy about reality; often a different approach to what we experience. • KEEP IT SIMPLE: Always choose an interpretive approach so that you can solve a problem and not just philosophy. • You can also specify your research design/method here, namely quantitative or qualitative. • You can also specify your data collection methods here.

  10. The scope of the research Wrong: Not given at all, or a general discussion of peace keeping operations • Better: The research will cover the following: • What is expected from peace keeping forces. This will be based on SOPs, international practices and the opinions of experienced leaders in peace keeping operations. • What is currently happening. This will be based on interviews with people who were recently involved in peace keeping operations. • An analysis of the strong and weak points of peace keeping force training. • Recommendations.

  11. The sequence of research activities and time-frame combined Wrong: Not given at all or unrealistic • Better: The research will be conducted as follows: • 1 to 9 January: Do literature study. • 10 to 20 January: Prepare research instruments, make appointments with interviewees and recruit suitable people to complete questionnaires. • 21 to 30 January 2013: Send out questionnaires and hold interviews. • 1 to 10 February: Process completed questionnaires and interview notes. • 11 to 20 February: Prepare research report.

  12. Sources (literature review) Wrong: Don’t discuss the background or factual information here already – just say which sources of information you will consult • Better: The following sources of information will be consulted: • Official documents: • NATO Peace Keeping Operations SOPs. • SANDF Doctrine on Peace Keeping Operations. • Books: • Macduff, P.E. 2001. Keeping Peace for Economic Growth. Juta: New York. • Interviews: …

  13. Potential research participants List all stakeholders here, for example the target group for interviews, who will complete questionnaires, who you will use as subject experts to check your research report, who will do the language editing, etc. Interviewees and those who complete questionnaires can also be listed as sources to be consulted – see previous slide.

  14. Step 2: Construct a basic research design 1. Revisit Step 1 2. Confirm your data gathering methods 4. Prepare instruments for gathering data 3. Confirm selection of research participants 5. Describe methods to organise and analyse the data

  15. Step 3: Conduct the research 1. How will you ensure ethical research practices? 2. Pilot your data gathering instruments 4. Extract meaningful findings 3. Refine and use the data gathering instruments

  16. Data analysis • Do NOT use closed-ended questions. • Do NOT do senseless calculations. • Do NOT include irrelevant information that has no impact on the purpose of your research. • Do NOT use fancy sounding language – keep your arguments logical and simple. • Come to logical conclusions that you can motivate and explain. • Keep ethical considerations in mind – do not cook your findings. • ALWAYS FOCUS ON YOUR PROBLEM STATEMENT OR QUESTION!

  17. Step 4: Compile the research findings 1. Describe the results of your findings 2. Ensure linkage between data and findings 3. Ensure conclusions and recommendations are justified 4. Explain the limitations of your research

  18. Step 5: Produce a final, written research report The abstract Evaluate your report

  19. Bibliography • Harvard system: Mafinikan, M and Motau, TL (2012) Keeping Law and Order, Third edition, McGraw-Hill, London. • American Psychological Association (APA) system: Mafinikan, M. & Motau, T.L. (2012). Keeping Law and Order (Third Edition). London: McGraw-Hill. • Author-date system: The above are both examples. • Vancouver system: Refer to sources by number. • Journal articles: Francis, W. 2011. International Law. The Peace Keeping Journal, 125, 12 – 14. • The internet: Naidoo, P. Holding on to Peace. • http://www.peacekeepers.co.uk/rules-of-conduct. Accessed on 2013/01/07.

  20. QUESTIONS? The slides can be downloaded from the Mentoring Network web site: www.iNtgrty.co.za

  21. THANK YOU!

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