INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION

INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION

1. 2 opposite methods of approaching a research question.

   • 1. That of first posing a hypothesis and then collecting data , one possible way in is to read reports of earlier classroom research, and to replicate those studies that seem most suited to our initial research hypothesis.
     • It is perfectly acceptable to use research plans, questionnaires or observation instruments from published documents to conduct our own research, provided credit is given to the original authors.
   • 2. That of first observing classrooms, and then scanning the data for interesting features, and using these as the basis for formulating a hypothesis.
     • Watching language learners in a classroom context can certainly become a good source of ideas for investigations.

2. PROBLEMS

   • 1. The theories of language learning do not always lend themselves to making directly testable predictions
   • 2. It misses the point that theories themselves have to come from somewhere.
   • 3. There is the understandable temptation to look at the most visible things only, the things that are easiest to observe, to record, and to count, when we go into a classroom with a preconceived plan of what to look for.

3. INTERVIEWS (oral)

   • OBJECTIVE : to obtain information by actually talking to the subjects under study.
     • Students might be questioned about classroom events in an individual face-to-face situation, and other times as a whole group
   • DISADVANTAGES
     • a) time consuming
     • b) they often introduce subjective, biased information, given that interviewees often say what they think that will please the interviewer.
   • TYPES
     • Open interviews
       • are carried out through informal talks about the topics under study.
     • Semi-open interviews
       • provide certain core questions which are decided upon in advance
     • Semi-structured interviews
       • consist of specific defined questions which are determined beforehand
     • Structured interviews
       • include very specific closed questions that require very specific answers.

4. QUESTIONNAIRES (written)

   • are printed and used for data collection. They include questions or statements that are responded to anonymously
   • ADVANTAGES
     • *They can be administered to large groups of subjects. *The data provided tend to be quite uniform and standard. *lf they are applied to groups of subjects at the same time, the data collected can be very accurate.
   • DISADVANTAGES
     • *If the questionnaires are taken home to be answered, the response rate is usually very low and this may affect validity and reliability. *The data provided can be very subjective. *The sample of students which we use for our questionnaire may be too limited
   • TYPES
     • *open, *semi-open, *semi-structured * Structured.

5. CASE STUDIES

   • This type of research focuses on one or a few individuals.
     • these studies are longitudinal, that is, they follow the individual’s development over a longish period of time
   • Nunan's typology
     • *Neo-ethnographic *Evaluative *Multi-site *Action

6. DIARIES

   • They are anecdotal and subjective, they can provide very important clues about what learners feel and about how they process information.
   • are very useful for exploring the learning strategies that students may use in different situations.
   • This is especially true of situations where students receive metacognitive instruction and we as teachers want to know what kind of effect this might have on student learning.

7. Bibliography: For the information/quotes taken from the anthology given. Class Anthology (2020). IEXPRO University

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