Introduction
Educational research is always conducted in order to investigate the patterns of behaviour among pupils, students and teachers in schools. This research is done by examining work products such as standardize tests results and documents. Similarly to other socials sciences, qualitative and quantitative research methods are used in educational research. It encompasses many different studies which attempt to better understand and improve the learning and educational process. These studies include research on topics such as teaching, classroom management, psychology, child development, testing and cognitive science (The American Education Research Association, 2010, para. 1)
Research methods used
The rise of quantitative and qualitative research methods in education is due to different needs. The quantitative research approach pursues facts consistently. The qualitative research approach will ensure and recognizes that the view point of the research is central. Entire trends or statistical facts are obtained by the use of quantitative research approach. The qualitative research approach is used if the researcher wants to observe in detail by his or her own research viewpoint (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000, pp. 3-70)
Research topics
In education, a teacher or a tutor is one who provides learning or knowledge for others. A teacher facilitates education to a number of students at once. When he or she facilitates education for an individual pupil or student he or she is called a tutor. Teaching role is always formal and ongoing; teaching is an occupation and a profession at school or any other learning institutions. Professional qualification is obtained for a person who wishes to become a teacher. Despite students or pupil disruption, Classroom management ensures tat all the intended activities go as they were intended. For many teachers, this forms one of the most difficult teaching experiences. Educational psychology refers to when humans gain knowledge in educational environments, educational involvement and its effects, the social psychology and the schools’ teaching psychology as institutions. It is concerned with how pupils or students will learn and develop. The emphasis is generally on special cases such as students with disability as well as the gifted children.
Educational psychology and school psychology are often used interchangeably. A student knowledge, physical fitness, skill and aptitude are tested or assessed by use of an exam in various topics. A test is taken verbally, on a computer or written paper in a confined area which will requires a student or pupil to physically and mentally display a set of skills. The administered assessments are generally in the form of questions. However, not all assessments are presented as questions with some requiring the recipients to give their opinions on the respective subject. Some items may be phrased as a true or false statement or as a task that need to be performed. Cognitive science is a discipline that shows how information is represented and transformed in the brain of individual pupils or students, for example, language, reasoning, perception and emotion. This is made up of numerous research aspects. Some of them are anthropology, sociology, education, neuroscience and artificial intelligence. It covers a good number of stages of analysis. These are from inferior levels of learning and decision making processes to superior levels of judgment and planning (Bialik, 2010, pp. A14).
Conclusion
Educational Research has a wider scope and contains research studies. It gives room for discussion of topical issues that concern educational institutions in the entire world. Educational research topics stretches further to cover subjects such as assessment(testing), students’ attitudes, study support, education policy, social deprivation, school culture, teachers’ image of themselves, bullying and special educational needs. Educational research the outcome of education through reform in curriculum and instruction, it provides quality in educational policy through a rational educational system, it also ensures fairness in society through diversified testing and evaluation, it provide deeper national strength through mastery of societal trends, it contributes to stronger information dissemination and implementation by combining of theory and practical and greater international prestige by promoting academic exchange (Garsdal & Ydesen, 2009, 1-10.)
Reference list
Bialik, C. (2010, Aug. 21). Needs Improvement: Where Teacher Report Cards Fall Short. The Wall Street Journal, pp. A14.
Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education (5th ed). London: Routledge Falmer.
Garsdal, J. & Ydesen, C. (2009, June 15). Educational review. A journal of book review, 12(8), pp. 1-10.
The American Education Research Association. (2010). What is educational research. Web.