The way of educating people should be presupposed with the current and appropriate methods constituted in the system of rules and principles. For this purpose the significance of scientific method is very high for the teaching process and for the outline of successful and efficient work in education. First of all, it is vital to define the term Scientific method. Looking at the idea of learning, scientific method is the most appropriate way for making educational design more shaped with the distinctive and logical features, so that to provide more facilities for a teacher. Scientific method is the complex approach supported with particular techniques and means for acquiring new knowledge or correcting and integrating previous knowledge base (Dewey 114). In this respect scientific method is constant in its character with mere little changes. Here comes one of the limitations of the scientific method: its patterned nature. In fact, with sharp distinctiveness of it the educational process gains more benefits, because scientific method is included into the theoretical background of any discipline. Thereupon, the dynamics of the educational system should rely on its theoretical approach:
The educational system must move one way or another, either backward to the intellectual and moral standards of a pre-scientific age or forward to ever greater utilization of scientific method in the development of the possibilities of growing, expanding experience (Dewey 114).
Hence, the scientific method can be helpful for making the teaching process more standardized and looking the same in many details. It is great, actually, due to the reliability of teachers in mutual exchange of their practices and experiences. Other than that, the reciprocal development can be presupposed with the scientific method and its frame on main aspects of education consisting with theory of upbringing, teaching, and personal development. In this case one should also bear in mind the notion of scientific method in some kind of action. Nevertheless, the process of thinking scientifically determines the straightforward way of following the principles and main points of the scientific method. The realization of the scientific method in practice supposes, first of all, the issue of values [to be most significant for teaching, particularly. Moreover, this approach can be primordial and project also pedagogic value and proper curriculum (Miller 16). Such observation of the scientific method implementation in practice promotes the credibility of efforts and means which were spent for making the educational process outlined with modern techniques and standards along with the material base for supply of the process itself. For the purpose of effective and efficient problem-solving process during teaching one should be aware of the main steps in which problematic approach is likely to be resolved. In this respect the scholars four points in which the scientific method involves, namely:
- Understanding of the problem and having urge to solve it;
- Use of experiential and knowledge base applicable to the problem;
- Making out of the explanation for the problem with further provision of testing and experiment in order to approve or deny;
- Scientific and logical approach toward interpretation of the information gained in terms of rational proof of all evidences (Miller 16).
In this respect the scientific method can predict and explain only known precedents for teaching. However, the educational process maintained in the contemporary reality cannot but be supposed without unexpected cases when only a teacher’s experience and creativity along with highly developed humane attitude can be helpful. In education the scientific method can be applied with a particular following the alleged instructional characteristics of it: from the curriculum evaluation to the concrete tasks during lessons. More points are concentrated on the time limits and age peculiarities of the students. All in all, the scientific method is still significant in the domain of education due to its rational estimation of all features in the direct process of teaching. Standardized nature of it reduces the probability of mismatches in the teaching program design.
Qualitative research plan is intended to promote more results in the qualitative constituent of the educational process, meaning efficient program setting, students’ successes, current achievements in teaching and learning in contrast with previous times. Qualitative research should contemplate the mechanisms for making the education process with more improvements. Thereupon, qualitative research is quite devoted to the notion of action. In its essence there are no judging ideas about making some changes into the domain of the research: “Rather than suppress our traditions and our personal views – steps sometimes taken when quantitative researchers claim objectivity – qualitative researchers tend to draw attention to them” (McBride and Schostak para. 28). Instead of making different calculations or results which is imposed in the quan6titative research deals with particular actions toward better evaluation of current situation. In teaching it can be analyzed on the example of the classes compiled in terms of the advanced level of students’ knowledge background and ability to study. In this case the previous studies may be helpful for the research. The previous personal background may fasten the reliability of the educational framework in all its details and peculiarities for a particular group of students, with particular methods used by a teacher.
Qualitative researchers do not seek the ‘detached objectivity’ of the quantitative researcher. Rather he/she tries to engage practitioners in his/her research and to report findings in terms which are familiar to the subjects of investigation. Ultimately, it is this engagement which gives subjects a stake in, and an understanding of, the research (McBride and Schostak para. 35).
Another attributive peculiarity of the qualitative research plan is the rigidity of thought and understanding of the views. In other words, the qualitative characteristics in the educational research deal with the idea of whole picture about the development of students’ knowledge background in their attempts to find out the true explanation of a definite phenomenon. Moreover, this approach is emphasized with the idea of more qualitative significance for today’s education. It is due to the efficiency of it. It definitely shows the realization and creativity in decision-making. More points are concentrated on the idea of process, as it is, and its grounding, in particular.
In the provided discussion the points on difference between two approaches in research framework are highlighted in a particular way with the opposite evaluation of them gravely described on the educational side of scientific approach. Qualitative and quantitative research plans differ in the peculiar ways of their reliance on the objectivity of the question and estimation of its features: “Where quantitative forms of research, employing questionnaires and sampling procedures attempt to eradicate the individual, the particular and the subjective, qualitative research gives special attention to the subjective side of life” (McBride and Schostak para. 11). In this case the functional character of both approaches differs in terms of the particular shaping of the research in its evidences. To be precise, the difference between two research plans implies into the recognition and comprehension of what people do (quantitative) and how they do it (qualitative). The enumeration and just factual material confronts with the ways of actions realization and further implementation. “Explanation” and “understanding” are the major opposite sides when approaching o the problem of quantitative and qualitative research plans. What is more, they also differ in terms of objectivity and subjectivity respectively.
For making a qualitative research plan I would like to recommend the survey on the problem of training in psychology. The main approach would touch upon the question of how memory process which was studied on the theoretical base at school is reflecting in students’ life when at home. This research plan would be developed expressly on the results of students’ perception. In other words, it is vital to find out which pieces of information are likely to be faster fixed in the memory. For better understanding of this procedure, there will be just direct data. This plan reckons with the psychological studies (theory) and how to provide better methods for recollection of information for contemporary students along with their surroundings. The gathered material would be then included into the database with particular evidences for making a conclusion about the research. In future such database projected in the report can be convenient for other researchers in terms of probable correlation of data as for the time span.
Works cited
McBride, Rob and Schostak, John. ‘Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research’. Hyperlink: Web.
Dewey, John. Experience and education. Ed. 60. Indianapolis, Indiana: Kappa Delta Pi, 1998.
Miller, David F. Methods and Materials for Teaching Biological Sciences. New York: READ BOOKS, 2007.