Select a variable that represents a phenomenon of interest to you and that you would like to study: that is, a dependent variable. Name five variables that you think potentially influe

Select a variable that represents a phenomenon of interest to you and that you would like to study – that is a dependent variable. Name five variables that you think potentially influence that dependent variable that could serve as independent variables in a study.

Answer: Dependent Variable – Low Reading Scores

Five potential independent variables:

1. Phonemic awareness instruction: the extent to which students receive instruction that specifically focuses on developing phonemic awareness skills (i.e., the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in words).

2. Vocabulary knowledge: the extent to which students have developed a broad vocabulary and the ability to comprehend and use words in context.

3. Parental involvement: the level of involvement and engagement of parents or guardians in supporting their child’s reading development, including reading at home, providing access to reading materials, and communicating with teachers.

4. Classroom environment: the quality of the classroom environment, including teacher-student interactions, classroom organization, and the availability of materials that support reading development.

5. Student motivation: the level of intrinsic motivation or engagement that students have towards reading, including their sense of self-efficacy in reading, and their perception of the value of reading.

Question 2: Writing Exercises 1–3 on p. 154 in your Creswell and Creswell (2023)

A.   For a qualitative study, write a central question followed by five to seven sub-questions.

 Answer: Central Question:

What are the experiences of students with low reading scores in the early grades, and how can teachers better support their reading development?

Sub-Questions:

1.     What are the factors that contribute to low reading scores in the early grades according to students and teachers/educators?

2.     What are the experiences and feelings of students with low reading scores, both in and outside of the classroom?

3.     How do students with low reading scores perceive themselves as learners, and what strategies have they used to improve their reading skills?

4.     What instructional approaches and interventions have been used to support the reading development of students with low reading scores, and what are their perceived effectiveness?

5.     How can teachers and schools better support the reading development of students with low reading scores, according to both students and teachers?

6.     What are the potential barriers to implementing effective interventions for students with low reading scores, and how can they be overcome?

7.     What implications do these findings have for the education system and policy, particularly in relation to early literacy instruction and support for struggling readers?

B.   For a quantitative study, describe a published theory in your field, and write two directional hypotheses that challenge or extend the theory.

One published theory in the field of education is the Simple View of Reading (SVR), which posits that reading comprehension is a product of two primary components: decoding (the ability to recognize words) and linguistic comprehension (the ability to understand the meaning of language). The SVR suggests that if a student is struggling with reading comprehension, it is likely due to a weakness in either decoding or linguistic comprehension, or both.

1.     Hypotheses:  The SVR does not fully account for the factors that contribute to low reading scores in the early grades. Specifically, social-emotional factors such as motivation, self-efficacy, and anxiety may also play a significant role in reading development and comprehension. 

2.     Hypotheses:  The interaction between decoding and linguistic comprehension is more complex than the SVR suggests. Specifically, students with strong decoding skills may still struggle with the comprehension if they have limited background knowledge or struggle with processing complex sentences or figurative language. Similarly, students with strong linguistic comprehension may struggle with decoding unfamiliar words or words with irregular spelling patterns, leading to difficulties in comprehension.

C.   Write a mixed methods research question. Assume that your study involves collecting both qualitative and quantitative data. Answer these questions:

1.   Mixed methods research question

What is the relationship between phonemic awareness instruction and reading performance among students in the early grades, and how do teachers and students experience and perceives the impact of phonemic awareness instruction on reading development?

2.   Why are you collecting both quantitative and qualitative data?

Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the research question. Quantitative data can provide numerical information on the relationship between phonemic awareness instruction and reading performance, while qualitative data can provide insights into the experiences and perceptions of teachers and students regarding the effectiveness of this instructional approach. By using both methods, this study can provide a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the research question, including potential contextual factors that may impact the relationship between phonemic awareness instruction and reading performance.

3.   What do you hope to learn by combining the two databases?

By combining both quantitative and qualitative data, the study aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences and needs of students with low reading scores in the early grades. The quantitative data provides information on the prevalence and severity of low reading scores and potential correlations with demographic or instructional factors. The qualitative data can provide more in-depth insights into the experiences and perspectives of students, including potential barriers to reading development, strategies that have been effective in improving reading skills, and suggestions for how educators/teachers can better support struggling readers. By combining the two databases, the study aims to identify patterns and themes that emerge across both data sources, as well as potential areas of dissonance or contradictions that can be further explored. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the experiences of the students with low reading scores and use this knowledge to inform the development of effective interventions to support reading development and improve outcomes for struggling readers.

Reference

Creswell, J. W. & Creswell J. D. Research Design. (2022). Available from: Capella, (6th Edition). SAGE.