Program Overview

Introduction to Educational Research

Course Overview

The Introduction to Educational Research course focuses on the foundations of educational research, covering a range of topics essential for understanding the principles and practices of research in education.

Course Outline

The course covers the following topics:

• An overview of educational research
• Sources of data
• Measurement
• Indicators of good research
• Developing research questions
• Reviewing the literature
• Types of research, including:
  • Ethnographic
  • Descriptive and historical
  • Co-relational
  • Action and evaluation
  • Experimental and quasi-experimental
• Designs of research
• Introduction to sampling
• Procedures and tools for gathering data
• Analysis of data
• Interpreting and communicating research

Assessment

Assessment for the course includes group interactions, presentations, seminars, and assignments.

References

The course draws on selected chapters from the following books:

• Charles C.M. (1995, Second Edition) Introduction to Educational Research, Longman USA
• Kidder L.H, Judd C.M, and Smith E.R. (1986, Fifth Edition) Research Methods in Social Relations, Holt Rhinehart and Winston Inc.
• Kerlinger F.N. (1983, Second Indian Reprint) Foundations of Behavioural Research, Surjeet Publications
• Baker T.L. (1988) Doing Social Research, McGraw Hill Inc.
• Denzin N.K. and Lincoln Y.S (1994) Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage Publications
• O'Leary Zina, (2004), The Essential Guide to Doing Research, Vistaar Publications, New Delhi
• Cresswell, J.W. (2002), Educational Research; Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Merrill Prentice Hall

Course Coordinator

The course is coordinated by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education - TIFR.