QUESTIONS # 01

A teacher's personality traits are important to create and maintaining a classroom/learning environment.
Why?

A teacher's personality traits are important to create and maintaining a classroom/learning environment. A teacher’s
personality traits are important as Callahan, (1966) says that the teacher whose personality helps create and maintain
a classroom or learning environment in which students feel comfortable and in which they are motivated to learn is
said to have a desirable teaching personality. Research says that teachers are cognitively oriented toward pupils while
pupils are affectively oriented toward teachers. A teacher’s personality is, therefore, directly and indirectly, related to
learning and teaching in the affective domain as well as to the cognitive and psychomotor domains, (LEW, 1977).

Knowledge and skills are taught and learned at school. School is a little community in itself where teachers and
students interact with each other. During this interaction teachers influence their learner’s behavior and learners
influence their teacher’s behavior. The nature of this interaction is an important factor in determining the learner's
perceptions of school and his/her attitudes toward school-related persons and activities. This factor involves the
relationship between the personality of the teacher and that of the learner. Thus, personality traits are not just a useful
way to describe people you know; they actually help psychologists predict how good a worker someone will be, how
long he or she will live, and the types of jobs and activities the person will enjoy.

According to Marchbanks, (2000), the personalities of sixty students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill through a 110-question questionnaire. The traits of passion, patience, cooperation, authoritativeness, and
creativity were studied in particular because these are the essential personality traits of an effective elementary school
teacher. He says teachers in the twenty-first century are responsible for the overall well-being of their students, as
well as educating, disciplining, and stimulating their developing minds. Because teachers have these additional duties,
many more requirements are needed to be effective teachers. Let us read the personality traits, necessary to be able to
accomplish all of the above-stated tasks and duties.

Teachers have the right and responsibility to develop a climate in the classroom that supports effective learning.
Aristotle quoted in Stephen Covey, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", says we are what we repeatedly
do. The climate in their classroom is based on the teachers’ personality and style of teaching, the tone of their voice,
and the little things they continually say and do on a daily basis. In the classroom, the learners’ behavior could be
determined by the way their teachers behave with them. Best, (1991, p. 275) says that teaching is “primarily concerned
with developing qualities such as curiosity, originality, initiative, cooperation, perseverance, open-mindedness, self-
criticism, responsibility, self-confidence, and independence.”

A teacher’s personal qualities that impact on student’s learning

 ❖ strong interpersonal and communication skills
❖ a genuine interest in children and respect for their individuality
❖ the ability to sense children's individual needs.
❖ the ability to be creative, imaginative, patient, energetic, organized, and resourceful.
❖ the ability to establish rapport between children and parents.
❖ strong leadership and teamwork skills and a good sense of humor
❖ a high level of dedication to work which often impacts personal lifestyle choices.
❖ a clear, pleasant speaking voice and the ability to convey confidence
❖ positive conflict resolution skills and the ability to handle stress well. They can enjoy finding different ways
to solve problems and present information and organize and coordinate the work of others.

Personality traits are a combination of characteristics that are innate to people as individuals as well as
characteristics that develop from specific life experiences. The personality traits that make up a person go a long
way in determining how successful he is.

There are certain personality traits that help teachers and students succeed. Success may mean different things to
different people. Teachers and students who hold the majority of the following characteristics are almost always
successful regardless of how success is defined.

Adaptability

This is the ability to handle a sudden change without making it a distraction.

• Students who have this trait can handle sudden adversity without letting academics suffer.
• Teachers who have this trait are quickly able to make adjustments that minimize distractions when things do
not go according to plan.

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness involves the capacity to complete a task meticulously with efficiency and of the highest quality.

• Conscientious students can produce high-quality work consistently.

• Conscientious teachers are extremely organized and efficient, and they provide their students with quality
lessons or activities daily.

Creativeness
This is the ability to use original thinking to solve a problem.

• Students who have this trait can think critically and are adept problem solvers.
• Teachers who have this trait are able to use their creativity to build a classroom that is inviting to students,
create lessons that are engaging, and incorporate strategies to individualize lessons for every student.

Determination

A person with determination can fight through adversity without giving up to accomplish a goal.

• Students who have this trait are goal orientated, and they do not allow anything to get in the way of
accomplishing those goals.
• Teachers with determination figure out a way to get their job done. They do not make excuses. They find
ways to reach even the most difficult students through trial and error without giving up.

Empathy

Empathy allows a person to relate to another individual even though she may not share similar life experiences or
problems.

• Students who have this trait can relate to their classmates. They are nonjudgmental. Instead, they are
supportive and understanding.
• Teachers who have this trait can look beyond the walls of their classroom to assess and meet their students’
needs. They recognize that some students live a difficult life outside of school and try to figure out solutions
for helping them.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the capacity to move beyond a situation in which you were wronged without feeling resentment or
holding a grudge.

• Students who are forgiving can let things go that could potentially serve as a distraction when they have been
wronged by someone else.
• Teachers with this trait can work closely with administrators, parents, students, or other teachers who may
have created an issue or controversy that was potentially detrimental to the teacher.

Genuineness
People who are genuine demonstrate sincerity through actions and words without hypocrisy.

• Students who show genuineness are well-liked and trusted. They have many friends and are often looked
upon as leaders in their classrooms.
• Teachers with this trait are viewed as highly professional. Students and parents buy into what they are selling,
and they are often highly regarded by their peers.

Gregariousness

The ability to socialize with and relate to other people is known as gregariousness.

• Students who have this trait work well with other people. They are capable of making a connection with just
about anyone. They love people and are often the center of the social universe.
• Teachers who have this trait can build strong, trusting relationships with their students and families. They
take the time to make real connections that often extend beyond the walls of the school. They can figure out
a way to relate to and carry on a conversation with just about any personality type.

Independence

This is the ability to work through problems or situations on your own without requiring assistance from others.

• Students who have this trait do not rely on other people to motivate them to accomplish a task. They are self-
aware and self-driven. They can accomplish more academically because they do not have to wait on other
people.
• Teachers who have this trait can take good ideas from other people and make them great. They can come up
with solutions to potential problems on their own and make general classroom decisions without consultation.

Kindness

Kindness is the capacity to help others without the expectation of getting anything in return.

• Students who have this trait have many friends. They are generous and thoughtful often going out of their
way to do something nice.
• Teachers who have this trait are very popular. Many students will come into class looking forward to having
a teacher with a reputation for being kind.

Obedience
Obedience is the willingness to comply with a request without questioning why it needs to be done.

• Students who are obedient are well thought of by their teachers. They are typically compliant, well-behaved,
and seldom a classroom discipline problem.
• Teachers who have this trait can build a trusting and cooperative relationship with their principal.

Passionate

People who are passionate get others to buy into something due to their intense feelings or fervent beliefs.

• Students with this trait are easy to motivate. People will do anything for something about which they are
passionate. Taking advantage of that passion is what good teachers do.
• Passionate teachers are easy for students to listen to. Passion sells any topic, and a lack of passion can lead to
failure. Teachers who are passionate about their content are more likely to produce students who become
passionate as they learn.

Patience

The ability to sit idly and wait on something until the timing is perfect is patience.

• Students who have this trait understand that sometimes you have to wait your turn. They are not deterred by
failure, but instead, view failure as an opportunity to learn more. They reevaluate, find another approach, and
try again.
• Teachers who have this trait understand that the school year is a marathon and not a race. They understand
that each day presents its challenges and that their job is to figure out how to get every student from point A
to point B as the year progresses.

Respectfulness

The ability to allow others to do and be their best through positive and supportive interactions is respectfulness.

• Students who are respectful can work cooperatively with their peers. They respect the opinions, thoughts, and
feelings of everyone around them. They are sensitive to everyone and try to treat everyone as they want to be
treated.
• Teachers who have this trait understand that they must have positive and supportive interactions with every
student. They maintain the dignity of their students at all times and create an atmosphere of trust and respect
in their classroom.
Responsibleness

This is the ability to be accountable for your actions and to carry out tasks that have been assigned in a timely manner.

• Students who are responsible can complete and turn in every assignment on time. They follow a prescribed
schedule, refuse to give in to distractions, and stay on task.
• Teachers who have this trait are trustworthy and valuable assets to the administration. They are regarded as
professional and often asked to help out in areas where there is a need. They are highly reliable and
dependable.

QUESTIONS # 02

Describe the process of course design and planning.

Course Designing

Course design is the process and methodology of creating quality learning environments and experiences for students.
Through deliberate and structured expose to instructional materials, learning activities, and interaction, students are
able to access information, obtain skills, and practice higher levels of thinking. The focus of course design is to put
together the optimal learning experiences for students in an environment that is supportive and appreciative of learning
and intellectual development.

The backdrop behind effective course design is that the courses themselves constitute the foundation of teaching and
learning. An effective design means more students will be able to participate in deeper learning experiences that foster
successful learning. At Capital University, the science of good course design is upheld, and all of the components of
a course are deliberate. Whether in general education or program-specific education, courses must constitute the
foundation of student learning. Therefore, effective course design should result in our programs making a positive
impact and resulting in the appropriate intended student outcomes. See Figure 1 for an illustration of the overall
structure of course designs. Program identification, together with effective course design, should make for optimal
student learning and the achievement of intended student outcomes.

Course Planning
Course planning is perhaps the most critical component of online course design. It involves the high-level
conceptualization of the course’s big ideas, essential questions, and desired outcomes or objectives, along with
planning all of the major components that will comprise the course content and learning activities. A good course plan
provides a blueprint of what and how the students will learn in a course.

The overall quality and success of an online course significantly depend on the advanced planning that goes into that
course. Course planning helps ensure that an online course has been developed with intention, and as a result, is
complete, organized, and aligned across its major components—all for the ultimate benefit of the online learners.

Most importantly, course planning must be done before a course is launched so that the time required to continue
developing the course will not compete with the time it takes to effectively teach online.

Successful courses require careful planning and continual revision. Consult with colleagues who have taught the same
or similar courses to learn from their strategies and their general impressions of the students who typically take the
course. If you are team-teaching, you and your teaching partner(s) should begin meeting well in advance to discuss
course goals, teaching philosophies, course content, teaching methods, and course policies, as well as specific
responsibilities for each instructor.

Define course goals.

Determining the goals for the course will clarify what you want the students to learn and accomplish. Having these
course goals in mind will then help you make decisions about which content to include, which teaching methods to
use, and what kinds of assignments and exams are appropriate. For a useful introduction to curriculum planning that
begins with defining goals for student learning, rather than with course content, see Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe’s
Understanding by Design (1998).
When you define the course goals, focus on student learning. One way to formulate these goals is to determine what
students should be learning in terms of content, cognitive development, and personal development. Be as specific as
you can and make sure that the goals define learning in ways that can be measured. Consider the following questions:

• What do you want your students to remember from your course in 5-10 years?
• How should taking your course change students?
• What skills should students gain in this course?
• How does this course relate to other courses in the discipline? How, then, might you define the course goals
accordingly (e.g., for an introductory, fundamental, or advanced course in the discipline)?
In addition, you should learn about the students who typically take the course (their level of preparation, their majors
or academic interests, etc.) in order to think about how your course will help this group of students build their
knowledge and understanding of the topic.
Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1956) provides a helpful framework for identifying the
observable and measurable skills you would like your students to learn. Bloom identified six types of cognitive
processes and ordered these according to the increasing level of complexity involved: knowledge, comprehension,
application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. This page provides resources for using Bloom’s Taxonomy to help
write learning goals.

General Chemistry: Course Goals

• Teach chemistry topics that must be covered to help students prepare for other courses and for standardized
exams.
• Teach study skills that students need to succeed in university-level science courses; these skills are distinct
from those required to succeed in high-school science courses. For example, teach students how to study
effectively in a group.
• Teach students problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Demonstrate how chemistry is used in other fields and in everyday situations.
• Teach students the beauty of chemistry.
Determine course content. Select the major topics and determine the order in which you will teach them.

• Select the main topics to be covered. To obtain an initial list of course topics, look in current textbooks or
the current literature (for a special-topics course). Determine whether there is a consensus concerning the
necessary topics by obtaining previous course syllabi and discussing potential topics with colleagues. Refine
your list by considering your course goals and the characteristics of your students. At the same time, use the
desired content to refine the course goals.
• Pare down and refine your initial list of topics. Instructors often plan initially to teach more material than
they can cover in the allotted time.
• Determine the structure of the course; arrange the topics in a logical order. Developing a rationale that
guides the structure of the course can help you explain the material more clearly to the students. In other
words, you can discuss how and why you have organized the material in a particular way, helping them to
see, for example, how one topic builds on, illustrates, or offers a different perspective on another. Articulating
the rationale behind the course structure also increases and maintains the students’ interest in the course
content. Determining the course structure can help you decide which texts are most appropriate.
You can choose to organize the topics in a variety of ways, whether chronological, topical, conceptual, survey-
oriented, or process-oriented. Think about how the structure of the course will contribute to student learning. Ask
questions such as the following:
 • Can I organize the topics according to a theme or storyline?
• Do I need to teach certain skills initially and then discuss applications?
• Do I want to introduce a particular theory before illustrating it with specific examples or problems?
Creating a good course design requires the following in order to be beneficial for students:

1 - Multiple steps, stages, or parts

Designing a course where students come to class, listen to the teacher, watch and read slides, read all the same papers,
and then take an exam at the end of the course might be easy to deploy, but it takes away the possibility of further
engagement. Adding diverse tools and creating different moments of learning instead, allows students to access a pool
of new perspectives, check their understanding, and learn at their own pace while supporting diverse learning. For
example, using multiple testing throughout the course supports just-in-time learning - when students are reminded
or tested exactly at the moment when they need it the most, e.g., when the knowledge is starting to fade - while
interactive documents creation and presentations put students’ knowledge obtained until that moment in perspective
with the knowledge other students have on that subject.
2 - High-order thinking moments

A good course design should always be able to let students have the time to reason on what they know and what they
do not know about the subject at hand. Indeed, a course design with blended effective practices, both online and
offline, provides a fertile environment for metacognitive development, which is the ability to reason on our own
understanding, a critical aspect when it comes to learning. Online tools allowing students to brainstorm, engage
in document analysis, peer-reviewing, self-testing exercises, and tutorials, are well able to stimulate these responses
when applied in the right sequence.
3 - Places where students can create knowledge

Forums, discussions, blog posts, and comments are all possibilities that technology can provide to teachers when
creating a course. By interacting with each other in an independent way, students can engage in a real community of
practice where they construct knowledge between themselves. Technology allows students to access material in an
asynchronous way, at their best convenience. Linking materials from social media and elsewhere on the Internet can
spark interests that students might bring into the classroom when engaging in presentations and discussions with the
teacher and their peers. All of this can put together the flexibility sought in a blended approach with engaging course
design.
4 - Make it simple, make it free

Data suggest that a good course design that includes technology should always be two things: simple, for the students
to be engaged, and free so that students can use what technology they think expresses their needs the most, while also
deciding how to use it - autonomy is core to successful course design through technologies, and students do best when
encouraged to be independent learners. For example, internet resources such as virtual field trips, and mobile data
collection or collaboration, can all bridge a classroom meeting, prepare students for a classroom meeting, or provide
practice or exploration after a classroom meeting.
5 - Be process-driven, product-oriented, and project-oriented

Scientific literature states that the best course designs include all three of these instructional strategies.
- Process-driven: progressive activities culminating in a performance or an assessment (e.g. Peer reviews,
brainstorming sessions, document analysis, etc.)

- Product-oriented: assignments towards a well-defined product (e.g. art projects, podcasting, etc.)

- Project-oriented: activities that go on step by step, with benchmarks students have to accomplish in a certain order.
The end result is not the only thing important here, but the way students create the project also matters (e.g. discussion
boards, case studies, online group collaboration, blogs, etc.)

6 - Do not forget to support students

Not every student might be ready to learn online that much. Practice activities, video tutorials, and learning teams
can help those students who do not have high digital literacy skills. Providing clear and accessible support increases
participation and reduces frustration, benefitting learning [1], [5].
Do you wish to dig deeper into course design? We also prepared a detailed guide on every aspect of course design,
check it out: Feedback Fruits’ ultimate guide to course design
Course design mistakes to avoid at all costs.

While research has pointed out many misuses of technologies in course design [for examples, see, we would like to
provide a few that in our opinion are the most important. So, last but not least, a good course design including digital
technologies should not be any of the following:
1 - A copy-paste of the old course

Blending online and offline by posting slides on the university website is not going to benefit your students’ learning.
If anything, it will only decrease class attendance - and, in some extreme cases, even the image students have of their
teachers. Using the online format only as a repository for offline activities is never a good idea and might actually
disengage students instead. Expect a lot of yawing in your class if you do this: after all, nothing changed!
2 - Missing offline-online interaction

Blended learning should blend online and offline strategies. Online learning does not have to replace traditional
learning but support it with new and exciting possibilities. Class meetings, face-to-face groups discussions, and human
interaction still are and always will be an important part of learning.
3 - Not giving measurable course outcomes

A well-designed course needs to explain clearly what the expected outcomes are. Students should be able to check
their learning at every step of the course, knowing which skills they should possess and master throughout and at the
end of the course itself. After all, you never arrive anywhere if you do not know where you are going!

4 - Missing opportunities to “do”

Do not fall into the trap of focusing on viewing as opposed to doing. Digital technologies like videos, presentations,
images, slideshows, and sharing content from social media are powerful ways to increase engagement, but students
should always put their knowledge into practice. Always give them the opportunity to be active, not just a passive
audience.

QUESTION#03

Q.3 What strategies a teacher can use in the classroom to motivate students?
Motivation is a crucial element to the learning process. Research clearly shows a positive correlation between
motivation and achievement. Some students are highly motivated to learn, and this interest continues throughout
their years at school. Some other students, particularly adolescents, see what happened at school as having no
functional relevance to their lives. They become increasingly bored, particularly with academic task and are
generally uninterested in anything that happens in the classroom. Teachers should recognize that there is
tremendous variation in the level of energy and interest students bring to the classroom activities.

In an ideal classroom, students pay attention, ask questions, and want to learn. They do their assignments without
complaint and study without being persuaded and flattered. But teachers often have students who don’t seem
motivated to work on the classroom tasks set out for them. “They aren’t successful with every student, but with a
positive approach to motivation, they can influence many.” (Kauchak & Eggen, 2004) Therefore, teachers
contribute a great deal to students’ desires to learn and to take responsibility for their learning.

Definition of Motivation

The word motivation is derived from a Latin word ‘movers’ which means to move. Thus, motivation is an external
force which accelerates a response or behavior. Motivation is a cause of an organism’s behavior, or the reason
that an organism carries out some activity.

Motivation is described by different psychologists differently as described below:

• “The term motivation refers to the arousal of tendency to act to produce one or more effect”Allport (1935 )

• “Motivation is constant, never ending, fluctuating and complex and it is an almost universal characteristic of
particularly every organismic state of affairs.” Maslow (1960 ).

• “The process of arousing, sustaining and regulating activity” Crow. L. D. (1953)

• “The central factor in the effective management of the process of learning.”B.R. Annandi (1981)

• “Motivation in school learning involves arousing, persisting, sustaining and directing desirable behavior.”
Lepper, Mark R. (1998).

Make it Real.

In order to foster intrinsic motivation, try to create learning activities that are based on the topics that are relevant
to your student’s lives. Strategies include using local examples, teaching with events in the news, using pop
culture technology (iPods, cell phones, you tube videos) to teach, or connecting the subject with your students’
culture, outside interests or social lives.
Provide Choices

Students can have increased motivation when they feel some sense of autonomy in the learning process, and that
motivation declines when students have no voice in the class structure. Giving your students options can be as
simple as letting them pick their lab partners or select from alternative assignments, or as complex as “contract
teaching” wherein students can determine their own grading scale, due dates and assignments.

Balance the Challenge

Students perform best when the level of difficulty is slightly above their current level. If the task is too easy, it
promotes boredom and may communicate a message of low expectations or a sense that the teacher believes the
student is not capable of better work. A task that is too difficult may be seen as unattainable, may undermine self-
efficacy, and may create anxiety. Scaffolding is one instructional technique where the challenge level is gradually
raised as students are capable of more complex tasks.

Use Peer Models

Students can learn by watching a peer succeed at a task. In this context, a peer means someone who the student
identities with, not necessarily any other student. Peers may be drawn from groups as defined by gender, ethnicity,
social circles, interests, achievement level, clothing, or age.

Establish a Sense of Belonging

People have a fundamental need to feel connected or related to other people. In an academic environment, research
shows that students who feel they ‘belong’ have a higher degree of intrinsic motivation and academic confidence.
According to students, their sense of belonging is fostered by an instructor that demonstrates warmth and
openness, 84 encourages student participation, is enthusiastic, friendly and helpful, and is organized and prepared
for class.

Adopt a Supportive Style

A supportive teaching style that allows for student autonomy can foster increased student interest, enjoyment,
engagement and performance. Supportive teacher behaviors include listening, giving hints and encouragement,
being responsive to student questions and showing empathy for students.

Example of supportive-style teacher behaviors

• Listening- carefully and fully attended to the student’s speech, as evidenced by verbal or non-verbal signals of
active, contingent, and responsive information processing.

• Asking what students want; such as, “which problem do you want to start with?”
 • Allowing students to work in their own way

• Allowing students to talk

• Using explanatory statements as to why a particular course of action might be useful, such as “How about we
try the cube, because it is the easiest one.”

• Using praise as informational feedback, such as “Good Job” and “That’s great.”

• Offering encouragements to boost or sustain the student’s engagement, such as “almost” “you’re close,” and
“you can do it.”

• Offering hints, such as “Laying the map on the table seems to work better than holding it in your lap” and “It
might be easier to work on the bottom of the map first.”

• Being responsive to student-generated questions, such as “yes, you have a good point” and “yes, right, that was
the second one.”

• Communicating with empathic statements to acknowledge the student’s perspective or experience, such as “yes,
this one is difficult” and”I know its sort hard to tell.”

• Talking

• Holding or monopolizing learning materials

• Giving the solutions or answers before the students had the opportunity to discover the solution themselves.

• Uttering directive or commands, such as “Do it like this,” “Start this way,” or “Use pencil.” • Making statements
that the student should, must, must, got to, or ought to do something, such as “you should keep doing that” and
“you ought to….”

• Asking controlling questions, such as “can you move it like I showed you?” and “Why don’t you go ahead and
show me?”

QUESTION #04

What is meant by inductive reasoning, provide examples regarding application of this method in classroom
setting?

Inductive Reasoning
Inductive reasoning is a method of drawing conclusions by going from the specific to the general. It’s
usually contrasted with deductive reasoning, where you go from general information to specific conclusions.
Inductive reasoning is also called inductive logic or bottom-up reasoning.

The inductive reasoning method moves from specific to general. These examples will help us to understand the
concept of inductive reasoning. Consider this “Previous car accidents of this sort were caused by brakes failure, and
therefore, this accident was also caused by brakes failure.” Similarly, while doing exercises of mathematics children
use induction method “as previous question was solved by adding the numbers, therefore, this question may also be
solved by same method”, and most of the time it comes true.

Inductive reasoning is a logical process that involves using specific experiences, observations or facts to evaluate a
situation. This is an essential tool in statistics, research, probability and day-to-day decision-making. This means that,
regardless of your profession, learning about inductive reasoning and how to use it can help you identify patterns and
make better decisions in the workplace.

Some important aspects of the inductive teaching method are given as below.

1. It gives new knowledge as student are supposed to involve in the process of knowledge construction. 2. It is a
method of discovery, where students discover the fact by their own involvement.

3. It is a method of teaching; teachers used this by starting from the known facts and using different inquiry techniques
to discover the hidden ones.

4. Child acquires firsthand knowledge and information by actual observation.

5. It is a slow process, as all the steps are interlinked and the students cannot move forward without the mastery of
the previous one.

6. It trains the mind and gives self-confidence and initiative to the students after being exposed to inductive method
the students have more positive attitude towards taking initiatives in their studies.

7. It is full of activity; many activities lead towards the generation of new knowledge.

8. It is an upward process of thought and leads to principles, the students understand the philosophy behind that
principle

Inductive reasoning is a logical approach to making inferences, or conclusions. People often use inductive reasoning
informally in everyday situations.
You may have come across inductive logic examples that come in a set of three statements. These start with one
specific observation, add a general pattern, and end with a conclusion.

Examples: Inductive reasoning

Stage Example 1 Example 2

Specific observation Nala is an orange cat, and she purrs loudly. Baby Jack said his first word at the age
of 12 months.

Pattern recognition Every orange cat I’ve met purrs loudly. All observed babies say their first word
at the age of 12 months.

General conclusion All orange cats purr loudly. All babies say their first word at the age
of 12 months.
Inductive reasoning in research

In inductive research, you start by making observations or gathering data. Then, you take a broad view of your data
and search for patterns. Finally, you make general conclusions that you might incorporate into theories.

Example: Inductive reasoning in research class

You conduct exploratory research on whether pet behaviors have changed due to work-from-home measures for their
owners.
You distribute a survey to pet owners. You ask about the type of animal they have and any behavioral changes they’ve
noticed in their pets since they started working from home. These data make up your observations.

To analyze your data, you create a procedure to categorize the survey responses so you can pick up on repeated
themes. You notice a pattern: most pets became more needy and clingy or agitated and aggressive.

Based on your findings, you conclude that almost all pets went through some behavioral changes due to changes in
their owners’ work locations. This is a generalization that you can build on to test further research questions.
Inductive reasoning is commonly linked to qualitative research, but both quantitative and qualitative research use a
mix of different types of reasoning.

Example: Inductive generalization

1. The flamingos here are all pink.

2. All flamingos I’ve ever seen are pink.
3. All flamingos must be pink.
4. zation.

Example: Statistical vs. non-statistical generalization

Statistical Non-statistical

Specific 73% of students from a sample in a local Most students from a sample in a local
observation university prefer hybrid learning environments. university prefer hybrid learning environments.
Example: Statistical vs. non-statistical generalization

Statistical Non-statistical

Inductive 73% of all students in the university prefer Most students in the university prefer hybrid
generalization hybrid learning environments. learning environments.

Example: Causal reasoning

1. All of my white clothes turn pink when I put a red cloth in the washing machine with them.
2. My white clothes don’t turn pink when I wash them on their own.
3. Putting colorful clothes with light colors causes the colors to run and stain the light-colored clothes.

QUESTION #05

Q.5 Summarize the main points bearing on the role of research project.

Role of Research Project

Simply put, research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of
new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not
previously known.

Generally, a research is a quest for knowledge through experimentation, investigation and thorough search. It is aimed
at discovery and interpretation of new knowledge or at resolving debatable existing knowledge. There are systematic
procedures and methods for explorations, targeted at obtaining new knowledge. The starting point of a research is to
think of a good idea. Your research is good as your idea. Before starting any long term or complicated task, it is wise
that we make a rough plan or a map which will guide us throughout the course of the job. In the same way, before the
commencement of our research, we need to devote time and think logically on the area of our research and how we
are going to about it.

Typically, a research project revolves around following three questions.

(i) What do you plan to accomplish?

(ii) Why do you want to do it?
(iii) How are you going to do it?

Types & kinds of research projects

Research projects can be broadly categorized into the following types:

a) Academic Research Projects:

i. Social research project
ii. Scientific research project
b) Commercial Research Projects:
i) Sales Project
ii) Grant Project
iii) Business Project
iv) Funding Project
v) Marketing Research Project
c) Basic Steps in the research process

Selection of the problem

A researcher may be concerned with conditions or relationships that exists, practices that prevail, beliefs,
points of view or attitudes that are held, processes that are going on, effects that are being felt or trends
that are developing and may select the problem accordingly from the area or field in which he is
interested.

Statement of the problem

The researcher must state the problem clearly as it is done in case of other types of research. The
statement must identify the variables involved in the study. It should specify clearly whether the study
is merely seeking to determine the present status of these variables or whether it will also explore
relationships between the variables.

Identification of data

After stating and defining the problem, the next step for the researcher is to list the data to be collected
for the study. He has to specify whether the data are of qualitative or a quantitative nature and whether
the data will be collected in the form of counts, test scores, responses to questionnaires, interviews, and
so on.

Selection or Development of Tools

The nature of the data to be collected helps the researcher to select the appropriate tools for the study. If
the readymade tools are not available, the researcher has to develop his own tools. Questionnaires,
interviews, psychological tests, rating scales, schedules and attitudes scales are the most frequently used
tools for descriptive research. If the researcher uses readymade tools, he should satisfy himself about
their reliability, validity, and suitability for sample chosen for the study. If the researcher develops his
own tools, he should try them out with a small group in order to evaluate them and make modifications
if necessary.

Selection of the Sample

The researcher must select the sample about which he wishes to seek information using appropriate
sampling techniques. The sample selected should adequately represent the population.

Collection of Data

The researcher should specify the practical schedule for gathering the data from the sample selected for
the study with the help of appropriate tools.

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

The data collected is quantified in the form of counts, test scores, responses the questionnaires, etc.
These are analyzed and interpreted with the help of appropriate parametric or non-parametric statistical
tests.

Writing of the Research Report

It is the last stage in the research and the researcher should exercise extreme caution in generalizing
conclusions and reporting them with all the limitations of the study. For writing the research report
university approved format will be focused which is followed by APA style.

THE END