MODULE 4

Research in Child and Adolescent

Development

Prepared by: Hanna Leah Aboc

Bachelor of Elementary Education-I
Teachers as Consumers/End Users of
Research
Research gives teachers and also policy-makers
important knowledge to use in decision-making for
the benefit of learners and their families. Well-
informed teachers are able to use and integrate the
most authoritative research findings. Research
enables teachers to come up with informed decision
on what to teach and how to teach. This involves
decisions related to educational policies, curriculum,
effective teaching-learning processes, and even
those involving research, too. It can help us,
teachers, to be more knowledgeable about how to fit
our teaching with the developmental levels of our
learners.
Teachers as Researchers
The conduct of research does not only belong to thesis
and dissertation writers. It is for students and teachers, too.
The Scientific Method
One important principle in research is adherence to the
scientific method, since research is a systematic and a
logical process.

5 steps of the Scientific Method .(John Dewey)

1. Identify and define the problem
2. Determine the hypothesis
3. Collect and analyze data
4. Formulate conclusions
5. Apply conclusions to the original hypothesis
 Research Designs:
1. Case Study

Description: An in-depth look at an individual.

Strengths: It provides information about an individual’s

fears, hopes, fantasies, traumatic experiences, upbringing,
family relationships, health, and anything that helps a
psychologist understand that person’s development.

Weaknesses: Need to exercise caution when generalizing

from the information; the subject of a case study is unique,
with a genetic make-up and experiences no one else
shares; involves judgements of unknown reliability, in that
usually no check is made to see if other psychologists
agree with other observations.
2. Correlational Study

Description: A research design that determines

associations.

Strengths: Useful because the more strongly two events

are correlated, the more we can predict one from the other.

Weaknesses: Because correlational research does not

involve the manipulation of factors, it is not a dependable
way to isolate cause.
3. Experimental
Description: A research design that determines cause-
and-effect relationships.

Strengths: The only true reliable method of establishing

cause and effect.

Weaknesses: Experimental research is limited to what is

observable, testable and manipulable.
4. Naturalistic Observation

Description: A research design that focuses on children’s

experiences in natural settings.

Strengths: One of the advantages of this type of

research is that it allows the researcher to directly
observe the subject in a natural setting.

Weaknesses: The disadvantages of naturalistic

observation include the fact that it can be difficult to
determine the exact cause of a behavior and the
experimenter cannot control outside variables.
5. Longitudinal

Description: This research design studies and follows

through a single group over a period of time.

Strengths: Allows them to record and monitor

developmental trends.

Weaknesses: They are expensive and time-consuming.

6. Cross-sectional

Description: A research strategy in which individuals of

different ages are compared at one time.

Strengths: Allows them to record and monitor

developmental trends.

Weaknesses: It gives no information about how individuals

change or about the stability of their characteristics.
7. Sequential
Description: This is the combined cross-sectional
and longitudinal approaches to learn about life-span
development.

Strengths: Allows them to record and monitor

developmental trends.

Weaknesses: It is complex, expensive, and time

consuming.
8. Action Research
Description: Action research is a reflective process
of progressive problem-solving led by individuals
working with others in teams or as part of a
“community of practice” to improve the way they
address issues and solve problems.

Strengths: Appropriate in a particular setting when

the purpose of study is “to create changes and gain
information on processes and outcome of the
strategies used”.

Weaknesses: Typically takes place in one

organisation only at a particular time and could not
be interpreted within different organisations in the
same way.
 Data-Gathering Techniques:

1. Observation
Observation can be made in either laboratories or
materialistic settings. In naturalistic observation, behavior
is observed in the real world like classrooms, home in
neighborhood.

2. Physiological Measures
Certain indicators of children’s development such as,
among others, heart rate, hormonal levels, bone growth,
body weight, and brain activity are measured.
3. Stardardized Tests
These are prepared tests that assess individuals’
performance in different domains. These tests are
administered in a consistent manner.

4. Interviews and Questionnaires

Involve asking the participants to provide information
about themselves based on the interview or questionnaire
given by the researcher.

Gathering of data may be conducted through a printed

questionnaire, over the telephone, by mail, in person, or
on-line.

Information is obtained by utilizing standardized

procedures so that every participant is asked the same
questions in the same manner. It entails asking
participants for information in some structured format.
5. Life-History Records
These are records of information about a lifetime
chronology of events and activities. They often involve
a combination of data records on education, work,
family, and residence. These include public records
or historical documents or interviews with respondent.
 Ethical Principles
These ethical standards is serve as reminder that as
researchers, we should strive to protect the subjects of
our study and to maintain the integrity of our research.

Details of these ethical principles are found in documents:

1.Ethical standards of the American Educational
Research Association

2. Ethical standards for Research with Children-Society

for Research In Child Development

3. Standards of the American Psychological Association

Concerning Research.
The following considerations for researches conducted
with young children and other vulnerable population
which are enumerated by the National Association for the
Education of Young children (NAEYC).

Some key points are:

1. Research procedures must never harm children,
physically or psychologically.

2. Children and their families have the right to full

information about the research in which they may
participate, including possible risks and benefits. Their
decision to participate must be based on what is called
“informed consent”. There must be informed consent
procedures with research participants.
3. Children’s questions about the research should be
answered in a truthful manner and in ways that children
can understand. Researchers must be honest and clear in
their communication.

4. There should be respect for privacy. Information

obtained through research with children should remain
confidential . Researchers should not disclose personal
information or the identity of participants in written or oral
reports and discussions.
Impact of Teachers’ Research Involvement on
Teachers
1. Teachers who have been involved in research may
become more reflective, more critical and analytical
in their teaching, and more open and committed to
professional development (Oja & Pine 1989; Henson
1996; Keyes 2000; Rust 2007).

2. Participating in teacher research also helps

teachers become more deliberate in their decision-
making and actions in the classroom.
3. Teacher research develops the professional
dispositions of lifelong learning, reflective and mindful
teaching, and self-transformation (Mills 2000; Stringer
2007).

4. Engaging in teacher research at any level may lead to

rethinking and reconstructing what it means to be a
teacher or teacher educator and, consequently, the way
teachers relate to children and students.

5. Teacher research has the potential to demonstrate to

teachers and prospective teachers that learning to teach
is inherently connected to learning to inquire (Borko,
Liston, & Whitcomb 20070.
Reference:
The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning
Principles Textbook pages 36-51.
THE END !!!