Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Milton Algood
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use would be where the researchers attempt to examine experiences, actions, opinions,
investigation of fifth graders' views on STEM activities. In this scenario, a case study
would be most appropriate to find the relationship between STEM activities and fifth
grade student achievement. The researcher could design a case study used to investigate
certain communities, social groups, ethnic groups, cultures, etc. (Mertler, 2019). An
essential factor to consider about this type of research is that the researcher is putting
themselves into the environment they are studying to better understand what is going on
in the setting (Mertler, 2019). An example tf this would be researchers visiting a grocery
store and observing customers interacting with employees. The researchers could place
When it comes to narrative research, this research aims to inform others through
the use of dialogue or written text to talk about an experience event, etc. An example of
while schools were not in session during COVID-19 in 2020. Through this, the
The primary purpose of a case study at its core is to understand something better,
whether it is a person, place, situation, event, etc. In this design, a researcher needs to
collect, analyze, and interpret data to better understand whatever is being studied. From
here the researcher can come up with conclusions based on the collected data and analyze
it. The data collected throughout this case study can be qualitative or quantitative,
depending on what is being studied. An example Mertler gave for a case study would be
"For example, a researcher might study the instructional methods and techniques used by
When comparing and contrasting the three different research designs, there are a
few similarities that stand out. The first is that each design's purpose is to help
researchers try and understand whatever it is they are studying. Whether this is
behaviours, cultures, experiences, or situations, they all aim to help understand. Between
the three, there is another similarity between Narrative Research and a Case Study
design. The similarity falls in how all the data is gathered. Both of these research
designs rely on the use of interviews, documents, and any other data that is relevant.
Ethnography differs from the two because it relies on the observation of a specific group.
Another way the designs differ is by who/what the researchers are choosing to observe.
When it comes to ethnography, the researcher is choosing to observe a group. But when
looking at Narrative Research, the researcher selects a few individuals they want to focus
on. Finally, Case Study focuses on cases that can be observed in their natural setting
(Mertler, 2019). The data analyzed from the research design also brings up more
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similarities and differences between the two. A similarity that is shared between
ethnography and narrative research is how they are organized. Both methods focus on
data into different themes and subthemes rather than chronologically (Mertler, 2019).
Article Summary
The purpose of Esra Verdi and Bekir Yildirim' case study in December of 2020
was to obtain valid and reliable results on the effect of STEM education on fifth graders'
and to investigate their views on STEM activities. This case study is influenced by the
fact countries are focusing on novel approaches to transform their education systems
because they need qualified people with the right skills to face the challenges of every -
intensifying global competition. The research questions that guided that guided Verdi
and Yildirim in their research tailored around the participants' views of STEM activities.
The second research question was addressed the challenges of STEM activities. The
third research question looked into how much students thought STEM activities
contributed to classes. The fourth research question investigated how often students
thought STEM activities should be integrated into lectures (Verdi & Yıldırım, 2020).
The researchers used a study that was done by Pehlivan and Uluyol that focused
on how countries such as USA, Canada, and the UK have integrated STEM into their
education systems from primary school up to the university level. The researchers
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learned through their research that STEM activities started in the students' early years of
education help develop the students' twenty - first century skills such as vocational
training, attitudes and interests towards science and math, and contributes to their
economic development.
The researcher was able to conclude STEM activities would help students to be
able to succeed in their school life especially during the middle school years when
students begin to lack an interest in the concepts and science and math. Using what he
learned from the previous research, Verdi and Yildirim were able to their research
questions.
The method that the researchers used to gather data was through the use of
purposive sampling technique. The sample consisted of ten students (five girls and five
boys). The study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, science and
mathematical knowledge was introduced to students. In the second phase, students were
asked to design materials by applying engineering design process skills. In the third
phase of the case study, data was also collected using a semi-structured interview
The data was analyzed using content analysis in four steps: 1. transcribing the
interviews, 2) starting the content analysis, 3) developing themes, categories, and codes,
and 4) interpreting them. The researchers assigned two independent experts to perform
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the content analysis. Each of them developed themes, categories, and codes (Verdi &
Yıldırım, 2020).
Once the independent experts developed themes, categories, and codes, the interrater
However, they all talked about the advantages of STEM activities. One student stated
that by using this STEM activity help him grasp the abstract science ideas by doing hands
on activities with electrical circuits. Another student stated that he liked the STEM
activities because he was helped with choosing a possible career choice in the future
(Verdi & Yıldırım, 2020). There are also some challenges presented by students in the
case study. Participants' views of the challenges of STEM activities were grouped under
six codes. The challenges included the students inability to use materials, communication
The researchers had three suggestions in reference to the case study. First, they
suggested that a bigger sample space be used next time because the study could not be
genderalized to the whole study. Therefore, future students should be recruited from
other grade levels. Second, the STEM where completed in a short three week period.
Consequently, the researchers did not have enough data reflecting a long-term effect on
the students. Third, the data was based on self-report. Future studies should adopt
different types of research design to approach the study from different perspectives. The
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researchers realized that the participants experienced some problems with the STEM
activities. In the future the researchers will take these problems and use them as a
springboard to design better STEM activities in the future. The researchers also
concluded after the study, that STEM activities should be integrated into the science
References
Publications, Inc.
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Verdi, E., & Yıldırım, B. (2020). Fifth Graders’ Views on STEM Activities: A Case
https://www.hurrians.com/index.php/education/article/view/32