RABSEL the CERD Educational Journal
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RABSEL the CERD Educational Journal Volume XII Spring 2009 Centre for Educational Research & Development RABSEL A Publication of the Centre for Educational Research and Development Paro College of Education, Paro, Bhutan Royal University of Bhutan Telephone: 975 8 272011 Facsimile: 975 8 271620 Email Address: [email protected] Spring 2009 © Centre for Educational Research and Development. ISBN: 978-99936-19-06-2 The views and opinions expressed in this journal are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Centre for Educational Research and Development or of the Department of Education. Printed at: Galing Printing House, Thimphu 2 Editorial Rabsel is a popular journal amongst our teachers, teacher educators, students, student teachers, researchers, educational thinkers and practitioners. Rabsel has helped foster a culture of research, enquiry and investigation in the continuous search of knowledge by providing a forum for publication of research papers, reflection of professional practices, views and issues related to education. It has also helped educators, learners; integrate the insights of systematic research on educational improvement, into the realities of varied educational contexts, that is, to produce sustainable improvement in learning for diverse learner populations. Every issue of the journal has carried new heights emphasizing the potential importance of the benefits of scientific change in designing improvements and solutions to educational problems. This twelfth volume of Rabsel issue contains study on some of the crucial issues concerning education. The choice of research method is a dilemma facing many novice researchers. Qualitative or Quantitative? A Dilemma Often faced by Novice Researchers identifies some salient features of different research methods, which are keys to making the right choice. Formative Assessment: The Path from Misunderstanding to a Common Understanding leave no doubt that the formative assessment in Bhutanese schools are utmost importance. The review gives better insights and clarification on the misconstrued concepts of formative and summative assessment practiced at our learning institutes. A Literature Review on Assessment in Mathematics Classroom presents the importance of integrating alternative forms of assessment practices in mathematics classroom. Improving the Use of Articles, Prepositions and Tenses is an action research study which discusses the importance and the correct use of grammar in learning language and teaching and learning process. Dissemination of Message, Imbibing Culture: Contexts of Communication in Bhutan talks about the different sets of media utilized for communication in Bhutan at various point of time. It depicts how a communication was and is important and what are the barriers of communication in the context of Bhutan. In The Instructional culture at Baylling Higher Secondary School in Trashiyangtse, we view the strengths and limitations of the instructional system and recommendations that emanated from the findings. A perspective on Why Revamp Special Education highlights that special education be given its due recognition and revamped. A Change of Quality of Life through Literacy in Bhutan using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping illustrates how the public library system in Bhutan is converted into a fuzzy model to get the maximum literacy benefits. 3 A preliminary study on Self –Esteem looks at how the psychological aspect of child development is vital and points out that the development of self-esteem can have a profound effect on the overall success and happiness of children. Similarly, Realizing the Golden Triangle, a study on teacher-parent bonding towards delivery of quality education depicts parent-teacher bonding as a vital approach towards enhancing learning. In this issue of Rabsel, we would like to acknowledge the continued interest and support shown in its contents by our scholars and readers. With unwavering effort of our scholars and selflessness of our education family, we have always made every publication of Rabsel issue possible. While, we have good reasons to be gratified with our success in the domain of educational provision, it is all the more important for us to make use of this forum and share our visions and convictions that are ever so vital for the success of our education programmes. May Rabsel continue to be the mightest symbol of our education development. Tashi Delek Ramesh Thapa Research Officer 4 Contents 1. Qualitative or Quantative - A Dilemma Often Faced by Our Novice Researchers - Mr. Kezang Sherab 2. Formative Assessment: The Path from Misunderstanding to a Common Understanding - Ms. Marianne Fre 3. A Literature Review on Assessment in Mathematics Classroom - Mr. Karma Jigyel 4. Improving the Use of Articles, Prepositions and Tenses: “Action Research Study” - Mr. N.B. Gajmer & Tom Maxwell 5. Dissemination of Message, Imbibing Culture: Contexts of Communication in Bhutan - Mr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma 6. The Instructional culture at Baylling Higher Secondary School in Trashiyangtse –An Introspection - Mr. Phuntsho Wangdi 7. Why Revamp Special Education - A Prespective - Tashi Dawa 8. Change of Quality of life through Literacy in Bhutan using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) - Dr. Victor Devados, T. Antony Alphonnse Ligori and Sherb Doriji 8. Realizing the Golden Triangle: A preliminary study on teacher-parent bonding towards delivery of quality education - Karma Pedey 10. A Preliminary Study on Self-esteem of Bhutanese Students - Namgay Lhamo 5 QUALITATIVE or QUANTITATIVE A DILEMMA OFTEN FACED BY NOVICE RESEARCHERS Kezang Sherab, Lecturer Paro College of Education “Research = a blind date with knowledge” (Mimi Murray) Research culture in the colleges under the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) is beginning to take root among its faculty members. Like other universities elsewhere the RUB is also giving more emphasis and encouragement on research activities for the enhancement of the quality of courses offered by the faculty members. It is now becoming a mandate for every member of the faculty to conduct research in their own fields to improve their practices and the quality of the graduates they produce. own fields to improve their practices and the quality of the graduation they produce. While we have a few experienced researchers in the system, we also have a large number of novice researchers. As a novice researcher myself, I have experienced the difficulty in choosing the right approach in carrying out research. More importantly working with graduate students for the last couple of years, I have experienced that these students undergo the dilemma of designing a study that fits well. Often novice researchers have to undergo stressful moments when faced with this dilemma. The difficult situation faced by novice researchers is well illustrated in the clip art provided above. Whether one is a graduate student embarking on a research study for the first time or a novice researcher, all would agree that with limited philosophical and theoretical orientation to research, we are always in a dilemma when choosing the right kind of approach for our research Therefore, this short paper on “Qualitative or Quantitative Dilemma” intends to share some basic requirements novice researchers need to adopt cautiously in tackling the dilemma while designing a study. This brief and humble paper will make an attempt to support future graduate students of the College in choosing the right approach for their research projects. 6 Characteristics of Qualitative and Quantitative Approach First it is crucial for every researcher to be familiar with the basic characteristics of the two main research approaches: qualitative and quantitative. I have based this discussion on the characteristics of qualitative and quantitative approaches on the points of comparison presented by Merraim (1998): 1. Focus of research: qualitative researchers are basically concerned with the quality of the findings which is derived from the natural setting, often known as lived experiences. It is the development of the first-hand knowledge derived from the natural setting through direct and intensive contact with the research participants. Since it is field focused they require a substantial amount of time to be spent in the field. It is a small-scale research that emphasizes on the quality of the product. Therefore, the essence of this type of research is the “quality” as the name suggest. The fewer the number of participants with quality data, the better. On the other hand, quantitative researchers are concerned with quantity (how much and how many). It is a large-scale research focusing on numbers and the findings can be generalised to a population. The more the number of samples with huge data, the better. 2. Philosophical Roots: Qualitative researchers believe in phenomenology and symbolic interaction. They study a phenomenon through face-to-face interaction with the research participants to construct meaning out of their interaction. Therefore, phenomenologist attempt to understand human behaviour in particular situations through investigating participants’ lived experiences. They believe that there are multiple ways of interpreting experiences not just one. Quantitative approach on the other hand belongs to positivism and it emphasizes on empirical observation and measurement of information numerically. Positivist advocate cause and effect relationship. Therefore, they believe in examining causes that influence outcomes. According to Creswell (2003), in positivist