Session 1: Classification of Research Types

Research type: Case Study
1. Opportunities and obstacles : implementing a web-based teaching and learning strategy in a vocational education institution

Reason:
This research involves the researcher interacts with the participants (interviews with staff in the vocational education institution) and the collection of narrative data on many variables (management strategies, staff training plans, web-based teaching and learning) over an extended period of time. It also deals with current events.

Research type: Causal-comparative Research
1. Effect of parents' technology perception on children's technology acceptance
2. The effects of computer-assisted instruction on learning Mathematics for students with low academic performance
3. The effects of collaborative learning in a Network Supported Environment

Reason:
They attempt to establish cause-effect relationships between the values of an independent variables, i.e. parents’ technology perception, computer-assisted instruction on learning mathematics and the collaborative learning, have significant effects on dependent variables, i.e. the children’s technology acceptance, students with low academic performance and the network supported environment . These independent variables are not under the experimenters control but have to take values of the independent variables as they come.

Research type: Correlational Research
1. A study of characteristics of youth's interpersonal relationships in cyberspace
2. Use Virtual Classroom in Learning Information Technology Subject
3. The use of geometer's sketchpad to facilitate new learning experience in geometry
4. The use of simulation in teaching and learning General Studies in primary school

Reason:
The above 4 belong to the type of correlational research which attempt to determine whether and to what extent, the relationship exists between two or more numerical variables This relationship can be used to predict the value of one variable for a subject if you know the other variable. Correlation implies prediction but not causation. A researcher uses the correlation coefficient to report the research.

Research type: Experimental Research
1. The effectiveness of using Information and Communications Technology in teaching Mathematics in primary schools

Reason:
The quasi-experimental research was conducted to determine whether there was a significant difference in learning outcome and attitude between two classes of primary students subjected to different learning methods. An interactive software was used in one class by students to practice exercises after teaching the theories, while the traditional learning method in the other.

Research type: Descriptive Research
1. A Usability Study of a Language Centre Web Site

Reason:
The purpose of the research was to investigate whether the technique of ‘Discount Usability Testing’ advocated by Nielsen (1994, pp. 245-272) is effective in improving the usability of the CILL Internet site, given its departures from the ‘classical’ experimental approach as detailed in Rubin (1994), such as a small number of test subjects. They suggested three hypothesizes: Firstly, do the improvements to the site made during the usability study result in improvements in test participants’ success rate in completing tasks on the CILL site? Secondly, do the improvements to the site made during the usability study result in participants being able to carry out these tasks in a shorter time? Finally, do the participants say that they believe that the site is easier to use?

Research type: Historical Research
1. Factors affecting teachers' attitude and integration of ICT in education
2. Factors affecting Internet usage of teachers in teaching: A Study of Senior Form Science Teachers in Hong Kong
3. Teacher and teacher librarian collaboration
4. Investigating problem-based learning with ICT in elementary school

Reason:
The above four involved with the study of past events and using a qualitative approach to conduct the research. Collection and objective evaluation of data related to past events in order to test hypotheses that may help to explain present events and anticipate future events.

Research type: Naturalistic Research
1. Changing English language teaching through ICT integration: an investigation

Reason:
The research is based on a small-scale study using an ethnographic and naturalistic approach in order to reflect on the reflections of five educational practitioners on their teaching of English language with the support of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The study was carried out from January to May 2002 in a local secondary school. It involves the collection of extensive narrative data including semi-structured interviews and teacher’s journals. The researcher’s reflections mainly came from lesson observations, a reflective journal, documents and reviews of the literature.