Why does it seem so hard to do education research? I have never been afraid to take on something new – what is stopping me? These thoughts were burning in my mind as I sat around in a circle with educators at the 2016 Experimental Biology (EB) meeting. During this session, we discussed how we move education research forward and form productive collaborations. Here are my takeaways from the meeting:
EDUCATION RESOURCES
Here are some tips to get started on education research that I learned from the “experts”.
1. Attend poster sessions on teaching at national conferences such as Experimental Biology.
2. Get familiar with published education research and design.
3. Attend the 2016 APS Institute of Teaching and Learning
4. Reach out to seasoned education researchers who share similar interests in teaching methodologies.
6. Get engaged in an education research network such as APS Teaching Section – Active learning Group
“Doubt is not below knowledge, but above it.”
– Alain Rene Le Sage
As seasoned research experts discussed education research in what sounded like a foreign tongue, I began to doubt my ability to become an education researcher. However, the group quickly learned that we had a vast array of experience in the room from the inspiring new education researchers to the seasoned experts. Thus, the sages in the room shared some valuable resources and tips for those of us just starting out (see side bar).
“We are all in a gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars”
– Oscar Wilde
You may already have all the data you need to actually publish a research study. In my mind, education research had to involve an intervention with a placebo and control group. However, it can also be approached like a retrospective chart review. To proceed, you should consult with your local Institutional Review Board to see if you will need informed consent to utilize existing data or if it qualifies for exemption.
“Setting out is one thing: you also must know where you are going and what you can do when you get there.”
– Madeleine Sophie Barat
It became clear at our meeting that the way forward was collaboration and mentorship. A powerful approach that emerged is taking a research idea and implementing it across a number of institutions in a collaborative research project. By doing this, we would have a network of individuals to discuss optimal research design and implementation strategies and increase statistical power for the study.
At the end of my week at EB, I reflected on my experiences and realized that education researchers are a unique group – in that, we are all passionate about the development of others. Collaborating with individuals who seek the best of each other will lead to great friendships and good research.
If you are interested in joining the APS Teaching Section “Active Learning Group”, please contact Lynn Cialdella-Kam.
Resources:
- Advances in Physiological Education http://advan.physiology.org/
- Institute of Education Services Database: https://eric.ed.gov/
- *Most schools have a teaching and learning center that provides resources and support for educators.
Suggested Readings:
Alexander, Patricia A, Diane L Schallert, and Victoria C Hare. 1991. “Coming to terms: How researchers in learning and literacy talk about knowledge.” Review of educational research 61 (3):315-343.
Matyas, M. L., and D. U. Silverthorn. 2015. “Harnessing the power of an online teaching community: connect, share, and collaborate.” Adv Physiol Educ 39 (4):272-7. doi: 10.1152/advan.00093.2015.
McMillan, James H, and Sally Schumacher. 2014. Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry: Pearson Higher Ed.
Postlethwaite, T Neville. 2005. “Educational research: some basic concepts and terminology.” Quantitative research methods in educational planning:1-5.
Savenye, Wilhelmina C, and Rhonda S Robinson. “Qualitative research issues and methods: An introduction for educational technologists.”
Schunk, Dale H, Judith R Meece, and Paul R Pintrich. 2012. Motivation in education: Theory, research, and applications: Pearson Higher Ed.
Lynn Cialdella Kam joined CWRU as an Assistant Professor in Nutrition in 2013. At CWRU, she is engaged in undergraduate and graduate teaching, advising, and research. Her research has focused on health complications associated with energy imbalances (i.e. obesity, disordered eating, and intense exercise training). Specifically, she is in interested in understanding how alterations in dietary intake (i.e., amount, timing, and frequency of intake) and exercise training (i.e., intensity and duration) can affect the health consequences of energy imbalance such as inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, alterations in macronutrient metabolism, and menstrual dysfunction. She received her PhD in Nutrition from Oregon State University, her Masters in Exercise Physiology from The University of Texas at Austin, and her Masters in Business Administration from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She completed her postdoctoral research in sports nutrition at Appalachian State University and is a licensed and registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
