ARTICLE CRITIQUE

Discuss the qualitative research design of the study.

Qualitative research is often regarded as a precursor to quantitative research, in that it is often
used to generate possible leads and ideas which can be used to formulate a realistic and testable
hypothesis. This hypothesis can then be comprehensively tested and mathematically analyzed,
with standard quantitative research methods.
For these reasons, these qualitative methods are often closely allied with interviews, survey
design techniques and individual case studies, as a way to reinforce and evaluate findings over a
broader scale.
A study completed before the experiment was performed would reveal which of the multitude of
brands were the most popular. The quantitative experiment could then be constructed around
only these brands, saving a lot of time, money and resources.
Qualitative methods are probably the oldest of all scientific techniques, with Ancient Greek
philosophers qualitatively observing the world around them and trying to come up with answers
which explained what they saw.
This research methodology, which allows for first-person inquiry into the researchers own
experience of a given phenomenon.

Briefly outline how the data were collected and discuss how validity and reliability were/were
not addressed in this study and why this is important.
Many data collection techniques are used in qualitative research, but the most common are
interviewing and participant observation. Unstructured interviews are used when the researcher
knows little about the topic, whereas semi-structured interviews are used when the researcher has
an idea of the questions to ask about a topic. Participant observation is used to observe research
participants in as natural a setting as possible. The types of participant observation range from
complete participation to complete observation.

Qualitative research may produce a rich, deep description of the phenomenon being studied or a
theory about the phenomenon. Qualitative research reports often contain direct quotes from
participants that provide rich illustrations of the study themes. Qualitative research, unlike its
quantitative counterpart, does not lend itself to empirical inference to a population as a whole;
rather it allows the researcher to generalize to a theoretical understanding of the phenomenon
being examined.

Outline how the data were analyzed. Was it rigourous /not rigourous? Explain your answer
The analysis of qualitative research involves aiming to uncover and / or understand the big
picture - by using the data to describe the phenomenon and what this means. Both qualitative and
quantitative analysis involves labelling and coding all of the data in order that similarities and
differences can be recognized. Responses from even an unstructured qualitative interview can be
entered into a computer in order for it to be coded, counted and analyzed. The qualitative
researcher, however, has no system for pre-coding, therefore a method of identifying and
labelling or coding data needs to be developed that is bespoke for each research. - Which is
called content analysis.
Content analysis can be used when qualitative data has been collected through:
1. Interviews with students and teachers
2. Focus groups from 29 of researchers students
3. Observation
4. Documentary analysis
Content analysis is '...a procedure for the categorization of verbal or behavioral data, for purposes
of classification, summarization and tabulation.'
The content can be analyzed on two levels:
1. Basic level or the manifest level: a descriptive account of the data i.e. this is what was
said, but no comments or theories as to why or how
2. Higher level or latent level of analysis: a more interpretive analysis that is concerned with
the response as well as what may have been inferred or implied

Content analysis involves coding and classifying data, also referred to as categorizing and
indexing and the aim of context analysis is to make sense of the data collected and to highlight
the important messages, features or findings.
Briefly outline the findings and identify any limitations of the study. Were the research questions
answered?
Learning requires the active, constructive involvement of the learner.
Learning is primarily a social activity and participation in the social life of the school
is central for learning to occur.
People learn best when they participate in activities that are perceived to be useful in
real life and are culturally relevant.
New knowledge is constructed on the basis of what is already understood and
believed.
People learn by employing effective and flexible strategies that help them to
understand reason, memorize and solve problems.
Learners must know how to plan and monitor their learning, how to set their own
learning goals and how to correct errors.
Sometimes prior knowledge can stand in the way of learning something new.
Students must learn how to solve internal inconsistencies and restructure existing
conceptions when necessary.
Learning is better when material is organized around general principles and
explanations, rather than when it is based on the memorization of isolated facts and
procedures.
Learning becomes more meaningful when the lessons are applied to real-life
situations.
Learning is a complex cognitive activity that cannot be rushed. It requires
considerable time and periods of practice to start building expertise in an area.
Children learn best when their individual differences are taken into consideration.
Learning is critically influenced by learner motivation. Teachers can help students
become more motivated learners by their behaviour and the statements they make.
Most of the findings is came from the researchers observation. But in this study, mostly teachers
didnt teach very well. An approach to dealing with student behavior problems focuses on the
issue of responsibility. Students must be taught that all of their actions have consequences, both
good and bad. Good consequences result in praise where bad consequences result in discipline

problems. Students must be taught that they have to accept and be responsible for the results that
their own behavior creates.
Identify ethical issues related to the study and how they were/were not addressed.
Teachers with a high level of moral professionalism have a deep obligation to help students
learn. According to Wynne (1995), teachers with that sense of obligation demonstrate their moral
professionalism by:
* coming to work regularly and on time;
* being well informed about their student-matter;
* planning and conducting classes with care;
* regularly reviewing and updating instructional practices;
* cooperating with, or if necessary, confronting parents of underachieving students;
* cooperating with colleagues and observing school policies so the whole institution works
effectively;
* tactfully, bur firmly criticizing unsatisfactory school policies and proposing constructive
improvement.
A teacher's commitment to a democratic environment has many benefits. If acted upon
effectively, it can establish an air of mutual trust and respect between teachers and students, as
well as the community. Effective classroom democracy also brings the student into the problem
solving process as an active player, increasing the student's self-esteem and willingness to cooperate. This, in turn, makes it easier to establish enforceable rules, and increases the
effectiveness of disciplinary action. Effective use of democracy also improves the overall
learning environment by decreasing the boredom that can lead to misbehavior, by personalizing
learning for the students, and by making evaluation more meaningful, and helpful to the
individual student. Taking a closer look at the theory of democracy in the classroom, and several
ways to show a commitment to democracy, will offer a better understanding of just how far it can
go to make the school more effective for students and teachers alike.

If you had been the researcher would you have done things differently? How? Why?
Yes. I will use the democratic process helps to build this sense of responsibility, first of all, as a
teachers we must create an air of mutual respect in the classroom. By including students in many
levels of classroom decision-making, teachers can help them to feel more at ease, and welcomed.
The students will feel that they do matter, and that their opinion is valuable. They will be more
motivated to co-operate with their teachers and fellow classmates. They will also realize that the
teacher respects them, and is there to interact with them, and help them, and not just to control or
subjugate them. Helping the student to feel as though they are a part of the class, and belong in
the class, is key to preventing behavioral problems because it establishes a sense of
responsibility, and respect towards the teacher and fellow classmates. By extending this
democratic process to include the community, educators can extend the air of mutual respect into
a three-way relationship between students, the school, and the entire community. This has the
benefit of increasing community interest and involvement in the school, increasing community
respect and support for the initiatives of the school and its teachers, and increasing student
interest and involvement in the community. The overall impact of the democratic process would
be to make the school environment more comfortable for students, and more comfortable and
manageable for teachers.
The first step to using democracy to effectively improve the school environment is establishing a
set of core values, a workable system of rules, and standards of discipline. Establishing a set of
core values is necessary as a base for any rules to be used in the school. It also provides
educators and parents with a base in which to ground their own decision-making processes. A
core set of values is something that the school can easily create through consultation with the
community -- a method that ensures the school's values are in line with those of the surrounding
community. Studies have shown that the five most common values of any community include
compassion, honesty, fairness, responsibility and respect. It is easy to see how such values can
positively shape the rule-making process. From there, a core set of rules can also be established
for the entire school. This can also be achieved through consultation between educators and
members of the community, including parents, community leaders, and business leaders. All of
this will ensure that the school's basic rules reflect the values of the community, and increase the
level of community and business interest in, involvement in, and respect for the school.

On a classroom level, students can easily be brought into the rule-making process. At the start of
the year, teachers can consult with students to develop a handful of rules dealing with classroom
behavior. Some examples include rules on speaking in class, leaving and entering the classroom,
interacting with fellow classmates, and even an acceptable process for dealing with any problems
or issues that may arise.
Students can also be consulted in the establishment of a system for dealing with classroom
administration. This could include the collection and distribution of assignments and handouts,
etc, collection of lunch money or other fees, and even developing schedules for such
responsibilities as bulletin boards, or classroom tidiness.
From my point of view, if individual and collective responsibility is encouraged and accepted by
students then discipline problems can be reduced. This technique encourages student analysis of
the possible consequences of their behavior and attempts to focus students towards the
achievement of positive consequences. The successful use of this technique depends on a variety
of points. The first of which includes the characteristics of the consequences of a specific action.
These qualities include whether or not it is logical, clear and practical. Consequences must be
thoroughly developed and well known to students. This technique must also be implemented
consistently, otherwise it will fail to be effective. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when
using this technique the focus must be on the positive.
Effective consequences have a range of characteristics. Firstly, they must be clear and specific.
This allows students to be aware that their behavior has an effect on themselves and on others. It
also permits them to predict the results of their behavior and gives them the opportunity to
control the outcomes through control of their own actions. Secondly, consequences should have a
range of alternatives. Since all situations are not the same and should not be judged as such, there
should be more than one consequence for a specific behavior. A student who does not complete
his homework because he spent the night at the hospital with a sick parent should not be treated
the same as a student who did not complete his homework because he had to attend hockey
practice. The main point is that fairness is not always the same as equality. The third quality of
consequences is that they should be natural, logical and related to a rule. Consequences are
meant to be instructional. By allowing a student to control his behavior, he will learn from both

the positive and negative consequences of his actions. If the consequences are related to the rule
then the possibility of illustrating why the rule should be adhered to is much greater. The purpose
is not to punish a student for their behavior. Punishment only changes a behavior by motivating
with fear. The goal is to teach a student responsibility and acceptance of the results of his actions.