There are many lessons that I have drawn after reviewing several research reports that were both in dissertations and various journals. There are many exciting and informative learning gains that I have gained concerning my topic. Generally, I have gained insight on how to conduct research inclusive of the different research approaches that are present in both qualitative and quantitative studies. Through the various articles, I have been able to gain knowledge on the necessary steps in gathering data for both quantitative and qualitative types of research, I have gained experience on how to choose a sample for different kinds of studies, how to gain permission for conducting an investigation. From the dissertations that I reviewed, I learned that before starting research as a student in university, it is mandatory to seek approval from the higher learning Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Another study that I reviewed was on how to reduce victimization and bullying among middle school students through the use of cooperative learning. In this particular study, I learned that through the use of cooperative learning, a healthy learning environment could be developed in schools, one that encourages collaboration among students while at the same time reducing the rate of harassment and bullying among the students. It was also an exciting facet noting some of the current school-based approaches that are being widely employed. Still, they are not very useful as compared to if the cooperative learning approach was used. Also, the participants for the study were examined and reviewed by the IRB before they could take part in the study (Van Ryzin & Roseth 2018).
Moreover, from reviewing the different research articles, I realized that bias is a significant limitation when conducting studies, especially the ones involving human subjects. There are moments when researchers use disproportional gender samples which raises questions of validity and reliability in studies since the findings cannot be verified to be useful for both genders. Therefore, I learned that it is vital when conducting investigations to avoid all avenues that can be sources of bias.
One of the studies that I found to be very interesting and still relevant to my proposed research interest is a study conducted by Raviv, Cohen, and Aflalo (2019). The study examined how students in the school science laboratory with a focus on the advantages that cooperative learning has on these students. The research was outstanding research basing on the fact that there is very little literature that covers the effectiveness of middle school laboratory learning. Usually, many studies focus on how to improve learning school classes while many researchers have neglected other important areas of learning such as laboratories. Another study that I found to be relevant to my research topic is a study by Fernandez-Rio et al. (2017). The study examined the relationship between different kinds of learning techniques reviewing their effectiveness. The primary learning methods discussed were the use of cooperative and self-regulated learning. Through the literature provided in this study, there is more information that will be used to inform my current research.
References
Fernandez-Rio, J., Cecchini, J. A., Méndez-Gimenez, A., Mendez-Alonso, D., & Prieto, J. A. (2017). Self-regulation, cooperative learning, and academic self-efficacy: Interactions to prevent school failure. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 22.
Raviv, A., Cohen, S., & Aflalo, E. (2019). How should students learn in the school science laboratory? The benefits of cooperative learning. Research in Science Education, 49(2), 331-345.
Van Ryzin, M. J., & Roseth, C. J. (2018). Cooperative learning in middle school: A means to improve peer relations and reduce victimization, bullying, and related outcomes. Journal of educational psychology, 110(8), 1192.
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