Both research and SoTL are often driven by a burning desire to find out more about a phenomenon or to solve a particular problem. While this passion is an important driving force, it is important to combine it with a systematic strategy for designing and conducting your study.

Having written your research question, you will need to decide which approach is best suited to investigating that question. The following approaches are common in educational research.

Historical research

Aims to provide descriptions of, and sometimes explanations for, events that have occurred in the past.

Example question: ‘In what ways have improvements in internet connection speed over the past 15 years influenced developments in the gamification of learning in Indian universities?’

Descriptive research

Seeks to describe things as they currently are but not investigate their cause.

Example question: ‘In what ways, and to what extent, are smartphones being used to access online education in Pakistan?’

Correlational research

Looks at the relationship between different variables. A variable is any factor that can take different values for different people, or for the same person at different times, for example age, income, health or motivation for study. Note that, just because two variables are related to each other, this does not mean that one causes the other. Correlation does not necessarily imply causation.

Example question: ‘Is there a relationship between devices used and time spent accessing online educational resources for undergraduate students at The Open University?’

Causal research

Investigates cause and effect relationships between variables.

Example question: ‘What is the impact of teaching experience and disciplinary specialism on secondary school teachers’ willingness to teach as a team?’

Experimental research

Involves manipulating one or more variables associated with causing a phenomenon, in order to discern the effects on other variables. Typically, participants would be assigned randomly to a control group, which would retain the status quo (no iPads, for the question below), or to other experimental groups that would receive the new intervention (access to iPads).

Example question: ‘Does giving primary school students access to iPads during maths lessons improve performance on tests?’

Case-study research

Conducts an in-depth study of a discrete population, for example a tutor group or a single school.

Example question: ‘Does faculty scholars’ participation in a SoTL program offered at San Jose Community College impact the scholars’ teaching goals?’

Ethnographic research

Studies people or groups in their natural setting, where the researcher takes on the perspective of the research subject(s), often participating in their activities.

Example question: ‘What educational practices take place in student-led WhatsApp groups related to formal university study?’

Action research

Typically undertaken by educators investigating a problem or phenomenon related to their practice, action research is often used in SoTL studies. It usually involves a repeating, iterative cycle of:

• planning – e.g. designing a new online activity
• action – trying out the activity
• observing – noting the apparent impact on learners
• reflection – making sense of what happened.

Example question: ‘How might I improve my learners’ essay-planning skills through paired peer review activities in an online forum?’

Evaluation research

In education, systematically assessing the effectiveness of a programme or course in order to strengthen or improve it. Again, this is an approach that is often used in SoTL studies.

Example question: ‘Is the creation of digital games in computing lessons effective in improving students’ programming knowledge?’

In the next step you’ll explore a research approach that is particularly relevant to online learning.

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