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Research Roundup (LD News: June 2005)  By Dr. Sheldon H. Horowitz
Director of Professional Services, NCLD
Scientifically-Based Practice: Show Me the Evidence There is no doubt about it: "Research" is a very hot topic in the field of learning disabilities (LD) as well as throughout the educational community at large. The phrase "scientifically based research" is mentioned 111 times in the No Child Left Behind Act, and the law compels educators to use "teaching practices that have been proven to work." And to receive federal Reading First funds, eligible school districts must submit a proposal to their state outlining how they plan to teach their students to read using "research based practices." That said, it is also important to know that not all research is created equal, or perhaps better stated, different research methods are needed to answer different sorts of questions. A brief overview of these methods and the types of questions they are best suited to answer will follow. Collecting data is not enough
To begin with, let's agree that "simply collecting data is not in and of itself scientific." Sure, collecting all sorts of data can be extraordinarily helpful to make classroom decisions and differentiating instruction to meet individual students' needs. And there's nothing wrong with the informal gathering of information, especially if it is coupled with trial teaching and corrective feedback. The difference between these informal, often intuitive activities and research that informs practice is that research is about testing out ideas, drawing conclusions, seeing whether these conclusions hold true at different points in time, and knowing whether they hold true in different situations. Choosing the right research method
While there is considerable discussion (and even disagreement) about the usefulness and practicality of one research approach over another, no one would disagree that decisions based on careful scientific inquiry are better than those made by 'shooting from the hip' and hoping for the best. This is especially true for special education research, as students' underlying disabilities are often invisible and hard to discern in terms of etiology (causes) and severity. Other factors include the great variability among students with special education needs, the considerable diversity in special education settings, and the great variability in training and proficiency among professionals providing instructional services and supports. Research vs. intuition
Perhaps the best way to think about the difference between decision-making based on research vs. intuition is to highlight some of the essential features of the scientific method (you do remember this from your high school years, right?): | Intuition | Scientific | | | | General approach | let's try this and see how it works | let's make an assumption, implement a precise plan to study how it works, try it out, collect data, share with others, repeat the experiment (with other students who are similar to the first group) to see if the results are the same. | Observation | casual and uncontrolled | very systematic and carefully controlled | Reporting | OK to be biased and subjective | must be unbiased and objective | Concepts | OK to be ambiguous (general and even imprecise) | all aspects of activities must be clearly defined | Instruments | the tools used can be informal (even inaccurate and imprecise | the tools used could be informal but must be accurate and precise | Measurement | no real concerns about validity or reliability | It's important that measures used are both valid and reliable | Hypotheses | do not need to be tested or proven | very important to have a well-articulated theory or assumption that you are trying to prove or disprove | Attitude | no need to be critical or skeptical of results because outcomes are just assumptions | important to ask questions about the results (healthy skepticism) | National Research Council (2002). Scientific Research in Education. National Academy Press. Washington DC., pg. 104. |
Research Methods
Here are four types of commonly used research methods or designs and a brief description of what they look like:
Experimental group studies Correlational studies Single subject studies Qualitative studies For information about the different types of research methods used to determine evidence-based practices, please see the resources listed in the February 2004 Research Roundup in addition to the listings below. Educational Resources Information Center, (2002) Evidence-Based Education in Early Education. ERIC/EECE Newsletter, Fall, 14, 2. National Research Council (2002). Scientific Research in Education. National Research Council. Natinal Academy Press Washington DC. http://www.nap.edu/openbook/0309082919/html/21.htmlOdon, S, Brantlinger, E, Gersten, R., Horner, R., Thompson, B., & Harris, K. (2005). Research in Special Education: Scientific Methods and Evidence-Based Practices. Exceptional Children, 71,2, Winter. Council for Exceptional Children. Arlington, VA.
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