School and Home Collaborative Working Can Be Improved Student Learning and Achievement

By

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY1

Research Methods1

Qualitative Research Method3

Quantitative Research Method3

Comparisons of the Qualitative and Quantitative Methods of Research4

Overview of the Mixed Method Research Approach7

Search Technique9

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mixed Method11

Advantages11

Disadvantages12

Inclusion and exclusion criteria12

Case study12

Ethical Consideration15

Research Method and Design Appropriateness16

Rationale18

The Researcher21

Context22

Assessment Scales23

Sample23

Research Design25

Data Collection26

Interviews27

Observation28

Self-Reflection29

Archival and Documental Data29

Data Analysis30

Analysis of Data from Collaborative Meetings: Overall Methodology30

Analysis of Data from Classroom Observations: Overall Methodology31

Research Instrument31

The Questionnaire32

Informed Consent32

Confidentiality33

Validity33

Types of Questionnaires34

Reliability (If using Questionnaire)34

Qualitative Data Analysis35

Quantitative Data Analysis36

Suggestion for Future Research36

Summary37

REFERENCES38

CHAPTER 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Methods

In every research, decisions are made about the way that the researcher wants to go about collecting and analysing the available to him. This decision bothers on the effective planning and the implementation of the research strategy. The research approach is important because it enables the researcher to make decisions about the direction of the research as well as the handling of the constraints that presents them selves during the course of writing the research. There are two main research methods, namely: Quantitative research methods and Qualitative research methods.

The literature review revealed that study school and home collaborative working. The current literature on home-school collaboration consists of numerous studies that were designed to identify and understand the many factors which are significantly related to improving children's academic performance. Reviews of the research on home-school collaboration indicate that many factors in the home and school environments are crucial to enhancing student performance. These factors interact in a variety of ways to impact on children's educational experiences. These studies demonstrated consistent findings of positive correlations between family-school collaborations and student achievement. As teachers and parents develop shared responsibilities, the benefits to our children will undoubtedly extend beyond academic gains and toward improvement of attitudes, socialization skills, and school climate.

If children have parents who are more aware of school processes, more knowledgeable, encouraging, and involved, the children have more positive school attitudes, higher aspirations, and other positive behaviours. Interactions between families and schools are most likely to be successful when there are increased opportunities for such interactions, when parents and teachers recognize they have complementary role responsibilities for children's well being.

Traditionally, the home and school were seen as two separate climates. Families were mainly viewed as encouraging socialization, while schools educated the children. A review of the literature reveals that prior to the 1960's, researchers prescribed to this view. When studying children, researchers either studied the child in the home and/or in the school setting. Student achievement is highly correlated with family background factors and family attitudinal factors. Previously, such programs were designed to focus on low-income parents and their preschool children. Within this same time frame, other factors such as higher educational advances for women, and a higher number of females in the work force, increased the involvement of parents in their children's education at all grade levels.

There are two major approaches to gathering information about a situation, person, problem, or phenomenon. Data are categorized as secondary data or primary ...