Learning to Research and Researching to Learn An Educator's Guide

This chapter focuses primarily on: making connections among the research questions, creating a manageable research design and deciding on data collection methods. The aim is to assist you with designing a study to answer the research question or questions within the constraints of your context. The chapter begins with a focus on different research paradigms and presents a case for a pragmatic research approach that aligns with the goals of the research. Our intention is not to present a narrow view of possible research approaches, but to make a case for a diverse range of approaches, including those commonly used by practitioners such as evaluation research, action research, and self-study.