an overview.

1. Evidence-Based
Research – a ‘fly
on the wall’ look
at the basics
Dr Bronwyn Hegarty
Principal Lecturer in Teacher
Education (Tertiary)
CapableNZ
Fifth World Art at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/5wa/6516781997/

2. Overview
• What is evidence-based
research?
• Why do it?
• Examples.
• How to get started.

3. Definition
“Educational research is an
http://www.flickr.com/photos/valeriebb/3006348550/
organized approach to
asking, answering, and
effectively reporting a
question.” (Biddix, 2009.)

4. My definition
Evidence-based research is about satisfying your
curiosity and passion about teaching and
learning. It helps you to justify your approach.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5017/5537988512_9c1436fbf4_d.jpg

5. The teacher identifies a problem or issue – formulates a question?
wants to solve it
wishes to explore an area of interest
By Moithing - http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html - via Wikimedia Commons

6. What sort of questions do you have?

7. Why do it?
1. Improve Practice – practical applications.
2. Add to Knowledge – build a picture.
3. Address Gaps in Knowledge –
locally, nationally, internationally.
4. Expand Knowledge – discover new ways of doing things.
5. Replicate Knowledge – confirm what works.
6. Add Voices of Individuals to Knowledge – be inclusive.
(based on Biddix, 2009.)

8. Examples of research
Research question:
How do staff and students access, and interpret digital
information creating their own understandings, using Web 2.0
strategies? (Hegarty & Penman et al, 2010.)
• Collaborative with 42 participants (staff and students) at four
organisations in NZ.
• Action research methodology used to develop case studies.
• Significant shifts were made in developing digital information
literacy.
• Elements of the approach continue to be used in my practice
(e.g., action learning.)

10. Doctorate in Education research
Research question: How do educational practitioners reflect
when writing about their experiences?
• Qualitative case study methodology using an intervention –
Three-Step Reflective framework.
• Seven Masters of Education students in a multimedia design
course.
Outcome: the RF supported reflective practice.
Application: I use this framework all the time in my teaching
approach – blogs and ePortfolios .
Now I need to do some evidence-based research to check the
effectiveness of the Reflective Framework in my teaching.

11. Steps in Evidence-Based Research
1. Research Question - Planning
What do you want to find out?
2. Literature Review – Planning and Conducting
Review the literature.
3. Research Design - Planning
Specify the purpose, participants and methodology –
qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods.
4. Gathering data, Results and Discussion – Conducting
Collect data, and analyse and interpret
5. Publish findings - Reporting
Prepare a report and disseminate this for evaluation and
discussion in the educational community.

12. Summary
• Evidence-based research in education enables
you to confirm that your approach to learning
and teaching (your practice) is supported by
empirical research.

13. References
• Biddix, P. (2009). What is Educational Research? Research Rundowns. Retrieved from
http://researchrundowns.wordpress.com/intro/whatisedresearch/
• Hegarty, B. (2011). A Framework to Guide Professional Learning and Reflective Practice.
Doctor of Education thesis. Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/3720
• Hegarty, B., Penman, M., Kelly, O., Jeffrey, L., Coburn, D. and McDonald, J. (2010) Digital
Information Literacy: Supported Development of Capability in Tertiary Environments. Final
report. Ministry of Education, Wellington. ISBN 978-0-478-34214-7 (web)
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/80624

14. Resources
• Ako Aotearoa National Register of Research and Implementation Projects.
http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/research-register - Search keywords - teaching, learning. Lots of
examples of projects about practical teaching.
• Australasian Journal of Educational Technology.
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/submission/index.php/AJET/index
• IRRODL - The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. At:
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl Audio, pdf and epub papers.
• Scope. Contemporary research topics.
http://www.thescopes.org/flexiblelearning/submissions.php