Conducting Research in Education

Finding Answers by Starting with the Right Questions
Teachers are all very curious about how to teach 21st century learners. I know I am. Employing technology tools and engaging students in making meaning from the curriculum are suggestions for helping all students learn better. How well do they work?
In order to begin research in a topic of challenging educational importance, I have to formulate questions which prove and also disprove my own hypothesis. These questions drive the research and help me search for answers that could be already published. Answers can be found for teachers through scientific inquiry which is evidence based and conducted along accepted guiding principles. Quality questions determine the impact that research will have on accepted knowledge. ( McMillan & Schumaker, 2006, p.7)
In designing a research study, I have started with a problem statement. My problem statement is …I plan to evaluate the impact on unit test scores of web-based inquiry lessons versus traditional lecture and lab lessons of high school students in chemistry.

To start looking for answers I need to research questions for inquiry. These could fall into three question categories.
Descriptive questions: Which students benefit from learning via the web? Do some learners actually get hampered by learning involving a computer?
Relationship question: Do web based inquiry lessons teach content well? In other words, what is the relationship between inquiry lessons and recall of the content?
Difference question: Will students remember content better from their own inquiry differently than from teacher directed instruction? Will students understand content better from searching for answers to their own questions?

Reference: Mcmillan, James, and Sally Schumacher. "Fundamental Principles of Educational Research." Research in Education: Evidence Based Inquiry (6th Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2006. 1-20. Print.