Introduction
In the examined scenario, four schools in the same region have been underperforming in the national physics examinations for the past six years. Hence, it is crucial to identify the associated factors to determine the cause of the problem. The current essay proposes that a mixed research design with a focus on quantitative strata sampling is the most appropriate method to determine the cause of schools’ underperformance.
Sampling Discussion
The primary sampling technique is the quantitative strata approach that enables the comparison of certain groups in the population based on the chosen criteria. This method selects a subpopulation or a stratum according to the research objectives and then utilizes random sampling within strata (Thomas, 2022). In the current case, the potential causes of underperformance in one specific subject could include lacking teacher competencies, an ineffective education program, or a lack of practical evaluation methods. Moreover, it is safe to assume that socioeconomic factors, such as income, race, and gender, are not relevant variables because problems in these areas would lead to schools underperforming in all subjects. Hence, the problem most likely concerns specific education curriculums and standards in physics.
To prove this hypothesis, strata sampling is appropriate because it can choose a random subpopulation according to the proposed criteria. Namely, in the current case, selecting strata based on the grade level might be effective in determining whether underperformance in physics is related to education curriculums in specific age ranges. For instance, if only 9th to 12th-grade students underperform, the cause of the problem could concern the education program in physics for higher grade levels. After choosing the stratum, the researcher should conduct a random sampling procedure to ensure the core principle of probability sampling and increase the validity of the experiment (Thomas, 2022). Lastly, the current experiment uses a mixed-research design because it might be practical to complement strata sampling with qualitative in-depth interviews. Namely, direct conversations with students whose evaluations are the lowest in the grade levels might help understand the reasons for underperformance.
Data Collection
The data collection for the quantitative part of the research should be conducted using a student database with all students’ physics grades. The researcher utilizes random sampling for each stratum to examine how well the students perform in physics in each grade level. Maintaining a proportionate sampling for each stratum is advisable to preserve the ratio between the population and subpopulation (Thomas, 2022). Consequently, the expert should calculate the mean evaluation for each stratum, identifying which one of the grade levels performs worse than the others. In turn, this approach will help identify which curriculums might be ineffective for certain grade levels. If all students underperform in physics specifically, then the problem might concern the whole education system in physics in the local area. Data collection for the qualitative part is relatively simple, and the researcher should ask for in-depth interviews with the students who demonstrate the lowest performance in physics in the established samples. These interviews will provide subjective opinions on why the students might fail in physics, which might support the findings from the quantitative part.
Conclusion
Strata sampling is an effective method of quantitative research that enables the benefits of random sampling while dividing the population into more practical subgroups. In the current case, it is appropriate because it can reveal which grade levels have the worst performance in physics, and this information can be used to identify flaws in the curriculum. Lastly, the qualitative part of the experiment might provide valuable data concerning the subjective opinions of students. As a result, the proposed mixed research design that combines quantitative strata sampling and qualitative in-depth interviews will help to create a strategy to improve schools’ performance in physics.
Reference
Thomas, L. (2022). Stratified sampling | Definition, guide & examples. Scribbr. Web.