Innovation and technology have become an important part of the educational system (Gadbury and Nathe, 2013, p. 44). In the context of the presented case study, that the primary goal of the research is to determine whether the utilization of iPads with Smartboards remains adequate investment concerning motivation and achievement. The research questions can be formulated as: ‘What is the difference between in motivation and achievement among eighth graders while learning English by using iPads with SmartBoards and using traditional learning methods?’ and ‘Is where any difference in the outcomes between achievement (variable 1) and motivation (variable 2)?’.
A quantitative approach in a form of pre-posttest design together with experiments will be used. The technology is an independent variable, as it will affect other variables such as motivation and achievement. The participants are divided into the groups randomly by classes. One group of participants will utilize only traditional methods, which implies no usage of technology during studies. Another group will use iPads only. The last group will use iPads with SmartBoards. The presence of technology (independent variable) will have an effect on achievement (variable 1) and motivation (variable 2). In this instance, pre-test will be compared to posttest after the application of the technology. This approach will be the most practical solution as it will help clearly identify the implications of technology use.
As for sampling techniques, in this instance, it will be easier to utilize the entire class as a unit of analysis. The random assignment might be the most practical approach. However, in this in case, the application of this sampling method will be difficult. The best solution is to utilize cluster sampling to measure the results of the entire group.
The standard deviation will be used to measure the variation of the outcomes of the experiment. It is the simplest and widely used approach (Lodico, Spaulding and Voegtle, 2010, p. 62). As all of the participants will have to take a pre-test and a final examination at the end of the study, this aspect will be used to compare the achievements of different groups in pre-test and posttest settings. The result of standard deviation will tell as whether the usage of technology (independent variable) contributes to the positive changes in the dependent variables such as motivation and achievement in the posttest. It is assumed that the standard deviation in the posttest results will be higher due to the primary goal of the research to prove the necessity of investment in the blended learning.
As for the ethical considerations, the parents of the students might consider that the participation in the experiment might be dangerous. Nonetheless, in this instance, the benefits of the research have to described, and parents have to sign the legal agreement for the participation in the research study to avoid the ethical problems in future. The agreement will specify the rights of both parties including confidentiality and condition of the study, which will clarify the intention and technology used.
As for the limitations, the participants can discover that they are ‘competing’ for better results. Consequently, this discovery might lead to the bias in the outcomes in the post-test. Moreover, as for the variables, the fact that some of the learners are being assigned to the blended and traditional condition will be disregarded. In turn, the iPad only (non-blended and non-traditional condition) will be the limitation of the research as it remains a confounding variable.
Additionally, in the context of blended learning, it might be unclear, which variable or the external force caused the change. Moreover, the events and the background of the participant might affect the outcomes of the experiment since all students have different backgrounds despite choosing a stratified sample. The effects are not within the control of the researcher after school. The validity of the data will remain at the high level since all the limitations, and ethical considerations are considered before conducting the research.
Works Cited
Gadbury, Cynthia, and Cristine Nathe. “The Intersection of Education and Technology at the Century Mark.” Journal of Dental Hygiene 87.1 (2013): 44. Print.
Lodico, Marguerite, Dean Spaulding and Katherine Voegtle. Methods in Educational Research: From Theory to Practice. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010. Print.