School of Education: Educational Research and Problem Solving Skills

This essay from Rockview University's School of Education and Research explores the significance of educational research in developing problem-solving skills for student teachers. It emphasizes how research fosters critical thinking, analytical abilities, and effective communication. The essay highlights the role of research in improving teaching practices, addressing knowledge gaps, and fostering innovation. It discusses how research experience enhances understanding of published works, promotes collaboration, and enables informed decision-making. The essay concludes that educational research is crucial for clarifying concepts, understanding rationale, and developing skills necessary for addressing issues in teaching and learning. The essay also references several sources to support its claims, including works by Ary et al., Thomas, Ali, Madan and Braden, and Reynolds et al.

ROCKVIEW UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS
ASSIGNMENT TWO
QUESTION: Educational research is implied when research activities are
geared towards unravelling educational problems or bringing about
improvement in teaching and learning. According to Ary et. al. (1972:21),
educational research is “the way in which one acquires dependable and useful
information about the educative process”. Explain how educational research can
help a student teacher develop problem solving skill with regard to teaching and
learning.

Educational research has become of the most important subjects that have brought about
developmental debate in the educational sector world over. It is implied when research
activities are geared towards unravelling educational problems or bringing about
improvement in teaching and learning. According to Ary et. al. (1972:21), educational
research is “the way in which one acquires dependable and useful information about the
educative process”. This assignment however, attempts to explain how educational research
can help a student teacher develop problem solving skill with regard to teaching and learning.
A concrete conclusion shall be drawn at the end of the discussion.
From an individual point of view, the importance of educational research extends beyond
having an impressive degree certificate. Through detailed research, students develop critical
thinking expertise, as well as effective analytical, research, and communication skills that are
globally sought-after and incredibly beneficial. Ultimately, educational research is essential
to economic and social development of any country as it is directly linked to or serves a
special purpose of forming the foundations for governmental policies around the world.
However, educational research allows a student teacher develop problem solving skill with
regard to teaching and learning by pursuing his or her interests to learn something new, to
improve his or her problem-solving skills and to challenge himself or herself in new ways
(Thomas, 1984).
It generally known that knowledge generated through educational research forms the basis for
promoting sustainable development, which requires that knowledge be placed at the service
of development, be converted into applications, and be shared to ensure widespread benefits,
it therefore equips a student teacher with necessary skills that are vital in enhancing the
process of teaching and learning (Ali, 1996). Additionally, the knowledge generated from
research helps to improve practice which as a result can help to discover educational needs of
the learners and provide them with best solutions as far as quality teaching and learning are
concerned. This implies that educational research can suggest ways of improving practice
that have been verified with many applications and by many different types of people, which
as a result can enable a student teacher to know how and what to teach through following
guidelines or standards for teaching. This can also help a student teacher to also to come up
with the best ways of ensuing that learners understand what they are taught in a well-
coordinated manner (Madan and Braden, 2013).
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On the other hand, since educational research Address Gaps in Knowledge, it can help a
student teacher to discover new ways of dealing with various problems faced by the leaners
in schools by improving processes of teaching and learning. It increases the ability of a
student teacher to comprehend and offer credible or reliable information from various
important sources to the learners. Further, it can help a student teacher learn to effectively
communicate his or her ideas on various problems and how to analyze and critique the work
of others. This in effect can help a student teacher to develop solving skills by paying
attention addressing the problem at hand or under consideration (Thomas, 1984).
Getting involved in educational research increases the ability of a student teacher to develop
skills necessary for dealing with issues that relate to or affect teaching and learning. This is
because educational research experience can allow a student teacher to better understand
published works, learn to balance collaborative and individual work and be able to determine
an area of interest. Additionally, it can also enable the student teacher to jump start his or her
careers as researcher. Through exposure to research as an undergraduate, the student teacher
may discover his or her passion for research and continue on to graduate studies and faculty
positions which also may increase his or her ability to solve problems with respect to
teaching and learning (Ali, 1996).
Exposure to an area of research undoubtedly also helps students explore career fields
(Reynolds, et al., 2009). If one is considering research as a career path, experience in a
research setting is invaluable. Exposure to research guides some students toward research
after graduation, as well as allows other students to make informed decisions not to pursue
careers in research. Additionally, the earlier students become involved, the more experience
they attain, which enhances their career choice. Many students considering careers in
medicine will also benefit greatly from exposure to research. Many medical schools value
research experience for admissions. Perhaps more importantly, a solid basis in hypothesis-
driven research is what evidence-based medical practice is built upon. Experience in this area
can enhance an understanding of both the medical curriculum and the medical literature
(Thomas, 1984).
It should be noted that the direct benefit of educational research to students starts in the
classroom. When investigating any phenomenon in class, it is useful to know how the
original study was performed. By engaging in research firsthand, a student teacher can find it
easier to understand the rationale underlying others’ research. For example, only after
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forming one’s own hypotheses does one truly understand the nuances of research designs and
better conceptualize course material. Additionally, undergraduate research can provide a
student teacher with an ongoing source of one-on-one mentorship that is otherwise unheard
of in the undergraduate curriculum (Madan and Braden, 2013).
Exposure to research as undergraduates can also increase the likelihood of becoming
successful researchers in the future. Some undergraduates, unsure what to do upon degree
completion, proceed to graduate school with the ill-fated idea that it is the next logical step
after undergraduate studies. If they have undergraduate experience in research, they are more
likely to know if they actually enjoy research to solve social problems. This actually gives for
example, a student teacher hands on experience and skills which enable him or her to learn
more and even teach others in an appropriate manner. Educational research does not only
help a student know how to gather evidence in ways that minimize bias but also helps in
considering alternatives before making decisions during the process of learning and teaching
(Thomas, 1984).
Educational research on the other hand, is helpful to a student teacher in developing problem
solving skills through fostering coordination. That is, it helps in creating co-ordination and
mutual understanding between the individuals or students. As a result, it makes possible for a
student teacher or individuals to share skills, ideas and viewpoints with each other and work
together as a team in terms of solving academic or social problems. This in effect can help
build a strong working relationship with fellow students and also a faculty mentor. Further,
educational research helps a student teacher also to clarify confusion and make informed
decision. This implies that educational research helps in clarifying the complicated facts and
figures through collaboration or coordination. If the student has any doubt on the subject, the
student can simply research and study it in detail so as to remove all sorts of confusion and
get a proper understanding of the content (Reynolds, et al., 2009)
In terms of understanding concepts, educational research can make it possible for a student
teacher to have a proper understanding of the subject (Ali, 1996). To understand the subject,
one needs to go in depth of the lines. The scanning of the content will never do any good for
the students. In order to learn the subject effectively and to know the unknown facts,
educational research is a must. Similarly, for a student teacher to have enhanced problem
solving skills, such a student should learn about the research methods and issues. Proper
reading, the finding is the only way by which you can learn about the methods and the current
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issues. Not just the current issues, rather the previous past issues can also learn in detail
through the research. The research includes various methods by which it can be done.
Henceforth, understanding concepts can enable a student teacher not only knowing how to
respond to questions but also having problem solving skills which can be helpful in securing
a job or create self-employment by offering educational services in research (Thomas, 1984).
Further, educational research is helpful to a student teacher develop problem solving skills
with respect to learning and teaching also by understanding the rationale. By engaging in the
process of research, the students understand the concept in an easier manner as the rationale
of the topic known in a better manner. For example, by preparing the hypothesis, one truly
understands the nuances of the research topic. Not just this, the research also helps in being a
source of one-on-one mentorship which also plays a vital role in the brain development of the
individual. Educational research can make it possible also for a student teacher to examine
the underlying assumptions about teaching and learning. This can give a student the
opportunity to use his or her ability to evaluate assumptions about learning and teaching and
hence develop or have problem solving skills (Ali, 1996).
On the other hand, educational research is helpful to a student teacher in developing problem
solving skills with respect to learning and teaching also through innovation (Reynolds, et al.,
2009. It enables a student teacher to identify areas that need to be improved upon and also
develop different approaches to improve skills that can actually be helpful in solving
problems. In addition, improving performance through educational research can be seen as
one way of developing problem solving skills as far as learning and teaching are concerned.
If a student teacher lacks for example, writing and presentation skills and wants to improve or
solve such problems, educational research can provide such a student with an opportunity to
view or read the already existing research work in that area of interest which as a result may
improve his or her presentation and writing skills (Madan and Braden, 2013).
Educational research can help a student teacher to develop problem solving skills with
respect to teaching and learning also by understanding the published work. Mostly research is
done through the work already published. This means that experts and other the researchers
have had already done some of the research and therefore students are asked to go through
the already published material to understand ideas, concepts, methods and the vision of such
researchers. Therefore, in a student teacher wants to get new answers to the problem at hand,
he or she looks for the already published research work. The whole process of systematically
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obtaining the needed information in itself gives the student teacher the opportunity to develop
learning and teaching skills which as a result may be helpful to solve problems such as poor
understanding and bias in data collection and analysis (Ali, 1996).
In conclusion, educational research is helpful to a student teacher in developing problem
solving skills with respect to learning and teaching. It should be understood that developing
problem solving skills with respect to learning and teaching is a not an easy task as it requires
understanding the research process and its importance. Generally, developing research
questions based on the students own curiosity about teaching and learning in their classrooms
as well as collecting data as systematically as possible and understand various methods of
conducting research all help in developing problem solving skills. Additionally, analyzing
and interpreting the data, sharing research findings with colleagues, and members of the
educational community, and examining the underlying assumptions about teaching and
learning attributed to educational research can also be helpful in developing problem solving
skills of a student teacher through improving understanding.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ali, A. (1996). Fundamentals of Research in Education. Awka, Nigeria: Meks Publishers
Madan C. R. and Braden D. T. (2013). The benefits of undergraduate research: The
student's perspective. Online resources retrieved from
https://journals.psu.edu/mentor/article/view/61274/60907
Reynolds, J., Smith, R., Moskovitz, C., and Sayle, A. (2009). A systematic approach to
teaching scientific writing and evaluating undergraduate theses. BioScience, 59, 869–
903.
Rodney A. E. (2001). Why involve students in research? Innovations in Undergraduate
Research and Honors Education: Proceedings of the Second Schreyer National
Conference 2001. 10. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcschreyer2/10
Russell, S. H., Hancock, M. P., & McCullough, J. (2007). Benefits of undergraduate research
experiences. Science, 316, 548–549
Thomas, D. (1984). What research can and cannot do for teachers. Unpublished manuscript,
Institute for Research on Teaching, Michigan State University, East Lansing.