Create A Purpose Of The Study Indicating The Intent And Goal

Create A Purpose Of The Study Indicating The Intent, Goal, And Rationale

Your assignment is to create a purpose of the study by indicating the intent, goal, and rationale for researching the problem addressed in last week’s assignment. The purpose statement should begin with “The purpose of this (quantitative, qualitative, mixed) study is to…” Use the following list to create the purpose statement: Study method, Study design, Constructs/variables, Target population, Research setting, Sampling frame, Sampling method, Sample size (Justified by scholarly sources and a power analysis for quantitative studies), Data collection method (including instrumentation), Data analysis method, Software to be used for analysis, Closing statement as to how the study results may inform educational theory. Length: Approximately 1 page, not including title and reference pages. Your purpose should be directly aligned with the problem statement. Your purpose statement should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.

Paper For Above instruction

Purpose of the Study: Enhancing Understanding of Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments

The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore the factors influencing student engagement in online learning environments within higher education institutions. This study aims to identify the key constructs related to student engagement, such as motivation, self-regulation, and technological efficacy, and examine their impact on academic outcomes. The targeted population comprises undergraduate students enrolled in online courses at multiple universities, with a research setting spanning diverse higher education institutions across the United States.

The study utilizes a stratified random sampling frame to ensure representation across various demographic groups, and a sample size of approximately 300 participants, justified through a power analysis based on Cohen’s guidelines, to achieve sufficient statistical power for quantitative analysis. Data collection will employ standardized questionnaires measuring constructs such as the Student Engagement Scale (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004), along with semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative insights into student perceptions and experiences.

Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses executed in SPSS software to identify significant predictors of engagement. Qualitative data will undergo thematic analysis with NVivo software to uncover emerging themes regarding student motivations and barriers in online learning contexts. The integration of findings will provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors fostering or hindering student engagement in digital environments.

The findings from this study may inform educational theory by offering evidence-based insights into the psychological and environmental factors that influence student engagement. These insights can guide educators and policymakers in designing effective online learning strategies, enhancing instructional practices, and improving student retention and success in virtual settings.

References

  • Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109.
  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge.
  • Evans, C. (2018). Strategies for integrating mixed methods research into educational studies. Journal of Educational Research, 112(3), 298–308.
  • Johnson, R. B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14–26.
  • Moore, M. G. (2013). The theory of transactional distance. In M. G. Moore & G. Kearsley (Eds.), Distance education: A systems view (pp. 22–38). Wadsworth.
  • Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods. Sage publications.
  • Salmon, G. (2013). E-moderating: The key to online teaching and learning. Routledge.
  • Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Houghton Mifflin.
  • Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478.
  • Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. Sage publications.

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