Post 1 As Stated Above: Validity Is The Level To Which Scien ✓ Solved
Post 1as Stated Above Validity Is The Level To Which Scientific Obser
Post 1as Stated Above Validity Is The Level To Which Scientific Obser
Post 1as Stated Above Validity Is The Level To Which Scientific Obser
Post 1 As stated above, validity is the level to which scientific observations measure exactly what they purport to measure. Marland's study was interested in ascertaining whether the intervention planned of using students’ conceptual understanding of the multiplication process coupled with efficient basic facts strategies impacted their scores as far as state mathematics test was concerned. Here, the level to which Marland’s research results are attributable to the participants (students) conceptual understanding of the process of multiplication coupled with efficient basic facts strategies is what is known as the internal validity (Mills, 2000). Marland in her study ascertained that approximately 35% of students never satisfied standards placed by the state in mathematics despite the planned intervention incorporated by her.
Marland made no claims to external validity in the study of thirty-five 4th grade students. To make such claims, she would need to achieve the tenets of quantitative research, including random assignment of students to intervention or control group.
In action research, reliability is the trustworthiness, or dependability, of a measuring test or research study.
It can also be defined as the level to which a test consistently measures what it is anticipated to measure. The higher the reliability of the test, the more confidence the obtained scores from test administration will be similar if the same test is re-administered under similar conditions.
In research such as this, the consistency of data can be achieved when the research steps are verified through examining items, such as data reduction products, raw data, and process notes (Golafshani, 2003). Marland employed different methods to achieve the reliability of the intervention applied. For instance, she used timed tests to identify the multiplication facts that students had trouble with. Such data enabled her to adjust the interventions to focus on the problems that students had the most trouble. Doing that allowed her to modify the intervention in a manner that could help to achieve dependable or reliable results.
The informal interviews also enabled her to ascertain the best testing strategy that could help her attain highly dependable results.
Sample Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
Validity and reliability are fundamental concepts in educational research, especially when evaluating the effectiveness of instructional interventions. Validity pertains to the accuracy of the measurements in reflecting the true performance or understanding of students, while reliability concerns the consistency of these measurements over time and across different conditions. This paper critically examines the roles of validity and reliability in education research, using Marland's study on the impact of conceptual understanding and basic facts strategies on fourth-grade students’ mathematics performance as a case study.
Understanding Validity in Educational Research
Validity refers to the extent to which a research instrument or intervention measures what it claims to measure (Mills, 2000). In Marland’s study, the focus was on whether the intervention that emphasized conceptual understanding of multiplication and efficient recall of basic facts impacted students’ test scores. Internal validity, in this context, concerns whether the observed effects can be attributed solely to the intervention, controlling for other variables. Marland’s findings that approximately 35% of students did not meet state standards, despite the intervention, highlight the importance of internal validity. However, her inability to generalize findings beyond the specific group points to issues of external validity, which requires randomized sampling and control groups (Mills, 2000).
Achieving external validity involves rigorous research design, including random assignment and larger representative samples. Since Marland studied only thirty-five fourth graders without randomization, her findings are limited to internal validity and cannot be extrapolated to a broader population without further research.
Reliability and Its Role in Ensuring Trustworthy Data
Reliability, in educational research, refers to the consistency and dependability of measurement tools and procedures (Golafshani, 2003). A reliable test produces similar results under consistent conditions. Marland enhanced reliability through multiple methods, such as timing students' responses to identify problem areas and conducting informal interviews to refine testing strategies. These methods ensured that her data accurately reflected students’ understanding and the effectiveness of interventions.
Data verification through examining raw data, process notes, and data reduction products further strengthened reliability. Consistent interventions, such as focusing on troublesome multiplication facts, helped ensure that results could be reliably attributed to the interventions, not random fluctuations or measurement errors.
Furthermore, employing multiple data sources, including timed tests and interview insights, added triangulation, which enhances reliability by cross-verifying results (Golafshani, 2003). This methodological triangulation reduces errors and increases confidence in the data collected, which is critical when assessing educational interventions.
Challenges in Balancing Validity and Reliability
Although validity and reliability are interconnected, they often require trade-offs. While internal validity demands strict control over variables, ensuring external validity might require broader sampling strategies that could compromise internal control (Mills, 2000). In Marland’s case, her focus on internal validity through careful measurement and intervention adjustments achieved reliable results, but external validity was limited due to sample size and non-randomized design.
Implications for Educational Practice and Research
Understanding and applying the principles of validity and reliability are essential for educators and researchers aiming to develop effective teaching strategies. Ensuring high validity guarantees that interventions measure what they intend to, and high reliability ensures that results are consistent and replicable. This underscores the need for rigorous research methodologies that balance these two concepts effectively (Golafshani, 2003).
Future research should incorporate randomized controlled trials with larger, more representative samples to enhance external validity, while maintaining reliable measurement procedures to ensure trustworthy data (Mills, 2000; Golafshani, 2003).
Conclusion
In sum, validity and reliability are cornerstones of credible education research. Marland’s study demonstrates how meticulous efforts to enhance reliability, such as data verification and multiple data sources, bolster the trustworthiness of findings. However, limitations in research design, including small sample size and non-random samples, restrict the generalizability of results, highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing internal and external validity. For education research to inform practice effectively, it must rigorously address both validity and reliability principles, ensuring that interventions are both accurate and consistent across contexts.
References
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