Synthesize Findings
The challenge now is to put all the pieces together. What does the data tell you about your original questions? Are there patterns in the data? For example, did the intervention have greater effect on some groups of students than on others? Did it work for students who began with different levels of performance? For boys and girls? For students with special needs? Is there a relationship between impact and teacher variables, such as number of years teaching, level of technology expertise, or teaching philosophy? Hank Becker and his colleague's analyses of the survey data from the Teaching, Learning, and Computing Study (http://www.crito.uci.edu/tlc/html/tlc_home.html) provide a good example of exploring many types of potential relationships in the results of a study.
Generally, the process of synthesizing the results lead to new ideas, especially about what may have caused the results found. It has been said that good research often leads to more questions than it answers. Also, multiple research studies, with different populations, different contexts, different methods, and different measures, are generally necessary before generalizable conclusions can be made with confidence. Do not expect a single study to yield definitive answers. Think of each study as contributing another piece to the complex process of SBR in education.
Lastly, revisit the primary questions that framed the project or program to investigate the impact it may have on previous studies or conceptual models. The findings of your study should be synthesized against any existing literature to analyze whether it confirms previous findings, or suggests new areas for investigation.
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Chapter Summary Frequently Asked Questions Steps to Implementing SBR Recommendations |
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