• << eFellows
• Introduction
  • Background & Context
  • Personal Significance
  • Research Questions
  • Theoretical Perspectives
  • The Process of Education
  • The Learning Environment
  • The Physical Environment
  • Different Learning Styles
• Methodology for a case study
  • Quantitative data
  • Qualitative data
  • Standards for validation
• Data Collection
• Data Sources & Analysis
  • Quantitive data sources
  • Standardized test results
  • Qualitative data sources
  • Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Creating a user friendly classroom environment
  • Teacher Training
  • Lifelong learning
  • The learning journey
  • Fitting policy into practice
• Conclusion
• References
• Appendix 1
• Appendix 2
• Appendix 3

Methodology for a case study

I have become a fourth generation researcher, the term given to modern educational researchers by Guba & Lincoln (1989). This involves understanding and interpreting the world as seen through the eyes of the classroom student with a specific learning disability (SLD) who learns in a different way to his peers. Because education is a process, my research needed to use process-oriented methods that were flexible and adaptable to the changing circumstances and evolving contexts of the classroom environment.

The reason I chose a case study methodology for this project, was so I could establish cause and effect by observing situations in the real context of the classroom. A case study penetrates situations that are not always susceptible to numerical data, and it allowed me to investigate and report the complex, dynamic and unfolding interactions of events and human relationships of these students their lived experiences, thoughts about and feelings for their year as a Year 7 pupil.

Case studies involve specific situations or educational institutions, which because of their individual histories or unique contributions are worthy of study as cases.
Anderson (1990)

During my experiences as a primary school teacher for over 20 years, with a particular interest in special needs, I have discovered a group of children within each class I have taught, who learn differently. As well as their academic woes, there have been social and self-esteem issues to attend to, within the context of the classroom setting. I have always wondered if this group of students see their learning environment in a different way to the other students in the class. Maybe we as their teachers, can help them learn more efficiently by making changes within the classroom environment, which could help towards incorporating their very individual learning styles and make their school day less stressful and more successful.

I want to get my work done as I have to have it in at a set time or else I can get a blue coloured square on my chart and its shown to the rest of the class. I want to prove to a lot of people in my class that I can work properly.
Nicki, aged 11

© Karen Newbrook 2004