Article Review 2

- What makes research valid and reliable?  Critical evaluation is vital while one reads educational research.  The reader needs to be able to identify missing information, locate extraneous variables, identify good and poor article points, and determine if the results are applicable to his/her situation.

- How can a teacher conduct involved research on a tight time schedule?  One of the easiest and most informative ways that a teacher can conduct research without actually having to conduct involved research is to construct a literature review.  For this literature review I looked at what ways the use of technology can impact learning for students with disabilities.  I was able to compare research with other research and draw my own conclusions based on the literature as a whole.

- How would you evaluate distance education compared to traditional courses?  A fellow classmate and I asked this and several other questions in this survey project.  Quantitative research allows one to assign probabilistic statements to data.  In order to obtain data, one needs to create instruments that obtain an accurate measure of the sample (which should be representative of the population).  Knowing how to collect, organize, and evaluate is an essential skill for informed decision-making.