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Developing a Problem Statement, Purpose Statement, and Research Questions

Research · June 2016

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Developing a Problem Statement, Purpose Statement, and Research Questions for a

Qualitative Study on an eLearning Topic

Statement of the Problem

The general problem addressed in this current study is that teachers are blending new

technological practices with online and traditional face-to-face modes of instruction without

clearly knowing if doing so results in enhanced student learning outcomes. Universities are under

pressure to align their curriculums with nation-wide government initiatives that demand

technological skills in education, which in turn are influenced by the global knowledge economy

(Kakuchi, 2014; MECSST, 2008; OECD, 2015). This situation presents two problems. On the

one hand, most teachers today were educated in an entirely different model; their way of learning

was most likely based on a traditionally brick-and-mortar, teacher-fronted, face-to-face approach

where technological change was not a factor. On the other hand, the ever-increasing global

pressure to conform to the fast pace changes in electronic communications today constantly

renders current practices redundant in a few years time. The fact remains, teachers bear the

burden and challenges to maintain pace with the changes (Gedik, Kiraz, & Ozden, 2013) or risk

being replaced in their profession.

The specific problem addressed in this qualitative case study is that teachers who are

unprepared for effectively integrating technology into their lesson plans may be unwittingly

contributing to the decline of their teaching methods (if not to the demise of their careers).

Research suggests that student voice—in the form of summative and formative assessment—will

not only contribute positively to the teaching-learning process (Al Zumor, Al Refaai, Eddin, &

Al-Rah, 2013) but also remains a resource sorely under-researched (Kim, 2015; Kovanović,
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Gašević, Joksimović, Hatala, & Adesope, 2015; Kress & Selander, 2012; Shea et al., 2012; Zher,

Hussein, & Saat, 2016). If we are to believe that learning is a holistic collaborative experience

(as suggested by the “community of inquiry” by Garrison & Akyol, 2015) involving a complex

dynamic of reciprocal relationships between teachers and students (Fryer & Bovee, 2016), then

the teaching profession using blended learning practices has much to gain from the reflection of

the learning experiences of its primary stakeholders—the students (c.f. Nummedal, 1994).

A case study is chosen to identify the holistic reciprocal teaching-learning exchanges

between the teachers and the students in the blended learning environments. This qualitative

method is appropriate to analyze the problem because qualitative research is effective for studies

that explore complex interactivity, rely on feedback systems of information, and offer in-depth

knowledge on participants’ conceptualizations of the problem(s) (Krathwohl, 2009). The general

population is foreign and native English speaking language instructors and first- and second-year

Japanese students in a liberal arts college in the metropolitan Tokyo area.

Purpose of the Study

In light of the various aspects discussed so far, the purpose of this qualitative case study

is to understand how teachers in a Japanese tertiary institution effectively implement blended

learning practices that result in enhanced student learning outcomes based on student formative

and summative assessment. Four teachers, two native English speakers, and two Japanese

teachers, teaching English classes in a liberal arts college in Tokyo and their respective students

about 80 students will participate in this study. A qualitative case study design is appropriate for

this study for the following reasons.

Qualitative studies are ideal for practicing professionals such as doctors, teachers, and

social workers because the knowledge gained from this form of research is content-specific,

interpersonal, and practical (Krathwohl, 2009). As the main instrument of data collection, the

researcher can learn multiple interpretations of a situation as experienced but the different people

involved; such is the privilege of being close to the source of the data and the theories that

inform the approach (Creswell, 2013). The intent of the study is to understand the decision-

making process of the teachers incorporating blended learning practices and also to learn how the

student feedback on assessment of learning outcomes based on teacher instruction leads to

enhanced learning outcomes.

The study will include one-to-one interviews with students and teachers involving open-

ended semi-structured questions. The intent of the study will be to match efficient use of blended

learning techniques with improved learning outcomes. The population of the research will

involve both native and non-native teachers to widen the perspective of the background of

teaching styles. The student population will be limited to first- and second-year students since

they represent the majority of the students who take compulsory English courses at Japanese

tertiary institutions.

Research Questions

Since the purpose of qualitative case studies is to describe the lived experiences of a

community in particular local, it is hoped the inductive approach will reveal a direction worth

pursuing deeper insights into the problem. That main research question that guides this study is:

Research question: What is the relationship between teachers’ use blended learning

practices and student feedback on learning outcomes in the higher education in Japan?
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References

Al Zumor, A. W. Q., Al Refaai, I. K., Eddin, E. A. B., & Al-Rahman, F. H. A. (2013). EFL

Students' perceptions of a blended learning environment: Advantages, limitations and

suggestions for improvement. English Language Teaching, 6(10), 95.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods

Approaches (4 edition). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Fryer, L. K., & Bovee, H. N. (2016). Supporting students' motivation for e-learning: Teachers

matter on and offline. The Internet and Higher Education, 30, 21–29.

Garrison, D. R., & Akyol, Z. (2015). Toward the development of a metacognition construct for

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Gedik, N., Kiraz, E., & Ozden, M. Y. (2013). Design of a blended learning environment:

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Large Classrooms. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 4(1), 1–16.

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