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Tools and Techniques of Educational Research-Observation

1) Observation is a tool that involves directly watching behaviors, events or situations in their natural setting. 2) It can be participant or non-participant, and controlled or uncontrolled. Participant observation involves the researcher participating in the situation, while non-participant does not. Controlled observation imposes structure while uncontrolled observes natural situations. 3) Observation provides accurate data as the researcher directly observes behaviors, but it can be time-consuming and impacted by researcher bias.

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338 views23 pages

Tools and Techniques of Educational Research-Observation

1) Observation is a tool that involves directly watching behaviors, events or situations in their natural setting. 2) It can be participant or non-participant, and controlled or uncontrolled. Participant observation involves the researcher participating in the situation, while non-participant does not. Controlled observation imposes structure while uncontrolled observes natural situations. 3) Observation provides accurate data as the researcher directly observes behaviors, but it can be time-consuming and impacted by researcher bias.

Uploaded by

Sagar Gawas
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Tools and Techniques of

Educational Research- Observation

Swapnil Naik
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN EDUCATION
VPCCE PORVORIM
Introduction
• Educational research is conducted with the help of suitable
tools which help in collecting data.
• For each and every type of research, certain tools are
essential to gather new facts or to explore new field.
• The important tools are questionnaire, observation, interview,
attitude scale, rating scale, and psychological test.
• A great variety of methods and procedures have been
developed to aid in the acquisition of data.
• The researcher require various data gathering tools, which
facilitate original research investigations and observation
leading to useful and valuable results.
•
Observation
• It is the oldest method used and it continue to be one of
the most used methods for studying social problems.
• It is a tool of research deals with the overt behaviour of
person in appropriate situations controlled or uncontrolled.
• Reliability of observation increases if observation is
repeated by the same individual or by simultaneous
observation done by many individuals
• Validity increases by keeping the setting as natural as
possible and not setting the subjects be unduly influenced
by the presence of the observer or by the measuring or
recording devices.
Observation
• Definitions
• C.A Moser (1958)
• “Observation can fairly be called the classic
method of scientific study.
• In the strict sense, observation implies the use
of eyes rather than of the ear and voice.”
Observation
• Definitions
• Koul (1988)
• “ Observation is the process in which one or
more persons observe what is occurring in
some real life situation and they classify and
record pertinent happenings according to some
planned scheme”
Types of Observation

Observation

Non-
Controlled
Controlled

Non
Non-
Participant Participant and
Participant
Participant
Types of Observation
• A. Participant observation
Participant observation was first introduced by
Prof. Edward Winder Man. It means the activities
of a group in which an observer himself
participate and note the situation. He willingly
mixes with the group and perform his activities as
an observer not merely a participator who
criticize the situation. In other words he takes
place and share the activities with his group.
Types of Observation
• A. Participant observation
• The observer is personally involved in group activities and
shares their feelings and prejudices.
• He participate himself and get insight into the behavior of
the group.
• It motivates and stimulates mutual relationship b/w the
observer and observe.
• He can get more information’s with accuracy and precision.
• The information’s are recorded in front of the group people.
Types of Observation
• Non-Participant Observation
The non-participant observation has a lack of
participation of the observer in his group
activities.
He either watch the phenomena from a distance
or participate in the group but never in its
activities. He only sit in the group but do not
interest in the process.
Types of Observation
• Controlled Observation
• Here observer and subject both are controlled. For
systematic data collection control is imposed on both
for accuracy and precision.
• When observation is pre-planned and definite,
then it is termed as controlled observation.
• In control observation, mechanical devices are used
for precision and standardized.
• So, control increase accuracy, reduce bias, ensure
reliability and standardization. Some of the devices
are as under.
Types of Observation
Un-Controlled Observation
Uncontrolled observation takes place in natural
setting without the influence of external or outside
control.

The observer does not plan in advance but this is


related to day-to-day happenings and socio-cultural
problems. It studies some of our life situations.
Advantages of Observation
1. Simplest Method
Observation is probably the most common and the
simplest method of data collection. It does not require
much technical knowledge.
Although scientific controlled observation requires
some technical skill of the researcher, still it is easier
than other methods. Everybody in this world observes
many things in their daily life. A little training can
make a person perfect, to observe his surroundings.
Advantages of Observation
(2) Useful for Framing Hypothesis:
Observation is one of the main bases of formulating
hypothesis. By observing a phenomenon
continuously, the researcher may get well acquainted
with the observed. He came to know about their
habits, likes, dislikes, problems, perception, different
activities and so many other things. All these help
him a lot to form a hypothesis on them. Any
researcher, therefore, has to be a good observer
Advantages of Observation
3.Greater Accuracy
In observation the observer can directly check
the accuracy from the observed.
He can apply various devices to test the
reliability of their behaviour.
So very often the data collected through
observation is more reliable than these collected
through interview or questionnaire.
Advantages of Observation
• 4) An Universal Method
• Observation is a common method used in all
sciences, whether physical or social. So it has
greater universality of practice. As a common
method, it is very easily followed and
accepted.
Advantages of Observation
(5) Observation is the Only Appropriate Tool
for Certain Cases
Observation can deal with phenomena which are
not capable of giving verbal information about
their behaviour, feeling and activities simply for
the reason that they cannot speak e.g. infants or
animals.
Limitations of Observation
• (1) Some of the Occurrences may not be Open
to Observation

• There are many personal behaviors or secret


activities which are not open for observation.
Limitations of Observation:
• 2) Not all Occurrences Lend Themselves to
Observational Study
• Most of the social phenomenon is abstract in
nature. For example, love, affection, feeling and
emotion of parents towards their children are
not open to our senses and also cannot be
quantified by observational techniques. The
researcher may employ other methods like case
study; interview etc. to study such phenomena.
Limitations of Observation:
• 3) Faulty Perception
• Observation is a highly technical job. One is never sure
that what he is observing is the same as it appears to
his eyes. Two persons may judge the same phenomena
differently.
• One person may find something meaningful and useful
from a situation but the other may find nothing from it.
• Only those observers who are having the technical
knowledge about the observation can make scientific
observation
Limitations of Observation
• 4) Personal Bias of the Observer
• The personal bias, personal view or looking at
things in a particular way often creates
obstacle for making valid generalization.
• The observer may have his own ideas of right
and wrong or he may have different pre
conceptions regarding an event which kills the
objectivity in social research.
Limitations of Observation
• 5) Slow Investigation
• Observation is a time taking process. P.V. Young
rightly remarks that the valid observation cannot
be hurried;
• we cannot complete our investigation in a short
period through observation.
• It sometimes reduces the interest of both observer
and observed to continue their observation
process
Limitations of Observation
• 6) Expensive:
• Observation is a costly affair.
• It requires high cost, plenty of time and hard
effort.
• Observation involves travelling, staying at the
place of phenomena and purchasing of
sophisticated equipment’s.
• Because of this it is called as one of the most
expensive methods of data collection.

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