Category: Unit 9

The most important part of a conclusion section in high-quality research for me are the following elements:

The results are clearly identified and summarized. It is essential to summarize the results that are critical to answering the original research question. If further results were found because of the research but do not directly answer the research question, they need to be organized and summarized logically.

The results are examined in the literature. It is crucial the researcher notes how their results are related to prior research

that the implication of the findings for practice is identified and justified. Next, it is essential the researcher indicates how their results compare to prior research. I believe it is crucial to include the implications of the study to ensure the study is used and does not sit on a shelf collecting dust, after all, that is why we conduct research.

Thoughtful critiques of the study’s limitation are noted. Another way to contribute to the world of research is to critique your research by examining the limitation of the study to provide a suggestion for future research based not only on the results but also to address the limitations.

Discussion Question(s):

How important do you feel the personal reflection in the conclusion section is? Is it fair to examine researcher’s personal reflection for any biases or presuppositions that may not have been revealed throughout the study? How can personal reflection add value to the study and literature in general?

 

Unit 9 Learning Activities

Are the major results identified and summarized?

The researchers’ results are identified, summarized and organized logically. The results for both the leader’s perspective and followers’ perspective were easy to locate.

3/3

Are the results related to the literature?

The authors compare their results to previous research and provide a personal reflection on their findings. Comparison to other literature is limited because there has not been a lot of research conducted on emotional intelligence and servant leadership at the time the article was published.

2/3

Are appropriate implications of the results for practice identified and justified?

The authors provide suggestions that logically follow from their study while admitting the limitations. They insist organizations could use the results in the selection and development of servant leaders.

3/3

Is there a thoughtful critique of the study’s limitations?

Thea authors identified and acknowledged the following limitations of their study: sample size, common bias, and the type of organization surveyed. A small number of followers were surveyed per leader, and the study only interviewed leaders in the civic field which the researchers note behave differently than those in the private sector.

3/3

Are suitable suggestions for future research provided?

Yes. The authors provide a clear direction for future research which addresses the limitations of their study. First, increase the number of followers per leader surveyed. Second, conduct a similar investigation in the private sector.

3/3

References

Barbuto, J. E., Gottfredson, R. K., & Searle, T. P. (2014). An examination of emotional intelligence as an antecedent of servant leadership. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 21(3), 315-323.

 

Unit 9 Learning Activities

I had the privilege to review Ruth’s Action Research. It can be found here: https://create.twu.ca/ruthleong/2018/02/26/learning-activity-8-2/

Before I get into my review, I would like to encourage Ruth to follow through with her action research. I know it would be of great benefit for not only her school but also many if not all schools in the Northwest Territories.

Does the project focus on a real problem in practice?

Yes. Ruth decided to focus on a problem that many teachers across the country can relate to, the lack of collaborations, specifically the lack of collaborations between teachers in the same subject matter in small school settings when there is only one teacher per subject area. From personal experience, the schools within my district face a similar problem as we only have one teacher per grade or multi-grade classes. This research could not only help her district but many across Canada.

Does the researcher plan study his or her own practices or plan to collaborate with community members?

Ruth plans to study the practices not only in her own school but the teachers in the entire district. Her focus is collaborations between teachers but depending on her results could expand to collaborations between professionals.

Does the project include careful reflection about the problem?

Yes, Ruth carefully reflects up on the issue and discusses some roadblocks teachers currently face regarding collaborations.

Does the researcher plan gather serval sources o information (e.g., qualitative and quantitative procedures)?

Ruth has decided to collect her data through a survey, thus a quantitative study. Teachers across her district would participate, those from small schools with one teacher per subject area, and those from larger schools with multiple teachers. This would allow a comparison between different work settings. Some questions Ruth will be asking are: Do teachers regularly collaborate? Are they given time to do so? Is collaboration useful they think it is useful?

Does the research develop a clear plan for addressing the problem?

Yes. If collaboration is found to be useful Ruth suggests group multiple small programs together to collaborate, or teachers from small schools are given the opportunity to join the larger school on professional development days. Another option not discussed is the use of technology such as Skype, google docs, etc. to connect teachers across the district. (From personal experience this is easier said than done.)

Does the project include reflecting, thinking, looking, and gathering information and acting?

Overall the action research project includes thoughtful reflecting, thinking, and gathering information. Given Ruth has not actually completed the research project I feel her suggestions are the practical and reasonable solution to the problem her school is currently facing.

Will the results of the project enhance the lives of those involved?

Yes, providing evidence of the value and benefit of collaboration between teachers ought to encourage more teachers to collaborate actively. Additionally, Ruth offered possible solutions to provide teachers in small school settings to collaborate with other teachers that teach the same grade level and subject area.