Research Trends of Instructional Technology Dissertations in Turkey

Abstract

Every planned research study begins with the analysis of previous studies and gains a new form by their help. The capacity to be able to conduct a research is crucial for graduate students to survive in their future. While graduate students try to fulfil academic requirements and to have a career advancement beyond the university, they should develop skills of research and utilize higher order thinking processes (Liu & Breit, 2013). Also, during PhD programs, they receive training on how to apply various research methods, and the variety of available methods makes it possible for students to investigate many research problems in the field. The literature indicates numerous differences between quantitative and qualitative methods in each of step in the research process, including identifying the research problem, reviewing the literature, collecting the data, analysing the data, and reporting the results (Creswell, 2008). Garrison (1991) argues that in order for learning to be meaningful, the cognitive process needs to involve critical thinking that is grounded in the analysis, synthesis, and assessment of newly acquired knowledge. When applied to mastering research methods, this argument means that students need to be in charge of their learning and take an active role in determining the context within which they acquire new content (Edwards & Thatcher, 2004).