Driven to Blog (Part 2)

Research Questions for LDC pilot:

1. What is the theory of action of the Gates initiative focused on the instructional tools? 
2. Do teachers believe that the tools are strong models for teaching literacy and math?
3. What were the experiences of teachers as they developed and implemented the literacy and math tools? What were their successes and what were their challenges?
4. What kinds of supports did teachers receive and how did this vary (e.g., by content area, school, district)?
5. What are the conditions necessary to best support the successful adoption of the tools at the building level? District and local level?

• Questions 3-5 are great qualitative questions around the LDC project. These ancillary questions could really be used to support a solid research question. 
• Question 1 makes little sense for any research.  Your theory of research is not a question, but your framework and basis grounded in educational theory.  I would hope they could answer the question without conducting any educational research in the field.  Although they failed to do so in their report and have 0 references cited.  This is why the research is not published in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Question 2 is a yes/no answer.  Research questions should never be answered with yes/no.  That's educational research 101.

If I were to write a research question here is what it would be:

• What are the effects of the Literacy Design Collaborative on student achievement?

This can be quantified and gets at the heart of what we should really be asking.  

• Is this tool effective?  How effective?  
• Does it result in any statistically significant difference from current practices?  
• Is it better than other implementations of the new Common Core Standards?

All answered with a pre/post design.