Past Experiences with Research

 

This week our Learning Resources offered recommendations about how research literature can help in our personal, educational and professional work.  One caution to instructional designers is to practice awareness of our backgrounds, values or potential biases that could affect our interpretation of the literature we read for professional development.  Knowing this, we will be more readily able to notice when we are making mistakes in interpreting outcomes of research or using the information to fulfill personal agendas.

 

In my experience of conducting an inquiry and consuming research was in connection with watching a DVD entitled “Four Centuries of American Education” with David Barton.  This video presentation was filled with compelling information presented as research findings about the history of education in America.  I was taking in this information as hard, researched facts.  However, I later was astonished to find this author has been widely debunked by professional historians and by scholars from institutions with religious affiliations. 

 

In seeking factual, and evidence-supported (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) data to prove whether this was actually the case, I have found numerous sources to contradict many of Barton’s assertions.  This gave me reason to believe in the importance of becoming what Dr. Micheal Quinn Patton described as a sophisticated consumer. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) Now, I have read more revealing criticisms of how Barton’s intent was not necessarily scholarship, for he used selective quotations out of context and potentially used this information to influence public policy. (SPLC, 2013) 

 

Our text outlines three characteristics that are usually representative of true scholarship, “a) reputation of the author(s), b) source of funding, and c) sponsorship” (Locke, Silverman & Spirduso, 2012).  These are all big questions for me about David Barton’s affiliations and intent behind his studies.  This was a good lesson in understanding why it is, “academic researchers duty to ensure such science is not passed on as fact in studies we cite in our own investigations” (Carlson, 2008, p. 104).

 

Now my questions point to the debate as it continues and I wonder how top executives of a public broadcasting station could be fired for deeming Barton’s fabrications as inappropriate.  Especially after reading the article which deconstructed Barton’s . (Rodda, 2013)  And according to the Washington Times, Barton’s publisher pulled his latest book due to “historical errors that were found to render it unsellable” (Johnson, 2012).  This has been interesting, because I was introduced to this author while attending a Christian University that used his work as a class resource.  How do you view this kind of resource?  Would you research further to clarify the source and references? Do you think that university will do the same as the publisher and pull these sources? 

 

 

 

References

 

Barton, D.  (2004). Four Centuries of American Education. Wallbuilders. Aledo, TX.  Retrieved from http://shop.wallbuilders.com/dvds

 

Carlson, L. (2008). Use, misuse, and abuse of content analysis for research on the consumer interest. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 42(1), 104.

Johnson, B. (2012, August 24). David Barton Gets a Lesson in Honesty.  Washington Post Communities. [weblog comment]. Retrieved from http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/high-tide-and-turn/2012/aug/23/david-barton-gets-lesson-honesty/

 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010).  Introduction to Research. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3398790_1%26url%3D

 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010).  Research in Instructional Design.  Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3398790_1%26url%3D

Locke, L. F., Silverman, S. J., & Spirduso, W. W. (2012). Reading and understanding research (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Rodda, C.  (2013, February 1). A Debunking of Pseudo-Historian David Barton’s Book on the Second Amendment. Huffington Post. [weblog comment]. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/a-debunking-of-pseudohist_b_2595270.html

Southern Poverty Law Center. (2013). Intelligence Files. Retrieved from  http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/profiles/david-barton