Reference no: EM133730843

Assignment:

Hello Everyone! In my search for applicable studies centered on my chosen research topic of character education, I found two dissertations that contained very beneficial information. The first was titled "Character Education for Elementary School Students and Parental Commitment: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study" by Joshua Barela. The second was titled "Full Hearted Leading: A Multiple Case Study on Principals' Sense Making Toward Implementing Moral Character Development in Elementary Schools" by Kimberly Starks.

Critiquing these dissertations for last week's assignment was a perfect opportunity to learn about the necessary components of a research study. Approaching the journal articles from the standpoint of assessing their construction rather than for the information they offer was a very educational experience. Each author based their research on a solid theoretical foundation and clearly outlined the purpose of their efforts. It was also helpful to fully examine the process of choosing subjects for the study, the data collection process, and the explanations for the study's limitations.

While much of the information contained in the two studies was not novel to me, Barela's (2022) mention of the effects of time constraints on modern family life renewed my compassion for young families trying to raise children and earn a living in today's world. Another beneficial topic is the importance of parents and educators forming a partnership to implement effective character education for students (Barela, 2022).

One issue I found least impressive was how Starks (2022) dealt with the issues she encountered during her study. Although she did her best to overcome the dual challenges of time constraints and subject availability, choosing to conduct a study of this type during state testing at the end of the school year does not seem like the best way to generate valid data for her study. I commend her for involving other members of the administration in recruiting other subjects for the study; however, the title of her study specifically focuses on the effect of principals sensemaking on character education (Starks, 2022).

For the most part, the research I have discovered has helped to build my knowledge base concerning the topic of character education. According to Barela (2022), education leaders have long agreed that character education is essential to a well-rounded education. Proverbs 22:supports this statement with the reminder to "Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it (New American Standard Bible, 1995).

References

Barela, J. J. (2022). Character education for elementary school students and parental commitment: A qualitative phenomenological study.

New American Standard Bible. (1995). New American Standard Bible.

Starks, K. R. (2022). Full-hearted leading: A multiple case study of principals' sensemaking toward implementing moral character development in elementary schools.