The educational investigation method is different from the experimental research method. There is no need to control variables in educational research, but to draw research conclusions according to the non-experimental status quo under natural conditions, so it is more vivid and universal. The way of educational investigation is mainly based on current situation investigation, but it is not necessarily face-to-face "contact". More is to use "indirect" methods to consult and collect historical documents or current information, and to obtain facts and information through questionnaires, interviews and other forms of investigation.
From different angles, there are many different types of educational investigation methods.
1. According to the different purposes of the survey, it can be divided into current survey, comparative survey, related survey and forecast survey:
(1) current situation investigation. That is to investigate the current situation of a certain education or a certain educational phenomenon, with the purpose of understanding the general situation of education and exploring the basic characteristics of a certain current situation.
(2) Comparative investigation. Its purpose is to compare the similarities and differences between different types of educational objects and different educational phenomena.
(3) Relevant investigation. That is, through the investigation and study of two (or more) characteristics of a group of objects, we can analyze and judge whether there is correlation between them, and how its degree and nature are, including the investigation of causality.
(4) Forecast survey. That is, by investigating the development and change of a certain feature of the research object or the continuation of a certain phenomenon, the development trend of the situation is predicted.
2. According to the different scope of investigation, it can be divided into general investigation, sampling investigation, typical investigation and case investigation.
(1) Census. That is, according to the needs of the research topic, all the research objects in a certain time, place and scope are investigated to obtain the relevant information of all the research objects involved in the topic. The scope of the census can be the whole country, the whole city or the whole school. The survey results are universal and can be used as the basis for major decisions or educational planning. Although the census has high accuracy, it consumes a lot of financial and material resources and the investigation cost is high because of its wide scope and many objects.
(2) Sampling survey. That is, a part of the survey population is selected by scientific methods to investigate, aiming at inferring the overall situation through the obtained sample information, which is a widely used survey method in the process of investigation and research. The credibility and effectiveness of the sampling survey largely depend on the typicality, objectivity and representativeness of the sample. Investigators should fully understand the characteristics of the crowd before sampling and choose the appropriate sampling method according to the needs of the subjects. Compared with the general survey, sampling survey can save manpower, material resources, financial resources and time, and make the survey deeper and more specific. However, it is difficult for researchers to control the sample error and make the sample represent the population more accurately.
(3) Typical survey. That is to say, on the basis of concrete analysis of the respondents, one (or several) representative and typical objects are purposefully and consciously selected for in-depth and detailed investigation and study. The typical selection can be classified first, and then the representative typical individuals who meet the research task can be selected from each category; We can also choose several different models to investigate and study according to the research purpose. Typical investigation is conducive to in-depth and detailed research, but it is difficult to infer the overall characteristics.
3. According to the way of investigation and research, it can be divided into questionnaire survey, interview survey and literature survey.
(1) questionnaire survey. It refers to an investigation method that designs a questionnaire according to a certain research purpose, collects information from the respondents in written form, and reveals the essence and law of a certain education through analysis. It includes not only asking the respondents to make written answers in the form of questions, but also quantitative determination through tests, and also investigating and registering the respondents by using questionnaires. The questionnaire survey method is simple, time-saving and labor-saving, and the collected data is easy to sort out and count, but it is difficult to ensure that the questionnaire recovery rate is 00%, and it is difficult to understand the question in depth, and it is difficult to distinguish or verify the truth of the respondents' answers.
(2) Interview survey. That is to say, according to the purpose of investigation and research, select a certain investigation object, and learn about the situation and collect information through interviews and conversations on related issues. Researchers can conduct individual interviews or hold symposiums, talk directly with the research object, or get to know the research object indirectly through individuals related to the interviewee. Interviews and surveys are conducive to a more detailed, accurate and true in-depth understanding of relevant details. The subjective guess or tendency of the investigator is easy to be mixed in the interview process, which is time-consuming and laborious.
(3) Literature investigation. This is a commonly used method in investigation, through the existing text, audio-visual and other materials to indirectly understand the research object. The contents of literature are very rich, including documents, archives, audio recordings, statistical yearbooks, statements and reports. In general, the literature survey method is not used alone, but as a supplementary method to cooperate with other methods.
In a word, there are various types of survey methods, and each type has its own advantages and limitations. In the process of research, researchers can choose appropriate investigation methods according to the needs of research, or use a variety of investigation methods comprehensively.
Educational investigation method is also welcomed by teachers because of its simple and easy implementation method and flexible and diverse investigation methods, and has been widely adopted and applied in subject research, and has received good research results.
It is worth pointing out that it is not enough to know only the methods and types of investigation. Before carrying out scientific research, researchers should determine the best investigation method according to the actual needs of the subject, so that scientific research can be carried out smoothly and purposefully.