Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

BY: BY: MAYET MAYET AGUSTIN AGUSTIN-TE -TEANO ANO,, Ph.D Ph.D..

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Overview 

When travelling in an unfamiliar destination, a road map would definitely be useful.

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In doing research, you need to devise a road map that will lead you in answering your research objectives/questions. objectives/ questions.

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Relevant theories provide road map on how you will go about studying your research topic.

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Theories provide knowledge base/foundation/rationale for conducting research.

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style What are theories? 

 Theories are constructed in order to explain, predict and master phenomena (e.g. relationships, events, or the behavior).

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 A theory makes generalizations about observations and consists of an interrelated, coherent set of ideas and models.

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style What are theories? Generally, a theory is a broad statement of interplay among variables. Examples are theories on: Job satisfaction Learning Intelligence Leadership Theories explain the relationship among variables involved in each construct.

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Theoretical Framework 

The theoretical framework of the study presents the theory which explains why the problem under study exists.

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Thus, the theoretical framework is but a theory that serves as a basis for conducting research.

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8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Purpose of theoretical framework It helps the researcher see clearly the variables of the study. It can provide him with a general framework for data analysis. It is essential in preparing a research proposal using descriptive and experimental methods.

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Conceptual framework 

Theories are sometimes too broad to test, hence you may draw your conceptual framework.

Theory Concept

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8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Conceptual framework 

 After formulating the theoretical framework, the researcher has to develop the conceptual framework of the study.

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 A concept is an image or symbolic representation of an abstract idea. Chinn and Kramer (1999) define a concept as a “complex mental formulation of experience”. While the theoretical framework is the theory on which the study is based, the conceptual framework is the contextualization of the theory.

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Purposes of both frameworks They lead to formulation of hypotheses  They serve as basis for evaluation of a theory  They justify the research study.  Provide system for achieving creative solutions to the problem. 

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Click to edit Master title style Research paradigm The conceptual/theoretical frameworks are presented visually through research paradigm.  The research paradigm shows the variables included in the study and the type of relationships tested . 

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Click to edit Master title style Commonly Used Paradigm

Input

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Process

Output

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Independent variables

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Dependent variables

profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Developing Theoretical Framework 

By answering the following questions, you can begin to develop a loosely structured framework ( Slevin and Basford,1999)  

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What do I know about the phenomenon that I want to study? What types of knowledge are available to me (empirical, nonempirical, tacit, intuitive, moral or ethical)? What theory will best guide me in studying such phenomenon? Is this theory proven through theory-linked research? What other theories are relevant to such phenomenon? How can I apply these theories in my present study?

profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style How do you find answers to those questions? 

Review literature. 

You will come across with voluminous data. Your main problem is:

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HOW YOU CAN BRING THESE DATA TOGETHER TO FORM MEANINGFUL AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION .

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8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Organizing the data into meaningful information? Guided by theories, identify all the possible variables/attributes relevant to the phenomenon under study.  Determine relationships among these variables as provided by different theories.  Relate this to your present study. Explain how these theories will guide you in conducting your current study. 

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8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Doing it step by step 

Identifying the variables Concrete objects can be visualized mentally. In research, we will come across with ideas that are not so clearly conceived. It is a challenge to visualize:     

Job satisfaction Depression Research productivity Emotional intelligence Organizational climate

constructs

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8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style Research Construct  After finding theories, you will identify the research constructs (building blocks of theories).  Example: Research productivity 

Models of research productivity claimed that productivity is a result of interaction between 3 main variables: individual, institutional and leadership characteristics.

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profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style 

Research productivity can be broken down into:    

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Number of researches produced Number of articles published Number of papers presented in conference Number of books authored

profmayet

8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style CONSTRUCT VALIDITY 

One important test in research is construct validity. 

YOU MUST ENSURE THAT YOUR DATA SUPPORTS THE THEORETICAL STRUCTURE.

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Determine the attributes in each variable:  Individual characteristics  Institutional characteristics  Leadership characteristics

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8/19/2012

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Individual characteristics that may affect productivity: Educational qualification  Research skills  Writing skills  Computing skills  Work habits  Number of teaching loads/number of preparation   Attitudes towards research 

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8/19/2012

Click to edit Master title style 

Institutional characteristics    

Institutional goals Research policies: incentives, workload policies Resources : library, internet, finances Research culture: support from peers, shared interest to do research

Leadership characteristics  Research involvement  Support given to faculty research efforts  Priorities given to research  Performance of research functions 21

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Click to edit Master title style Determine Relationship among variables Individual characteristics are essentials  Institutional characteristics provide support structure to enhance individual characteristics  Leadership influence institutional characteristics in terms of resource allocation and policy formulation 

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Click to edit Master title style Draw the Research Paradigm leadership

 

institutional

 

individual

Productivity

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END

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