✍"The Art of Inquiry: Exploring Management, Research, and Investigation Questions"✍

Management Question – Research Question – Investigation Question in Educational Research.

In educational research, questions are formulated at different levels to address issues in learning, teaching, student performance, curriculum development, or policy effectiveness. These questions guide the research process and ensure that findings contribute meaningfully to the field of education.

The three key types of research questions in education are:

1. Management Question – A broad educational problem.
2. Research Question – A specific question that research can answer.
3. Investigation Question – Detailed, measurable questions used in the study.

1. Management Question – Identifying the Educational Problem

A management question is a broad issue in the education system that needs a solution. It focuses on challenges in student learning, teaching methods, school administration, curriculum effectiveness, or policy impact.

Example:

A school principal observes a decline in student performance in science subjects. The management question could be:

👉 "Why are students performing poorly in science subjects?"

Other Examples of Management Questions in Education:

• Why is student attendance decreasing in high school?
• What are the challenges in implementing online learning?
• How can we improve English language proficiency among students?
• Why are dropout rates increasing in rural schools?

Since management questions are broad, they need to be refined into research questions that can be studied systematically.

2. Research Question – Framing a Specific Researchable Question

A research question refines the management question into a clear, specific, and researchable query that can be answered using empirical methods.

Example:

For the management question "Why are students performing poorly in science subjects?", the research question could be:

👉 "What are the key factors affecting students' performance in science subjects?"

This research question focuses on identifying possible causes such as teaching methods, student motivation, learning resources, and curriculum difficulty.

Other Examples of Research Questions in Education:

• How does online learning impact student engagement in higher education? (For a question about online learning challenges)
• What factors influence English language proficiency among secondary school students? (For an issue about language skills)
• How does teacher feedback impact student learning outcomes? (For a study on effective teaching methods)

The research question provides direction for data collection and analysis. However, it still needs specific, measurable questions to collect meaningful data, which leads to investigation questions.

3. Investigation Question – Collecting Measurable Data

The investigation question breaks down the research question into smaller, detailed, and measurable queries that guide data collection. These questions focus on gathering quantitative or qualitative information.

Example:

For the research question "What are the key factors affecting students' performance in science subjects?", the investigation questions could be:

1. What percentage of students find science subjects difficult?
2. How do students rate their science teachers' teaching methods?
3. How many hours do students spend studying science subjects outside of class?
4. What percentage of students lack access to science learning resources (e.g., textbooks, lab equipment)?
5. What role does parental involvement play in students' academic performance?

These investigation questions provide specific data points that can be analyzed to answer the research question.

Other Examples of Investigation Questions in Education:

For a research question "How does online learning impact student engagement?":

1. What percentage of students actively participate in online classes?
2. What are the common technical challenges students face in online learning?
3. How do students compare online learning to traditional classroom learning?

For a research question "What factors influence English language proficiency?":

1. How many hours do students spend practicing English outside of class?
2. What percentage of students struggle with spoken vs. written English?
3. How does teacher interaction affect language improvement?

These investigation questions help in collecting relevant data, which is later analyed to answer the research question and ultimately solve the management problem.

Example Scenario: Investigating Poor Science Performance in Schools

Step 1: Identify the Management Question (Broad Educational Problem)

A school principal notices that students' science exam scores have dropped significantly.

Management Question: "Why are students performing poorly in science subjects?"

Step 2: Develop the Research Question (Specific Researchable Question)

The principal works with education researchers and identifies possible causes such as teacher quality, student motivation, and availability of resources.

Research Question: "What are the key factors influencing students’ performance in science subjects?"

Step 3: Formulate Investigation Questions (Measurable Questions for Data Collection)

To answer the research question, the researchers collect data by surveying students, teachers, and parents:

1. What percentage of students feel science subjects are too difficult?
2. How do students rate their science teachers’ effectiveness?
3. How many schools have well-equipped science laboratories?
4. What percentage of students have access to online learning materials for science?

By analysing these responses, the researchers conclude that poor teaching methods and lack of science resources are major contributors to low student performance.

Conclusion

The process of Management Question → Research Question → Investigation Question ensures that educational research is structured, focused, and data-driven.

✅ Management Questions define broad educational problems.

✅ Research Questions focus on key aspects of the problem that can be studied.

✅ Investigation Questions gather specific, measurable data for analysis.

By following this approach, educators, policymakers, and researchers can move from identifying a problem to collecting data, analyzing results, and making informed decisions to improve education outcomes.

Thank you for reading. 👀

Professor (Dr.) P. M. Malek 

malekparveen_786@yahoo.com