Report Review on Educational Research
Home schooling is an education type which primarily happens in the home. A Child learns from a guardian or a parent who is an educator. This form of education was common in the 1700s before the introduction of compulsory education. By 1900, in the United States, laws on compulsory education were introduced leading of to a decrease of the number of home schooling. The introduction of compulsory education also lead to home schooling being a very controversial and an illegal means of acquiring education (Knowles, Muchmore and Spalding, 1994).
Home schooling is still an illegal means of education in all the fifty states of the U.S, yet, home schooling is a fast growing form of education among children aged 5 and 17. According to the NationalCenter for education Statistics (1999) home schooled students totaled to 1,508, 000. A total of 11,500 freshmen students in 2008 indicated that they are home school students who enrolled one in CIRP institutions that year (Pryor, et al. 2008).
The research by Michael F Cogan on Exploring Academic Outcomes of Home schooled students is a descriptive analysis of the outcomes of home schooled students in Midwest institutions who enter medium size doctorial. The researcher acknowledges the previously researched studies on home schooling. One of the studies is the Journal of Collage education of 2004. This journal is the study of home scholars entering higher education and how they are perceived by the admissions officers (Jones and Gleaner, 2004, pp 24).
The results of the study was that the 55 sampled admission officers from universities in the west of the US on home school students is that they would earn retention, credit and GPA or above level grades. These students according to another study by Ray (2004) have graduated with good grades and participated in community service.
Another aspect that has been studied among home schooled students is on child development and women’s psychology. These studies indicate that home school education enhances the girl’s self-confidence as they grow to womanhood. The National Education Association criticizes home schooling education for it does not comprehensively provide for students education experience.
A more closely related study to this research is on the descriptive analysis to determine home schooled student’s academic outcome at Wheaton Collage (Saunders, 2009). This is a quantitative research that used the variables of the two student groups and with the school type model to determine the student’s performance. The conclusion of this study was that school type did not predict the outcome of student’s academic performance. Such literatures used by the researcher are incomplete and little is known on both the long term and short term outcomes of student’s performance of those who were in a home school.
Much evidence has however, shown that students from home school education have achieved higher test score than those students in traditional school. The aim of this research is therefore, to give credible evidence to show that students who were home schooled have shown completion rates, persistence, and grades attainment rates which are positive in the postsecondary environment.
Findings of the research
The research reveals that home school students score higher ACT scores compared to those students who have been traditionally educated. Further, the analysis of multiple regressions show that the home schooled students attain higher fourth year and first-year GPAs under the control of factors like pre-college, demographic, first –term academic and engagement. The results of binary logistics regression show that there is no major difference between fourth year graduation rates and the fall to fall retention of home schooled students when compared to students who have been traditionally educated when the independent variables are still under control.
Research method
The research method used by the researcher is the qualitative method. He has also used the categorical method in employing the two statistical tests. These tests are the binary logistical regressions analysis to measures the four year graduation and fall to fall retention. The second test he uses is the multiple regressions to measure GPAs. The researcher has utilized the statistical test to estimate the dependent variables values from the outcomes that are known among the independent variable group. The two tests give the researcher a standard and coefficient error for every independent variable. A negative coefficient leads to negative influence while a positive coefficient positively influences the dependent variables.
Another evidence of the quantitative research method is that the sampled students are counted and constructed in a statistics model to show the outcome of both variables. This can be seen in table two where the researcher presents the GPAs of the home school variable from the first year to the fourth year. The researcher also knows what he is looking for at the start of the research. This is the fact that home schooled student’s outcomes are higher than the traditional educated students as they join doctorial institutions. The design of the study does not change to show that it is a quantitative study.
Importance of the research to education
Many are the times that home schooling education has been criticized and condemned. Through this research, Cogan has demystified the various speculations that surround home schooling education. These false aspects include, poor socialization, lack of whole round education experience and poor problem solving skills. The researcher presents real statistical findings as the evidence that home scholars excel in higher learning institutions. The findings of the research is that home scholars have 26.5 ACT scored compared to 25 of the traditionally educated students. The home scholars earn 24.7 collage credit compared to 6 of the traditionally schooled students. The home scholars have a GPA of 3.37 fall semester which higher that those of other freshmen of 3. 08. at the fourth year, the homes schooled students have a GPA of 3.46 while for the other students is 3.16.
This means that the education act of the United States should leave home schooling open to those parents who wants their children to be home schooled. This means that home school education should be legalized.
Role of the research in educational psychology
Home scholars excel in their academics because they are not socialized to love learning but are an aspect that comes out their hearts. They find it interesting when education curriculum is directed to them on one to one basis. Home schooling is also advantageous because it teaches students to be independent learners. The parents are the role model of their children in teaching them that education is important. These are the factors which parents instill in their children leading to their psychological development. They are taught self-confident and the importance of positive self esteems leading to them excelling in life.
Reference
Is this your assignment or some part of it?
We can do it for you! Click to Order!
