What is the percentage of children who are autistic? Correlational Research Questions They describe the statistical relationship between two or more variables (Trochim, 2006). Example: What is the relationship between the severity of autism and the degree of practical measures available? Causal Research Questions They are questions used in determining whether one or more variables result in one or more outcome variables (Trochim, 2006). Example: What is the effect of autisms on caregivers? References Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Types of Questions. Retrieved February 28, 2010, from: https://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/resques.php Other students hypotheses. Discuss ways to improve upon their hypotheses, or alternative approaches to exploring their research question. In our readings, Trochim refers to three types of research questions; namely, descriptive, correlative (described in Trochim as relational), and causal (Trochim, 2006). The type of question asked speaks to the types of data potentially collected to satisfy the questions asked. For my study, my interests lie within the field of remote educational modalities adapted and suited for students within the Autism Spectrum. Traditionally, many ASD students exhibited maladaptive social tendencies that led to emotional meltdowns when forced to confront environments that were not sufficiently structured (LaRue, et. Al., 2009, p. 164). Because the affected students do not always understand or respond traditionally to social cues, such unstructured activities such as recess or lunch periods were aspects of what Phillip Jackson first referred to as the hidden curriculum that instigated these maladaptive events (Hozjan, 2019, p. 31). The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic (2019 to present) forced many students to remote learning from home, often via computer. Some of these parents were astonished to see a significant decrease in maladaptive episodes following this transition, and some have expressed the desire to continue these ASD students within remote learning environments moving forward (Reicher, 2020, p. 263). While this desire is understandable, such a permanent transition, some educational experts feel, might deprive ASD students of confronting and learning adaptive strategies for many environments they may face when matriculating into vocational fields. The hidden curriculum, it is widely believed, cannot be replicated in controlled online learning environments. Or can it? The nature of my research questions is to explore whether it is possible or practical to reproduce elements of the hidden curriculum within remote learning environments to facilitate mastery of adaptive behavioral practices and decisions. To this end, I have workshopped three drafts of my question into formats designed to satisfy todays assignment. Here are the questions, labeled, with brief follow-up justifications: Descriptive: How can educators design an online curriculum for students within the Autism spectrum that replicates hidden curriculum elements to teach adaptation strategies within remote environments? This descriptive question takes for granted both online environments and the hidden curriculum already exist and seeks to find whether these environmental forces can be thus manipulated to bring forth a desired social result. The question also takes for granted that adaptation strategies are a desired outcome of remote learning achievement. Unlike correlative questioning, this descriptive question does not test relational or causal relationships, although such outcomes may possibly be inferred from the results, suggesting follow-up studies (Trochim, 2006). Correlative: Is there a relationship between modality of instruction and student success for ASD students? This correlative question seeks to seek positive or negative correlation between two variables, in this case modality of instruction (brick and mortar versus remote) and perceived student success (in regard to adaptive social strategy mastery). Unlike descriptive questions, it does not specifically rely on what is going on or what exists (Trochim, 2006). Its variables are independent and the correlation, either positive or negative, can be studied absent of preexisting conditions. Causal: What effects, if any, do electronic stimuli have in behavioral modification for ASD students learning remotely? Although this causal question is hopelessly broad and would need modifiers to bring it within manageable parameters for a longitudinal study, it is a good starting place. It seeks to measure whether electronic stimuli such as online instruction can cause adaptive behavioral strategies to be mastered, which is indeed the starting point of any hidden curricular adaptations to be made within online structured learning environments. It is causal because it seeks to understand whether it is possible or practical to create and integrate one variable in order to cause change (in regards to positive adaptive behavioral strategies) within the working lives of these ASD students as they matriculate into working society. I appreciated this assignment because Ive been struggling to find a way to voice my research interests and feel that Ive made a lot more headway in the last 48 hours than in the past two years that Ive been considering these questions. ________________________ Hozjan, D. (2019). A Theoretical Conceptualization of the Hidden Curriculum in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century. In Implicit Pedagogy for Optimized Learning in Contemporary Education (pp. 23-40). IGI Global. LaRue, R., Weiss, M. J., & Cable, M. K. (2009). Functional communication training: The role of speech pathologists and behavior analysts in serving students with autism. The Journal of Speech and Language PathologyApplied Behavior Analysis, 3(2-3), 164. Reicher, D. (2020). Debate: Remote learning during COVID?19 for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. Child and adolescent mental health, 25(4), 263-264. Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Foundations. Retrieved February 28, 2010 from: Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Types of Questions. Retrieved February 28, 2010 from: Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Conceptualizing. Retrieved February 28, 2010 from: Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Qualitative Measures. Retrieved February 28, 2010 from: Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. 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