Curriculum Development in Vocational and Technical Education

This is a useful indicator of the researcher's background knowledge on the area of study. As a Ph. D. holder, he can critically assess and raise appropriate questions regarding the topic under investigation. Based on the researcher's qualifications the dissertation meets the minimum requirement of academic work. The authors should focus on using simple language (Kulkarni, 2013). However, technical terms related to the study area are acceptable. The reader should also be attracted to the writing style. For instance, the author of the dissertation under review has avoided the use of personal pronouns which makes the study appear objective. The language used is also simple at the same time the technicality of the terms used indicate that the author has a better understanding of the study discipline.

Depending on the topic of the investigation some researchers refer to it as the purpose of the study. Gary's dissertation has both the purpose of research and problem statement. The problem statement introduces the reader to the topic of study while orienting them to its significance. Gary's problem statement anchors essential research questions, hypotheses, and assumptions of the study. The purpose of the study explains goals of the study. It should also demonstrate appropriate breadth and depth of reading surrounding the topic in question. Additionally, the texts should be of recent origin that does not exceed five years (Marshall, 2010). However, there is an exception to this when the scope of the research is thin. To put the subject of the study under a context, contemporary and historical materials should be used.

Focusing on the dissertation under review the author demonstrates an in-depth background digging of past studies relating to the problem in question. These include Curriculum theory and development, educational curriculum and assessment model, curriculum evaluation and curriculum overview. In presenting the previous studies, the author critically examines the strengths and limitations of the study. He contrasts and compares findings of earlier works by creating a context relating to the topic under investigation. The research's literature review is also rich in material content from numerous past studies. The coverage correlates to the nature of the study topic. The author ought to have provided a summary of the theoretical framework to promote a good understanding of the model. Methodology A research methodology refers to how a researcher seeks to conduct a study.

Under the methodology, various key elements should be put into consideration. These are; research design, data collection, instrument design, validity, and reliability. For the research under review, the author has utilized feasibility methodology where a summary of the literature on qualitative research has been conducted. • Sample size The size of population sample determines study findings. Small samples present the risk of over-representation of small subgroups within a target population (Coughian, 2007). Similarly, the risk of sampling errors reduces as larger sample sizes are used. The research under critique used a relatively small sample size of six teachers. Among them, two were curriculum committee members with one being a test writer. Some of the important standards that were identified included, evaluators credibility, the scope of the information and selection as well as audience identification.

The author also assessed the feasibility standards which were meant to ensure that the evaluation would be prudent, realistic, frugal and diplomatic. From the recommendations of the expert panel, the author was able to determine validity and reliability of his research design through each criteria question that was presented. For instance, the question on cost-effectiveness was seconded by seven of the eight-panel members. The remaining member suggested that cost-effectiveness is incorporated in the model for the avoidance of unnecessary expenditures. • Data analysis Data analysis represents the section of research where the study hypotheses are tested. For Gary's dissertation, the data was analyzed, and hypothesis testing was done using both t-test and ANOVA. This identification of statistical techniques is critical in determining the results.

For the ANOVA test repeated measures of SPSS-X was conducted using the MANOVA command. For the t-test pooled variance estimates were used for better estimation of the actual variance. With this definition of terms, it is easier for any reader to go through the research without any difficulties. However, the author ought to have created an acronym to provide an even better overview of key terms used in the study. Ethical considerations American Psychological Association identifies four fundamental moral principles that should a research study. These include; beneficence, justice, non-maleficence, and autonomy. Beneficence in this context refers to research that benefits the participant and the society in general (Young, 2017). Findings In this section, the research presents the results obtained from the data analysis and tested hypotheses.

The essential feature of findings is clarity and logical presentations. Readers should be able to follow and draw their inferences from the findings with ease. The language used must be simple and direct to the point. The author of the dissertation has a clear presentation of the findings. The summary provides an overview of the entire study and the purpose of investigating the problem. The contents of a summary are often determined by the breadth and depth of research. Gary's dissertation summary is brief given the scope of his study. The summary highlights various aspects of the School Improvement Model that was under investigation and applicability in addressing vocational/technological education needs at the secondary school level. It also encompasses all the aspects of the study from different chapters starting with the introduction, literature review, methodology, theoretical framework, analysis, and findings.

There are four main limitations of the study in Gary's dissertation. One of them is the limitation of the investigation to selected resources. The study did not offer comparisons to other relevant subject areas. The author's analysis and presentation were conducted in light of time and available resources. Lastly, given that the population was mainly from school SIM projects most of the findings could be generalized to other educational settings. There is clarity in the recommendations because the author has differentiated practice from further investigation. The researcher has also revealed the possible gaps in his research which makes it easier for interested readers to continue with new research. References The research has concluded with an accurate list of journal articles, books, and report.