Assessing the Impact: Student Experiences and the Role of Assessments in Education

Part I: Individual Research

1) How the Research Question was developed?

It is one of the most essential stages in a research to develop an appropriate research question, it is only

through a good research question an investigation into a subject gets its focus it further developing the

research subject. The first step in order to develop the research question adapted was to understand the

topic that is going to be researched, and only by comprehending the topic in all its aspect there can be a

further solution, and that includes developing a good Research Question. After the Research subject got

comprehended, as a next step the entire questions are enlisted under the respective subject that need to get

answer for the purpose of investigation and its respective development (Bromley, 2011). Considering the

fact that what might the reader want to know or read in the research, an appropriate role is then selected

for balancing the purpose of the whole investigation. And after developing an active research question, its

scope is then narrowed down substantially for the ease in evaluation and above all accuracy in the finding

the proposed objective in the research (Bromley, 2011). And finally, the developed Research Question is

then refined thoroughly through a process of initial searches and findings.

2) The Draft Research Question Developed For the Research.

What are the factors which are influencing the rise of Unconventional or Renewable energy sources over

the Traditional distribution of energy in the country of Nepal, especially in the bifurcation of electricity

through the rural areas?

3) The knowledge gap that seek to fill through this research?

There is a rising alarm in the deterioration of energy resources globally. When there are environment

factors like Climate change and Energy exploitation are on the rise, the conventional energy resources

that today the world is on is declining the stability of the planet as well as the economic conditions of the

nations world-wide. As a result of this, many of the third world countries are now on the brink of

economic collapse due to the inflation of world economy, and this in turn effect these countries adversely

when it comes to energy resources, and electricity is one of them. The main source of electricity in many

of the economically backward countries are either hydro powered electricity or the coal powered

electricity, in the first scenario there is a drastic fall in the water resources in these countries due to

climate change and draught; and in the second scenario there are huge cost incurred while the coal itself is

not produced in their country as they are currently buying from the neighboring countries. So the main

aim through this research is to understand the basic economic and environmental factors in which these

developing nations are now turning into unconventional energy such as solar powers, especially in the

rural part, for their daily life utilization. Hence, through conducting this research, it is assumed that the

knowledge gap can be filled while understanding the core factors which are influencing the rise of

unconventional energy in these areas, also why unconventional energy resources are now replacing the

traditional energy resources in developing countries.

4) Methods Adapted for this Research:

As per Guba & Lincoln (2010), there are mainly two methods in which research can be conducted, the

qualitative and the quantitative method. For this research both qualitative and quantitative methods are

decided to use to find, evaluate and determine the results. Through qualitative method of research, the

subject will be studied thoroughly; also a detailed data will be collected from the respondents. While a

quantitative method will be also followed in order to approach the objective in a systematic manner, and

also through the collection of facts from various resources. For the accuracy and for the reliability

towards the result, it is decided that both the methods should be integrated accordingly for the

development and research of this project.

5. Research Methodology Adapted for the Development of this Research:

The following research methodology have been adapted in order to find objectives of the proposed

subject ‘Rise of the Renewable Energy in Nepal’s Rural Areas, the methodology will also be used to

understand the factors influencing the rise or the growth of Renewable Energy in Nepal. Also the

methodology selected will be then confirmed to be suitable for the development of the subject, through its

various phases, because as an important aspect in any research development it is pivotal to choose the

modus operandi that is more compatible for the research subject, and here the subject is ‘Rise of

Unconventional Energy in the rural areas of Nepal. Hence it is the first step of outlining the structure of

the very methodology in order to meet accurate and specific values or decisions. So as a part synthesizing

the respected subject, a positivists approach will be adapted, since this approach is the more compatible

research methodology to reach the objectives and to deduce the value after a thorough data collection

(Denzin & Lincoln, 2010).

Research Techniques: In order to reach the most accurate value through positivists approach,

questionnaires, surveys, interviews and group study are decided as the research techniques. The surveys

through a structured questionnaire will provide a definite path in evaluating various hypotheses, also in

answering the synthesized Research Question later on the data analysis of this project. Group study and

personal interview will also be conducted among the respondents in order to get detailed unstructured

answers for the later comparative study with the structured answers collected through the questionnaires.

Brief Outline of Data Collection: There are mainly two types of data collection method; and they are the

primary data collection method and the secondary data collection method. The primary data collection

method is the process of collecting data through interactive research method such as surveys and

interviews, and it is collected extensively by the researches through a structured, unstructured or even

semi-structured questionnaires. For this project there will be both a structured and unstructured

questionnaire will be used towards the respondents. The structured questionnaire collects direct surveys

from the respondents, while the unstructured questionnaires will be used to conduct interview with the

selected respondents. On the other hand secondary data collection is the process of collecting data which

are already presented there in various forms, and this include various journals, research materials

conducted by other researchers, websites and books. Hence it is decided to use secondary data as well in

to the development of this project, while secondary data comes as great aid in developing the subject with

a deeper knowledge in the already existing factors.

Data Analysis: Analysis is the process of turning collected data into valuable information, that in the

later it can be developed into concepts, theories and understandings. All the data collected during the data

collection process are then evaluated for their decisive value for the further conclusion. Each question

from the questionnaire will be evaluated separately with respective charts, in order for the reader to have a

better understanding of the results. And later it will be used to compile it with the Research Questions and

the Research Objectives.

Part II: Group Project Related

1) How the Group decided upon the Research Topic, and why the Group chose the particular

Research Method?

In today’s educational system, assessment is an important aspect for a student to get qualified. The

procedure of assessment aid the student responsibility and it also helps the institution to maintain its

standard as an organization in the educational industry. So it becomes greater issue in the current

student environment to understand the importance of these assessments and the impact it makes on

each students. Hence as a research subject it is important to bridge a gap between the student

assessment and student experience, also to determine effectiveness in which these assessments carries

in a student’s life, not only in the short term, but in the long term perspective. A mixed methodology is

adapted to delve into the subject; hence this methodology can provide a greater perspective in

providing the result through apt evaluation of the data. Also this particular methodology will help in the

collection of data through primary as well as secondary method, which includes both quantitative and

qualitative analysis, which makes it more reliable on determining the factors regarding the research

objectives.

2) 3 Key Lessons learnt from the Data Collection Process

Many lessons are learnt in the process of data-collection, and there are few that have to be stated as

important. The very methods stated in the data collections professed by many of the scholars around the

world have its own advantages as well as challenges. But one fact that needs to be stated is that, it is only

through data collection a research question can find its accurate answers. Secondly there are certain

challenges and hurdles one has to face while doing data collection, even though it is primary data

collection or secondary data collection. In the first case, a researcher might have to face problems from

the respondents while taking a survey or an interview. In some of the cases respondents might not respond

well through a questionnaire, either because of the time constrain or with disinterest in participating in a

survey. For this sole reason, it is sometimes important for the researcher to be present near the respondent

while he or she answers the structured or the semi structured questionnaire. Also a respondent may or

may not be answering the questions accordingly to his or her thoughts, which he or she may try to finish it

by simply answering it randomly in order to escape the questionnaire time. On the other hand, a proper

interview is a rare phenomenon, for the respondent to answer every unstructured question accurately.

And when it comes to secondary data collection, sometimes it is hard to find the sources which are related

to the subject, especially the topics that are rare in the research world.

3) The challenges with group work, and overcoming the Challenges:

There are several challenges while working in a group. One of the main challenges is that in a group,

more time is utilized than in an individual work.

Especially when it comes to cooperating with the schedules, there arise greater degrees of agitation when

individual group members fail to comply with the single time slot allotted for them (Fishman, 2009).

Another challenge in the decision making while working in a group, this also complies with the time

consumed by a group. That it is sometimes a difficult situation for all the group members to abide on one

decision so more time is taken in order come up with a collective resolution. Hence this can be solved by

several measures, and one important measure is to make the group small, that it will comply more easily

than a larger group with diverse mentality. Another measure is by designating a time slot to the group

members and leader to come up with a collective resolution, even though some members may disagree

the outcome can be taken as a final decision (Burns & Grove, 2009). But this can be reduced by giving

each member a role, while doing this each member will have a limited aspect that in turn will help the

group as a whole.

Another challenge usually faced by the groups is the inactive members (Creswell, 2012). This cause the

whole decision making process on the shoulders of few, which then it will be more difficult for the group

to work as a unit. And this may lead to a conflict in the later stage when the outcomes of the decision

become unfavorable for those participants. For this change, it is important for the group leader or assessor

to explain the importance of group discussions and decisions. Also there need to be rules that compel

every member to listen and participate in the group discussion till the end.

4) Two Things the Group could have done Better:

There are several things as group that could have done better. One involves the time factor, because of the

time it consumed as a group to do the project became major problem in the end. Where many of the

things had to be rushed to meet the criteria and that includes the timeline of the project. Another

important thing that would have done through this group project was to go to a larger amount of

respondents, because of the time constraint as mentioned in the above paragraph, the project has to be

concentrated on a fewer number of people than expected.