View source for Identifying factors that influence outcomes

'''The evaluation and identification of factors or relationships that influence outcomes''' is a category of [[Research question|research questions]] for [[evaluation and assessment]] that focuses on the alternative factors, aspects, psychological concepts, or outside forces that can influence a person's participation, learning processes, and achievement.    

==Definition==
'''Identifying influential factors or relationships''' is a category of [[Research question|research questions]] that, when focused on individual participants, identifies and tests the impact of independent factors or [[Variable|variables]] that can influence a participant's [[Learning objectives and outcomes|achievement or other outcomes]]. Alternatively, when focused on the product, it is the identification and analysis of independent factors or variables that influence how a product is designed or used.
==Common Research Questions==

In this category of [[Research question|research questions]], the actual questions typically take one or more of the following general forms:

* How does a factor or outside thing influence a person's learning (achievement)?
* How does a person's psychological state influence how they behave? 
* How is a person's test scores influenced by their prior knowledge or experience?
* How is a person's behavior or performance get affected by a person's history, background, or experiences?

Some specific examples include:

*What kinds of at-home or socioeconomic factors influence a person's learning?
*What factors, relationships, or outside forces might influence a person's achievement?
*How does a person's social life and social skills influence their learning?
*How does prior knowledge influence a person's achievement of learning objectives?
*What environmental factors in the classroom might influence a person's learning? 
*How does a person's everyday behaviors with technology influence their learning outcomes?
*How does exposure and access to technology influence a person's learning?

==Common Instruments and Data==

There are a variety of [[Instrument|instruments]] and [[data]] sources that are commonly used for this category of research questions:

*'''Tests and quizzes''', which provide evidence of people's [[Knowledge of the learner (KAB)|knowledge]] (which can be an indicator of learning and [[Learning objectives and outcomes|learning objective]] achievement)
*'''Surveys, interviews, and focus groups''', to identify and measure different factors that influence people's behavior, knowledge, and affect. These instruments can also be used to measure a person's perceptions of how things are influencing them, or how they regularly feel (for example, in psychological factors)
*'''Work products and projects''', including the different stages of the project's development (drafts) to see how a person's work changes over time
*'''Narrative accounts and stories''', which allow researchers to identify factors that influence how people behave, interact, and learn, or how a product is influenced by outside forces.
*'''Checklists and observations''', which can document and account for the presence or absence of certain environmental factors, influences, and other types of interactions with the learner that could influence learning.
*'''Learning analytics''' in digital learning environments, which can measure the behavior of learners with the product

==Related Concepts==

*[[Evaluation and assessment]]
*[[Research question]]
*[[Data]]
*[[Instrument]]
*[[Analysis method]]

==Examples==

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==External Resources==

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==References==
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