Research+Methods

My planned research topic is to evaluate the benefits of digital portfolios in the elementary art class. I think the particular approach that will best fit my topic is case study research. I will be focusing on 5th grade classes that are not randomly assigned- we have one that is heavily weighed with gifted students, one that is remedial and one that is special ed inclusion. This would prevent me from having a valid control group. I am really more interested in how this will benefit my students rather than how this would be adapted to a larger audience. Since this is a very specific group I am studying, it would be an intrinsic case study (Johnson & Christensen, 407). This is also the best way to evaluate a program and its efficiency (408).
 * Research Methods**

Johnson, B. & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.