Spring Semester Lyn C. Howell, Ph. D. Milligan College FOB 101, 461-8484
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Completion of the research study begun in the Education 510 and 511 classes. Students discuss types of data, appropriate data analysis procedures, published research, and principles of research interpretation.
TEXTS/READINGS:
Phillips, J.L. (2000). How to think about statistics. New York: W. H. Freeman and Co.
Selected readings
Selections from Action Research Grant Summaries, published by the Center for Teaching Excellence. Available on reserve in the library.
OBJECTIVES:
Objectives for this course are as follows:
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The expectation is for active participation. Part of your job is to participate in both oral and written form. Please read the assignments before class and be ready to participate in the discussion. Ask about those points you don’t understand and consider how to paraphrase sections you found difficult. A portion of your grade will be based on your presence and participation.
You will be expected to access our class site on Blackboard regularly. Some assignments will require you to send information via your Milligan email address. Both of these requirements necessitate your knowing and using your Milligan email address and password.
Additional requirements include
1) Class exercises on data analysis
2) Completion of chapter 4,
3) Completion of chapter 5,
4) Presentation of your own research design,
5) Formal evaluation, and
6) Quizzes and final exam.
ASSIGNMENTS:
We will read the assigned text. In addition, each student will be responsible for completing chapters four and five of his/her proposed research project. Working as a team, students will create a research project, develop and analyze data, and explain the findings. Students will evaluate another student’s study as well as published research. Although each student will be working on his or her own research project throughout the semester and may, therefore, have a need for specific information at different times, the general outline of the course is as follows:
Week 1 Introduction to statistical analysis, evaluation
Week 2 Chapters 1-3 of text
Week 3 Revised Chapter 2 due, Chapters 4-5 of text
Week 4 Chapters 6-7
Week 5 Chapters 8-9, begin group project
Week 6 Chapters 10-11
Weeks 7-8 Group project – Email to me by 3/21
Week 9 Review group projects, prepare chapter 4
Week 10 Chapter 4 due along with revised Chapter 3, prepare chapter 5
Week 11 Chapter 5 due
Week 12 Test
Weeks 13-15 presentations, Bound thesis due
EVALUATION/GRADING POLICY:
Exercises/class participation 12%
Chapter 2 8%
Chapter 3 5%
Chapter 4 20%
Chapter 5 20%
Presentation 10%
Written evaluation/comments 10%
Quizzes/final 10%
Completed thesis 5%
Assignments are required to be typed, double-spaced, and are due on the date designated. There are assignments that may not be turned in late. Those that are accepted will carry a 10% penalty. Late is defined as any time after the class period in which the assignment is due. No assignment may be turned in more than a week late.
A = 94+ A- = 92+ B+ = 90+ B = 84+ B- = 82+
C+ = 80+ C = 74+ C- = 72+ D+ = 70
Attendance is both expected and required. If you are not present you will miss the discussion and your classmates will miss hearing your insights. A portion of your grade will be based on your attendance and participation. I expect students to be ready to begin on time. Excessive tardiness will affect your grade.
References
Allen, Rick. (2002, Winter). Honing the tools of instruction: How research can improve teaching for the 21st century. ASCD Curriculum Update.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington, D.C.: APA
Anderson, G.L, Herr, K., & Nihlen, A.S. (1994). Studying your own school: An educator’s guide to qualitative practitioner research. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press, Inc.
Best, John W. & Kahn, James V. (1998). Research in education. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Birnbaum, Michael H. (2001). Introduction to behavioral research on the internet. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bordens, Kenneth S., & Abbott, Bruce B. (2002). Research design and methods: A process approach. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Creswell, J.W. (1994). Research design: Qualitative and
quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Hubbard, R.S. & Power, B.M. (1993). The art of classroom inquiry.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Hubbard, R.S. & Power, B.M. (1999). Living the questions: A guide for teacher-researchers. York, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
Langston, William. (2002). Research methods laboratory manual for psychology. Pacific Grove, CA: Wadsworth.
Levy, David A. (1997). Tools of critical thinking: metathoughts for psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Mitchell, Diana, & Christenbury, Leila. (2000). Both art and craft: Teaching ideas that spark learning. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
Mithaug, D.E. (2000). Learning to theorize: A four-step strategy. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Morse, Janice M. & Richards, Lyn. (2002). Readmefirst: For a user’s guide to qualitative methods. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in education. Newbury Park: SAGE
Publications
Pelham, Brett W. (1999). Conducting research in psychology: Measuring the weight of smoke. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
Perrone, Vito, Ed. (1991), Expanding student assessment. USA: ASCD.
Peterson, Rai. (2000). Real-world research. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Shavelson, R.J. (1996). Statistical reasoning for the behavioral sciences. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon.
Varlas, Laura. (2002, Winter). Getting acquainted with the essential nine. . ASCD Curriculum Update.
Varnhagen, Connie K. (2002). Making sense of psychology on the web: A guide for research and critical thinking. New York: Worth Publishers.