Iowa State University Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies College of Human Sciences

Iowa State University

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

College of Human Sciences

RES EV 550 XW: Educational Research Course Syllabus

Spring 2012

(This syllabus has been designed to guide through Research and Evaluation 550XW. While it will give guidelines, it may have slight modifications along the way to accommodate the learners in the course.) Instructor Sharon Drake PhD Adjunct Professor/Lecturer 2115 Douglas Ave. Ames, IA 50010-4911 515-232-0077 (H) 515-450-9605 (C) e-mail: skdrake@iastate.edu Course Supplements

Blackboard Learn URL (ISU): https://bb.its.iastate.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp Creswell Web Supplement URL: www.prenhall.com/creswell

Class Schedule Week 1 – January 9-14 Week 2 – January 16-21 Week 3 – January 23-28

Week 4 – January 30-February 4 Week 5 – February 6-11

Week 6 – February 13-18 Week 7 – February 20-25 Week 8 – February 27-March 3 Course Description

ResEv 550XW (3 credits) - Educational Research. Understanding the nature of quantitative and qualitative research; reviewing the literature; developing research problems and questions; research designs; data collection and analysis issues; evaluating research studies.

COURSE OVERVIEW

This introductory research course is designed to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the research process. Emphasis will be placed on two main areas: (1)

helping students become good consumers of educational research; and (2) providing instruction and guidance in planning, conducting, and reporting research. This course will involve

readings, discussion, and exercises that are designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will help them identify and explore research issues and needs related to

education. The course is required for all students enrolled in the Masters Program in the Community College Leadership Program (CCLP) and others Masters education programs.

COURSE FORMAT

The format of this course will web based and will be conducted over Blackboard Learn. There will be a variety of learning activities included. You will be expected to read, contribute to on-line blog discussions, and complete the included learning activities and assignments. It will be very fast paced. There will be a lot of reading each week and a number of learning activities are provided to assist in learning and understanding the content. This web based course requires that you do a lot on your own. It is imperative that keep up with the reading and the course work. You are receiving three hours of graduate credit. You should expect to spend 6 to 12 hours each week on the work needed to complete this course.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

 Understand major research concepts in education

 Define a research problem

 Conduct a literature review

 Understand the role of theory in educational research

 Critique educational research in a systematic fashion

 Identify and understand the different research paradigms (or designs)

 Develop a research prospectus and proposal of your Creative Component. REQUIRED TEXTS

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating

quantitative and qualitative research. (Fourth Edition) Boston, MA. Pearson Education Inc., B

American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.:

REQUIRED READINGS

Throughout the course the instructor may provide additional readings to compliment the textbook. If so, these articles will be posted on the course BBL site and/or available from ISU Library e-journals, or e-mailed to students.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The following percentages will be used to determine final course grades. 1. Personal reflection on self and research (2) – 10%

2. Journal Article Analysis and Critique (One qualitative, one quantitative) – 40% 3. BBL Discussion Blog Board – 10%

4. Creative Component or Other Research Prospectus (Outline)– 10% 5. Creative Component or Other Research Proposal – 30%

All students are expected to thoroughly examine the research literature on their topic of interest. A portion of the prospectus (outline) and creative component/research project grade will

be based on the extensiveness of your reading program. In addition to the above points which are based on the quality of the assignments, grades will be adjusted to reflect the amount of individual student participation in class and the timeliness of each assignment. Points may be deducted from individual student totals for non participation and late assignments.

ASSIGNMENTS

A. Personal Reflection on Self and Research Interests

Write a 1-2 page paper in which you discuss the following: (1) provide a brief introduction of yourself; (2) discuss your professional and academic background; and (3) discuss your research experience and interests and what you would like to gain from this class. In your paper, discuss your short- and long-term academic and professional goals, and the reason(s) for enrolling in the graduate program. Specifically, address how this program will facilitate your short- and/or long-term goals. At the end of the course, you are asked again to write a brief self-reflection on your understanding of research and how you intend to use what you have learned in the future. (Hint) The only way you cannot get all of the grade points allotted to these assignments is to not do them.

DUE: (1) Friday, January 13 (2) Friday, March 2 B. Journal Article Analysis and Critique

An analysis/critique of two journal articles is required for this course. Select a research article that has been published in an academic (scholarly) journal and is related to your Creative

Component/research topic. The journal should be a refereed academic journal in education or a related field. One analysis/critique should examine a quantitative research design and the second critique should examine a qualitative research design. Your written analysis/critique should be 2-pages. Attach a copy of the journal article to your paper. Refer to “Evaluating Research” (Creswell, 2012, Chapter 9, pp.284-27) as a resource to critique the research article.

Quantitative Article DUE: Saturday, February 4 Qualitative Article DUE: Saturday, February 11

C. Blackboard Learn Discussion Board (Blog)

Discussion questions will be posted on a weekly basis on topics related to the course. Students are required to participate in the blog discussions.

D. Creative Component/Research Prospectus (Outline)

Each student will be expected to prepare a paper outlining his/her plan for conducting their Creative Component/research project. The purpose of this assignment is to help the instructor evaluate your understanding of the course to this point and to provide feedback before your final project

E. Creative Component/Thesis Proposal

The final project for this course is to develop a written document of your Creative Component or other research (Masters Thesis) proposal. The proposal is comprised of three chapters. The proposal will serve as a guiding document to carry out your final Masters degree project. Specific details about the Creative Component/Thesis are provided.

DUE: Friday, March 2 EVALUATION AND GRADING

Your final grade in this course will be based upon the instructor’s evaluation of all course requirements (i.e., assignments, class participation (blogs,etc) research prospectus, and research proposal). The following is a breakdown of the grading scale for the course:

94 – 100 A 90 – 93 A- 87 – 89 B+ 84 – 86 B 80 – 83 B- 77 – 79 C+ 74 – 76 C 70 – 73 C- Below 70 D/F

The evaluation/grading policy for this course is consistent with ISU policy. The final grade will be determined by each student’s performance on all assignments and class expectations. All assignments must be a student’s own original research and writing for this course. Papers completed for other courses are not considered original to this course and will be given a failing grade. If students have any questions about potential conflicts among various course

assignments, they should bring them to the attention of the instructor immediately.

All assignments are due on the date assigned. Late assignments will not be accepted without prior approval. The final assignment is due one week after the course has finished on

Blackboard Learn. A paper received after March 9 will be graded accordingly. It is essential that students notify the instructor as soon as any special circumstances arise that could interfere with the timely completion of assignments or the final exam. Even with prior approval, the instructor reserves the right to lower grades in accordance with the tardiness of the late assignments.

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY

This policy applies to graduate and undergraduate students. It is taken from the "Academic Life" section of the ISU Catalog. Academic dishonesty occurs when a student uses or attempts to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam; or submits as his or her own work themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, or other products prepared by another person; or knowingly assists another student in such acts. Such behavior is abhorrent to the university, and students found guilty of academic dishonesty face suspension, conduct probation, or written reprimand. Instances of academic dishonesty ultimately affect all students and the entire

university community by degrading the value of diplomas when some are obtained dishonestly and by lowering the grades of students working honestly.

ISU STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY POLICY

If you have a disability and require accommodations, please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the course or as soon as you become aware of your needs. Those seeking accommodations based on disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form from the Disability Resources (DR) office (515-294-6624).

COURSE SCHEDULE Res Ev 550XW

Spring 2012 Week One, January 9-14

 Course Introduction and Overview

 Review Syllabus and Course Requirements

 The Process of Conducting Research using Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (Chapter 1, Creswell)

 Becoming familiar with Blackboard Learn and Creswell web site Assignment: Self Assessment and Reflection Paper Due: January 13 Required Reading: Creswell: 1

Week Two, January 16-21

 Identifying a Research Problem (Chapter 2)

 Reviewing the Literature (Chapter 3)

 Finding your way to Iowa State University Library web site

 Due: Eric Abstract Required Reading:

 Creswell: 2 & 3 Week Three, January 23-28

 Specifying a Purpose and Research Questions or Hypotheses (Chapter 4)

 Collecting Quantitative Data (Chapter 5)

 Suggestions on the Creative Component

 IRB Approval Required Reading: Creswell: Chapter 4 & 5

Week Four, January 30-February 4

 Collecting Quantitative Data (Chapter 5)



Analyzing and Interpreting Quantitative Date (Chapter 6)

 APA Format

Assignment: Journal Article Analysis: Quantitative Study - Due: February 4

Week Five, February 6-11



Required Reading: Creswell: Chapter 7 & 8

Assignment: Journal Article Analysis: Qualitative Study-Due: February 11

Week Six, February 13-18

 Experimental Designs Chapter 10

 Correlational Designs ( Chapter 11)

 Survey Designs (Chapter 12)

Required Reading: Creswell: Chapter 10, 11 & 12 Week Seven, February 20-25

 Grounded Theory Designs (Chapter 13)

 Ethnographic Designs (Chapter 14)

 Narrative Research Design (Chapter 15) Required Reading: Creswell: Chapter 13, 14 & 15

Assignment: Creative Component/Research Prospectus Due: February 22

 Reporting and Evaluating (Chapter 9)

 Mixed Methods Design (Chapter 16)

 Action Research Design (Chapter 17) Required Reading: Creswell: Chapter 9, 17 & 18

Creative Component/Thesis Proposal Due: March 2

Final Self-reflection paper due: March 2

RES EV 550XW: Educational Research Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Guidelines for Creating a Research/Creative Component Proposal

Directions: Each student is expected to prepare a paper outlining his/her plan for conducting a research project. In conjunction with the Major Professor (MP), Master’s students should consult with the instructors regarding their project. This research proposal outline assignment counts for 10% of the final grade, and is due on Wednesday, February 22.

Format for Written Proposal: Students should review the literature thoroughly to identify pertinent primary and secondary sources related to their topic of interest. This literature should be used to develop a logical argument for the study, describe relevant theory, and lay the framework for the problem statement/purpose of the study. The next section of the prospectus provides a brief but insightful description of the research design and methods. Utilize

approaches and language most relevant to your chosen study design, so if you are doing a quantitative study discuss the population and sample, variables, instrumentation, etc. If your study is qualitative, discuss your anticipated approach to understanding the phenomenon and key concepts, what type of purposive sampling was done, the methods you plan to use to collect data and code emergent themes, how you will portray your own experiences and biases, etc. Seek additional information from the textbook.

Assessment: Students are encouraged to get feedback from the instructor and/or peers while you are preparing your prospectus. Blackboard Learn provides a great format for putting a question out there to your peers and gaining feedback and insights along the way

.

On Friday, March 2, one copy of the completed proposal should be submitted to the instructor. All proposals will be graded based on the following criteria:

 Logical organization and flow

 Scholarly writing style, including accurate use of research terminology (i.e., assumptions, limitations, validity, reliability, generalization, objectivity, etc.)

 Completeness in addressing necessary elements (i.e., introduction, problem/purpose statement, research design and methods, references)

 Thoughtful and compelling argument given to support the study, including identification of relevant literature and a focused problem/purpose statement

 Clear and accurate reporting of research questions, objectives and hypotheses (as appropriate)

 Clear and accurate description of research design and methods, addressing qualitative and quantitative elements thoroughly and convincingly

 Adequate and appropriate reference list to support the narrative (primary and secondary sources)