KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE PROPOSAL OR REVISION,
Cover Sheet (10/02/2002)
Course Number/Program Name EDRS 9100 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
Department
Degree Title (if applicable) Ed.D.
Proposed Effective Date Fall 2006
Check one or more of the following and complete the appropriate sections:
x New Course Proposal
Course Title Change
Course Number Change
Course Credit Change
Course Prerequisite Change
Course Description Change
Sections to be Completed
II, III, IV, V, VII
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
Notes:
If proposed changes to an existing course are substantial (credit hours, title, and description), a
new course with a new number should be proposed.
A new Course Proposal (Sections II, III, IV, V, VII) is required for each new course proposed as
part of a new program. Current catalog information (Section I) is required for each existing
course incorporated into the program.
Submitted by:
Faculty Member
Approved
Not Approved
Department Curriculum Committee
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Date
Not Approved
Department Chair
Date
School Curriculum Committee
Date
School Dean
Date
GPCC Chair
Date
Dean, Graduate Studies
Date
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Vice President for Academic Affairs
Approved
_____
Date
Date
Not Approved
President
Date
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM CHANGE
I.
Current Information (Fill in for changes)
Page Number in Current Catalog
Course Prefix and Number
Course Title
Credit Hours
Prerequisites
Description (or Current Degree Requirements)
II.
Proposed Information (Fill in for changes and new courses)
Course Prefix and Number EDRS 9100
Course Title Advanced Qualitative Research Methods.
Credit Hours 3-0-3
Prerequisites Admission to the Doctoral Program
Description (or Proposed Degree Requirements)
This course is an advanced study of qualitative research methodologies including
ethnography, case study, and phenomenology. Students will examine a variety of data
sources (e.g. interviews, observations) and methods of analysis (e.g. memo writing,
coding). Students will conduct research as they formulate their research questions,
collect and analyze data, and write a research report
III.
Justification
As leaders for learning in P-12 schools, doctoral candidates serving in distributed school
leadership roles must know and understand qualitative research methods. They must understand
the unique contributions made by qualitative research designs. They must understand that many
of the ambiguous and complex problems in schools can best be investigated through the
qualitative research paradigm. This course deepens the doctoral candidates’ knowledge of and
expertise in conducting and evaluating research through a variety of qualitative research designs.
IV.
Additional Information (for New Courses only)
Instructor: Various professors across the university possessing qualitative
research expertise.
Text (s):
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association: Fifth Edition. Washington, DC: Author.
Creswell, J. W. (1997). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing
among Five Traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative
Materials. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
LeCompte, M. D., Millroy, W. L., & Preissle, J. (Ed.) (1992). Handbook of
Qualitative Research in Education. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Prerequisites: Admission to the Doctoral Program in Education
Objectives:
The Professional Teacher Education Unit prepares learning facilitators who understand
their disciplines and principles of pedagogy, who reflect on their practice, and who apply
these understandings to making instructional decisions that foster the success of all
learners. As a result of the satisfactory fulfillment of the requirements of these courses,
the candidate will demonstrate the following outcomes:
Course Objectives
Doctoral
KSDs
1. Understand the nature of qualitative
research procedures and how they
compare to more traditional quantitative
procedures (i.e., relative
advantages/disadvantages of each
approach);
5a, 5f, 2a
PSC/NCATE Standard
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
Change Leader
2. Identify a number of different ways to
5a, 5b, 2a
collect qualitative data (i.e.,
individual/group interviewing; participantobserver journaling) and compare the
relative tradeoffs of each approach;
3. Utilize technology to access course
materials, journal articles and related
literature using various media & search
engines;
Distributed
School
Leadership
Roles*
Data Analysis
Leader
5a, 5b, 4f
Data Analysis
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
Change Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
Learning &
Development
Leader
4. Utilize appropriate qualitative research
technology software for successful storage
5a, 5b, 4f
Data Analysis
Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
Assessment
Leader
and retrieval of qualitative data;
5. Understand how to summarize, compile
and report qualitative data, in both
narrative and visual matrix or other
graphic/tabular display formats;
5a, 5b, 4f
6. Establish habits central to conducting
responsible research in the areas of
conceptualizing/theorizing,
planning/managing, gathering, and
analyzing/interpreting under the auspices
of ethical practice with the express intent
of impacting student learning in P-12
schools;
5a, 5b, 1a,
1b, 1c
7. Prepare a research proposal focused on 5a, 5b, 1a,
improving student learning which employs 1b, 1c, 2a
at least one method of collecting and
analyzing qualitative data.
Learning &
Development
Leader
Data Analysis
Leader
Learning &
Development
Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Learning &
Development
Leader
Relationship
Development
Leader
Learning &
Development
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
Change Leader
*Georgia's Leadership Institute for School Improvement & Georgia Committee on Educational Leadership
Preparation’s Distributed School Leadership Roles
Instructional Method :
Lecture, whole group and small group discussions, websearch, peer editing and review,
labwork with software, multimedia presentations.
V.
Resources and Funding Required (New Courses only)
Resource
Amount
Faculty
Other Personnel
Equipment
Supplies
Travel
New Books
New Journals
Other (Specify)
TOTAL
Funding Required Beyond
Normal Departmental Growth
VI. COURSE MASTER FORM
This form will be completed by the requesting department and will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar once the course has been approved by the Office of the President.
The form is required for all new courses.
DISCIPLINE Education
COURSE NUMBER EDRS 9100
COURSE TITLE FOR LABEL Qual. Research
(Note: Limit 16 spaces)
CLASS-LAB-CREDIT HOURS 3-0-3
Approval, Effective Term:
Fall 2006
Grades Allowed (Regular or S/U)
regular
If course used to satisfy CPC, what areas?
N/A
Learning Support Programs courses which are required as prerequisites
N/A
APPROVED:
Vice President for Academic Affairs or Designee
VII Attach Syllabus
I.
Course Number:
EDRS 9100
Course Title: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
College:
Bagwell College of Education
Semester:
Room:
II.
Instructor & Contact Info:
III.
IV.
Class Meeting Time:
Texts:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association: Fifth Edition. Washington, DC: Author.
Creswell, J. W. (1997). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing
among Five Traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative
Materials. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
LeCompte, M. D., Millroy, W. L., & Preissle, J. (Ed.) (1992). Handbook of
Qualitative Research in Education. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
V. Course Description: This course is an advanced study of qualitative research
methodologies including ethnography, case study, and phenomenology. Students will
examine a variety of data sources (e.g. interviews, observations) and methods of
analysis (e.g. memo writing, coding). Students will conduct research as they formulate
their research questions, collect and analyze data, and write a research report
Rational and Justification
As leaders for learning in P-12 schools, doctoral candidates serving in distributed school
leadership roles must know and understand qualitative research methods. They must
understand the unique contributions made by qualitative research designs. They must
understand that many of the ambiguous and complex problems in schools can best be
investigated through the qualitative research paradigm. This course deepens the doctoral
candidates’ knowledge of and expertise in conducting and evaluating research through a
variety of qualitative research designs.
Qualitative Research is a course focused on a series of research activities (as opposed to a
course focused on the critique of research). The main reason for this is experiential: one
does not begin to understand research until one begins doing it. While we will read
research, methodology, and research practices, we will use those readings to help us do
research rather than centering the course on their discussion. It is the intersection of
reading, thinking, and reflection that will inform your research practice
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY’S CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK:
Collaborative development of expertise in teaching and learning
The Professional Teacher Education Unit (PTEU) at Kennesaw State University is committed to developing
expertise among candidates in initial and advanced programs as teachers and leaders who possess the
capability, intent and expertise to facilitate high levels of learning in all of their students through effective,
research-based practices in classroom instruction, and who enhance the structures that support all
learning. To that end, the PTEU fosters the development of candidates as they progress through stages of
growth from novice to proficient to expert and leader. Within the PTEU conceptual framework, expertise is
viewed as a process of continued development, not an end-state. To be effective, teachers and educational
leaders must embrace the notion that teaching and learning are entwined and that only through the
implementation of validated practices can all students construct meaning and reach high levels of learning.
In that way, candidates at the doctoral level develop into leaders for learning and facilitators of the
teaching and learning process. Finally, the PTEU recognizes, values and demonstrates collaborative
practices across the college and university and extends collaboration to the community-at-large. Through
this collaboration with professionals in the university, the public and private schools, parents and other
professional partners, the PTEU meets the ultimate goal of assisting Georgia schools in bringing all
students to high levels of learning.
Knowledge Base
Teacher development is generally recognized as a continuum that includes four phases: preservice,
induction, in-service, renewal (Odell, Huling, and Sweeny, 2000). Just as Sternberg (1996) believes that the
concept of expertise is central to analyzing the teaching-learning process, the teacher education faculty at
KSU believe that the concept of expertise is central to preparing effective classroom teachers and teacher
leaders. Researchers describe how during the continuum phases teachers progress from being Novices
learning to survive in classrooms toward becoming Experts who have achieved elegance in their teaching.
We, like Sternberg (1998), believe that expertise is not an end-state but a process of continued
development.
Use of Technology : Technology Standards for Educators are required by the Professional Standards
Commission. Telecommunication and information technologies will be integrated throughout the master
teacher preparation program, and all candidates must be able to use technology to improve student
learning and meet Georgia Technology Standards for Educators. During the courses, candidates will be
provided with opportunities to explore and use instructional media. They will master use of productivity
tools, such as multimedia facilities, local-net and Internet, and feel confident to design multimedia
instructional materials, and create WWW resources.
Objectives:
The Professional Teacher Education Unit prepares learning facilitators who understand
their disciplines and principles of pedagogy, who reflect on their practice, and who apply
these understandings to making instructional decisions that foster the success of all
learners. As a result of the satisfactory fulfillment of the requirements of these courses,
the candidate will demonstrate the following outcomes:
Course Objectives
Doctoral
KSDs
1. Understand the nature of qualitative
research procedures and how they
compare to more traditional quantitative
procedures (i.e., relative
advantages/disadvantages of each
approach);
5a, 5f, 2a
PSC/NCATE Standard
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
Change Leader
2. Identify a number of different ways to
5a, 5b, 2a
collect qualitative data (i.e.,
individual/group interviewing; participantobserver journaling) and compare the
relative tradeoffs of each approach;
3. Utilize technology to access course
materials, journal articles and related
literature using various media & search
engines;
Distributed
School
Leadership
Roles*
Data Analysis
Leader
5a, 5b, 4f
Data Analysis
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
Change Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
Learning &
Development
Leader
Data Analysis
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
4. Utilize appropriate qualitative research
technology software for successful storage
and retrieval of qualitative data;
5a, 5b, 4f
5. Understand how to summarize, compile
and report qualitative data, in both
narrative and visual matrix or other
graphic/tabular display formats;
5a, 5b, 4f
6. Establish habits central to conducting
responsible research in the areas of
conceptualizing/theorizing,
planning/managing, gathering, and
analyzing/interpreting under the auspices
of ethical practice with the express intent
of impacting student learning in P-12
schools;
5a, 5b, 1a,
1b, 1c
7. Prepare a research proposal focused on 5a, 5b, 1a,
improving student learning which employs 1b, 1c, 2a
at least one method of collecting and
analyzing qualitative data.
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
Learning &
Development
Leader
Data Analysis
Leader
Learning &
Development
Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Learning &
Development
Leader
Relationship
Development
Leader
Learning &
Development
Leader
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment
Leader
Change Leader
*Georgia's Leadership Institute for School Improvement & Georgia Committee on Educational Leadership
Preparation’s Distributed School Leadership Roles
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS
A) Exercises/Mini-projects/Class participation through reading: (~35% of grade) We will
work on exercises throughout the semester that push us to enact and reflect upon various
research practices. The drawings exercise we will begin with today is an example of an
analytic exercise. Others will focus on research planning, theorizing, collecting, and
interpreting practices that are typically used by qualitative researchers. Others will focus
on helping other researchers with coding for their studies/dissertations.
B) Mini/Pilot-study: (~ 25% of grade) You will complete a mini/pilot-study that will, in
the best of all possible worlds, help you try out ideas you have for your dissertation as a
way to see whether the larger project idea is both viable and really interesting to you.
The mini-study will evidence 1) a problem, 2) preliminary design, 3) two weeks of data
collection, and 4) preliminary analysis of data gathered. In addition, the project will be
supported by planning documents and a research diary.
(Note: For those of you who are already working on your dissertation, this project will be
modified accordingly)
C) Oral presentation: (~ 10% of grade) You will make an oral presentation on findings
from your pilot project. This should approximate a short (5-8 minutes) convention talk.
Because the talk will require framing as well as evidence, we will place the presentations
at the end of the semester.
D) Final project: (~ 30% of grade) You will complete a final project that has one of the
following shapes: 1) a prospectus for your dissertation that draws on your experiences in
the pilot; 2) additional data added to your pilot project that is written up as a report or
paper; 3) a chapter for your dissertation.
VIII. Grading
93-100%
85-92 %
A
B
77-84%
C
69-76%
D
<69%
F
Assignments are due on date assigned. All written assignments must be typed in 12 point font with standard
margins. Work that is unedited or presented with little thought or planning will not be accepted.
IX. Policies
Diversity: A variety of materials and instructional strategies will be employed to meet the needs of the different learning styles of
diverse learners in class. Candidates will gain knowledge as well as an understanding of differentiated strategies and curricula
for providing effective instruction and assessment within multicultural classrooms. One element of course work is raising
candidate awareness of critical multicultural issues. A second element is to cause candidates to explore how multiple attributes
of multicultural populations influence decisions in employing specific methods and materials for every student. Among these
attributes are age, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, geographic region, giftedness, language, race, religion,
sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. An emphasis on cognitive style differences provides a background for the
consideration of cultural context.
Kennesaw State University provides program accessibility and accommodations for persons
defined as disabled under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990. A number of services are available to support students with disabilities
within their academic program. In order to make arrangements for special services, students must
visit the Office of Disabled Student Support Services (ext. 6443) and develop an individual
assistance plan. In some cases, certification of disability is required.
Please be aware there are other support/mentor groups on the campus of Kennesaw State University that
address each of the multicultural variables outlined above.
Professionalism- Academic Honesty: KSU expects that graduate students will pursue their academic
programs in an ethical, professional manner. Faculty of the EdS and EdD programs abide by the policies
and guidelines established by the university in their expectations for candidates’ work. Candidates are
responsible for knowing and adhering to the guidelines of academic honesty as stated in the graduate
catalog. Any candidate who is found to have violated these guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action
consistent with university policy. For example, plagiarism or other violations of the University’s Academic
Honesty policies could result in a grade of “F” in the course and a formal hearing before the Judiciary
Committee.
Professionalism- Participation and Attendance: Part of your success in this class is related to your
ability to provide peer reviews and feedback to your editing groups regarding their research and their
writing. Furthermore, responding effectively and appropriately to feedback from your peers and the
professor is another measure of one’s professionalism. In addition, since each class meeting represents a
week of instruction/learning, failure to attend class will likely impact your performance on assignments and
final exams. Please be prepared with all readings completed prior to class. We depend on one another to
ask pertinent and insightful questions.
COURSE TOPICS
Intro and overview of five qualitative research traditions: Biographical Life History,
Phenomenology, Grounded Theory, Ethnography, Case Study
Philosophical and Theoretical Frameworks: Post modernism, critical theory, feminist
theory, queer theory
Introducing and focusing qualitative studies
Data collection
Data analysis and representation
Writing the narrative
Standards of quality and verification
Ethical considerations and guidelines
Selected readings
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis: A
Sourcebook of New Methods (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Seidman, I. E. (1991). Interviewing as Qualitative Research. New York: Teachers
College Press.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The Art of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Wolcott, H. F. (1990). Writing Up Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Yin, R. K. (1994). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
Recommended
Golden-Biddle, K & Locke, K. D.(1997). Composing Qualitative Research.
Thousand Oaks; Sage.
Jaeger, R. M. (1988). Complementary Methods for Research in Education.
Washington, DC: AERA.
Maxwell, J. A. (1996). Qualitative Research Design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Mertler, C. A. & Charles, C. M .(2005). Introduction to Educational Research(5th
ed) New York:. Pearson.
Morse, J. C. (Ed). (1997). Completing a Qualitative project Details and Dialogue.
Thousand Oaks; Sage.
Schwandt, T. A. (1997). Qualitative Inquiry, A dictionary of Terms. Thousand
Oaks; Sage.
(Note: Additional readings from educational research literature as assigned.)