PhD Program in Educational Neuroscience (PEN)
PEN 710 Laboratory Research Rotation II
Summer 2015, 4 Credits
Professor Name: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
VP/Phone: TBA
Email: TBA
Office Location: TBA
Class date/time/location: TBA
Course Description
In this second of two research laboratory rotation courses (PEN 710), students gain intensive
Educational/Cognitive Neuroscience laboratory research experience at a partnership university
during the summers after their first and second years in the PEN doctoral program, devoting
special attention to the lab’s translational impact. Students will become familiar with the set of
research questions guiding the laboratory’s research, understand how the questions have been
approached in the laboratory setting and represented as research hypotheses, gain hands-on
experience in the technical aspects of data collection and analysis in the lab, and study how the
lab’s current work adds to the previous findings of the lab. Students will especially consider the
principled application of the lab’s research activities to the improvement of education and society,
which will be a topic of major focus in this second lab rotation course. Students will focus their
final paper and presentation on demonstrating their knowledge of the research process in the
visited lab from theory to hypothesis, to research design, to analysis and interpretation, and, to its
important translational impact.
Ph.D. Program Student Learning Outcomes (PLOS)
1. The students will acquire a foundational knowledge of the educational, neurological,
behavioral and cognitive determinants, and sociocultural practices that impact all human learning,
especially learning in the young deaf visual learner.
2. The students will be exposed to a range of specialized topics and principles and scientific
methods and understand the ethical principles of research conducted with participants.
3. The students will develop knowledge of the meaningful and principled, mutually beneficial,
two-way means and methods to translate scientific discoveries to education and education to
science.
4. The students will develop research skills and critical thinking by demonstrating the ability to
conduct independent research leading to dissertation and publication.
5. The students will develop professional communication and technology skills.
6. The students will demonstrate increasing independence throughout the training period, and
show a readiness for entry-level faculty research positions.
Course Requirements
Prior to commencing a rotation, the students are expected to:
2
1) Develop a written set of specific objectives and expectations with the Supervising
scientist at the Partner Institution in consultation with the students Program Committee.
2) Prepare for the rotation by reading a collection of research articles in advance.
Learning Objectives
1) Students will enrich their understanding of the research process through engaging in a
variety of tasks within a leading research lab in the United States.
2) Students will be learn how researchers approach important theoretical questions in the lab
and test hypotheses to increase scientific knowledge.
3) Students will read and synthesize key articles related to the research project they are
involved with and articulate how current research activities in the lab fit with and
contribute to existing literature.
4) Students will deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by the need to translate
research discoveries for the benefit of education and society.
5) Students will demonstrate Presentation and Writing Skills through a final paper and
presentation. At a lab rotation seminar to be held in the Fall of each year for the purpose
of sharing lab experiences among PEN students and faculty.
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Learning Outcomes Linked to Student Learning Opportunities
PEN 710 Laboratory Research Rotation II
Course Student
Student Learning
Assessment Methods
Learning Outcomes
Opportunities
Program Learning
Outcomes
1
2
3
4
5
6
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Checklists and reports
from lab supervisor and
from Gallaudet on-site
supervisor , rubrics for
paper and presentation.
(see appendix X)
x
x
x
x
x
x
Checklists and reports
from lab supervisor and
from Gallaudet on-site
supervisor , rubrics for
paper and presentation.
(see appendix X)
x
x
x
x
x
x

1.Understanding the
research process as it
occurs in the visiting lab
2. Understand the
connections between
theory and hypothesis
testing
3. Research synthesis
skills
4. Understand
translational challenges
5. Writing and
presentation skills
Completing lab
assignments
 Participating in
lab meetings
 Individual
meetings with
researcher.
Same opportunities as
above.
Students will read
and synthesize key
articles related to the
research project they
are involved with.
Students will
integrate their
translational
experiences from
Guided Studies I with
their two lab rotations
to increase their
understanding of
translational
challenges and issues
that emerge when
planning for the
implementation of
lab-based discoveries
in a classroom.
A Lab Rotation
Seminar will be held
each Fall for students
to share and discuss
their lab experiences.
Checklists and reports
from lab supervisor and
from Gallaudet on-site
supervisor
Checklists and reports
from lab supervisor and
from Gallaudet on-site
supervisor , rubrics for
paper and presentation.
(see appendix X)
Checklists and reports
from lab supervisor and
from Gallaudet on-site
supervisor , rubrics for
paper and presentation.
(see appendix X)
4
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to complete all coursework in keeping with Gallaudet University’s policy
on academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is a very serious offense. It will be treated
accordingly and will not be tolerated. If a student is involved in unethical practices in connection
with coursework or examinations, the professor has full discretion to give a failing grade for the
particular assignments, a failing graduate for the course, and/or recommend dismissal. The policy
published in the Graduate School Catalog will be adhered to. The policy can be found on-line in
Graduate School Catalog at http://aaweb.gallaudet.edu/Documents/Academic/GSPP/catalog/0809/gradcatalog_08_09.pdf beginning on page 27.
Office for Students with Disabilities (OSWD) & Americans with Disabilities Act
Gallaudet University is committed to providing all students equal access to learning
opportunities. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSWD) is the campus unit that works
with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations.
Students registered with OSWD, who have a letter requesting accommodations, are encouraged to
contact the professor early in the semester. Ideally, this should be done by the end of the first
week of classes, but no later than the end of the fifth week of classes. Accommodations may only
be provided from the time the professor receives documentation until the end of the course.
Students who have, or think they may have, a disability (e.g. psychiatric, attention, learning,
vision, physical, or systemic), are invited to contact OSWD for a confidential discussion at (202)
651-5256 (V/TTY) or at oswd@gallaudet.edu. OSWD is located in the Student Academic Center,
room 1220. Additional information is available at the OSWD website
http://OSWD@gallaudet.edu.
Grading: Pass/Fail
Required readings
A reading list will be provided to the student by the Lead Scientist/Supervisor from the partner
lab. It is expected that students will have completed all reading assigments before commencing
lab activities at the partnering lab.
Course Schedule: (Subject to change)
Prior to lab experience:




Students will initiate contact with partner laboratories seeking rotation placements and
obtain an agreement for the placement (by March 30th).
Students, working with the Lead Scientist at the partner institution, will develop a written
agreement specifying their activities and responsibilities during the placement. This
agreement will be reviewed and approved by the student’s Program Committee at
Gallaudet (By April 30th).
If required, student will supply information to the partner lab necessary for any IRB
modifications necessitated by the student’s participation in the lab. Note this will require
sufficient lead time prior to the activity (By April 30th).
In preparation for the expereince, students will read the required readings provided by the
Lead Scientist at the partner lab seleted for the rotation experience.
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During the lab experience:



Students will participate in the set of activities in the lab agreed to prior to the visit.
Is is expected that students will be working in the lab for a minimum of 120 hours over
the four weeks of the placement.
Students will attend lab meetings, and meet weekly with the Lead Scientist at the partner
lab.
After the lab experience:


Students will write a paper and prepare a presentation based on their experience in the
lab. The presentation will be made at an early Fall seminar, durunig which all students
returning from summer lab placements will present and discuss their experience. The
students’ lab directors will be invited to attend the seminar via Fuze Meeting.
Template for paper and presentation assignment: The students paper will address the
following questions:
o What activities did you engage in during your rotation? What insights into the
research process did you acquire as a resut of these activities?
o What are the driving societal problems or issues guiding the work of the lab you
visited?
o What specific research questions are being answered by the study (or studies)
you participated in?
o What hypotheses are being tested by the study (or studies) that you participated
in?
o What measures are being used to test these hypotheses and what statistical or
other analytical procedures will be (or have been) used to determine the validity
of the hypotheses? In your opinion, do these measures serve as good indicators
of the constructs identified in the research questions and do the analytic
procedures adequately inform the hypotheses?
o Characterize the sample participants being employed in this research and discuss
the nature of the population to whom the results might be generalized.
o Describe and evaluate the translational implications of this work. How might the
findings anticipated in the study inform educational policy or practice?
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GRADING SCALE FOR PEN 700
To receive a passing grade, the student needs to successfully complete these following tasks:
25% of the course grade:
1) Develop a written set of specific objectives and expectations with the Supervising
scientist at the Partner Institution in consultation with the students Program Committee.
(by April 30th) (30 points)
2) Prepare for the rotation by reading a collection of research articles in advance. (30 points)
3) Receive satisfactory report from the Lead Scientist at the partner lab in conjunction with
and input from Gallaudet on-site supervisor of Laboratory Research Rotation and
student’s Gallaudet Program Committee. (40 points)
(The Lead Scientist will need to fill out a checklist, write comments, and mark if the
students’ performance is satisfactory or unsatisfactory. To be deemed satisfactory, the
student attended lab meetings, meet periodically with the Lead Scientists at the partner
lab, performed tasks according to the written objectives and expectations, and met the
120 hours minimum required at the lab. The supervisor and student will keep a log of
hours the students attended the lab.)
45% of the course grade:
Write a paper based on the criteria and evaluated by the rubric attached to the syllabus.
(The student needs to receive at least 70 points on their paper.)
30% of the course grade:
Give a presentation based on their paper. They need to receive at least 3 points in each section:
organization, persuasiveness, introduction, clarity, and layout and a total of at least 15 points.)
To receive a passing grade, the student needs to have 80% or better in the course and have
satisfactory review by their laboratory lead supervisor in conjunction with and input from the
student’s Gallaudet on-site supervisor of the Summer Laboratory Research Rotation and
Gallaudet Program Committee.
7
Gallaudet University Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience
A Descriptive Rubric for Evaluating a Presentation on a Research Paper/Findings
From Research Sources
Adapted from Gallaudet University’s Department of Interpretation
Quoted from Linda Suskie’s (2004:130-131) Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide. This
quoted rubric was adapted with permission from a rubric developed by Patricia Ryan, lecturer in the
Department of Reading, Special Edcuation, and Instructional Technology at Towson University.
8
Introduction
(15 points)
Literature
Review
(20 points)
Methodology
(20 points)
Analysis/
Discussion
(20 points)
Conclusion/S
ummary
(5 points)
Gallaudet University Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience
A Scored Rubric for Evaluating A Data-based Research Paper
Exemplary
Good
Barely Adequate
Inadequate
The introduction
The introduction is
The introduction
The introduction is
presents the main
organized but does not presents the main issue disorganized and
issues of the project:
adequately present the
and the question is
difficult to follow. The
introduces the research main question, does
disorganized and does
main issue or question
question(s),
not sufficiently explain not flow logically or
is not introduced. (5)
explains how the
the question, or does
smoothly. (8)
question will be
not tell the reader what
studied, and the
follows or the
significance of
significance of
answering this
answering the question.
question. (15)
(10)
The review is
The review is
The review lacks a
The review is unclear
presented in a logical
presented in a logical
logical progression or
and difficult for a
pattern, addresses the
pattern, addresses the
sufficient explanation
reader to understand
issue or its context, has issue or its context, has to understand all the
the point of the review.
some thematic ties, if
some thematic ties, and relationships to the
(5)
needed, uses literature
may not include
question or issue. (10)
outside the SL
enough or sufficient
interpreting and
literature to cover the
perhaps outside of
complexities of the
interpreting and guides issue. The explanation
a reader as to how this is not clear about how
all pertains to the
all the literature
question/issue. (20)
pertains to topic. (15)
Methodology is an
Methodology is
Methodology lacks
Methodology is
accepted, wellunclear in one section
logical progression and haphazard, unclear,
explained framework,
but follows a clear
is unclear in two to
and not in line with
including participants,
framework and
three sections. (10)
current understandings
materials, and process. progression. (15)
of the process. (5)
(20)
Analysis is clearly and Analysis is presented
Analysis is presented
Analysis is insufficient
logically explained.
in a logical manner, but haphazardly, without
to answer research
Examples of data are
examples may lack
connecting ties, and
question, examples
presented with
sufficient explanations insufficient explanation lack explanations, data
sufficient explanation
or the interpretation
of examples, and the
is confusing and the
for any educated reader does not fit the data.
interpretation is
interpretation lacks
to understand. The
Citations are not
somewhat deficient.
coherence. (5)
discussion explains the appropriate or do not
Lacks citations (10)
interpretation of the
fit the explanation. (15)
data. Ties to previous
research with citations.
(20)
Conclusion
summarizes findings,
puts the findings in a
Conclusion
summarizes findings
but provides no
Conclusion weakly
summarizes findings,
does not provide
Conclusion is vague,
wanders, and does not
complete the study. (1)
9
Exemplary
context, and proposes
future
questions/research. (5)
Writing Style
and Use/
Mechanics
(10 points)
APA
Style/Format
(10 points)
Good
context, may propose
future studies, but
lacks connection to
findings. (3)
Style is academic with Style is academic with
terminology adequately terminology explained
explained and reading
and reading flows.
flows. No grammatical Some grammatical or
errors or spelling or
spelling or vocabulary
vocabulary errors.
errors. Syntax is
Syntax is both simple
adequate, but
and complex without
occasionally difficult
causing a reader to
to read. May use
pause in order to make passive voice too often,
sense. Uses mostly
or lacks headings, or
active voice, headings, clear transitions, or
clear transitions and
cohesive ties. (5)
cohesive ties. (10)
Barely Adequate
context, or does not
provide future
directions. (2)
Inadequate
Style is insufficiently
academic, lacks
explanations of
terminology, and
reading is difficult. Has
many errors, and/or
uses voice
inappropriately, lacks
headings, clear
transitions, and
cohesive ties. (2)
Poorly written. (0)
APA format is
followed for all aspects
of the paper (citations,
headers, numbers,
series, quotes,
tables/figures,
references, etc.) (10)
Four to ten violations
of APA rules and/or
three to five missing or
incorrect citations and
references. (5)
Eleven or more
violations of APA rules
and/or six or more
missing or incorrect
citations and
references. (3)
Fewer than three
violations of APA
rules, or one to two
missing or incorrect
citations and
references. (7)
Adapted from Gallaudet University’s Department of Interpretation