Seminar in Educational Research ISED 797, Fall 2015 Monday 4:10-­‐6:55 PM, Burk Hall Room 230 Instructor: Rebecca M. Taylor, Ph.D. Email: rmtaylor@sfsu.edu Phone: (423) 619-­‐4735 Mailbox: ELSIT Office, Burk Hall 239 Office: Burk Hall 163A Office Hours: Mondays 3:00-­‐4:00 PM & 7:00-­‐8:00PM, or by appointment Course Description This course is a graduate-­‐level seminar designed to give students a basic introduction to the fundamentals of educational research – what it involves, in what ways various methodologies differ, and how to design and conduct such research. Students will develop the knowledge and tools to find research problems, specify researchable questions, and conceive reasonable research designs. While providing an introduction to the research process, this course will also engage students in examining the underlying assumptions that various research paradigms make about the nature of reality and knowledge. With an understanding of various research paradigms and their underlying assumptions, students will be prepared both to analyze existing research critically and to make methodological decisions about their own research. Although there are no prerequisites other than graduate-­‐ level standing, students enrolled in the class should have completed at least two semesters of coursework in their master’s program. *All students are required to use the iLearn platform to take this course. For more information, see: https://ilearn.sfsu.edu. Required Texts Fraenkel, J., Wallen, N., & Hyun, H. (2014). How to design and evaluate research in education (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-­‐Hill. ISBN: 0078110394 Selections from: Mertens, D. (2015). Research and evaluation in education and psychology (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications. (available on iLearn) Additional readings as assigned (available on iLearn) Class Procedures This class will be conducted as a seminar. Classroom activities will seek to maximize interaction and discussion between the instructor and students and among students. Accordingly, class sessions will include one or more of the following: • PowerPoint presentations that introduce key research concepts from course readings • Application, analysis, and discussion of selected problems involving these concepts • Identification and discussion of key research concepts in published research articles through in-­‐class activities and discussion • Analysis and critique of existing research Page 2 o f 5 •
Small-­‐ and large-­‐ group discussion of the design and development of students’ research proposals Course Requirements Attendance and Class Participation Prompt and regular attendance in class is necessary for success in this course. Because this course is a seminar, your active participation is vital. It is crucial that you read all assignments before class and come prepared to engage in discussion with your peers. As a participant in class activities, you are expected to find an appropriate balance between attentive listening and thoughtful speaking. You will be expected to work collaboratively with your peers to help in the design of one another’s research proposals. Weekly Assignments In preparation for the final research proposal assignment (see below), you will complete a series of short assignments that provide the building blocks for the proposal. These assignments will give you the opportunity to apply the topics covered in the course texts to your own research interests. You will often have time to work on these assignments in class and to discuss them with your peers. These assignments will be available on iLearn. Grades will be based on timely completion. Late work will lower your final grade in the course. Group Presentation and Discussion Facilitation Throughout the course, we will read several examples of published research articles. For each research article, a group of 4-­‐6 students will be responsible for presenting its key features to the rest of the class and facilitating a class discussion of the piece. All members of a group will receive the same grade for their work. During the second class meeting, further details will be distributed, and you will sign up for a group. Research Proposal The final assignment for this class asks you to design a research proposal for a study. This assignment allows you to develop your understanding of course concepts by investigating your own research interests. Weekly assignments completed throughout the course will walk you through the steps of developing a proposal. Further details for completing this project will be provided later in the semester. Human Subjects Training Certificate All SFSU students, faculty, and staff who plan to conduct a research project (this includes either a field study or master’s thesis for students) are now required by the university to complete an online training certificate program. For more information, see: http://research.sfsu.edu/protocol/submit_protocol/nih_citi_training. All students—regardless of their culminating experience plans—must complete this certificate program as part of this class. You will be given class time to complete this training program. You must submit a copy of the certificate indicating successful completion of either the NIH Online Course or the CITI training module by the end of the semester. Page 3 o f 5 Grades Final grades will be calculated as follows: Attendance and Class Participation 20% Completion of Weekly Assignments 20% Group Presentation and Discussion Facilitation 15% Research Proposal 40% Human Subjects Training Certificate 5% Grading Scale: A = 100-­‐95 A-­‐ = 94-­‐90 B+ = 89-­‐87 B = 86-­‐84 B-­‐ = 83-­‐80 C+ = 79-­‐77 C = 76-­‐74 C-­‐ = 73-­‐70 D+ = 69-­‐67 D = 66-­‐64 D-­‐ = 63-­‐60 F = 59-­‐0 -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐ Syllabus is Subject to Change: This syllabus and schedule are subject to change. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were absent. Disability Access: Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations process. The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by telephone (voice/TTY 415-­‐338-­‐2472) or by email (dprc@sfsu.edu). For more information, see: http://www.sfsu.edu/~dprc. Student disclosures of sexual violence: SF State fosters a campus free of sexual violence including sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and/or any form of sex or gender discrimination. If you disclose a personal experience as an SF State student, the course instructor is required to notify the Dean of Students. To disclose any such violence confidentially, contact: The SAFE Place -­‐ (415) 338-­‐2208; http://www.sfsu.edu/~safe_plc/ Counseling and Psychological Services Center -­‐ (415) 338-­‐2208; http://psyservs.sfsu.edu/ For more information on your rights and available resources: http://titleix.sfsu.edu Student Conduct Statement: Students enrolled in the class are expected to adhere to SFSU’s Code of Student Conduct. For more details see, http://conduct.sfsu.edu/standards. With regards to plagiarism, SFSU’s Division of Student Affairs indicates: “Plagiarism is defined as the act of using the ideas or work of another person or persons as if they were one's own without giving proper credit to the source… Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to the following: the submission of a work, either in part or in whole completed by another; failure to give credit for ideas, statements, facts or conclusions which rightfully belong to another; failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, a sentence, or even a part thereof; close and lengthy paraphrasing of another's writing without credit or originality; use of another's project or programs or part thereof without giving credit” (http://conduct.sfsu.edu/plagiarism). Page 4 o f 5 COURSE SCHEDULE: Week 1 – August 24 Introduction to Course Week 2 – August 31 Introduction to Research Readings Due Today: • Mertens, pp. 8-­‐45 • Textbook, Ch. 1-­‐2 Week 3 – September 7 University Holiday – NO CLASS Week 4 – September 14 Ethics in Research; Human Subjects Training Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 4 • Mertens, pp.347-­‐358 Week 5 – September 21 Conceptual Frameworks, Variables, and Hypotheses Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 5 • Mertens, pp. 115-­‐120 Week 6 – September 28 Literature Reviews Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 3 Week 7 – October 5 Sampling and Instrumentation Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 6-­‐7 Week 8 – October 12 Validity and Reliability in Quantitative and Qualitative Research Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 8-­‐9 all, Ch.19 (pp. 456-­‐457) • Golafshani, N. “Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research.” Page 5 o f 5 Week 9 – October 19 Causal Comparative Research & Survey Research Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 16-­‐17 **Student Presentations: Causal Comparative Group; Survey Research Group** Week 10 – October 26 Qualitative Methods Readings Due Today: • Mertens, Ch. 8 • Textbook, Ch. 19 (pp. 458-­‐471) **Student Presentation: Qualitative Group** Week 11 – November 2 Action Research & Experimental Research Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 24 (all), Ch. 13 (pp. 285-­‐295) **Student Presentations: Action Research Group, Experimental Research Group** Week 12 – November 9 Mixed Methods Readings Due Today: • Textbook, Ch. 23 • Howe, K. “Against the Quantitative-­‐Qualitative Incompatibility Thesis or Dogmas Die Hard.” **Student Presentation: Mixed Methods Group** Week 13 – November 16 Data Analysis Readings Due Today: • Mertens, pp. 417-­‐447 Week 14 – November 23 University Holiday – NO CLASS Week 15 – November 30 Review Readings Due Today: • Mertens, pp. 465-­‐469 Week 16 – December 7 Final Class **Final Research Proposals Due**