Adult Education & Training
School of Education
EDRM 600 – Introduction to Research
Facilitator:
Karen Kaminski
Adult Education & Training
213 Education Building
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1588
Office: 970-491-3713
Karen.Kaminski@colostate.edu
Time/Date/Place:
This course meets from …
Office Hours:
I will be in my office every Thursday from 3-5 pm for phone calls without
an appointment and digital office hourse. I am available other times
during the week – please contact me to make an appointment.
Required Texts:
Creswell, J. (2012). Educational research – planning, conducting, and
evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. New Jersey: Pearson.
ISBN – 9780131367395.
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual
of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC:
Author.
Soft Cover: ISBN - 9781433805615
Spiral Bound: ISBN - 9781433805622
Additional Course Materials:
RamCT Help:
Online: www.help.RamCT.colostate.edu
Phone: CTSS Help Desk: 970-491-7276
Email: RamCTStudent@colostate.edu
Catalog Description: One sentence catalog description.
Long description:
Paragraph long course description.
Credits:
Three semester credits (3-0-0)
Prerequisite:
None
Mode of Delivery
Master of Education in Education and Human Resource Studies
School of Education in the College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University
This course will meet weekly for discussions, demonstrations, in-class exercises, and project
presentations. Learners will use RamCT to communicate, share ideas, and post assignments in addition
to the class meetings. OR This is an alternate delivery distance education course using online asynchronous discussion (RamCT).
Learners will use RamCT, course Wiki, and/or other educational media to communicate, create learning
projects, and post assignments.
Instructional Methodology
Learning will be facilitated through assigned readings, instructor guided discussions, collaborative
learning exercises, and guided critical self-reflection.
Facilitator Roles and Responsibilities
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My goal during online discussions is to allow each of you to fully voice your ideas and
struggle to understand concepts in a way that is most meaningful for you. Thus, I am
committed to reading every comment posted in the discussions, but I will limit my
feedback to points of clarification or to redirect the conversation as needed. I am
involved in your discussions, but do not want to control your conversations.
You can expect the most pointed and detailed feedback from me on individual
assignments and through personal correspondence (email, phone calls etc.)
You can expect responses to email/phone calls within 24 hours or less. If I am going to
be away from my computer for a period longer than two days, I will let the class know.
I am committed to fostering discovery in this class. I expect the course to fulfill your
needs, and to do this I will encourage personal discovery of issues of relevancy and
immediacy to each of you and your situation.
I expect to learn in this class, along with you. I will understand new viewpoints and have
my ideas challenged. I will not be an ultimate authority, but a facilitator and co-learner.
I will do my best to announce any changes made to the course calendar as far in advance
as possible.
Please communicate with me during the semester if you are stuck on an assignment,
unclear about a topic, concerned about your grade etc. Do not wait until the end of the
semester to see me if you are having difficulties. I always have time for students!
Learner Roles and Responsibilities
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Typically, students will work 8-12 hours per week, per 3-credit class. This usually means
working 1-2 hours per day during the week and dedicating additional time as needed each
weekend to the class.
This is a graduate level course and thus, is not a passive class. Be prepared to be a full,
active, and conscious participant in all portions of this class. I am not the ultimate
authority or sole source of knowledge, but a partner in exploration.
You are expected to engage in both critical and creative thinking. Critical thinking will
allow you to view situations and topics in a new light. Creative thinking will allow you
to begin to create your own knowledge from these views.
You have the right for information in this class to be relevant, immediate, and to fulfill
your need(s). It is your responsibility to structure class readings, assignments and
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discussions in a way that reach these needs. If your needs are not being met, you have the
responsibility to discuss this and try to reach a solution.
If you experience technical issues with RamCT, contact the help desk (information listed
above). If you experience issues submitting assignments, let me know and an alternate
submission method can be used. If temporary technical or computer issues inhibit your
class participation please call me to discuss options.
If you are going to be away from class/Internet access for longer than three days, you
must let me know beforehand.
If you begin the semester and find that extenuating circumstances are interfering with
your schoolwork, you need to discuss that with me as soon as the difficulties begin. It is
much easier to work out a plan for completing your work before you get behind; please
see the Incomplete Policy at the end of this document.
You are expected to carefully read and know the information contained in this syllabus.
You have the right to discuss and add to these ideas with the class and myself at any point
to help them better fit this class and your needs as a learner.
Assignment Guidelines
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If you anticipate issues in submitting an assignment on time you MUST let me know
BEFORE the due date and we will discuss options. Any assignments submitted after the
due date, and without prior communication with me, may not receive full points.
Assignments may be submitted earlier than the assigned due dates.
If you would like feedback on a draft of an assignment, you may email it to me at least
seven in advance of the due date). Please provide information on what item(s) you would
like me to focus on (i.e. organization, APA citations, relevancy to the topic, etc.)
I will grade and return all assignments to you in a timely manner, generally within a week
or less of submission. If the timeframe will be longer than a week, I will inform the class.
All assignments have a learning rational behind them. No work will be done in this class
to keep you “busy”. If you question the learning rational of any coursework, please let me
know and I’d be glad to discuss any concerns.
It is your responsibility to ask me if you are unclear or have questions about any
assignment.
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Course Goals
The goal of this course is to have learners acquire the ability to review, develop and produce
research. This will be accomplished through the facilitation of the learning activities in the areas
of the development of an area of focus, problem and research statements, reviewing the literature,
designing a research method (qualitative and quantitative), analyzing results, and writing about
your findings.
Learning Activity Descriptions
The learning activities and the assessment plan for this course is divided into four individual
assignments, one group assignment, and an individual assessment of your participation. All six
assignments are of equal weight. Each individual assignment constitutes a major section in your research
project so please use APA style and the AET writing guidelines to guide your work. Due dates can be
found in the Course Schedule.
1. Area of Focus, Problem Statement, and Research Questions (25 points)
This individual assignment requires that you to utilize the readings from the text, posted
readings, online discussions, and outside sources develop the area of focus, a problem
statement, and research questions for your study. Please see RamCT for more
information on this assignment.
2. Background, Rationale, and Concept Map for the Study (25 points)
This individual assignment requires you to utilize the readings from the text, posted
readings, online discussions, and outside sources to develop the background, rationale,
and a concept map for your study. Please see RamCT for more information on this
assignment.
3. Research Method (25 points)
This individual assignment requires you to utilize the readings from the text, posted
readings, online discussions, and outside sources to develop the research method for your
study. Please see RamCT for more information on this assignment.
4. Conduct the Study, Report Findings, & Discuss Implications (25 points)
This individual assignment requires you to utilize the readings from the text, posted
readings, online discussions, and outside sources to write the findings and implications
for your study. Please see RamCT for more information on this assignment.
5. Chapter Review (25 points)
This group assignment requires that you work with a few of your peers to read the
assigned chapter and synthesize a review of the chapter. Please use additional resources
outside of the text (websites, resource material, examples) and include a research article
that used this design. This report can be a PowerPoint presentation, a narrative report, or
any creative method you choose. When creating the report, consider what you would
want your peers to share with you if you had not read the chapter. Please see RamCT for
more information on this assignment.
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6. Online Readings, Discussions, and Reflections (25 points)
Read and discuss the assigned readings (see the Course Schedule). I do not count the
quantity of the postings and discussion, but rather the quality. If it appears that you are
not participating you may get a subtle reminder from me via RamCT.
Grading
Each assignment and discussion participation is worth 25 points. You may submit drafts of your
work in advance of the due date for review and comments. Note that editing for spelling and
grammar is your responsibility. You may also resubmit your work with modifications based on
feedback at any time to improve your grade.
Learning Activity
Area of Focus, Problem Statement, and Research Questions
Background, Rationale, and Concept Map for Study
Research Method
Conduct the Study, Report Findings, & Discuss Implications
Chapter Review (Group Assignment)
Online Readings, Discussion, and Reflections
Points
25
25
25
25
25
25
The instructor assigns grades based on the following criteria:
147 - 150
140 - 146
135 - 139
131 - 134
125 - 130
120 - 124
116 - 119
105 - 115
90 – 114
0 -----112
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D
F
CSU Incomplete Policy
At the discretion of the instructor, a temporary grade of “I” may be given to a student who
demonstrates that he/she could not complete the requirements of a course due to circumstances
beyond the student’s control and not reasonably foreseeable.
A student must be passing a course at the time that an incomplete is requested unless the
instructor determines that there are extenuating circumstances to assign an incomplete to a
student who is not passing the course. When an instructor assigns an “I”, he/she shall specify in
writing the requirements the student shall fulfill to complete the course as well as the reasons for
granting an “I” when the student is not passing the course. The instructor shall retain a copy of
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this statement in his/her grade records and provide copies to the student and the department head
or his/her designee.
The student should not register for the course the following semester (to complete the
coursework). After successful completion of the makeup requirements, incomplete grades will be
changed by the instructor of record or the department head, in absence of the instructor of record.
After one year, an incomplete will be automatically changed to an “F” (failure) (by the
University) unless the course has been previously completed and a grade change submitted by the
instructor or the department head. The temporary grade of “I” must be changed to a grade (e.g.,
A, B, C, D, F, S, U) based on the announced grading scheme used in the course prior to the
student being awarded his/her diploma from Colorado State University.
You must complete an Incomplete Form with your Instructor to receive an incomplete in a class.
CSU Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is integral to the success of the University and to you as a learner. Academic
integrity is conceptualized as doing and taking credit for one’s own work. Academic dishonesty
undermines the educational experience at Colorado State University. Examples of academic
dishonesty include (but are not limited to) cheating, plagiarism, and falsification. Plagiarism
includes the copying of language, structure, images, ideas or thoughts of others and is related
only to work submitted for credit. Please see the CSU General Catalog (1.6 Page 8) for further
information.
We ask that you commit to the CSU Honor Pledge: “I have not given, received, or used any
unauthorized assistance”. For more information please see:
http://tilt.colostate.edu/integrity/honorpledge/index.cfm
This course adheres to the Academic Integrity Policy of the Colorado State University General
Catalog and the Student Conduct Code.
CSU Exam Proctoring
The learning activities in the AET program typically do not require proctoring. Any proctored
exams will follow the CSU Online Plus Proctoring Guidelines:
http://www.online.colostate.edu/answers/services/proctoring.dot
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Course Schedule
Week
1
2
Dates
01.20.13 –
01.27.13
01.27.13 –
02.03.13
Topic/Reading
Introduction to Research
Reading
Chapter 1
In Class
Discussion
Defining Area of Focus
Writing a Problem Statement
Writing Research Questions
Library Research & Article
Synthesis -- Reading and
Reviewing the Literature
Writing a Background and
Rationale – Developing a
Concept Map / Flow Diagram
Chapter 2
Discussion
Chapter 3
Discussion
Problem Statement
Due 02.10.13
Chapter 4
Discussion
Presentation of
Concept Maps
Research Questions
Due 02.17.13
Background /
Rationale / Concept
Map Due 02.24.13
Post Chapter
Summary 03.03.13
3
02.03.13 –
02.10.13
4
02.10.13 –
02.17.13
5
02.17.13 –
02.24.13
Methods / Data
Collection: Quantitative
Chapter 5
In-Class
Project
6
02.24.13 –
03.03.13
Methods / Data
Collection: Qualitative
Chapter 7
In-Class
Project
7
030.3.13 –
03.10.13
Writing in APA Style
APA Manual
Weblinks
8
03.10.13 –
03.17.13
Chapter 17
9
03.17.13 –
03.24.13
03.24.13 –
03.31.13
Research Methods
Descriptive Statistics,
Tables, Themes, etc.
Spring Break
Discussion
Research Design
Presentations
Research Design
Presentations
Analyzing & Interpreting
Data: Quantitative
Weblinks
Discussion
03.31.13 –
04.07.13
04.07.13 –
04.14.13
Analyzing & Interpreting
Data: Qualitative
Reporting Results /
Findings
Chapter 6
Discussion
Chapter 7
Discussion
13
04.14.13 –
04.21.13
Developing Discussion
& Implications
Chapter 9
Discussion
14
04.21.13 –
04.28.13
04.28.13 –
05.05.13
Action Research
Chapter 17
Discussion
The Final Report
Chapter 9
Presentations
05.05.13 –
05.13.13
Presenting Your Findings
10
11
12
15
16
Presentations
7
Assignment Due
Assign Chapter
Reviews C 10-16
Define Area of
Focus Due 02.03.13
Research Methods
Due 03.10.13
Refined Study with
Discussion /
Implications Due
04.21.13
Final Research
Project Due
05.05.13