TEL 702 Dynamic Contexts of Education and TEL 712 Mixed Methods of Inquiry
(6 credits total)
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
Arizona State University
Course Syllabus
THESE COURSES ARE COMBINED INTO ONE
Dates/Time of classes:
Place:
Instructors:
Email:
Thursdays from 7:40-9:30 pm
January 5- April 26, 2011 (Research Day)
Sands 202
Wendy Miedel Barnard, Ph.D.
Wendy.Barnard@asu.edu
Thursdays from 4:40 -7:30 pm
January 5- April 26, 2011 (Research Day)
Sands 202
David Lee Carlson, Ed.D.
David.L.Carlson@asu.edu
Work Phone:
602-496-1739
480-965-4472
Office Hours:
Office Location:
By appointment
Mercado A-150 (Downtown)
Wednesday 3-6 pm
Farmer 444A (Tempe)
Course Description
These courses are the second of three six-hour block courses. They will help you understand your
context/community, develop a focus statement, learn how to conduct action research, construct and
implement an intervention that seeks to make a positive change in your local setting, design and implement a
research methodology, understand various learning/motivational theories including communities of practice,
and learn research literacy.
Course Outcomes
Students will serve as practitioners and researchers in their workplace as they work toward the following
learning outcomes:
● Complete Cycle I of their Action Research project
● Develop and justify various data collection instruments
● Represent data collection sources in multiple ways
● Make sense of data and make specific assertions about the data
● Place individual study in dialogue with scholarship in the field
● Understand the modes of mixed methods research
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As instructors we assume that you
● Have an intervention for your local contexts
● Have a basic understanding of the action research process
CPED
Course Format
Although there will also be digital readings posted in Blackboard, for the most part, we will meet each week
of class in the assigned room at the allotted time. Class format will vary. Professors will plan activities for
the entire class time. Students are expected to be prepared for each class.
Required Course Texts, Materials and Resources
Anyon, J. (2008). Radical possibilities: public policy, urban education, and a new social movement. New York and
London: Routledge.
Berliner, D. C. & Biddle, B. J. (1996). Manufactured crisis: myths, fraud, and the attack on American public schools.
New York: Basic Books.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education: how America’s commitment to equity will determine our
future. New York and London: Teachers College Press.
Glass, G. V. (2008). Fertilizers, pills, and magnetic strips: the fate of public education in America. Charolette: North
Carolina: Information Age Publishing.
Greene, J. C. (2007). Mixed methods in social inquiry. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.
Ravitch, D. (2010). The death and life of the great American school system. New York: Basic Books.
Taubman, P. (2009). Teaching by the numbers: deconstructing the discourse of standards and accountability in
education. New York: Routledge.
*Please read during winter break.
Course Assignments
Critical Analysis Papers (Six): Students will produce a 3-5 page paper putting the key concepts and
information of the primary text in dialogue with their topic. Of most importance, students will present an
argument and use the primary text as evidence to support their argument. Outside readings may be used in
these papers, but not at the expense of a cogent and thorough discussion of the primary text. These papers
should be written in APA style. The best five papers will be counted towards the final grade. Students may
submit one revision for a higher grade for each paper.
Completed IRB Application, Informed Consent Letter and Ethical Considerations: Using information
provided, complete an IRB application, create an appropriate (i.e., accepted by ASU Institutional Review
Board) research information letter or informed consent letter, and determine critical ethical considerations for
your study.
Logic Model and Data Collection Plan: Students will create a logic model and develop a detailed outline in
which they present and describe their data collection steps. A template will be provided and your instructors
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will provide feedback about the outline before students begin data collection. Specific details about this
assignment will be discussed in class.
Statistics/Methods Take Home Assignment: Students will be given a list of topics and methodological
problems to which they determine the most appropriate analysis to use and explain their reasoning.
Cycle One Report: Students will produce a report of their cycle one of their action research project. The
report will resemble the sections and chapters of the Ed.D. dissertation as outlined in the student handbook
and conform to APA writing standards. Specific details about the organization of the paper will be discussed
in class.
Grading
Course grades will be based on faculty judgment of the quality of students’ written and oral presentations,
and of the quality and extensiveness of their contributions to the collaborative learning community. There
will be no + or – grades assigned in this course.
Grading scale:
90-100% A
80-90% B
70-80% C
60-70% D
below 60% E
Grade Calculations
Assignments
Informed Consent (Ethical Considerations)
Critical Analysis Papers (5x50=250)
Logic Model & Data Collection Plan
Active Participation
Statistics Problems (Take Home)
Final Action Research Paper-Cycle One
TOTAL Possible Points
Points Possible
50
250
150
100
150
300
1,000
Attendance and Participation
Attendance is required unless absence can be justified for emergency situations. Students are also expected to arrive to
class, prepared, and at the time specified or will otherwise be considered tardy. Excessive tardiness and/or absences
(particularly for unjustified circumstances) will negatively impact end of the semester, course grades, and continuation
in the program. In general, students should not miss more than two class sessions for the entire semester.
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Course Calendar
Week
Date
1
January 5
2
3
4
January 12
January 19
January 26
Reading Due
Glass—ALL
Understanding Research
Methods
How do we design a mixedmethods study?
- Observations
- Interviews
- Field notes
- Artifacts
Ethics in Research
Berliner and Biddle Chapters 1-3
Additional Readings (All on
Blackboard):
 A Practitioners’ Guide to
Developmental Evaluation
 A Guide to Research
 Journal articles using
different methods
Special Guest: Gene
Glass
Developing Research
Questions
How do we design a mixedmethods study?
- Surveys
- Questionnaires
- Scales
Berliner and Biddle Chapters 4-6
Please review the
Arizona State University
library website:
ASU Library Tutorials:
http://libguides.asu.edu/L
ibraryResearchMadeEasy
Ethics
Recommended:
 Beginners Guide to Action
Research:
http://www.scu.edu.au/school
s/gcm/ar/arp/guide.html
 An Introduction to Action
Research:
http://physicsed.buffalostate.e
du/danowner/actionrsch.html
Greene Chapters 1-2
Additional Readings:
 CDC_Brief_Writing SMART
outcomes.pdf
 Goals Grid:
http://www.nickols.us/strategic_p
lanning_tool.pdf
Critical Analysis
Paper #1 Due
Practice using data
collection February
3instruments
Berliner and Biddle Chapters 7-8
Greene Chapters 5, “Interlude
One,” and 6
Additional Readings:
 Beyond Informed Consent
 History of the IRB
Plagiarism Tutorial and Quiz:
http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/p
lagiarismtutorial.php
Review:
http://researchintegrity.asu.edu/huma
ns
Classroom Research:
4
Assignment Due
Holiday readings
Topics
Overview
What is action research?
Program evaluation vs.
intervention
What is mixed-methods
mode of thinking?
Mixed Methods Research
- Questions
- Observations
- Interviews
- Field notes
- Artifacts
Special Guest: David
Berliner
http://researchintegrity.asu.edu/huma
ns/classroom
Research with Children:
http://researchintegrity.asu.edu/huma
ns/children
Writing an Informed Consent Letter:
http://researchintegrity.asu.edu/huma
ns/informed
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February 2
Program Development and
Assumptions
Darling-Hammond, Chapters 1-2
Greene Chapter 7 and “Interlude
Two”
Program Planning:
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/
planning/index.html
Getting Started:
http://www.searchinstitute.org/getting-started-yourcommunity
Asset Building Communities:
http://www.searchinstitute.org/key-themes-assetbuilding-communities
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7
8
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February 9
February 16
February 23
March 1
Critical Analysis
Paper #2 Due
Application for IRB and
Informed Consent
Letter
Begin Data Collection
Mapping your Research
Questions through a Logic
Model
Darling-Hammond, Chapters 3-4
What are we learning about
collecting data?
Clarifying your Target
Population
Darling-Hammond, Chapters 5-7
Data collection
Additional Readings on Blackboard
Completed Logic Model
and Data Collection
Plan
What are we learning about
collecting data?
Darling-Hammond,
Chapters 8-9
Data Collection
Measurement Tools
Program Development and
Evaluation, University of Wisconsin
Extension: Logic Model
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/eva
luation/evallogicmodel.html
Taubman, Chapters 1-2
Critical Analysis
Paper #3 Due
Data Collection
Mary Lee Smith (1997) article
Additional Readings on Blackboard
10
5
March 8
Qualitative/Quantitative
Data Analysis Workshop
Taubman, Chapters 3-5
Data Collection
Additional Readings on Blackboard
Special Guest: Peter
Taubman
11
March 15
Qualitative/Quantitative
Data Analysis Workshop
Taubman, Chapters 6-7
Begin Data Analysis
Additional Readings on Blackboard
Critical Analysis
Paper #4
12
March 22
Spring Break
Anyon-All
Data Analysis
13
March 29
Qualitative/Quantitative
Data Analysis Workshop
Reliability and Validity
Ravitch, Chapters 1-3
Data Analysis
Additional Readings on Blackboard
Critical Analysis
Paper #5 Due
Data Interpretation
Outcome Considerations
Ravitch, Chapters 4-7
Take-home Statistical
Assignment
14
April 5
Additional Readings on Blackboard
15
April 12
16
(AERA
Conference)
April 19
May
Data Interpretation and
Writing Results
Ravitch, Chapters 8-11
Additional Readings on Blackboard
Data Interpretation and
Presenting Results
Research Day
Writing Workshop of Final
Papers
Final Paper-Draft
Critical Analysis
Paper #6 Due
Final Paper Due
Course/Instructor Evaluation
The course/instructor evaluation for this course will be conducted online 7-10 days before the last official
day of classes of each semester or summer session. Response(s) to the course/instructor are anonymous and
will not be returned to your instructor until after grades have been submitted. The use of a course/instructor
evaluation is an important process that allows our college to (1) help faculty improve their instruction, (2)
help administrators evaluate instructional quality, (3) ensure high standards of teaching, and (4) ultimately
improve instruction and student learning over time. Completion of the evaluation is not required for you to
pass this class and will not affect your grade, but your cooperation and participation in this process is
critical. About two weeks before the class finishes, watch for an e-mail with "ASU Course/Instructor
Evaluation" in the subject heading. The email will be sent to your official ASU e-mail address, so make sure
ASU has your current email address on file. You can check this online at the following URL:
http://www.asu.edu/epoupdate/.
Grade Appeals
The professional responsibility for assigning grades is vested in the instructor of the course and requires the careful
application of professional judgment. A student wishing to appeal a grade must first meet with the instructor who
assigned the grade to try to resolve the dispute. The process for grade appeals is set forth in the undergraduate and
graduate catalogs, which are available at http://www.asu.edu/catalog/.
Course/Instructor Evaluation
The course/instructor evaluation for this course will be conducted online 7-10 days before the last official day of classes
of each semester or summer session. Watch for an e-mail with “ASU Course/Instructor Evaluation” in the subject
heading. The e-mail will be sent to your official ASU e-mail address, so make sure this mail forwards to an account you
check regularly. You can check this online by going to My ASU, choose Self Support and then E-mail Update (UPO).
Response(s) to the course/instructor are anonymous and will not be returned to your instructor until after grades have
been submitted.
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Completion of the evaluation is not required for you to pass this class and will not affect your grade, but your
cooperation and participation in this process is important and appreciated. The evaluations are used to (1) help faculty
improve their instruction, (2) help administrators evaluate instructional quality.
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University/Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Policies
Student Conduct
● Professional Behavior
It is expected that students exhibit professional behavior inside the classroom, during intern placements, working with
other students outside of the class on assignments related to this class, in addition to behavior in the classroom on
ASU’s campus. If at any time a student’s behavior does not meet the standards of the program as delineated in the
Professionalism Rubric, the instructor may refer the student for a Professional Improvement Plan (undergraduate) or
academic probation (graduate).
●
Academic Integrity/Plagiarism
ASU policy states “The highest standards of academic integrity are expected of all students. The failure of any student
to meet these standards may result in suspension or expulsion from the university and/or other sanctions as specified in
the academic integrity policies of the individual academic unit. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not
limited to, cheating, fabrication, tampering, plagiarism, or facilitating such activities.” For more information see
http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity.
● Harassment
ASU policy prohibits harassment on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability,
sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status and other protected veteran status. If you feel you are being harassed
for these reasons, contact Student Life:
Downtown campus: 522 N. Central Avenue, Post Office Room 247, 480-496-4111
Polytechnic campus: Administration Building suite 102, 480-727-1060
Tempe campus: Student Services Building room 263, 480-965-6547
West campus: UCB 301, 602-543-8152)
● Electronic Communication
Acceptable use of university computers, internet and electronic communications can be found in the Student Code of
Conduct (http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/usi/usi104-01.html ) and in the University’s Computer, Internet, and
Electronic Communications Policy (http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd125.html).
Accommodations
● Disability Accommodations for Students
Students who feel they may need disability accommodation(s) in class should obtain the necessary information from the
Disability Resource Center on campus (http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc/).
It is the student’s responsibility to make the first contact with the DRC. Instructors may provide accommodations only
as specified by the DRC documentation.
● Religious Accommodations for Students
Students who need to be absent from class due to the observance of a religious holiday or participate in required
religious functions must notify the faculty member in writing as far in advance of the holiday/obligation as possible.
Students will need to identify the specific holiday or obligatory function to the faculty member. Students will not be
penalized for missing class due to religious obligations/holiday observance, but must make arrangements for making up
tests/assignments within a reasonable time as determined by the instructor.
● Military Personnel Statement
A student who is a member of the National Guard, Reserve, or other U.S. Armed Forces branch and is unable to
complete classes because of military activation may request complete or partial administrative unrestricted
withdrawals or incompletes depending on the timing of the activation. For information, please see
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/usi/usi201-18.html.
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