nota bene: I reserve the right to amend or append this syllabus as may be necessary and proper.
Education Research Literature and Techniques
ED520.01E
CRN 20102
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Spring, 2011 Mondays, 1600-1800 (face to face), remainder Web Enhanced
Contact Information
Instructor:
Email:
Office phone:
Office hours:
Course Number:
Course Title:
Walter Thomas Casey II, Ph.D.
wcasey@tamut.edu
903.334.6664
Monday- 12:00-16:00
Tuesday- 13:30-17:30
Thursday- 13:30-15:30
…and by Appointment
ED520.01E
Credits:
3 SCH
Education Research Literature and Techniques
Course Description:
The course will address:
(1) the processes and tools necessary to locate, read, understand, and critique education research, and
(2) the fundamental techniques of planning, conducting, and reporting qualitative and quantitative research in the
field of education.
Course Rationale:
Successful educators must be data-driven in decision-making. The current levels of fiscal and academic
accountability at the local, state, and national levels demand a clinical approach to school improvement—one that
includes the careful selection, implementation, and clinical evaluation of new innovations and the selective
abandonment of those that do not produce the desired outcomes. This clinical process requires the continuous
evaluation of relevant, education research.
Student Learner Outcomes:
By completing class activities and course assignments students will:
1. Apply the fundamental principles of education research to education decision-making.
2. Use electronic data bases to locate education research literature and be knowledgeable of traditional
approaches to research.
3. Analyze, critique, and summarize education research literature.
4. Describe quantitative and qualitative research designs.
5. Write an education research proposal.
6. Identify and critique the components of a comprehensive education research report.
7. Apply the steps of the action research process.
8. Design education program evaluation.
9. Utilize technology appropriate to the study of research and evaluation.
10. Apply the principles of Scientifically Based Research (SBR) to education decision-making.
11. Understand the impact of the No Child Left Behind law on education research.
Prerequisites: None, but a well-developed understanding of proper writing techniques is essential
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Justification: Administrators, curriculum leaders, and teacher leaders of the 21 st century must have a deep
understanding of education research and its importance in school improvement efforts. Culturally and
economically diverse student populations require educators use their knowledge of education literature and
scientifically-based research to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of solutions to challenges in
teaching and learning. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires the use of scientifically-based research that:
 Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;
 Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general
conditions drawn;
 Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data across evaluators and
observers and across multiple measurements and observations; and
 Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a
comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review (Title I, Part B, Subpart 1, Section 1208).
Therefore, educators must be familiar with the terms and processes involved in scientifically-based research.
Standards for the Master Teacher Areas
 Master Reading Teacher Standards
Standard II:
The Master Reading Teacher selects and administers appropriate reading assessments on an ongoing basis
and uses the results to design, inform, and adjust instruction to promote literacy.
Standard VI:
The Master Reading Teacher facilitates appropriate, research-based reading instruction by communicating
and collaborating with educational stakeholders; mentoring, coaching, and consulting with colleagues; providing
professional development for faculty; and making decisions based on converging evidence from research.

Master Mathematics Teacher Standards
Standard VIII:
The Master Mathematics Teacher selects, constructs, and administers appropriate assessments to guide,
monitor, evaluate, and report student progress to students, administrators, and parents, and develops these skills in
other teachers.
Standard IX:
The Master Mathematics Teacher facilitates appropriate standards-based mathematics instruction by
communicating and collaborating with educational stake-holders; mentoring, coaching, exhibiting leadership, and
consulting with colleagues; providing professional development opportunities for faculty; and making instructional
decisions based on data and supported by evidence from research.

Master Technology Teacher Standards
Standard II:
The Master Technology Teacher selects and administers appropriate technology-related assessments on an
ongoing basis and used the results to design and improve instruction.
Standard V:
The Master Technology Teacher facilitates appropriate, research-based technology instruction by
communicating and collaborating with educational stakeholders; mentoring, coaching, and consulting with
colleagues; providing professional development opportunities for faculty; and making decisions based on
converging evidence form research.
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Technology Integration
Technology Enhanced Instruction
Instructor will:
 support instruction using the classroom presentation system.
 summarize material using electronic presentations.
 utilize Web sites for current and supplemental information.
 conduct learning activities through Blackboard
Technology Enhanced Learning
Students will:
 use electronic resources to locate education research literature.
 employ Web resources to format and submit research proposals. The APA Manual, 6th edition, will be used to
ensure proper APA style formatting for the organization of writing and references.
 construct assignments in a variety of environments including word processing, spreadsheet and slide show.
 use Turnitin® to review all written work for plagiarism.
 complete course activities through Blackboard.
Resources

Required Text
Fraenkel, J.R., & Wallen, N.E. (2009).
How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education, 7th edition.
Boston: McGraw-Hill ISBN: 0073525960 Price: $133.44

Supplemental Resource: (Purchase is not required, but HIGHLY recommended)
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological
Association. (ISBN 1-55798-791-2)
The APA manual is available at local bookstores, on line at
http://www.apastyle.org/, or other online booksellers.
OR
--- (2005). Concise rules of APA style. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological
Association.
(ISBN 1-59147-252-0)
Resources needed: Ability to use the Turnitin®, word processing, and electronic slide presentations.
Computer access to the following online learning center is required to complete the research design activities:
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073525960/information_center_view0/
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References:
Andersen, R. (1994). Powerful writing skills. Hawthorne, N.J.: Career Press.
Bernhardt, V. L. (2000). Designing and using databases for school improvement. Larchmont, NY: Eye on
Education.
Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of qualitative research ( 2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Glazer, S.M., & Brown, C.W. (1993). Portfolios and beyond: Collaborative assessment in reading and writing.
Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.
Glesne, C. (1999). Becoming qualitative researchers (2nd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
Gubrium, J.F. & Holstein, J. A.(Eds.). (2001). Handbook of interview research: Context and methods. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
Harris, R. A. (2003). Writing with clarity and style: A guide to rhetorical devices for contemporary writers. Los
Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.
Henson, K.T. (1999). Writing for professional publication: Keys to academic and business success. Boston, MA:
Allyn and Bacon.
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2001, 5 th ed.) Research in education: A conceptual introduction.
Miles, M.B. and Huberman, M. A. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2 nd ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
Milinki, A. K. (1999). Cases in qualitative research. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrzcak Publishing.
Pan, M. L. (2004). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak
Publishing.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
Provost, G. (1985). 100 ways to improve your writing. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (2001, 5 th ed.)
Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Rowntree, Derek. (1981) Statistics without tears: A primer for non-mathematicians.
Vogt, W. Paul. (1993) Dictionary of statistics and methodology. (ISBN: 0-8039-5276-7).
Williams, Frederick. (1986) Reasoning with statistics: How to read quantitative research.
Internet Resources
AskERIC
American Psychological Association
Education Research Service
U.S. Department of Education
What Works Clearinghouse
Stanford Encylopaedia of Philosophy
Science/pseudo-science
http://www.eric.ed.gov
http://www.apastyle.org
http://www.ers.org
http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/whatworks/research/index.html
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/overview/
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pseudo-science/
http://www.chem1.com/acad/sci/pseudosci.html
WITHDRAWING FROM THIS COURSE1) If you decide that you must drop the course, it is your responsibility to fill out the appropriate form in the
college office on campus. Withdrawal from the course after the official day of record will result in a final grade
of “W” on the student transcript and no credit will be awarded. Prior to the official day of record, it is the
student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a request for withdrawal from any course. I do not
automatically drop students. You do your own paperwork.
2) If you stop attending class and do not fill out the drop form, you will receive an "F" in the course.
Disability Accommodations: Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations through the
A&M-Texarkana Disability Services Office by calling 903-223-3062
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Course Outline:
Date
Topic
Assignment
Session 1
F2F
24 Jan



Introduction
The Research Process
Action Research

Chapter 1, 24; Handout: What is Research? What is
Theory? What is Science (and pseudo-science)?
Session 2
web
31 Jan




Identifying a Research Problem
Overview of Research Designs
Quantitative/Qualitative Methods
APA Tutorial

Chapter 2 and Web activities
Session 3
F2F
7 Feb



Research Questions/Hypotheses
Variables
Succinct Writing


Chapter 3
Research Proposal Topic due
Session 4
F2F
14 Feb

Experimental Designs


Chapter 13 and Web activities
Action Research Project topic due


Literature Reviews
Professional Writing Tips

Chapter 5


Single Subject Designs
Causal Comparative Designs

Chapters 14, 16 and Web activities



Methodology
Sampling Techniques
Data Collection

Chapters 6, 7


Correlational Studies

Chapters 15, 17 and Web activities
Session 9

Midterm
Session 10
F2F
28 Mar

Historical Studies
Session 11
F2F
4 Apr


Session 12
F2F
11 Apr
Session 5
F2F
21 Feb
Session 6
F2F
28 Feb
Session 7
F2F
7 Mar
Session 8
F2F
21 Mar
Survey Research
Take-home, online, and F2F sections*

Chapter 22 and Web activities
Data Analysis
Recommendations/Conclusions

Chapters 10-12

Ethnography

Chapter 21 and Web activities
Session 13
F2F
18 Apr

Validity/Reliability

Chapter 9
Session 14
F2F
25 Apr

Content Analysis


Chapter 20 and Web activities
Research Proposals Due
Session 15
F2F
2 May

Action Research Presentations
Session 16
F2F
9 May

Final Exam
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Course Requirements/Assignments/Field Based Activities
Examinations: A mid-term and final examination will be administered. The exams will be comprehensive
evaluations of all material covered in the course. The exams will include objective, subjective, and constructive
formats.
Web Activities: Web activities investigating research designs will be completed and submitted using directions
provided by the instructor.
Research Design/Proposal: A research design/proposal will be presented on a relevant education topic using a
designated outline and APA writing style. Plagiarism will result in a grade of zero (0) for this assignment.
Proposals will be submitted using the Turnitin® system for plagiarism prevention. Information regarding this
system along with other information on plagiarism is available at the following URL:
http://turnitin.com/research_site/e_home.html.
Action Research Project: A research project will be conducted and reported in a poster presentation describing
the project and outcomes.
Evaluation Procedures
Web Activities (7 @ 5 points)
35 pts.
Midterm Exam
12 pts.
Research Proposal
16 pts.
Action Research Project
Action Research Project Presentation
10 pts.
5 pts.
Final Exam
12 pts.
Total
Grading Scale:
A- 89+
B- 78-88
100 pts.
C- 69-77
D- 60-68
F- 59 and below
Note: I DO NOT CURVE GRADES- it only rewards the weak and punishes the smart.
Academic Integrity: Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating on
examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and undocumented use of
materials from any source constitute academic dishonesty and will be grounds for a grade of ‘F’ in the course and/or
disciplinary actions. For additional information, see the university catalog.
TAMUT is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In becoming a part of
the academic community, TAMUT students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. The faculty expects
from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree
depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student
demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work. Failure to uphold these standards
includes, but is not limited to, the following: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings. Plagiarism, especially from the
web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with
under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com (and other resources) for searches on the web for possible plagiarism.
A. Some Definitions:
1)
Cheating includes looking at or copying from another student's exam, orally communicating or
receiving answers during an exam, having another person take an exam or complete a project or
assignment, using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam, and obtaining or distributing an
unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam.
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2)
Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without
giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or project that
someone else has prepared, in whole or in part.
3)
Collusion is inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be completed
independently.
These definitions are not exhaustive.
B. With instructor permission only, audio recording devices may be used during lectures only for the
purpose of helping students take notes. The use of such devices for any other purpose may result in loss of
device use for remainder of semester, system charges of academic dishonesty, and administrative drop from
the course. No other electronic devices will be allowed during class without specific written instructor
approval. All lectures are copyrighted material and may not be disseminated without the express written
consent of the instructor.
When there is any scholastic dishonesty, I will assign an “F” for the course, and
additional sanctions may include being expelled from TAMUT and the TAMU
System, and punishments appropriate under State of Texas Criminal Code, Penal
Section §32.49, (HB 0762).
Student Technical Assistance:

Blackboard Helpdesk contacts:
Office hours are: Monday - Friday, 8:00a to 5:00p
Kevin Williams (main contact) 903-223-1356 kevin.williams@tamut.edu
Frank Miller (alternate) 903-223-3156 frank.miller@tamut.edu
Nikki Thomson (alternate) 903-223-3083 nikki.thomson@tamut.edu
**Students seeking a professional certificate must meet with the certification officer for official admittance into a
certification program. The certification officer for Texas A&M University-Texarkana is Bonnie Johnson. She is
located in University Center 245 and can be contacted by phone at 903-223-3048.
NOTE: Upon application to Texas A&M University-Texarkana an individual will be assigned an A&MTexarkana email account. This email account will be used to deliver official university correspondence. Each
individual is responsible for information sent and received via the university email account and is expected to check
the official A&M-Texarkana email account on a frequent and consistent basis. Faculty and students are required to
utilize the university email account when communicating about coursework.
-------�------�------�------�-------�------�--detach here --�------�------�------�------�-----�------Texas A&M University at Texarkana
contrat d’etude
Name: (Print)_____________________________________________________
Student I.D.______________________________________________________
By my signature affixed, I acknowledge that I have read, understood, and will comply with all terms and conditions
of this syllabus, including but not limited to ‘withdrawing’, ‘conduct’, and ‘scholastic honesty’, and that the
explanations of the syllabus offered by the instructor were sufficient for comprehension of the syllabus:
______________________________________________________, _____________________
(Name)
(Date)
(12 JANUARY 2011)
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