EDUC 506-Introduction to Educational Research
Summer 2010 Dr. Paul J. Bischoff
Class meets in HUEC 105
436-2163; bischopj@oneonta.edu
Class Meeting Dates and Times:
Schedule of classes: May 24, 25, 26, June 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 14: 4:30-8:00 p.m.; and June 15: 4:30-7:00 p.m.
I. Course Description
This course is designed to provide foundation skills and understandings about educational research methodologies. Students will locate and critically review primary sources of information, especially with regard to educational policy.
II. Rationale
As reflective practitioners and educational decision-makers, teachers should be both consumers and producers of research. This means that teachers should be able to locate, read, understand and critique research. In other words, teachers should be able to understand and evaluate the processes of research, including the intent of the researcher, the research procedures and final results. This course will provide students with the information they will need to understand research processes, analyze data, and interpret research. The class will also provide them with knowledge to design their own research.
III. Course Objectives and Outcomes
Course objectives reflect the standards promoted by the SUNY Oneonta Division of Education Conceptual Framework themes:
(1) Academic and Professional Excellence;
(2) Best Professional Practices;
(3) Commitment to Empowerment, Respecting Diversity and Social Justice.
III. Course Objectives
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explain important ways in which educational knowledge is obtained. (1) Academic and Professional Excellence.
2. Describe and give examples of at least six different types of educational research. For example, experimental, correlational, causal-comparative, survey, action research, qualitative, quantitative and historical research and identify advantages and disadvantages of each. (1) Academic and Professional Excellence
3. Formulate research questions and hypotheses. Be able to review research literature. Explain the meaning of the term variable. Distinguish between independent and dependent variables and between extraneous, confounding, continuous, categorical, intervening, control variables.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
4. Distinguish between a sample and a population and identify the various sampling techniques, e.g., probability sampling, simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, convenience sampling, purposive sampling, and quota sampling. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of each. (1) Academic and Professional Excellence
5. Explain how the size of a sample can affect a study.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
6. Explain what is meant by the terms data and instrument. Explain the differences between norm referenced and criterion referenced instruments. Describe the different types of measurements in educational research including scales of measurement with particular reference to nominal scale, ordinal scale, interval scale, ratio scale, descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, frequency polygon, mode, mean, median, range, standard deviation, percentile rank and correlation.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
7. Explain the terms validity and reliability as they apply to educational research.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
8. Distinguish between quantitative, qualitative and categorical data.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
9. Make a distinction between a normal distribution and a normal curve.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
10. Explain the term inferential statistics. Distinguish between the terms significance level and statistical significance.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
11. Explain the different types of educational measures together with their advantages and disadvantages.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
12. Critically evaluate published research in Education and related disciplines.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
13. Synthesize extant research literature on a topic related to educational social policy.(1) Academic and Professional Excellence
IV. Course Topics
The major topics to be considered are educational research, research design, locating and reviewing literature, analysis of design.
V. Instructional Methods and Activities
a. Traditional Experiences
Lecture/discussion, written reports
b. Clinical Experiences
workshops, small group discussions
VI. Evaluation and Grade Assignment
1. Daily/Weekly Quizzes-These are multiple choice quizzes on the assigned text reading. 10 % of course grade.
2. Preparation of a Research Plan (Graded from 0-100) 50 % of course grade.
The Research Plan must have focus on "educational policy".
The paper will have two major sections. An Introduction and a Methods Section. You don't actually carry out the project. You research it and design a study.
| Parts to most research plans | Introduction | Methods | |||||||||
| Title Page | Describe the topic. Why did you choose it? What experience do you have with it? 5% | Review of literature. About 8 good sources. This is very
important.
30% |
Hypotheses statements. 5% |
Research Questions 5% |
Define variables (including operational)
5% |
Participants and selection procedures 5% |
Describe the instruments you will use to collect data. 10% |
Describe the design (experimental, correlational, causal
compartative, qualitative, or other--there are many!.
10% |
Describe the procedure--how will you do it? 5 % |
Prepare data tables 10% |
Describe the statistics used to analyze data.
10% |
3. Midterm and final examinations are both 20% of course grade.
Grading Scale: Plus and minus grades are applied as listed in the college catalog.
A--95-100%
A- 90-94
B+ 85-89
B--80- 84%
C--75-79%
C-70-74
D. 65-70
E <65
VII. Course Schedule (see attached)
VIII. Textbooks
IX. Bibliography
Behrens, J.,& Smith, M.L. (1996). Data and data analysis. In D. Berliner & R.C. Calfee (Eds.) Handbook of educational psychology. NY: Simon & Schuster Macmillan.
Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students' academic achievement:
A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 13 (1), 1-22.
Flood, J., Heath, S.B., & Lapp, D. (Eds.). (1997). Handbook of research on teaching
literacy through the communicative and visual arts. NY: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Glass, G.V., & Hopkins, K.D. (1996). Statistical methods in education and psychology (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Hambleton, R.K. (1996). Advances in assessment models, methods, and practices. In D. Berliner & R.C. Calfee (Eds.) Handbook of educational psychology. NY: Simon&Schuster Macmillan.
Jacobs, J.E., Finken, L.L., Griffin, N.L., & Wright, J.D. (1998). The career plans of science-talented rural adolescent girls. American Educational Research Journal, 35 (4), 681-704.
Jaeger, R.M. (1996). Quantitative research methods and design. In D. Berliner & R.C. Calfee (Eds.) Handbook of educational psychology. NY: Simon&Schuster Macmillan.
LeCompte, M.D., Millroy, W.L., & Preissle, J. (Eds.). (1991). The handbook of
qualitative research in education. NY: Macmillan Publishing Company
Lewis, A.E. (2001). There is no "race" in the schoolyard: Color-blind ideology in an (almost) all-White school. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 781-811.
Linn, R.L., & Gronlund, N.E. (1995). Measurement and assessment in teaching (7th
ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Merriam, S.B. (1988). Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Parsons, R.D.,& Brown, K.S. (2002). Teacher as reflective practitioner and action
researcher. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Pelligrini, A.D., & Bartini, M. (2000). A longitudinal study of bullying, victimization, and peer affiliation during the transition from primary school to middle school. American Educational Research Journal, 37(3), 699-725.
Purdie, N., Hattie, J.,& Carroll, A. (2002). A review of the research on interventions for
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: What works best? Review of Educational
Research, 72 (1), 61-99.
Spodek, B. (Ed.). (1993). Handbook of research on the education of young children.
NY: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Tuckman, B.W. (1988). Conducting educational research (3rd ed.). NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers.
Vierra, A., Pollock, J., & Golez, F. (1998). Reading educational research (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Williams, W.M. (2002). Teaching children real-world knowledge and reasoning. Developmental Review, 22, 151-161.
Williams, W.M., Blythe, T., White, N., Li, J., Gardner, H. & Sternberg, R.J. (2002). Practical intelligence for school: Developing metacognitive sources of achievement in adolescence. Developmental Review, 22, 162-210.
Wooley, J.D. & Boerger, E.A. (2002). Development of beliefs about the origins and controllability of dreams. Developmental Psychology, 38(1), 24-41.
Course Calendar
| Midterm Exam | Final Exam | Research Proposal |
| June 2 | June 15th | June 15th |
Reading will be assigned each day.