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EDUC 6699 Methods and Interpretation of Educational Research

College

College of Education

Section

KB79M

Term

2022FA

Class Time & Place

Synchronous 08/17-10/09 Zoom Mtgs 08/18, 09/01, 09/15, 09/29 from 5PM-10PM

Campus

Online

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to study current research methods, theories, procedures, and designs with an emphasis on critical thinking, assessment, ethics, and professional application. Included in this course will be the evaluation and interpretation of current research methods. The focus of this course is the development of the skills needed to both evaluate existing research and consider applications for professional practice.

Credits

3

Instructor

Christopher Faucett, Ed. D

Email Address

cfaucett@piedmont.edu

Office

Off Campus

Phone

770-789-7553 (cell)

Office Hours

Mondays 3:30-4:30 and by Appointment. Please text or email me if you have any questions and I can set up a time and place for us to meet.

 

Textbooks and Class materials

TEXT AND SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS:

Access to:

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, D. C.: Author.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the candidate will:

  1. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills to conduct educational research by (CLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22)
    1. Identifying research problems from current school settings
    2. Identifying and evaluating current research literature related to a research problem
    3. Formulating research questions
    4. Developing a research design
    5. Collecting and analyzing data
    6. Defining basic research terminology
    7. Interpreting results of educational research
    8. Identifying research variables
    9. Demonstrating a working knowledge of the research concepts of validity and reliability
  2. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to read educational research by (CLO 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22)
    1. Evaluating current educational research and determining the quality of research methodology and results
    2. Considering the results to current school settings
  3. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills to use educational research by (CLO 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 22)
    1. Applying appropriate research in order to improve educational practice
    2. Exhibiting an awareness of current educational trends
  4. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills to report educational research by (CLO 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 22)
    1. Utilizing the basic components of a research proposal
    2. Applying the APA style to writing a research proposal
    3. Defining appropriate audiences for research findings
    4. Selecting effective means to present findings to an audience defining effective ways to distribute findings to the educational community

 

Educational Technology Requirements

  • Online/Hybrid

    Minimum technology requirements for online and hybrid courses may be found at the following URL:  https://www.piedmont.edu/academics/technology-requirements/.

    Active, weekly participation is required as a minimum standard to register attendance in an online or hybrid course. Logging onto a course, in the absence of active participation, is not sufficient to register attendance.

Grading Scale

To promote fair and consistent assessments, the following grading guidelines will be applied on the total points:

A 100% to 90%
B less than 90% to 80%
C less than 80% to 70%
D less than 70% to 60%
F less than 60% to 0

Grading System

Grading System: (Out of 1000 points)

Module Discussions (16 x 12.5pts)= 200pts

Scholarly Article Critiques (2 x 50pts)= 100pts

Module Assignments= (5 x 50)= 250pts

Module Activities=100pts

Midterm: Annotated Bibliography= 150pts

Final: Research Proposal= 200pts

 

Total: 1000pts

Attendance

Attendance

Attendance, timeliness, and participation are required in each course and part of professional dispositions. Each candidate is expected to be regular and prompt in attendance. Every class should be attended in order to gain the most toward professional development. The only time a candidate should be absent from a class is if he or she has an illness, emergency, extenuating circumstance, or approved college absence. Contact the professor of the course in advance when possible. Keep in mind that tardiness or leaving class early is also considered a partial absence. 

 

Class Policies

Written Work:

Use APA style (7th ed.). All papers for the course are to be typed using size 12 print and one of the following fonts: Bookman, Times New Roman, or Geneva. Papers should be double-spaced, error-free, and grammatically correct (including punctuation, spelling, capitalization, etc.). Make good use of writing references such as dictionaries, writing handbooks, and computer spelling and grammar checks.

Quality is important! Work submitted should reflect your professionalism and graduate level work. Name each document: your name, course number and section.  Your writings and reflections will be assessed according to the depth, breadth, clarity, and accuracy they convey. You must keep a duplicate copy of all assignments for your records.

Make-up Policy

Late and make-up work is allowed in limited, emergency situations with advance approval by the instructor.

Course Outline/Schedule

Check the Assignments Tab for details and due dates.  Most due dates are on Sunday evening at 11:58 pm with a few exceptions for discussions and your final research proposal.

Course Outline

Module

What’s Due

Module One- Foundations of Research Thinking

08/17-08/21

ZOOM: 08/18 @ 5:00 PM

Module One Discussion: Mapping Your Education Interests

Module One Activity: Research & Writing Support

Module Two- Developing a Research Topic

08/17-08/21

Module Two Discussion: Exploring Research Topics

Module Three- Developing Research Questions

08/22-08/28

Module Three Discussion: Refining Your Potential Research Topics

Module Three Assignment: Scholarly Article Critique #1

Module Four- Writing the Introduction

08/22-08/28

Module Four Discussion: Anatomy of an Introduction

Module Five- Writing the Rationale

08/29-09/04

ZOOM: 08/31 @ 5:00 PM

Module Five Discussion: Rational Rationales

Module Five Assignment: Research Proposal Introduction

Module Six- Researching Your Topic

08/29-09/04

Module Six Discussion- Share an Interesting Article

Module Six Assignment: 15 Scholarly Sources

Module Seven- Developing an Annotated Bibliography

09/05-09/11

Module Seven Discussion: Biggest Challenge

Module Seven Midterm: Annotated Bibliography

Module Eight- Institutional Review Boards

09/05-09/11

Module Eight Discussion: Historical Research Abuses

Module Eight Activity: IRB Training

Module Nine- Continuing the Research

09/12-09/18

ZOOM: 09/14 @ 5:00 PM

Module Nine Discussion: Share an Interesting Article

Module Nine Assignment: Annotated Bibliography Revision

Module Ten- Crafting the Literature Review

09/12-09/18

Module Ten Discussion: Topical Headings Organization

Module Eleven- Literature Review Draft

09/19-09/25

Module Eleven Discussion: Preventing Burnout

Module Eleven Assignment: Literature Review Rough Draft

Module Twelve- Putting It All Together

09/19-09/25

Module Twelve Discussion: TBD

Module Thirteen- The Peer Review Process

09/26-10/02

ZOOM: 09/28 @ 5:00 PM

Module Thirteen Discussion: Offering Peer Support

Module Thirteen Activity: Peer Reviews

Module Fourteen- Proposal Preparations

09/26-10/02

Module Fourteen Discussion: Death by PowerPoint

Module Fifteen- Final Research Proposal

10/03-10/05

Module Fifteen Discussion: Final Research Presentation

Module Fifteen Assignment: Final Research Proposal

 

Social Justice Statement

College of Education Social Justice Statement:

"All are welcome as we strive to learn together, regardless of ability status, affectional orientation, age, color, ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, nationality, political ideology, race, religious beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, spiritual beliefs, socioeconomic status, or veteran status. It is important that professors and students all strive to maintain an environment (online and in-person) in which all individuals receive respect, acceptance, positive regard, and the opportunity to safely develop and exchange ideas. We must acknowledge diverse world views and celebrate our rich differences. As educators, our ability to respect, support, and celebrate our differences has a profound impact on our daily interactions with our students and our classrooms. To support a safe and welcoming environment in our classrooms, Piedmont University College of Education professors will seek to promote fairness, empowerment, and advocacy for each student."

 

Piedmont Policies

Non-Discrimination Policy: It is the policy of Piedmont University not to discriminate in its educational programs, activities, or employment on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, race, age, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Piedmont University adheres to the federal definition of a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. For the purposes of this definition, an instructional hour equates to direct instruction of 750 minutes for each credit hour awarded. The standard expectation for direct instruction classes is that students will spend a minimum of two hours outside the classroom for each hour spent in class, which is, 1500 minutes per credit hour awarded. Courses that are offered on a schedule other than the full 15-week semester contain the same number of hours as if the course were scheduled for a full semester. No reduction in direct instruction time or work time outside of class is permitted for courses offered in accelerated terms.

The Learning Center exists to help our students reach their various academic goals. The Learning Center offers academic support in all areas, including accounting, foreign languages, math, science, writing, and more. All tutors have excelled in the subjects that they help support and tutors are trained in the art of tutoring. Tutoring sessions and athletes in the Study Hall are monitored to provide the individualized attention our students need to achieve their personal best. We offer support by appointment in Starfish and walk-in availability is provided on a first come first served basis. For more information, please contact Oliver Howington ohowington@piedmont.edu or call 706-778-8500, ext. 1176 or visit: https://www.piedmont.edu/learning-center.

Piedmont University strives to make learning experiences accessible to all participants and will provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If you experience difficulties, based on the impact of a disability or health condition, please contact the Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS) to initiate a conversation with our Director of Compliance, Equity, and Inclusion, Courtney Snow, about your options. Please know that accommodations are not retroactive, so avoid any delays. Contact Courtney Snow. at csnow@piedmont.edu or 706-778-8500, ext. 1504, or visit Daniel 303 Suite D. To request accommodations (academic, dietary, housing, or emotional support animals) please click the link below and use your Piedmont email and password: https://piedmont-accommodate.symplicity.com/public_accommodation/. If you are already receiving accommodations and need to update your memo or information, please click the link below and use your Piedmont email and password: https://piedmont-accommodate.symplicity.com/students

Statement on Academic Integrity: Students must be familiar with the university academic integrity policy. Plagiarism and other violations of this policy will not be tolerated. Instructors must send any academic integrity concerns directly to the dean who is responsible for the discipline in which the course is taught. See catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/ for complete policy.

Directives on Completion of Student Work: Course activities designated as quizzes, tests and exams are always to be completed by a student individually and without assistance from other people or resources UNLESS permission for collaboration or the use of external resources is explicitly permitted by the course professor(s). Hence all quizzes, tests and exams are to be considered closed-book/closed-notes and closed-internet (e.g., Google searches). Artificial intelligence apps are also banned on quizzes, tests and exams unless explicitly permitted by the course professor(s).

Student Email Policy: All Piedmont University students are required to use their Piedmont Lions email account (see Catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/ for complete policy). Since the Lions account is an official communications channel of the university, students are responsible for all information distributed to them through their account. Students are expected to check it daily.

Withdrawal Policy: Within the first several days of a term, students may add and drop courses with the permission of their advisor. The ranges for drop/add vary depending on the term (Fall, Spring, or Summer) and duration of the class (8 week or 15 week). Students should check the academic calendar for specific information. After this time, students may withdraw from a class. Please refer to the university catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/ for the particulars regarding the withdrawal policy.

Excused Absence Policy: Student absences for university-sanctioned events are generally considered excused absences because they are supportive of the university program. However, there are exceptions to the policy as noted in the University catalog. When absences are excused, instructors must allow students to make up any work that has been missed. Students are responsible for notifying their instructors, in advance, about absences from class due to participation in university-sanctioned events. See full policy in the University catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/.

Starfish®: We Care About Your Success! We have partnered with Starfish Retention Solution, creating a platform for communication and resources focused on supporting your efforts throughout your educational journey. During the semester you may receive emails or texts from Starfish® regarding your course grades or academic performance. Please pay attention to these communications and consider taking the recommended actions. They are sent to help you be successful. In addition, your instructor may: (1) request that you schedule an appointment by going to Starfish, or (2) recommend that you contact a specific campus resource, such as tutoring or counseling. You may also be contacted directly by one of these services. You can quickly connect to many resources using Starfish. We hope you will choose to use the tool to support your success. You may access Starfish at https://piedmont.starfishsolutions.com/starfish-ops/support/login.html?tenantId=9379.

Piedmont University Library is dedicated to the success of our on- and off-campus students. The Library's website (https://library.piedmont.edu/home) offers the fastest, simplest solution to finding the authoritative sources you need: journal citations and full-text articles, access to books and eBooks, study guides, encyclopedias, streaming video, and more. Overwhelmed? Need help navigating? No problem: speedy assistance is available via chat or email with the Ask a Librarian service.

Additional Information

The Learning Center exists to help our students reach their various academic goals. The Learning Center offers academic support in all areas, including accounting, foreign languages, math, science, and writing. Our tutors are selected by department chairs, trained in the art of tutoring, and monitored to provide the individualized attention our students need to achieve their personal best. We offer by-appointment or walk-in hours during both working and after-business hours. For more information, please visit: https://www.piedmont.edu/learning-center or call 706-778-8500, ext. 1503 (Demorest) or 706-543-6973 (Athens). Accessibility and Accommodations: It is the College’s goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. Should you choose to disclose a disability, contact your professor and the Office of Accessibility, Resources and Services (OARS) so that possible accommodations can be discussed. Accommodations are designed to minimize the impact of a disability and ensure access to programs for all students with disabilities. Piedmont College, professors and staff make every effort to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations. The Coordinator of OARS can be reached at OARS@piedmont.edu or 706-7788500, ext. 1504.
 
Statement on Academic Integrity: Students must be familiar with the College Academic Integrity Policy. Plagiarism, the intentional or unintentional use of another’s words or ideas as one’s own, will not be tolerated. Instructors must send any Academic Integrity concerns directly to the dean who is responsible for the discipline in which the course is taught. See Catalog at https://www.piedmont.edu/catalog for complete policy.
 
Student Email Policy: All Piedmont College students are required to use their Piedmont Lions email account (see Catalog at https://www.piedmont.edu/catalog for complete policy). Since the Lions account is the official communications channel of the College, students are responsible for all information distributed to them through their account. Students are expected to check it daily.
 
Withdrawal Policy: Within the first several days of a term, students may add and drop courses with the permission of their advisor. The ranges for drop/add vary depending on the term (Fall, Spring, or Summer) and duration of the class (8 weeks or 16 weeks). Students should check the academic calendar for specific information. After this time, students may withdraw from a class. Please refer to the College Catalog at https://www.piedmont.edu/catalog for the particulars regarding the withdrawal policy.
 
Excused Absence Policy: Student absences for College-sanctioned events are excused absences (with the exception of clinicals). Since College-sanctioned events are considered to be supportive of the College program, instructors must allow students to make up work that has been missed. Students are responsible for notifying their instructors, in advance, about College-sanctioned events.
 
Starfish®: We Care About Your Success! We have partnered with Starfish Retention Solution, creating a platform for communication and resources focused on supporting your efforts throughout your educational journey. During the semester you may receive emails or texts from Starfish® regarding your course grades or academic performance. Please pay attention to these communications and consider taking the recommended actions. They are sent to help you be successful! In addition, your instructor may: (1) request that you schedule an appointment by going to Starfish, or (2) recommend that you contact a specific campus resource, such as tutoring or counseling. You may also be contacted directly by one of these services. You can quickly connect to many resources using Starfish. We hope you will choose to use the tool to support your success. We will be!
 
Piedmont College Library is dedicated to student success both on- and off-campus. The Library's website (library.piedmont.edu) offers the fastest, simplest solution to finding the authoritative sources you need. In addition to our online catalog, you will find valuable resources for every subject and discipline: journal citations and full-text articles, books and ebooks, study guides, encyclopedias, streaming video, and more. Overwhelmed? Need help navigating? No problem: reference assistance is available via chat or email.