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=Faculty of Education= **Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies ****3 Summers 2010-12 Cohort ** **Methods in Educational Research ****ED-D 561A (A02) (1.5 units) CRN 31374 ** Summer 2011Thursday and Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm, July 28, 29 and Aug 4, 5, 11, 12 MacLaurin Building, D110
 * = **University of Victoria **



Instructor: Todd Milford Office: Mac A526 Office Hours: to be determined in class and/or by appointment Phone:(250) 514 2154 E-mail: tmilford@uvic.ca ||

Calendar Description
==== An introduction to quantitative and qualitative research designs, the research process, the selection and design of data collection instruments and methods, writing and reporting findings, and systematically evaluating and critiquing the quality of research studies. This course is useful for students preparing to conduct thesis research as well as students who wish to become better readers and consumers of research. ====

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====Educational research is a major activity, particularly in faculties of education in Canadian universities. The resources committed to education are substantial and research can be considered to be a means of improving the use of these resources to enhance the overall effectiveness and quality of education. Educational research is not an activity that can be described in simple terms because it is conducted in a vast number of areas by a large number of practitioners and it has multiple forms. This course will attempt to survey the major elements of educational research in order to provide you with an understanding of the complexity of the field and to help you draw upon research resources you require for conducting your own research into education in order to complete your graduate degree. ====

The major purpose of the course is to introduce you to the broad field of educational research so that you can:

 * ====Critically evaluate the research conducted by others ====
 * ====Develop plans for and conduct research of your own ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify methodological issues & practices that are relevant to a given research situation ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Locate and understand relevant information. ====

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Topics covered in this course include: **

 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Introduction to research and research traditions ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Defining the research problem, reviewing the literature, annotated bibliography ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Conducting Library searches for empirical studies ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Reporting and evaluating research (proposals, literature reviews and reports) ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">racking readings in an annotated bibliography (RefWorks) ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Collecting & Analyzing Quantitative Data (sampling & instrumentation) ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Collecting & Analyzing Qualitative data (sampling & instrumentation) ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Validity, reliability, rigor & credibility ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Writing strategies ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Research ethics ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Quantitative and Qualitative designs ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Mixed method Designs ====

**<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Text/Reading List **
====<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Mertler, C. A., & Charles, C. M. (2011). //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Introduction to Educational Research //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">(with MyEducation Lab), 7/E. Columbus, Ohio: <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Allyn & Bacon/Merrill. ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Ercikan, K. & Roth, W-M. (2006). What good is polarizing research into qualitative and quantitative. //Educational Researcher//, 35(5), pp 14-23. (will be provided by instructor) ====

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Research and research traditions <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• The nature and rules of research || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapter 1 ** ||  || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Specifying a research purpose <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Reviewing the literature || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 1 and 2 ** ||  || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Validity, reliability, rigor & credibility || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapter 3 ** ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Library room 209 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Laurie Jones || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Literature searches <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• RefWorks <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Find articles for critique <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Start RefWorks folder for this class <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Find 3 articles on your research design || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 4 and 5 **
 * Sch****edule:**
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">July 28 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Introductions ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Course
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">July 28 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Types of Research ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Defining the research problem
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">July 29 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Framing the Research ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Research Skills
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">July 29 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Library workshop **

||  || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Analysis and Presentation || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 6 and 7 ** ||   || <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Critique of qualitative or quantitative article || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Experimental <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Mixed Methods || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 12, 13 and 14 ** ||  || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Tri <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">‐ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">council ethics <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Research Ethics (Uvic Documents) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Final Assignment check in with Todd || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Dr Roy Graham co-chair of Research Ethics UVic **
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 4 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Conducting Research ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Data Gathering
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 4 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Conducting Research ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Design and Preparation of a Research Project || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 8 and 9 ** ||  ||
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 5 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Collecting, Analyzing & Interpreting Qualitative Data ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Qualitative and Survey Research || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 10 and 11 ** ||  ||
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 5 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Collecting, Analyzing & Interpreting Qualitative Data ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Qualitative and Survey Research || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Chapters 10 and 11 ** || <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">10 marks
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 11 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Collecting, Analyzing & Interpreting Quantitative Data ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• Non-experimental
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 11 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Research Ethics ** || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">• UVic ethics

Please read the intro of [|TCPS 2] ||  ||
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug 12 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Design Presentations & Potluck Lunch ** ||  ||   || <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Presentation

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;"> 10 marks ||
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Aug **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">12 ** || **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Design Presentations & Conclusion ** ||  ||   || <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Presentation

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;"> 10 marks || You may choose from the following to create an assignment structure for yourself. Critique (10 marks) + Research Design Presentation (10 marks) + your choice of final activities (30 marks). The **total must equal 50**. Please discuss your selection with your supervisor and myself so we can select a structure that is best suited to your research goals and progress in your program. By the second week of class you must have a list of your choice of assignments and selected due dates. Once assignments and due dates are contracted between you and I, they are fixed. Late assignments may be penalized a letter grade (e.g. B+ from A‐) per day. Proper use of APA headings, writing style, referencing and citations is required. In addition to reviewing the APAmanual, please consult the UVic information on plagiarism [].
 * Assignments **

10 marks Critique of qualitative article or quantitative article 10 marks Class presentation on a research design + class handout (collaborative)
 * Assignment Structure (must total 50) **
 * // PLUS //**

30 marks Literature review (Chapter 2) + draft or elaborated outline, or 30 marks Research proposal + draft or elaborated outline, or 30 marks Annotated bibliography in RefWorks (with own commentary), or
 * // CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING //**

Any **__three__**of the following: (10 marks each) Human Research Ethics proposal Position paper discussing an issue in educational research Design, pilot and revise data collection instrument Summary and Critique of an M.A. thesis or M.Ed. Project Critique of a qualitative or quantitative article Poster presentation of a research study Other (to be negotiated with instructor)
 * Total = 50 **

July 28th, 2011 July 29th, 2011
 * Class notes, readings and activities can be found on different wiki pages associated with each day. Links are below. **