University of Maryland Baltimore County
Department of Education

RESEARCH DESIGNS IN EDUCATION
EDUC 771	Spring 2002 

Dr. Linda Oliva                   office: ACAD IV Room 429            phone - 410 455-2382     
e-mail – oliva@umbc.edu                                           Home Page - http://umbc7.umbc.edu/~oliva 

"To judge a thing that has substance and solid worth is quite easy, to comprehend it is much harder, and to blend judgment and comprehension in a definitive description is the hardest thing of all."
 G.W.F. Hegel, The Phenomenology of Spirit, Preface

Required Texts:
Charles, C.M. & Mertler, C. A. (2002).  Introduction to educational research (4th ed.).  Boston, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.

deMarrais, K. (1998). Inside stories: Qualitative research reflections.  New Jersey: Lawerence Erlbaum Assc.

Additional readings and web-based resources will be assigned in class.

Course Overview 
This course facilitates the skills needed to locate, evaluate, interpret, utilize, and conduct educational research.  A wide variety of methodologies and relevant issues in educational research are addressed.  The applications of research findings to diverse educational settings are explored. The course emphasizes the role of the practitioner/teacher as a valuable and active participant in the development of the best practices in the field.  
Course Activities 
This course is designed as a participatory seminar that is carried out in the classroom and in an on-line learning environment.  Course content is explored through discussions, reflective writing exercises, group exercises, reading assignments, student presentations, learning projects, and resources on the World Wide Web.  Students are encouraged to focus on research about the topics in education that are most relevant and applicable to them. 
Course Web Environment
We will carry out some of the learning activities on the course web environment hosted on BLACKBOARD Version 5.5.   To access course web environment go to http://blackboard.umbc.edu .  Student login instructions are available at http://www.umbc.edu/oit/NewMedia/blackboard/enteringbb.htm.  The Charles and Merzer text has a companion website available at http://www.ablongman.com/mertler4e  
Class Attendance
Attendance and participation in class activities are essential components of the learning process. Students are expected to fully attend every scheduled class. In the event of a missed class, it is the student's responsibility to obtain announcements and materials from classmates or the class web site. Since attendance is such an important part of this course, please do not miss a scheduled class without contacting me in advance.

Learning Outcomes: 
1.	Describe the interrelationship of educational research, theory, and practice.
2.	Identify and locate resources relevant to educational research.
3.	Compare the design and interpretation of various research methodologies.
4.	Evaluate the quality of research studies and findings.
5.	Describe the limitations and safeguards of educational research.
6.	Apply research findings to instructional design and teaching.
7.	Construct a comprehensive literature review on a specific topic.
8.	Construct a problem for investigation.

Course Requirements 
1.	Please read assigned materials in advance of scheduled class.
  
2.	Each class includes interactive tasks that optimize learning by promoting active and collaborative exploration of course materials. Groups will explore and address a particular study or task and present their conclusions and perspectives to the class.  These activities will be scored on a group basis.  Students may make up the points for the tasks of only ONE missed class.  It is the student’s responsibility to negotiate make-up activities and work is due ten days after the missed class.

3.	Five written asynchronous discussions on relevant topics will be hosted in the class on-line environment. Students must complete one main posting on each of these Discussion Boards that demonstrates their mastery of scheduled topics.  The main posting must be in-depth, well supported, substantiated by a strong reference beyond our course textbooks, and be the equivalent of at least two full typed pages of text. To get full credit for the online Discussion Board activities, students must also actively engage in a written dialogue as demonstrated by making at least two meaningful replies to classmates’ main postings.  Each Discussion Board has a particular content focus and some prompts for reflective writing.  Students are encouraged to construct postings that explore issues about the scheduled topic that are most relevant to their own research interests.

4.	The main product of this course is a comprehensive research review on a topic in education.  Based on this research review, each student will also either construct a research proposal for the topic or a research-based evaluation of a relevant product (see project description for complete details).

Grading Policy 
Grades are based on performance that is demonstrated by points earned in the following activities:
 
8 Learning Community Tasks– 3 points each	24 points	
5 On-line Discussion Board Tasks – 4 points each	20 points	
Literature Review and Proposal/Evaluation	56 points	
Total	100 points	
  
Grading Scale	A
90 - 100 pts.	B  
80 - 89pts.	C 
70 - 79 pts.	D 
60 - 69 pts.	F 
below 60 pts.	

Late Policy and Incompletes 
All work should be submitted by the due date. In the case of an emergency, students may request an extension prior to the due date.  The scores of assignments handed in late will most likely be reduced by at least 15%.   Students who have completed over 80% of class activities and are unable to complete course requirements due to extreme personal circumstances may submit a written request for an Incomplete.
Academic Integrity
I am strongly committed to upholding standards of academic integrity.  All class members assume responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC’s scholarly community in which academic work and behavior are held to the highest standard of honesty.  Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism or helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic misconduct and will result in disciplinary actions.  I look forward to participating in a course culture that reflects academic integrity and facilitates the best work from us all.  For further information or clarification please see the complete student academic conduct policy or contact me.

SCHEDULED ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARD ACTIVITIES 
DISCUSSION 
BOARD	TOPIC	AVAILABLE	POSTINGS DUE	RESPONSES DUE	SCORED BY	
#1	Quantitative Research	1/28	2/25	3/4	3/6	
#2	Qualitative Research	2/4	3/11	3/18	4/10	
#3	Statistics
Experimental Research	2/11	4/5	4/12	4/10	
#4	Evaluation	3/11	4/12	4/19	5/10	
#5	Ethics	3/11	4/24	5/3	5/10	

CLASSROOM MEETINGS 
Wednesday class: 7  - 9:30 p.m.   –  Section 8010
 Tuesday class: 7 - 9:30 p.m. – Section 0101

Session	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	Topic	Assigned Chapters in 
Charles and Mertler 	
1	1/29	1/30	Nature of Educational Research	Chapters 1 & 2	
2	2/5	2/6	Information Quest 
Literature/Research Review 
Observation	Chapters 3, 4, 5	
3	2/12	2/20	Quantitative Research	Chapters 7 & 12	
4	3/5	3/6	Qualitative Research
Proposal Writing	Chapters 6, 9, 10, 11
DeMarrais book 	
5	3/12	3/13	Learning Project Previews
Sign up for one time slot
7-8:15 p.m. or 8:15-9:30 p.m.		
6	4/2	4/3	Experimental Research
Descriptive and Inferential Statistics	Chapters 8 & 14
Appendix	
7	4/9	4/10	Evaluation Approaches	Chapter 13	
8	4/23	4/24	Role of Researcher
Ethics
Feedback Groups		
9	5/7	5/8	Poster Session