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= University of Victoria Faculty of Education = = **Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies** = = **Mid-Island 2010-12 Cohort** = = = = **Methods in Educational Research** = = **ED-D 561A (1.5 units)** =

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. - 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 practioners 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
 * Identify methodological issues & practices that are relevant to a given research situation
 * Locate and understand relevant information.
 * Topics covered in this course include:**
 * Introduction to research and research traditions
 * Defining the research problem, reviewing the literature, annotated bibliography
 * Conducting Library searches for empirical studies
 * Reporting and evaluating research (proposals, literature reviews and reports)
 * racking readings in an annotated bibliography (RefWorks)
 * Collecting & Analyzing Quantitative Data (sampling & instrumentation)
 * Collecting & Analyzing Qualitative data (sampling & instrumentation)
 * Validity, reliability, rigor & credibility
 * Writing strategies
 * Research ethics
 * Quantitative and Qualitative designs
 * Mixed method Designs

Mertler, C. A., & Charles, C. M. (2009). //Introduction to Educational Research 7e//. Columbus, Ohio: Allyn & Bacon/Merrill. Ercikan, K. & Roth, W-M. (2006). What good is polarizing research into qualitative and quantitative. Educational Researcher, 35(5), pp 14-23 (link)
 * Text/Reading List **

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 http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/Plagiarism.html.
 * 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  10 marks Any **__three__** of the following: Annotated bibliography in RefWorks (with own commentary) 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)
 * // CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING //**
 * Total = 50 **

**April 16th** **April 17th** **April 30th** **May 1st** **May 14th** **May 15th**
 * Class notes, readings and activities can be found on different wiki pages associated with each day. **