Course Description

This course introduces you to key concepts and practices in the research process. The concepts, practices, and hands-on experience related to research are discussed and applied within a context of applied research. This context is broken out into two major areas: (1) learning the basics: Establishing a framework, exploring the literature, and learning about methods, and (2) exploring and applying the research: Collecting and analyzing the literature, interpreting and applying the results. We will explore different aspects of the research experience during the term as we focus on the overall research process. Throughout the course, you will participate in Research Design Activities (RDAs) for you to learn how to critically examine real world research. Our primary goal is to explore how to do and apply research in a variety of contexts to meet multiple purposes.

The philosophical foundation of the course is that there is not one method for research, but rather techniques that work better for a particular situation. As such, we will discuss the research process in the larger context of problem-solving. The overall goal is not to become an expert researcher, but to become more of an expert in the research process and a critical consumer of educational research. We feel that knowledge of the research process, working in concert with tools and skills determined necessary for a given framework in a particular context, will enable you to accomplish this goal.

This is an online class. A variety of synchronous (in real time) and asynchronous technologies (not in real time; e.g. email) will be used to teach this class. Of these, two deserve special notice: 1) Horizon Wimba - a virtual classroom which permits synchronous sessions and interactions between the instructor and students with 2-way Internet audio; and 2) Pre-recorded "Impatica" presentations of course content. (Click here for more information about the Horizon Wimba classroom; more information about the pre-recorded Impatica presentations is below.)

All academic work must meet the standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty". Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any academic work. The link to more detailed information about academic honesty can be found at: http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/culture_honesty.htm

Please note that this course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.

This course follows the regulations outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Call UGA Disability Services at (706) 542-8719 (voice) or (706) 542-8778 (TDD only) for information about architectural access and to arrange for sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, large print, audio, or Braille. Students requiring special accommodation should talk to the instructor(s) before or after the class period, or by scheduling an appointment.

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Practical research: Planning and design (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Course Goal

Participants in the course will become intelligent consumers and proficient users of research. Participants will investigate a variety of research studies using various methods (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods), with the objective of being able to analyze and apply research in everyday contexts.

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, each participant will be able to:

• Review and provide constructive criticism of the research studies of others;
• Demonstrate the information literacy and technology skills necessary to locate, gather, and synthesize information relevant to an original research project; and
• Apply the research findings to an everyday problem as demonstrated in the creation of a product.

Course Procedures

There are both synchronous and asynchronous aspects to this course. The primary course content is delivered asynchronously in two ways - textbook readings and pre-recorded presentations. One of the most important tools to access these resources is a special web site that has been created for you containing a Learning Plan for the course. This learning plan lists all course activities, along with due dates, in the general order in which they should be completed. A user account has been created for you. Your username is constructed as "first_last", and your password is the last 4 digits of your UGA Card Number (not your social security number). Think of your learning plan as your "headquarters" for completing the course.

We will meet at our assigned time online in a "virtual" live classroom (described more below). Prior to each live class each participant needs to:

1. Read the assigned chapter/s in the Leedy & Ormrod textbook and any other assigned readings, and then...
2. View a pre-recorded "Impatica" presentation of the assigned chapter/s.
3. Read, view, or listen to any other assigned class resource (e.g. other readings, podcasts, etc.)

These pre-recorded presentations are designed and narrated by the instructor. The average length of the pre-recorded presentations is about 45 minutes. (These presentations have been produced with a commercial tool called "Impatica", hence the naming convention.) These presentations will work on both Windows and Macintosh computers. The main technical requirement is that you must have an Internet browser that is "java enabled". All of these chapter presentations can be found on the course learning plan. These required "readings, viewings, and listenings " need to be completed with care prior to the respective scheduled class - again, they are your main means for acquiring the course content.

For each class meeting, all participants will then meet online in the Horizon Wimba Virtual Classroom at our assigned time. Reading the assigned chapters, articles, etc., and viewing the pre-recorded Impatica presentations are crucial to having a successful experience in each scheduled synchronous class meeting. The instructor will prepare a special interactive session based on the assumption that all participants are fully prepared. If you do not "read and view" the material ahead of time, you will likely be confused and disoriented.

Each class is scheduled from 4:40-7:40 pm, however, for simplicity we will begin each class promptly at 5:00 pm, so please log onto the UGA Horizon Wimba server about 15 minutes prior to this time to ensure you are all ready to go. Each class will begin with brief class updates and time for questions and answers. The instructor will then conduct an interactive session on the topic scheduled for that day. The purpose of the interactive session is to explore general themes and difficult concepts of the weekly topic. Again, it is VERY important that all participants come to class having read the respective book chapter/s thoroughly (and any other assigned readings) AND having viewed the pre-recorded Impatica presentation/s.

An advantage of using the pre-recorded presentations is that a significant part of the scheduled class time will be yours to organize and use as you wish. During the first half of the course, this remaining class time is an excellent time to work on Research Design Activities (RDAs), provide feedback to your design buddy's RDA, or, if you are doing the course project with a partner, to meet with your partner to discuss or work on the course project. During the second half of the course, this time should be used to work on the required research project.

I recommend you discipline yourself to work at least until 7:40 pm each class, even though the formal part of the class will almost always end much earlier.

Student Support for Horizon Wimba

UGA provides special support to students enrolled in classes that use the Horizon Wimba classroom. Students may get assistance by e-mailing hlive@uga.edu or calling Student Technology Support (STS) at 706-542-3333. The STS help desk is open from 9am-10pm Monday through Thursday, 9am-5pm Friday, and 1-7pm Saturday and Sunday.

Course requirements/evaluation

An evaluation rubric is provided for your reference, so you will know how you will be evaluated in this course.

Grading Scale

Attendance/Participation (individual): Everyone is expected to attend each online class and be punctual (I will keep a record of attendance). A variety of in-class activities are planned. Many of these activities are group-based, so come prepared to interact. We will use many different online technologies to accomplish this, including the group discussion tools in WebCT and Horizon Wimba. In many settings, educational research is a team effort. This requires an understanding of group dynamics and interpersonal communication. Finally, realize that if you are absent, even for valid reasons, you are still responsible for the material and assignments discussed in each and every class (the plan is to record each live class).

Informal Activity - SDC - Systematic Data Collection (individual): Purpose: To experience first-hand what it feels like to do collect data systematically on a topic of the participant's choice; To reflect on the role and value of research data to inform one's thinking or decision-making in practice.

As the name suggests, this is meant as an informal, fun assignment to gain some experience of what it feels like to actually do research on a topic of personal interest to you. Your task is to identify a subject or topic on which you have genuine curiosity and then collect data systematically on it. All you have to submit to get credit for this assignment is a brief written report in which you describe the topic you chose (25 words), how you went about collecting data systematically (100 words), what you found (100 words), and a reflection of what you learned doing this activity (100 words). (If you choose to collect data on yourself, a family member, or any other person, be careful in not disclosing personal information in your reflection given that this reflection will be posted on the Internet.) You will give a brief 5 minute oral report about your experience during class.

We will brainstorm possible topics during class, but here are just a few to get you thinking:

• Personal Finance: Keep track of every penny spent for a month;
• Health: Begin an exercise program and chart your progress (Note: You should consult a physician before beginning any exercise program);
• Health: Keep track of everything you consume for a week;
• Gardening: Plant some flowers from seed and chart their progress as they grow;
• Nature: Take detailed observations on the birds visiting your home;
• Nature: Chart the times of the rising and setting of the sun, or the shadow cast by the sun at a certain time of day, and look for relationships to the weather, birds, flowers, your moods, or the behaviors of family members or pets.
• Pets: Begin a training program and chart your pet's progress:
• Sport: Record data on a sporting event, either one you enjoy to watch or one you participate in regularly.

Research Design Activities (individual): Purpose: To give each participant the opportunity to individually learn and implement the particular research design skill being introduced and discussed at that time; each RDA is focused on helping everyone understand equally the particular skill and process highlighted in the RDA.

RDAs are designed to enhance, extend, and support course content. These are completed individually and are meant to give you some initial practice in each of the major themes of the course. Feedback will be provided first by Design Buddies (selected no later than the second session of the class), then the instructor. You can revise these based on your buddy's feedback, at which time the instructor will evaluate them. These activities are meant to be "low stress", so if you find yourself sweating over them, you are missing the point! The purpose of each RDA is to give you some quick, initial practice applying the respective design skill. If you do not complete a specific RDA appropriately, you will have one opportunity to resubmit based on the instructor feedback.

Though you are under no obligation to do so, it is perfectly acceptable to refine any or all of the RDAs to make them part of the Research Project due at the end of the course. Your team is therefore wise to identify your project topic early on in order for you to use the RDAs as the first step in your project.

A special RDA online workspace has been created exclusively for this class and can be accessed from the course learning plan. When you have finished your first draft of an RDA, your buddy will be notified via email and an automated notice appearing on his/her course learning plan that you are ready for feedback. Everyone is expected to review their buddy's RDA and provide feedback by the due dates listed on the course learning plan. You then have the option of revising your RDA based on your buddy's feedback. The instructor will then review every RDA (and the respective buddy feedback) and provide feedback. All RDA work and feedback will be generated, stored, and viewed online. All RDAs will be shared with the entire class (though names will be removed).

A total of four RDAs are planned based on the following topics:

• Identifying a research problem and writing a problem statement;
• Writing a literature critique;
• Conducting a review of the literature;
• Developing a proposal to: 1) Conduct research; or 2) Do development based on and supported by existing research.

Research Design Project (individual or in pairs): Purpose: To apply research to study, solve, or improve an educational problem.

Individually, or in teams consisting of no more than two people, you will complete a Research Project in which you apply research. We will use a real-world analogy for the preparation of this project, that of persuading some administrative, governing, or funding group to take action in the form of approving your project idea. Using that analogy, imagine that a short, allotted time has been given to you by this group. Your project will consist of two elements:

• A 2-page executive summary (1 inch margins, 12-point font, single-spaced within paragraphs, double-spaced between paragraphs;
• Presentation lasting absolutely no longer than 12 minutes.

Both elements need to describe or address the following: 1) Problem area or topic; 2) Review of the related literature; 3) Design of an approach you are taking to study, solve, or improve an educational problem.

The approach you are taking to solve or improve the problem can take one of two forms: An original research study that proposes to collect new data on the topic; or a development project that proposes to build or produce something on the topic with a design based on existing research.

Course Schedule
This schedule is subject to change throughout the semester - the web page containing the course learning plan will reflect any changes or updates.

Closing comments and cautions

This course, due to its strong application orientation, is highly activity-based. In completing the research design project, it is important that individuals or pairs identify their problem area early and pace their work appropriately. The research design project consists of many phases which build one upon the other. Individuals or pairs who wait until late in the course to begin may experience "log jams" and may find it difficult to complete the project with high quality, thus risking a lower grade and, more importantly, less professional gain. Often, participants enter a course thinking that they can always take an "incomplete" if they decide they will not complete the course requirements on time. Keep in mind that I follow the university guidelines regarding an incomplete grade which reserve this for unforeseen circumstances or emergencies, not merely a failure to complete the work on time. I am confident that those who heed this warning will be able to complete the course with sufficient time to produce a high quality product while gaining personal and professional satisfaction.

Acknowledgements

This syllabus and the design of the course is adapted from courses taught by Dr. Janette Hill and Dr. Mary Ann Fitzgerald. I thank them very much for graciously offering their materials and expertise in the development of this course. I also acknowledge the efforts of Dr. Thomas Reeves -- his teaching of this course greatly informed the design and structure used by Dr. Hill and Dr. Fitzgerald. Finally, thanks also go to Dr. Michael Orey for sharing his ideas and experiences related to teaching this course.