Argosy UniversityCOURSE SYLLABUS

R7038Action Research

Faculty InformationFaculty Name: Lynn Manning, Ed.D.Campus: ChicagoContact Information: (815) 370-6280 or (708) 755-7010 extension 1125

lmanning@sd206.orgOffice Hours: By appointmentShort Faculty Bio: Manning is the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Bloom Township High School District

206 in Chicago Heights, IL. Her responsibilities include coordinating the academic program for the district, monitoring the development and implementation of the district improvement plan, facilitating all professional development, managing district accountability with the State Board, and supervising the hiring, certification, and appraisal of all personnel. She has been a high school principal, assistant principal, division coordinator and teacher of reading and English. Manning has been an adjunct professor in the Masters in Educational Leadership for Concordia University and Olivet Nazarene University, teaching courses in instructional leadership and supervision, the evaluation and change process, and has served as university supervisor of administrative interns. Manning is a long standing member of the Secondary Education Advisory Council for Governors State University. She earned a BS in Education from Northern Illinois University, a MS in Education from Purdue University and an Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University.

Course description: The course advances the proposition that the action research approach is a useful paradigm in the field and worthwhile model for dissertation work. Historical, philosophical and theoretical foundations will be discussed, but practical application will be the primary focus simultaneously with learning. This is consistent with an action research approach. Collaboration and group work is also a hallmark of action research so students will demonstrate their abilities to design, diagnose, plan, implement, observe, and reflect in cooperation with classmates. The various roles and skills necessary to be an effective action researcher will be discussed, as well as important issues related to empowerment, contextualization, ethical considerations, and validity.

Course Pre-requisites: None

Required Textbook:

Caghlan, D., & Brannick, T. (2005). Doing action research in your own organization. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 1412902479

Herr, K. & Anderson, G. (2005). The research dissertation: A guide for students and faculty. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 0761929916

Publication manual of the American psychological association. (2001). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN: 1-55798-971-2

Recommended Texts:For all students:

Stringer, E.T. (1996). Action Research: A Handbook for Practitioners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Stringer, E.T. (1999). Action Research (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

For Business students:Adler, N., Shani, A.B., & Styhre, A. (2003). Collaborative Research in Organizations:Foundations for Learning, Change, and Theoretical Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

For Education students:Stringer, E.T. (2004). Action Research in Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

For Behavioral Sciences students:Stringer, E.T. & Dwyer, R. (2005). Action Research in Human Services. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Writing Textbooks:

American Psychological Association (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th Ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN: 1557987904

Strunk, W. Jr. (2000). The Elements of Style (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 020530902x

E-Journals, Organizations, and Resources on the Web

http://www.triangle.co.uk/ear/

http://arj.sagepub.com/

http://arexpeditions.montana.edu/docs/about.html

http://www.nipissingu.ca/oar/

http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/jare.html

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/ari/ari-papers.html

http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,5-40528-70-35707890-0,00.html

http://www.emtech.net/actionresearch.htm

http://www.parnet.org/

http://www.did.stu.mmu.ac.uk/carn/pubs.shtml

http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/intradoc-cgi/idc_cgi_isapi.dll?IdcService=GET_DOC_PAGE&Action=GetTemplatePage&Page=CS_PUBLICATIONS

Webliography

US Federal Government and links to State and Localwww.firstgov.gov

The New Teacher's Guide to the U.S. Department of Educationhttp://www.ed.gov/pubs/TeachersGuide

ERICwww.eric.ed.gov

Practical Teaching Ideaswww.ncte.org/teach

Education Resources

www.educationindex.com/educator

Action Research for Information Technologyhttp://www.qual.auckland.ac.nz/action.htm

Action Research Electronic Readerhttp://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arr/arow/default.html

An Action-Research Approach to Evaluation Capacity Buildinghttp://danr.ucop.edu/eee-aea/AEA_duttweiler.html

Empowerment Evaluation: Collaboration, Action Research, and a Case Examplehttp://www.eldis.org/static/DOC6861.htm

Kurt Lewin: Groups, experiential learning and action researchhttp://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lewin.htm

Areol, Action Research and EvaluationOn Line, as a web-based programhttp://www.uq.net.au/action_research/areol/areolind.html

School Renewal through Action Researchhttp://www.schoolrenewal.org/strategies/i-research-cc.html

University of Strathclyde’s Graduate School of Businesshttp://www.gsb.strath.ac.uk/worldclass/research/showtopic.asp?bhjs=1&bhsw=1024&bhsh=768&bhswi=1003&bhshi=575&bhflver=5&bhdir=0&bhje=1&bhcold=32&bhrl=-1&bhqt=-1&bhmp=-1&bhab=-1&bhmpex=&bhflex=&bhdirex=&bhcont=lan&topicid=6&thesection=&subsection=Action+Research

WEB Links To Participatory Action Research Sites:

An action-research resource for both students and practitionershttp://www.goshen.edu/soan/soan96p.htm

Action Research Electronic Reader: Business as Usual or Action Research in Practice?http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arr/arow/rwortley.html

National Staff Development Councilhttp://www.nsdc.org/standards/evaluation.cfm

Periodicals

There are several periodicals dedicated to Action Research hard copy as well as online. However, if you look at your textbooks, articles on the subject emerge from a wide variety of sources: nursing journals, organizational behavior and management periodicals, leadership and strategic planning, and a host of others across many disciplines. Besides the primary journals noted below, please search your profession’s library for additional information.

http://arj.sagepub.com/

http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/jare.html

http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/intradoc-cgi/idc_cgi_isapi.dll?IdcService=GET_DOC_PAGE&Action=GetTemplatePage&Page=CS_PUBLICATIONS

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows XP; 128MB RAM, printer; Microsoft Office 2000 or XP, Acrobat (full version), Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 (PC) 5.0 (MAC) or Netscape Navigator 8, and Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 7.5 weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Program Outcomes:1. Research

1.1. Performing – Design, conduct, and justify applied research in a business context using appropriate methodology1.2. Understanding – Evaluate and apply existing theory and research to current business practice

2. Communication2.1. Oral – Present orally, complex business information that is concise, clear, organized, and well supported in a professional manner appropriate to the

business context2.2. Written – Present in writing, complex business information that is concise, clear, organized, and well supported in a professional manner appropriate

to the business context using required format3. Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

3.1. Critical thinking – Evaluate relevance of established theory to current business practice and identify gaps in current literature

3.2. Problem Solving/Decision Making – Given a business situation, diagnose the underlying causes of the situation, evaluate possible solutions, in relation to underlying business theory and determine and defend appropriate course of action

3.3. Information Literacy - Conduct an exhaustive literature search from a variety of sources, evaluate the credibility of the sources, and apply that information to create new knowledge

4. Team4.1. Leadership - Conduct an exhaustive literature search from a variety of sources, evaluate the credibility of the sources, and apply that information to

create new knowledge4.2. Collaboration - Given a case study or business situation collect, assimilate, and disseminate the views of stakeholders

5. Ethics5.1. Ethics - Given a case study or business situations, evaluate the ethical dimensions of decision situations and personal, social, and corporate

responsibility not absolved by market forces6. Diversity

6.1. Diversity - Given a case study or business situation evaluate the multicultural dimensions of decision situations and multicultural solutions to business situations

Course Objectives:

1. Identify the theoretical foundations of Action Research. [5%]2. Develop practical applications of Action Research. [15%]3. Investigate the applicability of Action Research in a current work setting. [10%]4. Develop a professional orientation toward the practice of Action Research. [10%]5. Collaborate with other students in an Action Research cycle. [20%]6. Use computer and other technological applications for access to Action Research resources. [5%]7. Consider and include ethical standards related to Action Research. [10%]8. Develop an Action Research Plan. [15%]9. Create an effective Action Research dissertation and professional presentation. [10%]

Assignment Table

Week Module Topics Readings Assignments

15/8/08

ONLINE

Introduction to the Process of Action Research

Theoretical and Philosophical Foundation

Definitions and Concepts

Caghlan & BrannickChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 5

Discussion Questions:

Everyone should post an answer to question one on the discussion board by Wednesday, 5/7/08. Comment on at least two other postings to question one by Thursday, 5/8/08. Please note that the first week is an online session.

Cyclical Models of Understanding Roles for the Action Researcher Be prepared to discuss all of the questions in class during week two.

1. The action researcher often functions as a resource for people collaborating in a project. What special skills, knowledge, or other attributes do you bring to strengthen your group? Include a brief description of your responsibilities in your organization. Find at least two members of the class who have what you would need and comment on their postings.

2. How often would “taking the context into account” and “including the input from others” have helped you make a better decision at work or in a project?

3. Good communication is essential to implementing models that depend upon feedback loops. Discuss what you should do if the essential condition of good communication does not seem apparent in a setting where you have been asked to initiate an Action Research cycle.

Assignments:

1. Application/ Course Projecta. Begin writing a journal recording your experiences as an Action

Research professional, both group and personal, and email a summary of it to the instructor by 5/8/08. Sites that can help include:www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arr/arow/rdiary.htmlwww.engl.niu.edu/wac/reflect.htmlAlso consult the text readings, as well as other resources, related to reflection, meta-learning, and journaling. Journal entries should not exceed 250 words.

b. Good observation skills and openness to the total experience are essential to the Action Research professional. Think about the challenges you would face if you implement an Action Research project in your workplace, and find at least one resource to use to fill the gaps in your abilities. Summarize how you would apply this

within an Action Research framework, and post the summary to the discussion board by 5/8/08.

2. Review the Course Project towards end of syllabus. Be prepared to discuss in class during week two. Begin work on your project paper (see assignment with Course Project at end of syllabus). Post the project paper by 5/14/08. The field experience below will provide insights for the project paper.

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Selecting a Topic Literature Review Choosing a Framework

Caghlan & BrannickChapter 4Chapter 7Chapter 10

Discussion Questions:Select question one or question two and post your answer to the discussion board. Comment on at least two other postings to the question you selected. Postings are due by Monday, 5/12/08; comments are due by Wednesday, 5/14/08. Be prepared to discuss all the questions in class during week two.

1. Find one journal article and one article on the Argosy Online database or the Internet that contains a relevant review of literature related to a challenge in your organizational setting that might lend itself to action research. Cite the articles in APA style. Describe three things the authors did well or did not do well. Comment on at least two other postings.

2. Find one journal article and one article on the Argosy Online database or the Internet that contains a relevant review of literature related to a challenge in your organizational setting that might lend itself to action research.. Cite the articles in APA style. Discuss the similarities and differences you noticed in the quality of the two resources. Comment on at least two other postings.

3. Action research requires collaboration, and all of you will participate in a group project. Share some of your positive and negative experiences of past team projects. What suggestions do you have to make the group projects in this course go more smoothly?

Assignments:

1. Application/ Course Project

a. Write a journal summary recording your experiences as an Action

Research professional, both group and personal, and email it to the instructor by 5/13/08.

b. There are numerous instruments available to measure or represent concepts like climate (scales) and context (force field analysis). Identify one to use and describe how you would apply it to your setting. Write a summary of the reasons you would select this instrument and how you anticipate it working when you implement it. Post to the discussion board by 5/13/08.

2. Field Experience for Course ProjectThe Field Experience information will be used in group discussions to help pick a project for the group. Field Experience observations will include any literature, records, passive observations, information sources about the problem and the context for each student’s site. Use the information below to formalize and systematize your observations. Be prepared to use your notes to share this information in discussions with your group in preparation for your course project.a. In the setting, make notes about the physical surroundings, the context

of the observation, and the kinds of behavior the setting encourages or discourages.

b. As far as the participants are concerned, describe the persons in the setting, their roles, and the number of persons. Explain what brings the persons together and list the persons who are allowed in the setting.

c. Note what is going on. Look out for an order of activities. Observe how persons interact with one another and if there are any relationships between persons and activities.

d. Note the chronology of the interactions. Note the time when the situation begins, the duration of the situation. Look for recurrence of the situation and if so, how frequently it recurs. See if you can classify the situation into those similar to the one being observed.

e. Include subtle elements of the situation in your observation. Things like unscheduled activities, the connotative meanings of words, body language, and any unexpected behavior.

Setting the Stage Caghlan & Brannick Discussion Questions: Answer the question that has been assigned to your

35/22/08

ONLINE

Planning for Reflection, Ethics, and Politics

Meta Learning

Chapter 6

Dick, B. (1996). Managing Change [On-line]. Available at http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/change.htm

team. Teams will be assigned in class during week two. Team members will comment on the postings of their other team members. Answers should be posted by Monday, 5/19/08 and comments are due by Wednesday, 5/21/08. Be prepared to discuss all questions in class during week four.

1. Making changes and getting stakeholders to accept changes is not an easy task. You want to incorporate an Action Research project in your workplace. What benefits of Action Research could you outline and present to the stakeholders to encourage their support? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

2. Ethical issues are discussed and addressed in any type of research. We focus on not harming the participants, maintaining confidentiality, not making participation mandatory, not distorting data, and so forth. Action research requires close collaboration between researchers and participants. How will you maintain confidentiality in your Action Research project? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

3. While doing research in an organization, you will encounter political issues and forces that could undermine the research project or harm others. List five major forces of support and five major forces of resistance you could encounter at your organization or workplace if you began the Action Research project you identified during week one. Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

Assignments:

1. Application/ Course Assignmenta. Write a journal summary recording your experiences as an Action

Research professional, both group and personal, and email it to the instructor by 5/20/08.

b. (Group Assignment) Imagine you are going to do an Action Research project in your setting. Planning needs to include the political forces that are present. Construct a force field analysis to describe the major influences you will need to address. Choose one of them and follow through with developing a plan to address the issue. Write out the plan

and plan to share it with the group. Post to the discussion board by 5/20/08.

2. Continue work on Course Project towards end of syllabus.

45/29/08

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Gathering Data Implementation Organizational Change IMAGINE

Caghlan & BrannickChapter 8Chapter 9

Discussion Questions: Answer the question that has been assigned to your team. Team members will comment on the postings of their other team members. Answers should be posted by Monday, 5/26/08 and comments are due by Wednesday, 5/28/08. Be prepared to discuss all questions in class during week four.

1. Discuss and evaluate techniques for gathering data in Action Research. Also, discuss the advantages/disadvantages of the techniques. Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

2. Action Research can be used to identify/diagnose problems and evaluate solutions. You plan the action steps and evaluate the outcomes. Despite the best planning, things do not always go as planned. There will be intended and unintended outcomes. What would you do after your Action Research plan was implemented and interventions were made but the outcomes were not what was intended? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

3. One thing that sets Action Research apart from other methods of research is the focus on inter level dynamics. What are the levels of relationship in your organization? Describe the relationship between individuals, teams, interdepartmental groups, and the organization. How will you be sensitive to these relationships? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

Assignments:

1. Application/ Course Project

a. Write a journal summary recording your experiences as an Action Research professional, both group and personal, and email it to the

instructor by 5/20/08.

b. (Group Assignment) Prescribing action can lead to creative and locally unique solutions to many problems. Sometimes using a model program for a reference or even adopting it completely may be the solution. Find an example of a model program that addresses your problem, discuss how you would introduce this information into your setting, and then apply it in the diagnosis of your problem. Post summary to discussion board by 5/20/08.

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Evaluating the Program Process Orientations The “BIG” Picture

Caghlan & BrannickChapter 3

Read the articles from the URLs provided below:http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/checklists/constructivisteval.htm

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/case1.html#a_c1_intro

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/qualeval.html

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/reflmech.html

http://

Discussion Questions: Answer the question that has been assigned to your team. Team members will comment on the postings of their other team members. Answers should be posted by Monday, 5/26/08 and comments are due by Wednesday, 5/28/08. Be prepared to discuss all questions in class during week five.

1. After reading the articles from the links, discuss controlling for bias when using qualitative techniques of evaluation for your Action Research project. Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

2. After reading the articles from the links, examine the importance of including all stakeholders in the evaluation process as a way of having a more effective and complete evaluation and as a way to encourage participation and ownership. Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

3. After reading the articles from the links, identify what would be important to include in a comprehensive Action Research evaluation. Comment on at least two other posting from your team.

Assignments:

1. Application/ Course Project

a. Write a journal summary recording your experiences as an Action Research professional, both group and personal, and email it to the instructor by 6/3/08.

www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/snyder.htmlhttp://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthpromotion/hp_practice/eval_dissem.htm

http://www.aifs.gov.au/sf/projectpages/marion/evalframework.dochttp://www.nsdc.org/standards/evaluation.cfm

b. (Group Assignment) The Logic Model provides a useful framework for evaluation that is compatible with Action Research and encouraged by state, local, federal and international organizations from a variety of disciplines. Find at least one example of the Logic Model that can be used in your setting and apply it. You may want to start with searching relevant sites at www.firstgov.com or a foundation like the Kellogg Foundation for good examples. The University of Wisconsin Extension has excellent useable forms and information on applying the Logic Model. List an example of the Logic Model that can be used in your setting and explain how you applied it to the setting. Post by 6/3/08.

66/12/08

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Issues Unique to Action Research Dissertations

Organizational Support Choosing the Action Research

Approach

Caghlan & BrannickChapter 11

Herr & AndersonChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4

Discussion Questions: Answer the question that has been assigned to your team. Team members will comment on the postings of their other team members. Answers should be posted by Monday, 5/26/08 and comments are due by Wednesday, 5/28/08. Be prepared to discuss all questions in class during week six.

1. Issues unique to Action Research dissertations include several shared with qualitative methodologies and other emerging methodology processes. There needs to be flexibility and communication between all parties including the institutional review boards. What roadblocks would you anticipate if you were to propose doing your dissertation where you work? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

2. Organization support is essential for an Action Research project to be effective, and may be even more critical if it includes a student dissertation research project because of the consequences if not allowed to complete. What could you do to ensure you would have the support necessary to implement an Action Research dissertation where you work? Comment on at least two other postings from your team..

3. Some people question the rigor of Action Research approaches because it

does not follow the same path to understanding that an empirical approach does. Post how you feel about Action Research rigor, and the questions that you still have unanswered about it as a valid and acceptable form of research. Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

Assignments:

1. Applicationa. Write a journal summary recording your experiences as an Action

Research professional, both group and personal, and email it to the instructor by 6/10/08.

b. (Group Assignment) You are presenting at a national conference. Some people claim that Action Research lacks sufficient rigor to be taken seriously in academic circles. From your readings and what you have learned about Action Research, design an outline of responses to give assurances that your project is rigorous and credible. Submit the outline to the discussion board by 6/10/08

2. Field Experience/ Course ProjectConduct a Field Experience interview where students will identify and address key issues necessary to educate their site about the value, expectations, and requirements to initiate an Action Research dissertation. Each student will summarize the interview into major concerns and areas for posting to the general classroom discussion area.

76/19/08

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Special Considerations for IRB What an Action Research

Dissertation Looks Like Validity and Rigor Scope of Action Research

Dissertations Review and Conclusions Final Project Presentations Critique and Feedback on Action

Research Projects

Caghlan & BrannickIn Conclusion

Herr & AndersonChapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7

Discussion Questions: Answer the question that has been assigned to your team. Team members will comment on the postings of their other team members. Answers should be posted by Monday, 6/16/08 and comments are due by Wednesday, 6/18/08. Be prepared to discuss all questions in class during week seven.

1. Special Considerations for IRB may include some confusion as to who gets or needs informed consent in an Action Research dissertation. If you were a part of an Action Research dissertation for a peer without your knowledge, how would it make you feel? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

2. Choosing the Action Research approach may involve educating people about the rigor and validity of Action Research as a method of change, learning, and knowledge. What three major points would you select to defend the reasons you would choose an Action Research approach for your dissertation if you were answering the question to your immediate supervisor? Comment on at least two other posting from your team.

3. Most Action Research dissertations do not record an Action Research intervention completely, but rather may focus on two or three action cycles at most. What issues arise when a doctoral student has to consider when their participation is “completed”? Would this be a different concern for an outside researcher than for an inside one? Comment on at least two other postings from your team.

Assignments:

1. Applicationa. Write a journal summary recording your experiences as an Action

Research professional, both group and personal, and email it to the instructor by 6/17/08.

b. (Group Assignment) Estimate how long it would take you to implement the Action Research project you have been thinking about all during this course. Create a timeline with tasks as if you were going to do it as your dissertation. Make sure you include all reviewing boards and committees. Post the timeline to the discussion board by 6/17/08.

2 (Group Assignment) Post Power Point from Course Project at by 6/17/08.

86/26/08

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Course Summary Assignments

Discussion Questions: Answer the question that has been assigned to your team. Team members will comment on the postings of their other team members. Answers should be posted by Monday, 6/23/08 and comments are due by Wednesday, 6/25/08. Be prepared to discuss all questions in class during week eight.1. Discuss how this course has shaped your thinking about Action Research.

Justify your response.

2. Discuss the qualities that are required or desirable to be an effective action researcher. Debate why you think these are important.

3. Justify how your understanding of Action Research has changed as a result of this course.

Assignments:1. Post comments on other team’s Power Point by 6/24/08..

Course Project:

Title: Action Research Project

Overview / Scenario

The project for this course, Action Research, will be divided into group and individual assignments. There will be weekly project assignments for groups and for each individual as well. Collaboration, Practical Application, and Reflection will form the cornerstones of the group project. Points for the group project and the individual project will be combined and are a significant portion of the grade.

Group Project Assignments:During the second week of class, you will be assigned to an Action Group. Each group will be responsible for identifying a problem to address, defining it, and then applying each of the phases of Action Research as they are introduced in the lessons. This part of the project will result in the creation of a final PowerPoint presentation. The facilitator will assign a thread for every group. There will be weekly threaded discussions in every group area where all group members will have to participate. These discussions will be evaluated.

Individual Project Assignments:

Each individual will write a project paper that is 1-2 pages long. Your project paper should be in Microsoft Word 2000 or higher. Follow APA 5th edition style. Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12pt font. This paper should be posted by the due date and will be used for discussion of the group project during the second week of class. The paper is described below.

You will also keep a weekly journal of your experiences, both team and personal, and e-mail a summary of it by the due date to the instructor of the course. The summary should be no more than 250 words comprising several short but carefully crafted paragraphs. It should include important reflections and insights, and must not be a repeat of the course material. For example, instead of saying the team cooperated well in selecting a topic (what the group did), write about how it felt to collaborate, what it encouraged you to think about, how you related the experience to the course, and what you learned about yourself as a person. Your

complete journal should be available for review at the end of the course if requested. Reading those areas of the text that refer to reflection and other materials on journaling will be helpful.

Your course project will be divided into a number of tasks related to the weekly content covered in the course. The project tasks are threaded through the project.

Task Listings:

Week 1: Project PaperGroups will be assigned during week two. You will be initiating a process to determine what your group will be improving through an Action Research intervention in one group member’s workplace by determining a problem in your own and describing it in your project paper. Each member of the group must describe a problem and issue that lends itself to Action Research from their place of employment or interest in their project paper. Provide a detailed description of the problem, define the problem, and explain its context in your paper. Then go to the discussion area and post and discuss your problems and issues. This is the first step to begin forming a consensus on the focus of your group project.

FormatYour project paper should be in Microsoft Word 2000 or higher. Follow APA 5th edition style. Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12pt font.

Assignment Grading Criteria: Project Paper Maximum PointsDescribed a problem lending itself to action research. 5Provided a context for the problem. 5Participated in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with rationale, challenging a point of discussion, or making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.

5

Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

5

Submitted on time, using correct grammar and spelling. 5Total: 25

Week 2: Phase I – Diagnosis/ Forming a group and defining a problem.Apply the Week Two reading and observation assignment to choose a framework for the project. Groups will be assigned. All members of the group will refine their individual problem for the project and share it with the group. Your group will finally choose one problem for the Group Project.

FormatStudents will have to participate in an online discussion on the topic and will be evaluated on the same.

Assignment Grading Criteria: Group Project Decision Maximum Points

Chose an appropriate framework for the project. 5Applied readings for the week and fieldwork experience to choose the framework. 5Described the chosen problem. 5Provided a context for the problem. 5Participated in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with rationale, challenging a point of discussion, or making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.

5

Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

3

Submitted on time, using correct grammar and spelling. 2Total: 30

Week 3: Phase 2 – PlanningList and discuss issues of ethics and politics that would affect instituting Action Research at your workplace. You will first address the political and ethical issues (institutional and personal, supporting and non-supporting factors) you believe will influence efforts to initiate action research in your own work setting. Then, you will develop strategies in the group project site to deal with these influences.

FormatStudents will have to participate in an online discussion on the topic and will be evaluated on the same.

Assignment Grading Criteria: Project Maximum PointsListed issues of ethics and politics affecting the action research intervention at the workplace. 5Addressed the listed ethical and political issues at the workplace. 5Developed strategies for the group project setting to deal with ethical and political influences. 10Participated in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with rationale, challenging a point of discussion, or making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.

5

Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

5

Total: 30

Week 4: Phase 3 - Taking Action

Prescribe an action and anticipate the results of the hypothetical intervention. After observing and planning, your group will develop a detailed description of what it intends to do and the results (outcomes and impacts) it expects to achieve. It is important to remember that changes happen on many levels with Action Research. Make sure your description is complete. Carry out this discussion in the group area and post a final draft of the actions and impacts in that forum.

FormatStudents will have to participate in an online discussion on the topic and will be evaluated on the same.

Assignment Grading Criteria: Project Maximum PointsPrescribed an action for a hypothetical intervention at the workplace. 5Anticipated the results of the hypothetical intervention. 5Described the intended actions in the group setting in detail. 5Described the expected results of the actions in detail. 5Participated in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with rationale, challenging a point of discussion, or making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.

6

Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

4

Total: 30

Week 5: Phase 4 - Evaluation Identify areas of interest to assess implications and the big picture. You should go through the literature for information on evaluation (see related articles) and find information useful to the Group Action Research Project. You will share these resources with your group and create an evaluation plan that reflects the Action Research approach. The discussion will be conducted in the group area and the final plan will be included in the final PowerPoint presentation.

FormatStudents will have to participate in an online discussion on the topic and will be evaluated on the same.

Assignment Grading Criteria: Project Maximum PointsIdentified areas of interest to assess implications and the big picture. 5Provided references for information on evaluation that are useful to the group project. 4Created an evaluation plan reflecting the action research approach. 4Submitted a final plan as a PowerPoint presentation on time. 4Participated in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a 4

point of view with rationale, challenging a point of discussion, or making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

4

Total: 25

Week 6: Dissertation Topic

Work on the PowerPoint presentation for final submission. The PowerPoint should be created as if presenting to a peer and management group at work, proposing an Action Research dissertation methodology and enlisting their cooperation.

FormatStudents will have to participate in an online discussion on the topic and will be evaluated on the same.

Assignment Grading Criteria: Project Maximum PointsIdentified important points to include in the final PowerPoint presentation. 10Proposed a dissertation methodology. 10Participated in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with rationale, challenging a point of discussion, or making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.

5

Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

5

Total: 30

Week 7: Dissertation Feasibility

Complete the PowerPoint presentation and post it in the general discussion area. After posting the final presentation to the general discussion area, you are expected to comment and give constructive feedback on project presentations posted by other groups.

FormatGroups will have to post a final PowerPoint presentation of the project to the discussion area. Assignment Grading Criteria: Project Maximum PointsIncluded all the important aspects of the project. 10Used a suitable dissertation methodology. 10Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience.

5

Submitted on time, using correct grammar and spelling. 5Total: 30

Grading Criteria:

Grading Scale Grading Requirements

Library

Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000 full-text journals and 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.  Many titles are directly accessible through the Online Public Access Catalog at http://library.argosyu.edu.  All resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet.  The library will provide students with links, user IDs, and passwords.  A detailed list of online resources is located at http://library.argosyu.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.  In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Online Public Access Catalog.  Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.  Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries.  Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach students fundamental and transferable research skills. The tutorial consists of five modules where students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level research, search periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/

A 100 -93A- 92 - 90B+ 89 - 88B 87 - 83B- 82 – 80C+ 79 – 78C 77 – 73C- 72 – 70F 69 and below

WeeklyCourse ProjectPoints

WeeklyJournal Entry

WeeklyDiscussionQuestion

PostedResponse/Comments

ClassDiscussion/Participation

Week 1 25 10 10 10 10Week 2 30 10 10 10 10Week 3 30 10 10 10 10Week 4 25 10 10 10 10Week 5 30 10 10 10 10Week 6 30 10 10 10 10Week 7 30 10 10 10 10Week 8 10 10 10

Possible Points 200 70 80 80 80Total Points: 510

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.

Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form.  To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor.  In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.

The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity

Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Boththe academic and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.