EDER 603.21 - Research Methodology in Education - Eaton (Draft)

University of Calgary Faculty of Education

Office of Graduate Programs in Education

EDER 603.21 Research Methodology in Education

Fall Session, 2012 Professor(s): Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D. Skype name: Sarah Elaine Eaton Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Virtual, by appointment Telephone: 403‐244‐9015 Term dates: September 10 – December 7, 2012 Location: Online utilizing Blackboard and Elluminate Times: Synchronous Elluminate sessions will be held:

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 – 19:00 – 20:00 Mountain Time Wednesday, October 10, 2012 – 19:00 – 20:00 Mountain Time Wednesday, November 14, 2012 – 19:00 – 20:00 Mountain Time

Note: Public Holidays: October 8, November 12– No classes/Elluminate

Calendar Description

This first course in educational research methodologies provides the background necessary for intelligent decisions around the kinds of research questions might be asked and the sort(s) of insights and answers particular methods can provide.

Extended Description

This introductory course is designed for graduate students in the first year of their cohort‐based Master’s of Education programs. It focuses on various issues, methods, and techniques in educational research with a particular emphasis on research in Languages and Diversity. The curriculum includes some of the issues and dilemmas that frame the context for contemporary research, as well as preliminary consideration of research strategies, methods, and techniques in a manner intended to assist participants in selecting research questions, methods, and strategies for further study. Participants will also be encouraged to approach research articles and reports with a critical eye and provide some skills and techniques for this kind of close reading.

The field of education sits at a point of intersection of many other domains – including neurology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and the many disciplines represented in various subject area specialties. This positioning compels a particular sort of methodological breadth across all programs in education. For that reason, it is not the purpose of the course to develop extensive technical (operational) competence in any particular method of research. Rather, the broader aim is to support an initial understanding of the nature and purpose of various approaches – all of which are useful in understanding educational phenomena, though they may appear to differ substantially.

Over the past 50 years, there has been a proliferation of theories and associated research methodologies in the field of education. A principal aim of the course is to nurture a sort of ‘methodological connoisseurship’ – not by championing specific emphases and approaches, but by interrogating the

EDER 603.21 Fall 2012 - Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton

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distinctions and commitments that are associated with various approaches to inquiry. To achieve this end, we should aim for a radical departure from traditional research methods courses that focus on clusters of specific methodologies. The emphasis here will be on the decisions, attitudes, and commitments that take one to a particular approach and that compel certain methods.

The guiding question/attitude is not “How is this perspective or methodology different or wrong?” – which is deemed unproductive. After all, every frame is partial and can be found wanting. The orientation is thus more toward “How is this perspective or methodology right?” To that end, among the simultaneous considerations are the following:

What is the focus (the subject, object, phenomenon, unit of analysis) of interest? Does it change? If so, at what pace? Is it self‐transformative and do other agents or phenomena (e.g., educators and researchers) participate in its change?

Course Objectives

1. To review the range of purposes for and products of educational research – including the gathering of empirical data, the application of theory, the generation of theory, and the critique of theory.

2. To establish a basic literacy in research methodologies. Participants should be able to offer preliminary definitions of principal approaches to research in education and to distinguish among them according to phenomena examined, theoretical commitments, and relevance to their own research interests.

3. To appreciate that methodological breadth is better articulated in terms of complementarities than conflicts, recognizing that methods are developed in conversation with the phenomena they are intended to ‘investigate.’ As such, any comparison of methods demands a range of questions, including queries on what is being studied, who is doing the studying, the purposes of study, the time frames of the inquiry, etc. Details around technical differences among methods are at best secondary considerations in this conversation.

4. To interrogate the personal pre‐judgments and methodological positionings that frame one’s questions, orient one’s selection of techniques, influence the details one notices, and affect the inferences one draws.

5. To introduce participants to the issues and challenges of conducting ethical research.

Learner Outcomes

Throughout the course of study students will be able to:

1. Identify viable and interesting research questions, both in their own potential research endeavours and in the work of published academics

2. Identify, compare and critique a variety of educational research methodologies based on their primary assumptions and methods

3. Evaluate the relevance of educational research methodologies with special consideration being given to stated research questions and the knowledge being sought

4. Differentiate between the central tenets of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis strategies with special consideration being given to the strengths, weaknesses and relevance of each in education

5. Assess the validity of a variety of research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, commonly used in education

6. Examine and interrogate the relationships between research questions, research methods and interpretation of findings in educational studies


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7. Demonstrate a critical understanding of ethical considerations in educational research, particularly with regard to the use of human subjects

8. Formulate and evaluate their own preliminary research questions in response to both their research interests and professional context.

Topics

The following list is intended to provide a preliminary sense of the structure of the course. While the course has been planned in considerably more detail, the instructor is electing to present more fully developed plans as the course unfolds.

1. Epistemology, Ontology, Truth 2. Purposes of Educational Research 3. Objectivity‐Oriented Methodologies: Statistical Methods; Experimental and Quasi‐Experimental

Research; Grounded Research 4. Subjectivity‐Oriented Methodologies: Phenomenology; Narrative Inquiry; Autobiography 5. Intersubjectivity‐Oriented Methodologies: Hermeneutics; Ethnography 6. Interobjectivity(Participatory)‐Oriented Methodologies: Action Research; Design‐Based Research 7. Criteria of “Good” Research: Reliability vs. Reasonableness, Validity vs. Viability, Predictability vs.

Practicality, Rigor vs. Relevance 8. Mixed‐Modes Research 9. Research Ethics

Course Design and Delivery

This course will take place on‐line via Black Board and Elluminate. This method provides for excellent opportunities to discuss and debate the complexities of the various research methods common the educational research, however, it also demands a high level of commitment to Black Board posts in order to fully benefit from the information being presented. While the course has been designed with a definitive structure regarding topics for discussion, readings and assignments, it should also be understood that student interests will drive the direction of the course and so topics may, in response, change as needed.

Required texts and readings

Creswell, J.W. (2009) Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods Approaches (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Basics of APA Style (Tutorial): http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics‐tutorial.aspx

University of Calgary Research Services: Ethics Support, Online: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/ethics University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board (CFREB), Online: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/cfreb TCPS 2 ‐ CORE Tutorial http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/ethics/CORE_Tutorial U of C Graduate Studies Calendar (Section on Academic Honesty and Plagiarism) http://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/current/k‐2‐1.html


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Additional suggested readings and resources

Reference book and tutorials

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed) (2009). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association: Author.

Books

Edwards, M.G. (2010) Chapter 1: The need for metatheory in the study of organisational transformation. Organizational transformation for sustainability: an integral metatheory (pp. 10–25). New York: Routledge.

Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (2005) The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Mertens, D.M. (2005) Research and evaluation in education and psychology (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage .

Slavin, R.E. (2007) Educational research in an age of accountability. Boston: Pearson.

Suter, W.N. (2012). Introduction to Educational Research: A Critical Thinking Approach (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Articles (Note: All of these articles can be access via the U of C library)

Bredo, E. (2009). Comments on Howe: Getting over the methodology wars. Educational Researcher, 38(6), 441‐448, Retrieved from http://edr.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca

Davis, B., & Sumara, D. J. (2005). Challenging images of knowing: Complexity science and educational research. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 18(3), 305‐321. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ehost

Pole, K. (2007). Mixed method designs: A review of strategies for blending quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Mid‐Western Educational Researcher, 20(4), 35‐38. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ehost


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Weekly schedule

Date

Topic

Class Content

Reading / Assignments Due

Sept. 12 6:30 p.m

Elluminate session

Introductions, course organization and expectations

See reading list for this week.

Week 1 Sept. 10

Expectations of Educational Research ‐ Ethics and APA

Class Introductions Question Bank: Why do we reference and cite others? What impact does APA have on you as a researcher? How will you learn the rigorous style of APA for your citations, references and papers? What are ethics and why do they matter? What are examples of the types of research that would (and would not) have ethical considerations?

Basics of APA Style (Tutorial): http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics‐tutorial.aspx

U of C Graduate Studies Calendar (Section on Academic Honesty and Plagiarism) http://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/current/k‐2‐1.html University of Calgary Research Services: Ethics Support, Online: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/ethics University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board (CFREB), Online: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/cfreb TCPS 2 ‐ CORE Tutorial http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/ethics/CORE_Tutorial


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Week 2 Sept. 17

Introduction to Educational Research

Question Bank: What is research? Why do we engage in research? What counts as research? What is meant by epistemology, ontology and truth? What is the difference between a method and a methodology?

Creswell (2009) Chapters 1 and 2 Optional suggested readings: Slavin (2007) Chapter 1 Suter (2007) Chapter 1

Week 3 Sept. 24

Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Research Designs; Introduction to Theory

Question Bank: How does one decide if qualitative, quantitative, or a mixed methodology is appropriate? How do these research world views differ? How can they work together? How are these research paradigms employed in schools today? What is the role of theory in educational research What are examples of potential real‐world research opportunities in education?

Creswell (2009) Chapter 3 Bredo (2009) Davis & Sumara (2005) Pole (2007) Optional suggested reading: Slavin (2007) pages 135‐139.


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Week 4 Oct. 1

Presentation of a Research Methodology (Learning Task 2)

Each group will post their one page handouts. Students are expected to view and comment on all presentations. Students are expected to view and comment on all presentations.

One page handouts from Learning Task 2. Email your one page handout and full response to Dr. Sarah Eaton.

Oct. 10 6:30 p.m.

ELLUMINATE SESSION

Nurturing methodological connoisseurship.


Week 5 Oct. 9

Ethics (revisited); Research Design; Planning and Writing Your Own Research Study

Question Bank: What role do ethics play in the undertaking of a program of research? How do we protect human subjects? How do researchers ensure ethical treatment of data? How do you know if your research is significant? What are the steps and considerations in planning a research study? How does the topic of study affect the methodological choices made by the researcher? What are the issues facing all educational researchers? To what extent will the student be expected to carry out research in their program of study and would this affect the choices they would be required to make as researchers?

Creswell (2009) Chapters 4 and 5 Optional suggested readings: Slavin (2007) Chapters 11 and 12.

Week 6 Oct. 15

Methodology Presentations (Learning Task 3)

Groups will post their methodology presentations (Learning Task 3) in Black Board. Students are expected to view and comment on all presentations. There is no need to comment upon your own presentation.

No readings. Watch and comment on the methodology presentations of your classmates.

Oct. 23 6:30 p.m.

Elluminate session

Guided discussion on research methods and process.



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Week 7 Oct. 22

Research Questions and Hypotheses

Question Bank: Why do we start with a research question? Why do we need a purpose statement? What is the difference between a research question and a hypothesis? What makes a research question good? How does the structure and formulation of research questions necessitate certain methodological approaches?

Creswell (2009) ‐ Chapters 6 and 7

Week 8 Oct. 29

Introduction to Quantitative Research

Question Bank: When are these quantitative research designs appropriate? How might these quantitative research designs be employed successfully in educational settings? What might prevent one from employing these methodologies in an educational setting? At the school and district level, survey research is one of the most prolific forms of research. How do you see it being used well in your professional context? Are there ways it could be used more effectively?

Creswell (2009) ‐ Chapter 8 Optional suggested readings: Slavin (2007): Chapters 5 and 6 Denzin & Lincoln (2005) Chapters 1 and 3

Week 9 Nov. 5

Introduction to Qualitative Research Design

Question Bank: When are qualitative research designs appropriate? How might qualitative research designs be employed successfully in educational settings? Which of these research designs appeals most to you and why?

Creswell (2009) ‐ Chapter 9 Optional suggested readings: Slavin (2007) Chapter 7 pages 120 – 135. Slavin (2007) Chapter 8 pages 141 – 154 Slavin (2007) Chapter 9


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Week 10 Nov. 13

Mixed Methods Question Bank: When are mixed methods research designs appropriate? How might mixed methods research designs be employed successfully in educational settings?

Creswell (2009) Chapter 10 Email your research question(s) and potential methodological choices for Learning Task 5 to Dr. Sarah Eaton.

Week 11 Nov. 19

Research as scholarly discourse ‐ Presentation of a Research Journal (Learning Task 4)

Individuals will post their methodology presentations (Learning Task 4) in Black Board. Students are expected to view and comment on all presentations. There is no need to comment upon your own presentation.

No readings. Watch and comment on the journal presentations of your classmates.

Week 12 Nov. 26

Developing critical research skills

Question Bank: What counts as “good” research? How do we know? What is the difference between reliability and validity? What is the role of rigor in educational research? What makes our research relevant in our 21st century educational context? What do we mean when we talk about critical pedagogy? What is the future of research in educational contexts

Suggested readings: Denzin & Lincoln (2005) Chapters 9 and 42

Week 13 Dec. 3

Culminating Discussion of Potential Research Possibilities

Students will give a brief overview on Black Board of their topic for Learning Task #5, paying particular attention to how their methodological choices have changed since the first class. Question Bank: Have your research interests changed since the beginning of the course? Is there one particular research method with which you resonate and why?

‐ No readings ‐ Learning Task 5 due December 7, 2012. Please email this paper to Dr. Sarah Eaton.


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Graded Components and Assignments

There are five Learning Tasks which comprise the graded components of this course. Please note: APA format and style is to be followed for all assignments.

LEARNING TASK

NUMBER

DESCRIPTION OF LEARNING TASK PERCENT

OF FINAL

GRADE

GROUPING

FOR TASK

Learning Task #1 Discussion Board Participation

Due date: Ongoing

10% Individual

Learning Task #2 Presentation of a Research Methodology

Due date: Sunday, September 30 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain

Time

20% Group

Learning Task #3 Introduction of a Comprehensive Text of Research

Methodologies

Due date: Sunday, October 14 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain

Time

20% Group

Learning Task #4 Introduction of an Educational Research Journal

Due date: Sunday, November 19, 2012 at 11:59 p.m.

Mountain Time

20% Individual

Learning Task #5 Final Paper

Due date: Friday, December 7 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain

Time

30% Individual

1) Learning Task 1 ‐ Discussion board participation (10%)

Active participation in the course discussion board, a minimum of once per week throughout the course. You are expected to contribute a minimum of two to three paragraphs per week to the class discussion on the assigned weekly readings and course topics. When appropritate, APA citations are to be used. Students are expected to demonstrate professional deportment in an online learning environment and to use the discussion board as a virtual space to develop an online community of schoarlship as graduate students.

Due date: This is an ongoing component of the course. You are expected to contribute regularly and on a weekly basis by Sunday evening 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time each week of the course.


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Criteria for Assessment for Learning Task 1

Criteria “Surface” Scholarly

Discourse: Does not meet requirements (B‐ to B)

Meets All Requirements (B+ to A‐)

Deeper Scholarly Discourse: Meets All and Exceeds Some Requirements (A to A+)

Constructiv

e Uses o

f Au

thorita

tive

Sources

You summarize readings with little or no critical analysis or thoughtful interpretation.

You critically evaluate information sources and recognize that even the best are fallible.

You draw upon content from the readings and experiences, along with additional information sources, as data for his/her own knowledge building and ideas‐improving processes.

Dem

ocratizing

Know

ledg

e

You add your contribution with little recognition of others in the group.

You recognize and praise others’ work and help your classmates find needed information.

You treat all participants as legitimate contributors to the shared goals of the community; all have a sense of ownership of knowledge advances achieved by the group.

Epistemic Agency

You demonstrate a personal sense of direction, power, motivation, and responsibility.

You mobilize personal strengths to set forth your ideas and to negotiate a fit between personal ideas and ideas of others.

You mobilize personal strengths to set forth your ideas and to negotiate a fit between personal ideas and ideas of others, using contrasts to spark and sustain knowledge advancement rather than depending on others to chart that course for you.

Idea

Diversity

You participate in brainstorming different ideas.

You play an active role in putting forward different ideas to create a dynamic environment.

You play an active role in putting forward different ideas to create a dynamic environment in which contrasts, competition, and complementarity of ideas is evident, creating a rich environment for ideas to evolve into new and more refined forms.


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Improv

able Id

eas

You accept or reject ideas on the basis of logical argument and evidence.

You treat all ideas as improvable.

You treat all ideas as improvable by aiming to mirror the work of great thinkers in gathering and weighing evidence, and ensuring that explanations cohere with all available evidence.

Know

ledg

e Bu

ilding

Discourse

Your contribution to discourse allows participants to express and gain feedback on their ideas, defend different points of view, arrive at conclusions.

Your contribution to discourse serves to identify shared problems and gaps in understanding.

Your contribution to discourse serves to identify shared problems and gaps in understanding and to advance understanding beyond the level of the most knowledgeable individual.

2) Learning Task 2 ‐ Presentation of a research methodology (20%)

Small group assignment (2 to 4 per group) ‐ In small groups, research, summarize, select exemplars for, present on, and lead a discussion of a prominent methodology in contemporary educational research. The presentation will be graded according to the criteria of thoroughness of preparation, clarity of presentation/demonstrated understanding, development of supporting materials (for distribution to classmates), and selection of exemplars (e.g., article, demonstration). The discussions for this Learning Task will be conducted asynchronously on Blackboard. Students are expected to view and comment on all presentations. Due date: Sunday, September 30 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time


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Criteria for Assessment for Learning Task 2 Criteria “Surface” Scholarly

Interpretation: Does not meet requirements (B‐ to B)


Deeper Scholarly Interpretation: Meets All and Exceeds Some Requirements (A to A+)

Idea

s and

Con

tent

You provide a clear but at times inaccurate description of the research methodoloy; or your presentation lacks precision and focus. You distribute few, if any supporting materials to your classmades or provide few, if any adequate exemplars.

You clearly and accurately articulate (describe) the research methodology. You summarize, provide exemplars and lead a class discussion on the methodology. You demonstrate a clear understanding of the methodology. You provide supplementary materials to your classmates.

You provide an accurate, thick description of the research methodology. Your presentation includes a summary, clear exemplars and carefully curated supplementary materials. You lead an in‐depth schoarly discussion that cultivates deep knowledge.

Insigh

t

You have provided a surface level reading and a cursory understanding of the research methodology

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective presentation of the research methodology.

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective presentation of the research methodology, yielding deep understanding of the professional practices and approach scholars use when adopting the methodology.


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Organ

ization an

d Structure

The title is vague or non‐descriptive. Your writing is not clearly organized. No clear structure is discernible. Main ideas are difficult to identify.

A clear title to the work is provided. Your article is clearly organized. Ideas are clearly expressed.

Title is direct, clear powerful invitation describing article, suggesting argument or implications; includes searchable keywords in title. Your work provides a compelling opening (anecdotal, subject, critical, significance, historical or argumentative) and conclusion that summarizes in a powerful way pointing beyond the article. Your article is clearly organized with explicit headings and subheadings for structure.

Sources

Few sources are correctly documented using APA 6th Ed. format.

Most sources are correctly documented using APA 6th Ed. format.

All sources are correctly documented using APA 6th Ed. format. You have paid attention to details in every citation.

Presen

tatio

n

Appropriate English characterize the presentation. It can be easily read and understood. Writing and presentation style is engaging.

Clarity, simplicity, parsimony and appropriate English characterize the presentation. It can be easily read and understood. Writing and presentation style is engaging and thought‐provoking.

Clarity, simplicity, parsimony and appropriate English characterize the presentation. Your work provokes readers/viewers/listeners to think deeply, awakening new questions and insights.


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3) Learning Task 3 ‐ Introduction of a comprehensive text of research methodologies (20%)

Small group assignment (2 to 4 per group) ‐ In small groups, select, analyze, and report on a comprehensive “educational research methodology” text(book). The principal intention here is to become familiar with some of the wide array to texts that have been developed to introduce new researchers to this domain of inquiry and to guide their investigations. The presentation will be graded according to the criteria of thoroughness of introduction, demonstration of critical awareness of authorial pre‐judgments and positionings, and quality of one‐page overview (for distribution to classmates). Due date: Sunday, October 14 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time Criteria for Assessment for Learning Task 3 Criteria “Surface” Scholarly




Idea

s and

Con

tent

You provide a clear but at times inaccurate description of the comprehensive text of research methodologies; or your presentation lacks precision and focus. Your work demonstrates little critical awareness. Your one‐page summary is either missing or poorly done, or it is not posted in .doc or .pdf format.

You clearly and accurately articulate introduce the comprehensive text of research methodologies. You demonstrate a clear understanding and a critical awareness of the of the comprehensive text of research methodologies. You provide a high‐quality one‐page overview to classmates in .doc or .pdf format.

You provide an accurate, thick introduction to the comprehensive text of research methodologies. You demonstrate exemplary critical awareness of authorial pre‐judgements and positionings. You provide a concise exemplary one‐page overview to classmates in .doc or .pdf format.


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Insigh

t

You have provided a surface level reading and a cursory introduction to the comprehensive text of research methodologies

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective introduction to the comprehensive text of research methodologies. You draw appropriate conclusions about the text you have studied.

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective introduction to the comprehensive text of research methodologies. You draw thoughtful and meaningful conclusions from the text you have studied by identifying what was found to be memorable, intriguing, enlightening, and/or useful.

Sources




Presen

tatio

n





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4) Learning Task 4 ‐ Introduction of an educational research journal (20%)

This is an individual assignment. ‐ Individually, select, analyze, and report on an educational research journal, whose articles are accessible online via the U Calgary library or are open source. The principal intention here is engage critically with the manner in which journals contribute to the ways ‘acceptable claims’ must be formatted within a field. This presentation will be graded according to the criteria of thoroughness of introduction, demonstration of critical awareness of journal purposes and positionings, and quality of one‐page overview (for distribution to classmates). Due date: Sunday, November 19, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time Criteria for Assessment for Learning Task 4 Criteria “Surface” Scholarly




Idea

s and

Con

tent

Assignment does not include a clear rationale for selecting a particular journal. No active journal URL has been provided. Your one‐page summary is either missing or poorly done, or it is not posted in .doc or .pdf format.

Provides a clear rationale for selecting a current and authentic conference/journal. Provides an active URL for the selected conference or journal. You provide a high‐quality one‐page overview to classmates in .doc or .pdf format.

Provides a clear rationale for selecting a current and authentic conference/journal. Provides an active URL for the selected conference or journal. Your work clearly adheres to all writing guidelines and demonstrates excellence in professional writing. You provide a concise exemplary one‐page overview to classmates in .doc or .pdf format.


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Organ

ization an

d Structure

The title is vague or non‐descriptive. Your presentation is not clearly organized. No clear structure is discernible. Main ideas are difficult to identify.

A clear title to the work is provided. Your prsentation is clearly organized. Ideas are clearly expressed.

Title is a direct, clear powerful invitation to the reader. Your prsentation is clearly organized with explicit headings and subheadings for structure Ideas are clearly expressed. Your work provides a compelling opening, well organized conten t and and conclusion that includes a succinct summary.

Insigh

t

You have provided a surface level reading and a cursory understanding the journal.

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective presentation of the journal.

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective presentation of the journal, yielding deep understanding of the professional practices and approach scholars use when adopting the methodology.

Sources




Presen

tatio

n





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5) Learning Task 5 Narrative Situating and Emerging Research Commitments (Final paper) (30%)

This is an individual assignment. In this 10–15‐page document, you will begin to situate your interests, experiences, and expertise relative to:

i. the sorts of research interests that you currently have, ii. the methodological considerations that accompany that interest, and iii. the theoretical and ethical considerations that might arise in pursuit of greater

understanding of that interest.

The paper will be graded according to the criteria of the relevance of narrative situating, the appropriateness and comprehensiveness links made to the research literature, and clarity and thoroughness of the written submission. Due date: Friday, December 7 at at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time


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Criteria for Assessment for Learning Task 5

Criteria “Surface” Scholarly Interpretation: Does not meet requirements (B‐ to B)

Meets All Requirements

(B+ to A‐)

Deeper Scholarly Interpretation: Meets All and Exceeds Some

Requirements (A to A+)

Idea

s and

Con

tent

You do not situate your interests, experiences or expertise relative to your current research interests or methodological considerations.

You pay insufficient attention to theoretical and ethical considerations.

You clearly and accurately articulate your current rearch interests, and thoughtfully consider the methodological considerations that accompany it. You explore theoretical and ethical considerations of your proposed research topic(s).

You clearly relatd your concepts and ideas to the course content and readings, demonstrating mastery of the course content through your final paper.

You clearly and accurately articulate your current rearch interests, and thoughtfully consider the methodological considerations that accompany it. You explore theoretical and ethical considerations of your proposed research topic(s).

You deeply and thoughtful relate your concepts and ideas to the course content and readings, demonstrating excpetional mastery of the course content through your final paper.


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Insigh

t

You have provided a surface level discussion of research interests, methodologies and theory.

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective treatment of the relationship between your research interests, educational research methodologies and theoretical and ethcial considerations.

You have provided an in‐depth, introspective treatment of the relationship between your research interests, educational research methodologies and theoretical and ethcial considerations yielding deep understanding of how these three elements can play out in the research milieu.

Sources



There are no citations missing anywhere in your document.

All sources are correctly documented using APA 6th Ed. format.

There are no citations missing anywhere in your document.

You have paid attention to details in every citation.

Presen

tatio

n

Appropriate English characterize the paper. It can be easily read and understood

Writing and presentation style is engaging.

Clarity, simplicity, parsimony and appropriate English characterize the paper. It can be easily read and understood.

Writing and presentation style is engaging and thought‐provoking.

Clarity, simplicity, parsimony and appropriate English characterize the paper. Your work provokes the reader to think deeply, awakening new questions and insights.


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Ethics, Academic Honessty and Integrity Students are advised to become familiar with the Faculty of Graduate Studies policies and the University of Calgary support services in these areas: intellectual property, academic integrity, plagiarism, research ethics, effective writing, and English language proficiency.

Information about these topics is available through the following web addresses:

• http://www.grad.ucalgary.ca/Policies%20and%20Procedures.aspx • http://www.ucalgary.ca/honesty/ • http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/

GRADING SCALE

*Based upon Faculty of Graduate Studies 2009/2010 Calendar, “Distribution of Grades”

Academic Accommodation: Students with a disability, who require academic accommodation, need to register with the Disability Resource Centre http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/Others/DRC MC 295, telephone 220‐8237. Academic accommodation letters need to be provided to course instructors no later than fourteen (14) days after the first day of class. It is a student's responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre and to request academic accommodation, if required.

Campus Security provides a range of services intended to promote and facilitate a safe and secure learning and living environment, e.g. the SafeWalk program for students attending classes on campus. For more information please visit http://www.ucalgary.ca/security/ or telephone (403) 220‐5333.

Distribution of Grades

Grade GP Value Graduate Description A+ 4.0 Outstanding

A 4.0 Excellent - superior performance showing comprehensive understanding of the subject matter

A- 3.7 Very good performance B+ 3.3 Good performance B 3.0 Satisfactory performance

Note: The grade point value (3.0) associated with this grade is the minimum acceptable average that a graduate student must maintain throughout the program as computed at the end of each year of the program.

B- 2.7 Minimum pass for students in the Faculty of Graduate Studies

C+ 2.3

All grades below B- are indicative of failure at the graduate level and cannot be counted toward Faculty of Graduate Studies course requirements.

C 2.0 C- 1.7 D+ 1.3 D 1.0 F 0.0


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The Freedom of Information Protection of Privacy Act prevents instructors from placing assignments or examinations in a public place for pickup and prevents students from access to exams or assignments other than their own. Therefore, students and instructors may use one of the following options: return/collect assignments during class time or during instructors' office hours, students provide instructors with a self‐addressed stamped envelope, or submit assignments, or submit/return assignments as electronic files attached to private e‐mail message.

EDER 603.21 - Research Methodology in Education - Eaton (Draft)

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