Weekly Schedule (Outline Mode)

Spring 2007: Monday 4-6:40pm, North ED 273, Jan. 22 to May 14. March 26--30th, Spring break
Online:Live Breeze Sessions: http://edbreeze.sdsu.edu/r21296354/ Dates and Time: TBD)

No class dates: March 26, March 5, April 2

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Week Topics/Agenda

Phase 1: Defining inquiry; exploring research designs
Week 1
Jan. 22

Note:All links in the "Week" column open in a new window. You may download slides & other files before class from these Weekly pages. However, one week at a time. Some weeks will be updated when class is in session.

Introductions

Setting ED 690 in context; course basics

Website review; details about assignments, class structure, etc.

Ancillary websites with which you need to be familiar:

Blackboard (only used for submitting assignments, posting grades, and setting up teamwork)

Week 2
Jan. 29

Library orientation -(basement of the Love Dome, 76A with Linda Salem).

We'll take a tour of Love Library

Determining what to investigate

Research designs: an initial overview of common theoretical frameworks and approaches

Operationalizing constructs

Perfecting search skills ... while avoiding copyright and plagiarism issues
Conducting thoughtful reviews of the literature; Using sources effectively

How setting impacts the issues we choose to research/investigate

Week 3
Feb. 5

Research designs in depth:

Descriptive
Correlational

Experimental and quasi-experimental

Sampling

Developing the research plan; Learn EndNote, download the guide from the Tools page

Week 4
Feb. 12

Research designs in depth (continued):

Causal-comparative
Historical

Qualitative (interpretive, ethnographic)

Action research

Case study overview; working successfully in teams

Read the Three lit review examples (posted on the requirements page): Brooks, Gibson, and Sp04_791A

Phase 2: Constructing the study; operationalizing the design
Week 5
Feb. 19 (This session will be held outside; we'll sing and dance!)

Instrumentation: so may choices, so many considerations

Strategy 1: Conducting a content or document analysis (let's compare songs!)

Using rubrics and checklists effectively
Applying principles of sampling to the analysis of documents

Deam Analysis: | dreamresearch.net | Coding Rules

Week 6
Feb. 26

Instrumentation: the details

All about survey design, roll-out, and data-analysis

Surveys (online, print-based)-a review

Week 7 (see links on the right)

March. 5 (no class)

Instrumentation: All other ones

Strategy 3: Tests & Strategy 4: Interviews/focus groups are discussed Here.
Strategy 5: Observation & Strategy 6: Action plans are discussed Here .

Phase 3: Analyzing and interpreting data

Week 8
March. 12

Analyzing numbers

An overview of basic descriptive methods: We'll watch the following video clips during class: http://learner.org/resources/series65.html (From Against All Odds: Statistics):

What is statistics? Picturing Distribution; Describing Distribution (Watch the beginning and then Watch the end about Standard deviation);

and Normal Distribution

Tools of the trade (Excel, SPSS)Graphical displays of data (tables, charts, graphs, figures)

The art and science of interpretation

Week 9
March. 19

Analyzing numbers (continued)

An overview of basic inferential tests: We'll watch the following video clips during class:

What is Probability? (minutes 0-1; then from minute 16:20, about level of significance;finally the rules of probability from minutes 23 to the end)

Normality--and its impact on the parametric or nonparametric tests to performTools of the trade (Excel, SPSS)

The art and science of interpretation

Discuss parameters of data collection and analysis (need to complete by Week 14 and send it to the instructor for a no-grade review, by Friday midnight.)

Week 10
April 2 (no class, self-study)

An overview of writing styles

Writing with audience in mind; knowing your purpose/intent

Analyzing language

An overview of common qualitative techniques
Tools of the trade: HyperResearch, Access (via Atomic Learning or our own BATS)

Begin drafting your case study report; download boilerplate text that illustrates the format and structure of technical writing (samples are for survey reports)

If you are doing content analysis, you should definitely review: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/ed690sp05/week6.htm
(There are several sample reports there).

Phase 4: Writing a report of findings

Week 11

April 9

Statistics: continue with t test and Correlational Analysis

Instructor Demo: Soda Data Analysis (so you can compare with your results)

Statistics: correlational analysis

Discuss parameters of final study report

Week 12

April 16

Statistics catch-up (t test and correlation); Introduction to Chi-Square

Week 13
April 23

Writing: the peripherals

The ethical writer
Proving vs. inferring, suggesting, and indicating

Drawing conclusions, making recommendations: the researcher's post-study "obligations"

Distributing study results: sharing with stakeholders and audiences

Week 14
April 30
Project Hours: writing and consulting.

Week 15
May 7

You made it! Final presentations. Submit your presentation on Blackboard (a PPT, a URL, or any other media) by 4pm Sunday, May 6. We will not meet on May 14, use the time to complete your final project.

Week	Topics/Agenda
*Phase 1: Defining inquiry; exploring research designs* Week 1 Jan. 22 Note:All links in the "Week" column open in a new window. You may download slides & other files before class from these Weekly pages. However, one week at a time. Some weeks will be updated when class is in session.	Introductions Setting ED 690 in context; course basics Website review; details about assignments, class structure, etc. Ancillary websites with which you need to be familiar: Blackboard (only used for submitting assignments, posting grades, and setting up teamwork)
Week 2 Jan. 29 Library orientation -(basement of the Love Dome, 76A with Linda Salem).	We'll take a tour of Love Library Determining what to investigate Research designs: an initial overview of common theoretical frameworks and approaches Operationalizing constructs Perfecting search skills ... while avoiding copyright and plagiarism issues Conducting thoughtful reviews of the literature; Using sources effectively How setting impacts the issues we choose to research/investigate
Week 3 Feb. 5	Research designs in depth: Descriptive Correlational Experimental and quasi-experimental Sampling Developing the research plan; Learn EndNote, download the guide from the Tools page
Week 4 Feb. 12	Research designs in depth (continued): Causal-comparative Historical Qualitative (interpretive, ethnographic) Action research Case study overview; working successfully in teams Read the Three lit review examples (posted on the requirements page): Brooks, Gibson, and Sp04_791A
Phase 2: Constructing the study; operationalizing the design Week 5 Feb. 19 (This session will be held outside; we'll sing and dance!)	Instrumentation: so may choices, so many considerations Strategy 1: Conducting a content or document analysis (let's compare songs!) Using rubrics and checklists effectively Applying principles of sampling to the analysis of documents Deam Analysis: \| dreamresearch.net \| Coding Rules
Week 6 Feb. 26	Instrumentation: the details All about survey design, roll-out, and data-analysis Surveys (online, print-based)-a review
Week 7 (see links on the right) March. 5 (no class)	Instrumentation: All other ones Strategy 3: Tests & Strategy 4: Interviews/focus groups are discussed Here. Strategy 5: Observation & Strategy 6: Action plans are discussed Here .
Phase 3: Analyzing and interpreting data Week 8 March. 12	Analyzing numbers An overview of basic descriptive methods: We'll watch the following video clips during class: http://learner.org/resources/series65.html (From Against All Odds: Statistics): What is statistics? Picturing Distribution; Describing Distribution (Watch the beginning and then Watch the end about Standard deviation); and Normal Distribution Tools of the trade (Excel, SPSS)Graphical displays of data (tables, charts, graphs, figures) The art and science of interpretation
Week 9 March. 19	Analyzing numbers (continued) An overview of basic inferential tests: We'll watch the following video clips during class: What is Probability? (minutes 0-1; then from minute 16:20, about level of significance;finally the rules of probability from minutes 23 to the end) Normality--and its impact on the parametric or nonparametric tests to performTools of the trade (Excel, SPSS) The art and science of interpretation Discuss parameters of data collection and analysis (need to complete by Week 14 and send it to the instructor for a no-grade review, by Friday midnight.)
Week 10 April 2 (no class, self-study)	An overview of writing styles Writing with audience in mind; knowing your purpose/intent Analyzing language An overview of common qualitative techniques Tools of the trade: HyperResearch, Access (via Atomic Learning or our own BATS) Begin drafting your case study report; download boilerplate text that illustrates the format and structure of technical writing (samples are for survey reports) If you are doing content analysis, you should definitely review: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/ed690sp05/week6.htm (There are several sample reports there).
Phase 4: Writing a report of findings Week 11 April 9	Statistics: continue with t test and Correlational Analysis Instructor Demo: Soda Data Analysis (so you can compare with your results) Statistics: correlational analysis Discuss parameters of final study report
Week 12 April 16	Statistics catch-up (t test and correlation); Introduction to Chi-Square
Week 13 April 23	Writing: the peripherals The ethical writer Proving vs. inferring, suggesting, and indicating Drawing conclusions, making recommendations: the researcher's post-study "obligations" Distributing study results: sharing with stakeholders and audiences
Week 14 April 30	Project Hours: writing and consulting.
Week 15 May 7	You made it! Final presentations. Submit your presentation on Blackboard (a PPT, a URL, or any other media) by 4pm Sunday, May 6. We will not meet on May 14, use the time to complete your final project.