Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fall 2007
KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
This course gives a general introduction to the rationale and procedures for educational
research. Topics to be studied will include the types of research, the selection of a
research problem, the strategies necessary for manual library searches as well as the
latest computerized data information retrieval services, the collection and analysis of
data, the evaluation of research, and the technical skills needed for writing the research
report. The course provides a background for the preparation of the thesis or the research
project. It provides graduate students with the research skills which will allow them to be
life-long learners after completing their formal coursework. 3 s.h., 3 c.h.
Required Textbook:
Gay, L., Mills. G. & Airasian, P. (2006). Educational research: Competencies for
analysis and application (8th ed.). New York: Prentice Hall.
This course is required of the masters degree student in education. It meets the
research needs of any teacher or educational administrator. The primary purpose
of this course, however, is not to train educational researchers but rather to
develop intelligent consumers of educational research. It is hoped that students
will gain some understanding and appreciation for the rigors of research; that is to
say, a sense of fascination and even pleasure that can be associated with a formal
inquiry procedure. The ability to locate and evaluate research information is a
necessary skill for anyone involved in educational decision making.
Please Note:
This course incorporates the philosophy of the Kutztown University Conceptual
Framework, Teacher as Lifelong Learner, connects to the Pennsylvania Department of
Education (PDE) standards, and aligns, when appropriate, to the following standards:
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), American Council on the Teaching of
Foreign Languages (ACTFL), National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM),
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and National Council for Social Studies
(NCSS).
As a result of the assigned readings, discussions, and projects required in this course, the
student is expected to:
3. discuss the pros and cons of the strategies used in educational decision
making.
10. demonstrate an understanding of and ability to use the reference tools in the
library for a manual search of the literature related to a problem statement.
11. demonstrate the ability to use a computer data base information retrieval
system
13. develop a procedure for converting this information into a single format, thus
establishing a chain of reasoning leading to a statement of a research
hypothesis
15. identify and explain the purposes of the individual parts of a research plan of
research design
16. review research articles and critically analyze the component parts, the
findings, and the conclusions
17. recognize and describe the nature of the six methods of educational research
(historical, qualitative, descriptive, correlational, causal-comparative and
experimental) including the steps and tools involved in conducting research for
each method
19. become familiar with the advantages provided by the computer and the
computer services department
Standards Objectives
1 2, 6, 9
2 7,
3
4 10
5
6 2
7
8 8
9 1, 3,4, 5
10 8
V. Assessment
A three chaper proposal will be written using APA style in preparation for writing an
actual thesis. Resources will be included.
Problem Statement 15
Literature Review 25
Research Method 25
Research Cards & Outline 10
References 15
Class Presentation on Research 10
Final Project 30
The final proposal is worth 30 points and is grading in the following way:
B. Grading Policy
Observation Project 20
Computer Printouts 10
Class Presentation on Research 10
Problem Statement 15
Literature Review 25
Research Method 25
Research Cards & Outline 10
References 15
Final Project 30
Midterm 40
Class Participation 20
Final Examination 40
Total : 260
A = 92-100 % B = 82 up to 92 % C = 72 up to 82 %
4. Midterm/Final Examination
Attend each class prepared to discuss the concepts covered in the reading
assignments. Class attendance will be taken at each class. Please turn off all cell
phones as a courtesy to your fellow classmates.
I. Research as Inquiry
A. Man's Nature is to Question
1. mysteries of the natural world
2. myths and songs provided some questions
3. Teacher as Lifelong Learner Model
B. Methods of Early Inquiry - Search for Truth
1. trial and error
2. common sense
3. deduction
4. induction
5. induction/deduction/problem solving
C. Applying the Scientific Method
1. a felt difficulty
2. identification of the problem
3. gathering available information
4. formulate hypothesis
5. observation
a. collect data
b. organize data
c. analyze data
6. form conclusions
7. replication
D. Ways of Making Educational Decisions
1. personal experience
2. expert judgement
3. search of research literature
4. action research
5. evaluation research
V. Research Problems
A. Sources
1. problems generated from practice
2. problems generated in theory construction
B. Clarification of Problems
C. Characteristics of Problems
c. sampling techniques
(1) random
(2) stratified
(3) cluster
(4) systematic
d. data collection
(1) quantity
(2) type
(3) sources
e. organization of data
f. treatment of data
(1) critical analysis
(2) descriptive statistics
(3) inferential statistics
g. conclusions
(1) implications
(2) recommendations
X. Qualitative
A. Definition and Purpose
1. characteristics
2. goals
3. definition
B. Sampling
1. size
2. type
3. representative
C. Measurement
1. narrative
2. validity
3. triangulation
4. de facto instrument
D. Data Collection
1. field work
a. participant observation
b. interviews
2. data
a. field notes
b. documents
c. interview transcripts
d. photographs
e. videotapes
E. Data Analysis
1. logical
2. semantic
3. limited statistical analysis
4. looks for categories, patterns or themes
F. Data Interpretation
1. conclusion tentative
2. generalizations speculative or non-existent
B. Types
1. survey studies
a. opinion/fact survey
b. documentary analysis
2. relationship studies
a. case study
b. correlation study
c. causal-comparative study
3. developmental studies
a. growth study
b. trend study
C. Data
1. types
a. qualitative
b. quantitative
2. sources
a. direct observation
b. measurement of attributes
c. self-reports
D. Tools for Interpreting Data
1. tables and graphs
2. measures of central tendency
a. mode
b. median
c. mean
3. measures of variability
a. range
b. variance
c. standard deviation
XII. Correlational
A. Definition and Purpose
1. characteristics
2. goals
3. definition
B. Correlational Research Process
1. problem selection
2. sample and instrument selection
3. procedures
4. data analysis and interpretation
C. Relationship Studies
1. purpose
2. data collection
3. data analysis and interpretation
D. Prediction Studies
1. data collection
2. data analysis and interpretation
D. Analysis of Data
1. null hypothesis
2. tests of significance
a. Type I errors
b. Type II errors
3. inferential statistics
a. t-test
(1) independent sample
(2) correlated sample
b. analysis of variance
c. factorial analysis
d. analysis of co-variance
B. Services
1. KU computer center and laboratories
a. procedures
b. availability
2. school district services
3. Intermediate Unit services
4. Personal Microcomputers
C. Personal Microcomputers
Ary, D., Jacobs, L., & Razavich, A. (1996). Introduction to research in education (5th
ed.). Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Brace.
Best, J.W., & Kahn, J.V. (1998). Research in education ( 8th ed.). Needham, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.
Borg, W. R. (1993). Applying educational research: A practical guide for teachers (3rd
ed.). New York: Longman.
Call, J.P., Call, M.D., & Borg, W.R. (2005). Applying educational research (5th ed.).
Boston: Person Education.
Campbell, W. G., & Ballou, S. V. (1990). Form and style: Theses, reports, term papers
(8th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Dooley, D. (2001). Social research methods. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall
Eisenhart, M.A., & Borko, H. (1993). Designing classroom research: Themes, issues,
and struggles. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Eisner, E. W., & Pershkin. A. (1990). Qualitative inquiry in education: The continuing
debate. New York: Teacher's College Press.
Fraenkel, J.R., & Wallen, N.E. (2003). How to design and evaluate research in
Education (5th ed.), New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gall, J. P., Gall, M.D., & Borg, W. R. (1999). Educational research: A practical guide
(4th ed.). New York: Longman Inc.
Hittleman, D. R., & Simon, A. J. (2002). Interpreting educational research ( 3rd ed.).
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill
Hofmeister, A. M. (1990). Research into practice. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Johnson, A.P. (2005). A short guide to action research. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2000). Educational research. Boston: Allyn and
Bacon.
Kennedy, C.H. (2005). Single case designs for educational research. Boston: Allyn
and Bacon
Kerszner, L. G., & Mandell, S. R. (1995). The brief holt handbook (Revised Edition).
New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Leedy, P.D. (1997). Practical research: Planning and design (6th ed.). Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey: Merrill.
Lorber, M. A. (1990). Objectives, methods, and evaluation (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs,
N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1990.
Mason, E. J., & Bramble, W.J. (1997). Research in education and the behavioral
sciences. Chicago: Brown and Benchmark.
McMillan, J.H., & Schumacher, S. (2001). Research in Education (5th ed.). New York:
Addison Wesley Longman
Mertler, C.A., & Charles, C.M. (2005). Introduction to educational research (5th ed.).
Boston: Pearson Education.
Patt, L. (1993). Teachers are researchers: Reflection and action. Newark, Del.:
International Reading Association.
Phelps, R.P., Ferrara, L., & Goalsby, T.W. (1993). A guide to research in music
education. Metuchen, N. J.: Scarecrow Press.
Slavin, R. E., Karweit, N. L., & Wasik, B. A., (Eds.). (1994). Preventing early school
failure: Research, policy and practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Sprinthall, R. (1990). Basic statistical analysis (3rd ed). Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Tuckman, B. W. (1994). Conducting educational research (4th ed.). Fort Worth, Texas:
Harcourt
Vockell, E. L., & Asher, J. W. (1995). Educational research (2nd ed.). Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Wiersma, W., & Jurs, S.G. (2005). Research methods in education: An introduction (8th
ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
A. Accommodations
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability
should contact the Director, Office of Service to Americans with Disabilities
privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability
Resources and Services at 610-683-4108 or in the Stratton Administration Building
to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
B. Academic Honesty
C. Attendance Policies