Syllabus

GORDON ALBRIGHT SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

ECC 511: Research Methods in Education

3 Credits
Effective: January 2016

Access to the Internet is required.

All written assignments must be in Microsoft-Word-compatible formats.
See the librarys APA Style Guide tutorial for a list of resources that can help you use APA style.

FACULTY
Faculty Name: Dr. J. Paul Stewart
Contact Information: paul.stewart@rdcrs.ca

(403)396-5373

Research Methods is often the most feared course in the curriculum but its also one of the most
necessary. The aim of this course is not to bore you with numbers, but to make you more aware of
researchs relevance to current and future leadership roles in your schools and jurisdictions. We will
together explore the importance of developing a critical eye around research materials so that the
decisions you make will be informed through critical review and not hearsay. We will take real-world
scenarios and look at critical analysis from a variety of perspectives. We will delve into the uses of
various research methodologies, in particular those that offer practical education applications. During this
process, you will explore your own research questions and how they might best be represented in
developing ethically-sound research. I hope this course will open your eyes to viewing research in a
critical and at the same time more relevant way.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course candidates will study a variety of research methodologies including formal research, action
research, data driven instruction, and assessment. All of these forms of research are tools of the reflective
practitioner. Find, evaluate, and use relevant research materials to develop skills in critiquing published
research and reviewing literature and methodologies to develop a research plan.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
The key resources for this course are:
McMillan, J.H. & Wergin, J.F. (2010). Understanding and Evaluating Educational Research. Boston:
Pearson Educational. (Ch. 1)
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association. Washington, DC : American Psychological Association.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
http://www.apastyle.org/
Further suggested reading:
Panel on Research Ethics, Canada. (2011). Second edition of Tri-Council policy statement:
Ethical conduct for research involving humans. Ottawa, ON: Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of
Research. http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/pdf/eng/tcps2/TCPS_2_FINAL_Web.pdf
Creswell, J.W. (2013). Educational Research: planning conducting and evaluating quantitative and
qualitative research. Boston: Pearson.
Corbin, J. & Strauss, A. (2008). The Basics of Qualitative Research. Los Angeles: Sage.
Oliver, P. (2003). The students guide to research ethics. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
Picardi, C.A. & Masick, K.D. (2014). Research Methods: designed and conducting research with a realworld focus. Los Angeles: Sage.

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Effective: Spring 2012/2013

McMillan, J. H. & Wergin, J. F. (2010). Understanding and Evaluating Educational Research (4th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Required and recommended resources to complete coursework and assignments are available from the
Course Document Lookup.

CITYU LEARNING GOALS

This course supports the following City University learning goals:

Critical thinking and information literacy

COURSE OUTCOMES
In this course, learners:
Demonstrate an understanding of scholarly research through the analysis of all elements of a
research study
Investigate ethical standards for research with human participants
Understand and evaluate quantitative and qualitative research methods

CORE CONCEPTS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

Data collection methods in relation to styles/types of research objectives

Developing a research plan
Differences in research modalities
Ethical standards in research
Evaluation of research rigor

OVERVIEW OF COURSE GRADING

The grades earned for the course will be derived using City University of Seattles decimal grading
system, based on the following:
Overview of Required Assignments

% of Final Grade

Attendance and Participation

15%

Collegial Evaluation of Research Articles

25%

Critique of Research Article

25%

CityU online ethics module

10%

Research Plan

25%

TOTAL

100%

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SPECIFICS OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

The instructor will provide grading rubrics that will provide more detail as to how this assignment will be
graded.
Attendance and Participation
Class attendance and participation is an integral part of this course. Coming prepared to class is essential
because the information, knowledge, skills and expertise they exchange with peers and instructors
contributes toward a strong learning community. It is highly important that candidates attend and actively
participate in class. In any part of the class, the instructor determines the amount of credit awarded for
alternative assignments.
Components
Regular attendance and preparation
Active participation in experiential activities
Collegial participation in class discussions
TOTAL

% of Grade
30%
30%
40%

100%

Collegial Evaluation of Research Articles

From resources provided by their instructor and/or chapter readings in the core text, candidates participate
in the critical evaluation of research articles during class and/or online as appropriate. They evaluate the
methods used, analysis of the data, implications for practical use, the sphere of influence and conclusions
drawn. During the afternoon of the 2nd class session students, in groups of 3-4, will provide a 10-15 min
overview of an article and lead a whole class discussion on the strengths/limits of the research. Groups
should supply class colleagues with a 2 page summary of the article. This same article may be used for
the individual evaluation assignment outlined below.
Components
% of Grade
Active participation in group & class discussions
30%
Group presentation: Clearly stated understanding of the attributes of
30%
research modes
Group presentation: Theoretical reasoning supported by appropriate
25%
sources
Group presentation: handouts
15%
TOTAL
100%
Critique of Research Article
Candidates select and critically evaluate one scholarly article related to their research plan, reviewed
during ECC510 for the annotated bibliography assignment or one discussed in class. If selecting an article
other than those supplied by instructor, please clear it with your instructor ahead of time. Candidates
evaluate the methods used, analysis of the data, implications for practical use, the sphere of influence and
conclusions drawn.

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Components
Selection of relevant article
Clear identification of research mode attributes
Theoretical reasoning supported by appropriate sources
APA format and writing conventions
TOTAL

% of Grade
25%
35%
30%
10%

100%

CityU online ethics module

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for reviewing all research proposals put forward by
students at CityU. To assist candidates with understanding the role and purpose of ethical review boards
in general, and CityUs process in particular, the IRB has created an online module that is available
through the Blackboard virtual learning environment. MEd candidates enrolled in the research methods
course are also registered in the ethics module. The instructor will provide details about the process.
Candidates are expected to successfully complete the module before the completion of this research
methods course. The module can be done in your own time at home via the internet. Expected time is
approximately 2 hours.
Components
Successful completion of online ethics module
Email pass confirmation to program coordinator and instructor
TOTAL

% of Grade
90%
10%

100%

Research Plan
Candidates develop an outline of a plan for a research project that can be conducted during their
internship or at their school. This research plan demonstrates an understanding of research design and
methods and a clearly developed problem statement, an analysis of the theoretical field of reference as
well as ideas regarding data gathering tools and proposals for data analysis, implications, and
presentation.
At this initial stage of the research process, candidates will draft a 4-6 page outline of their research plan
as well as use a template provided by the instructor (ethical review protocol). It is expected that
candidates may build on the research conducted in ECC510 (annotated bibliography) and/or their research
article critique assignment as a starting point for this research plan assignment. Some time will be
allocated in-class for working on this with instructor input. The focus is for this to be a working document
and not a final project proposal.
Components
Problem statement clearly identified
Theoretical background and research method selection
Appropriate data collection tools identified
Plan and rationale for data analysis
Relevant references for theory and related research studies
Ethical review protocol developed in draft
TOTAL

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% of Grade
20%
20%
15%
15%
15%
15%

Effective: Spring 2012/2013

100%

COURSE POLICIES
Professional Writing
Assignments require error-free writing that uses standard English conventions and logical flow of
organization to address topics clearly, completely, and concisely. CityU requires the use of APA style.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES
You are responsible for understanding and adhering to all of City University of Seattles academic
policies. The most current versions of these policies can be found in the University Catalog that is linked
from the CityU Web site.
Scholastic Honesty
Scholastic honesty in students requires the pursuit of scholarly activity that is free from fraud, deception
and unauthorized collaboration with other individuals. You are responsible for understanding CityUs
policy on scholastic honesty and adhering to its standards in meeting all course requirements. A complete
copy of this policy can be found in the University Catalog in the section titled Scholastic Honesty under
Student Rights & Responsibilities.
Attendance
Students taking courses in any format at the University are expected to be diligent in their studies and to
attend class regularly.
Regular class attendance is important in achieving learning outcomes in the course and may be a valid
consideration in determining the final grade. For classes where a physical presence is required, a student
has attended if s/he is present at any time during the class session. For online classes, a student has
attended if s/he has posted or submitted an assignment. A complete copy of this policy can be found in
the University Catalog in the section titled Attendance Policy for Mixed Mode, Online and
Correspondence Courses.

SUPPORT SERVICES
Disability Resources
If you are a student with a disability and you require an accommodation, please contact the Disability
Resource Office as soon as possible. For additional information, please see the section in the University
Catalog titled Students with Special Needs under Student Rights & Responsibilities.
Library Services
CityU librarians are available to help you find the resources and information you need to succeed in this
course. Contact a CityU librarian through the Ask a Librarian service, or access library resources and
services online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Smarthinking
As a CityU student, you have access to 10 free hours of online tutoring offered through Smarthinking,
including writing support, from certified tutors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contact CityUs
Student Support Center at help@cityu.edu to request your user name and password.

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