College of Education and Human Services

School of Education

Big Rapids, MI  49307

 

EDUC 511

Principles of Educational Evaluation and Research

 

Instructor:            Katherine (Kitty) Manley, Professor, College of Education and Human Services

Office:                  416A  Bishop Hall

Phones:                  (231) 591-2726 (office)  (231) 591-2043 (office FAX)

 

E-Mail:                  drkittyfsu@yahoo.com or manleyk@ferris.edu

Home Page:          http://www.netonecom.net/~manleyk

 

Course Credit:     3 semester credit hours

 

Catalog Description:   This course allows the student the opportunity to study and analyze the principles and techniques employed in educational evaluation and research. Development of a research proposal is required.

 

Scope of Course:  The ultimate goal of the first educational research course is to provide a foundation whereby you gain an understanding and appreciation of the field of educational research and that you have sufficient knowledge of research methods to develop more technical skills.  The course goal will be to provide fundamental knowledge of the field of educational research, research concepts and principles, and specific methods for conducting and critically reading research.

 

Textbook and Coursepack:  The required textbook for the course is:  Research in Education:  Evidence-Based Inquiry by James H. McMillan and Sally Schumacher, 7th Edition, 2010 and a coursepack prepared by the instructor must be purchased.

 

The content of the course will be introduced in six units and will serve as the basic tasks for the course

 

Unit l:     Fundamental Principles of Educational Research

Unit 2:    Non-Experimental Research Design and Methods

Unit 3:    Experimental Research Design and Methods

Unit 4:    Data Analysis (Statistics)

Unit 5:    Qualitative Research Designs and Methods 

Unit 6:    Evaluation Research and Policy Analysis

Task List

 

Unit 1:  Fundamental Principals of Educational Research

Task 1:                  Define fundamental principles of educational research (Chapters 1 & 2)

Task 2:                  Define research problems (Chapter 3)

Task 3:                  Conduct literature and internet reviews (Chapters 4 and 5)

 

Unit 2:  Non-experimental Research Design and Methods

Task 4:                  Describe data collection techniques for quantitative research studies (Chapter 8)

Task 5:                  Design non-experimental research studies(Chapter 9)

 

 

 

 

 

Unit 3:  Experimental Designs and Methods

Task 6:                  Design experimental studies (Chapters 6 & 10)

 

Unit 4:  Data Analysis (Statistics)

Task 7:                  Use descriptive statistics (Chapter 7)

Task 8:                  Use inferential statistics (Chapter 11)

 

Unit 5:  Qualitative Research Designs and Methods

Task 9:                  Design and analyze data for qualitative research projects (Chapters 12 & 14)

Task 10:                                Define qualitative and analytical research (Chapters 13 & 16)

 

Unit 6:  Evaluation Research and Policy Analysis

Task 11:                Design evaluation and policy studies and emerging methods of research

(Chapters 15 and 17)                         

 

There will be six GROUP tests scheduled throughout the course. Each test will cover the material as noted on the attached class schedule.  Tests are open book, notes, etc.  Test items will be similar to the Self-Review Exercises given in the textbook.  The total number of points available on each test is listed below: (150 points)

 

Test 1—Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5                        30 points

Test 2—Chapters 8 and 9                                     20 points

Test 3—Chapters 6 and 10                                   30 points

Test 4—Chapters 7 and 11                                   25 points

Test 5--Chapters 12, 13, 14, and 16                    25 points

Test 6--Chapter 15 and 17                                    20 points

                                                                    

There will be six GROUP homework assignments that are designed to provide you and your group with opportunity to use the information provided in the text and during class.  Each assignment is worth 25 points and may be resubmitted as often as required to earn the total 25 points. Each team member will individually receive the number of points on each assignment.

 

There will be a PEER evaluation of your contribution during the semester.  In addition to the assignments and tests above, your group will work on other class-related activities.  The peer evaluation of your contribution will be worth 50 points.  You will receive the number of points based on an average of the peer evaluation rating form of your contribution by your fellow team members.

 

There will be one INDIVIDUAL project required during the quarter. You must prepare a research proposal which will include a statement of a researchable problem, a literature review, and a methodology section.  This project will form the basis for EDUC 512.  The project is worth 125 points.

 

There will be one INDIVIDUAL final exam consisting of 50 items similar to the Group tests.

 

A total of 525 points may be earned on the tests, homework, group project, and individual project.  Grades will be assigned at the end of the quarter on the following scale:

 

525-486 = A                                             432-420 = B-

485-473 = A-                                           419-412 = C+

472-459 = B+                                          411-381 = C

458-433 = B                                             380-368 = C-