Investigative Strategies in Summary

From your experience in Investigative Strategies you should feel that you have accomplished the following objectives that are outlined in our syllabus:

1. Identify problems or questions that can be addressed using investigative strategies.
2. Search data bases in the library and on-line for literature relevant to topics or methods.
3. Identify the major steps in the research process and be able to identify what each step contributes and why it is important.
4. Identify investigative strategies that might be used to address a particular research question.
5. Identify and discuss the concepts of measurement, sampling, reliability, and validity with classmates when prompted with an empirically based journal article.
6. Identify and explain the meaning of null and alternative hypotheses and  be able to extrapolate the null and alternative hypotheses if given a research question.      

   These were the 6 learning outcomes we were to accomplish this semester. It is my hope that you feel that you have demonstrated competence in each of these areas through participation in the weekly assignments and exams.

Lesson Activities

•       I'd like to hear from you about your thoughts on this course: what you have learned from it, how you can apply what you have learned from it, and any other feedback you feel like providing. Submit your responses to the "Week 10 Lesson 1" dropbox in eLearning in either a Word DOC or RTF format.

Importance of Knowing Research Design as Educators

"As a professional, your duties demand that you provide your students with the most effective and efficient professional practice. It is your ethical responsibility. Approaching your classroom with the skills and mind-set of a researcher will help ensure the efficacy of your teaching. In addition to becoming sophisticated consumers of research and maintaining your knowledge and awareness of the latest findings and standards of practice, you need to integrate research into your teaching decisions, not just as content derived from studies done by others, but as a method of practice."  Your ability to assess your impact on your students is invaluable. The tools you have learned in this course should help you to become expert teachers.

"Research cannot be simply read or experienced as a text or a course. Research needs to be integrated throughout your ongoing professional development and serve as an integral part of your approach to teaching. It is important to move your research knowledge from your head into practice as you engage in the process of research."

- This is an excerpt from our text book's epilogue. The author's call for you to engage in the process of research and apply what you have learned to your work. This practice will be further encouraged in the following two research courses in your program. It will be up to you to further integrate these tools into your teaching practice as expert teachers.

Expectations for Research Practicum and Action Research

Now that you have completed Investigative Strategies, you are prepared to take Research Practicum. With your current background, you have an introductory knowledge of such concepts of validity and reliability and independent and dependent variables that will help you absorb the information presented in Research Practicum. In Research Practicum you will learn about these concepts in more depth and detail.

The purpose of Research Practicum is to assist the student in completing the preparatory work needed to conduct a master's research project. To this end, Research Practicum assists students in a) identifying an area of research and corresponding research questions that are worthwhile to answer  b) reviewing pertinent literature on the topic, c) preparation of an APA style manuscript that will serve as the proposal for Action Research, d) preparation of an Institution Review Board application and submission of that proposal to the committee, and e) developing an understanding of data analysis and interpretation to the degree necessary for completing the Action Research project successfully. Students successfully completing Research Practicum will be allowed to register for Action Research. 

The purpose of Action Research is to provide one to one support as students a)  implement their proposal, b) conduct their study, c) analyze results, d) write up the final APA style manuscript summarizing their study, and e) present their findings. The completion of the Action Research project marks the completion of the degree program for most students. Students should be aware that in many cases it takes more than 1 semester to complete Action Research. The course is a variable unit course. If students do not complete the project in one semester, they may be asked to enroll in additional hours of Action Research as they are mentored through the project.

Lesson Activities

• As a final assignment for this class, think about your interests as a professional. What did you come to UWF to learn more about specifically? As you continue through your course work, try to think of the content critically by asking yourself "How do we know this is true?"  You will find that much of what we know as Best Practice in our respective fields is labeled as such due to research that supports that practice and it's effects. You will also find that some techniques thought to be best practices by many people actually have no empirical supports. This should concern you.  Expert teachers are educated consumers of information that think critically about what they are asked to do and why. If a new fad in teaching technique comes along, the first question to come to mind should be "how do I know this technique actually works?" With the knowledge you gain from this research sequence you will have the tools necessary for deciding for yourself what works and what doesn't.  I would like you to identify at least 3 researchable questions either developed from your course work or experience that you might be interested in pursuing in Research Practicum. Post these potential research questions in the "Week 10, Lesson 2 dropbox of the eLearning system.

Need Help?  Have a question but can't find the answer? Here are some options:

• Check the list of frequently-asked questions.
• Email Dr. Barry*.

*Remember to include the course name and your name in your message.

To Page 3

Updated on May 16, 2007