SYLLABUS
Queens College/CUNY
Education Unit
Spring 2009
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | |
Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 |
SEYS 778 – Seminar Research in Science Education II
Wednesday 7:10 pm to 9:40 pm
Kiely Hall Room 115
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Brian Murfin,
Ph.D.,
Office: Powdermaker Hall Room 150P,
brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu
Please submit share all course assignments as google docs with qcscied@gmail.com
Office Hours:
Thursdays from 5 to 6pm (I will be available for ONLINE appointments from 1/28/09 through 3/4/09)
Wednesdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm and by appointment (Starting on 3/11/9 to the end of the semester, I will be in my office on campus)
More information on office hours:
1/28 through 3/4 my office hours will be in my online office using DimDim on Thursdays from 5 to 6pm and by appointment. Please email me at brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu to set up an online appointment. Once you have contacted me, and I have confirmed our appointment, you can click on the following link: http://webmeeting.dimdim.com:80/portal/JoinForm.action?confKey=bmurfin@gmail.com
on Thursdays from 5 to 6pm to request an online meeting with me.
Wednesdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm and by appointment (Starting on 3/11, I will be in my office on campus)
We will have our online appointments using either:
- ScienceMOO, or
- DimDim
Students who are enrolled in SEYS 778 this semester can also meet with me online using the BlackBoard Virtual Classroom or Chat tools.
Phone: 718 998-5150
Email: brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu
A. COURSE DESCRIPTION
SEYS 778. Seminar in Research in Science Education. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: For SEYS 777, matriculation in MS in Education (science) program, completion of 20 graduate credits, and 30 credits (undergraduate and graduate) in general science; for SEYS 778, SEYS 777 during the preceding semester.
Education Unit Conceptual Framework:
This course is
being offered by the Secondary Education department which is part of the
Education Unit at Queens
College. The Education
Unit seeks to promote equity, excellence, and ethics in urban education and is committed to preparing teachers
and other education professionals who will:
Build inclusive communities that nurture and challenge all learners (Equity)
- Demonstrate professionalism, scholarship, efficacy, and evidence-based and reflective practice (Excellence)
- Diversity, democracy, and social justice (Ethics)
This course is aligned with the Education Unit’s commitment to preparing educational professionals to work in diverse urban and suburban communities. Specifically, the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that candidates will development/demonstrate at the successful completion of this course are directly linked to the Education Unit’s seven principles: 1) discipline specific competencies, 2) learning and development, 3) families and urban communities, 4) diversity, inclusion, democracy and social justice, 5) language and literacy, 6) curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and 7) technology.
B. COURSE GOALS/OBJECTIVES
This semester, participants will undertake a significant study in
science education. A strict schedule of check-off points is included to help
guide research investigations. See “Assignments, Due Dates and
Grading.” Final projects will be presented by each investigator in seminar
during April and May 2008. An appropriately formatted (APA style) research
paper of a study or project is due Finals Week.
No extensions.
Course objectives aligned with Core Values:
At the end of this course, students will have demonstrated competency in the following areas:
- Understanding the nature of social/scientific research and the scientific processes applied in research. Excellence, Ethics
- Understanding the ethical and philosophical principles adhered to in research. Equity, Excellence
- Designing a research project. Equity, Excellence, Ethics. Note: Research projects commonly embody many QCPs
- Conducting a research project. Equity, Excellence, Ethics
- Identifying needed data, their sources, and the procedures by which data are collected. Excellence
- Analyzing data appropriately. Excellence
- Answering research questions and testing hypotheses. Equity, Excellence, Ethics
- Stating findings and drawing conclusions. Excellence
- Presenting and defending a research project at a seminar [i.e.“So what?” factor]. Equity, Excellence, Ethics
- Writing an appropriate research report or project. Excellence
C. TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLIES
Text (Required):
Mertler,C.A.and Charles,C.M. (2005). Introduction to Educational Research - 5e. New York:Longman
hardcover notebook (this will be for your research journal/notebook)
References:
Gabel, D.L. (1993). Handbook of Research on Science Teaching and Learning. New York: Macmillan.
Burnaford,G.,Fischer,J.,Hobson,D. (1996). Teachers Doing Research: Practical Possibilities. New Jersey: Erlbaum Asso.
Glass, G., Hopkins, K. (1996). Statistical Methods in Education and Psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Web Resource: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/
D. DISCUSSION TOPICS – TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Active class participation in discussions of focus topics expected. Excessive absences may result in a half-letter drop of the final grade.
Celebrate Chinese New Year 2009 (1/26/2009! an opportunity for a multicultural science connection
1/28/2009 – Week 1 - First semester Reviews of the Literature and Proposal due. Semester overview, review of deadlines, syllabus;
- Browse and enjoy the following:
- Why the chicken crossed the road according to scientists
- How to Write a Scientific Paper by Eric Schulman
- Google directory of science humor
- Statistics Jokes
- Gary C. Ramseyer's First Iinternet Gallery of Statistics Jokes
- The Archives Of Statistics Fun by Gary Ramseyer
- Guernsey McPearson's Statistical Menagerie
- Commentaries on Significance TestingCompiled by David F. Parkhurst, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
- Science jokes Science humor collected by Joachim Verhagen
- Hiawatha Designs an Experiment
- Statistical Quotes By Rainer Wuerlaender
- Science Humor Webring
- the Straight Dope
- The Skeptical Inquirer
- Bookmark the course web site at http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/~bmurfin/classes/spring2009/seys778/index.html
- Post your introduction on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard 8.0
- Post your Literature review and Research Proposal (from SEYS 777) on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
- Post your research topic and questions on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
- Join our class Google Group. If you do not have a gmail account, please sign up for a gmail account first, and then join the Google group.
- URL of our group: http://groups.google.com/group/seys-778-spring2009/
- Send email to our group: seys-778-spring2009@googlegroups.com
- Complete the research needs assessment,
- Form research groups of 3 to 4 students. Please post the names of the people in your group on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
- You should work with the students in your research group on the following activity: Review of a science education research article
- Assignment #1 - Post your Proposed Schedule/Timeline for your research project on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
- Get a hardcover notebook and start your research notebook
2/4/2009 - Week 2 - Discussion of research priorities, including issues related to data and data collection. Data collection procedures
In-class activities:
- review the Chapter 7 Lecture Outline
- Use your textbook and work in your research groups to complete the following:
- Work in your research group to complete the Data Collection 1 activity
Assignments Due:
- Assignment #1 - Post your Final Schedule/Timeline on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
- Make sure you have developed your data collection instruments. You will need to post them on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard and bring 10 paper copies to class next week.
2/11/2009 - Week 3 - Issues related to the design of a qualitative and quantitative data collection instrument. In groups: Bring 10 copies to class for feedback. e.g. questionnaires, inventories, surveys or unit tests.
In-Class activities:
- Assignment #2 - Please post your data collection instruments on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
- Work in your research groups to do the following:
- The group should look at each instrument and provide constructive feedback. You can do this orally and then type in your comments on the Discussion Board.
- Discussion of Issues related to data collection in qualitative and quantitative studies.
- Work in your research groups to complete the Data Collection 2 activity
- Assignment #2 - Please post your data collection instruments on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
- Finish reading Chapter 7.
- Begin Chapter 8
2/18/2009 - Week 4 - Issues related to data analysis. Discussion of (your) data analysis plans. How will you report the outcome(s) of your study? Measures of central tendency, inferential statistics and tests of significance will be reviewed.
In-class activities:
- review the Chapter 8 Lecture outline
- Read through Basic Applied Statistics Techniques
- Descriptive statistics -decision tree
- Inferential statistics - decision tree
- Use your textbook and work in your research groups to complete the following:
- Complete the "Random assignment assignment"
- Go through the Selecting Statistics site
- Complete the Chapter 8 Developmental Activity - Statistical Analysis Decisions
- IMPORTANT: Post your data analysis plan on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard (check on the Discussion Board for instructions)
- IMPORTANT: Make sure all of your data collection instruments have been posted on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
- IMPORTANT: Make sure you have posted your Research Proposal and Timeline on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard, and read the instructor's comments.
- Sign up for your individual conference by posting on the Class Wiki in BlackBoard. The current schedule is also in BlackBoard under the Course Documents. If you have not signed up, let me know your preference.
Assignment:
Readings:
Chapter 8, Appendix pp. 337-358. Sign-up for conference schedule 2/25, 3/4 and 3/11, 3/18.
Useful Links:- Experimental design summary
- Random assignment tool
- Quantitative Software
- Qualitative research software - open source
- Weft - for interview data and written text and field notes
- Text analysis software
- Transana - for audio and video
2/25/2009 - Week 5 - Individual conferences (20 minutes each) . Additional online activities designed to help you with your research project will take place while the individual conferences are taking place. Please make sure to check the course outline online for updates each week.
Class activities:
1. Start your Master's project paper draft using Google Docs
- Sign up for a Google account if you do not already have one.
- Create a blank Google doc and copy and paste the Final paper template into your new Google doc and save. Rename your paper so that it has your last name and seys778, e.g. YournameSEYS778. Check the following links for information on your research paper:
- Share your document with me. My email address is qcscied@gmail.com
- Start working on the draft of your Master's project paper. You can keep a backup of your paper by copying and pasting text from the Google Doc into Microsoft Word.
3. Post updates on the progress of your research project on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
4. Pick one of the following online statistics textbooks and go through the introductory chapters:
3/4/2009 – Week 6 - Individual conferences (20 minutes each) Additional online activities designed to help you with your research project will take place while the individual conferences are taking place. Please make sure to check the course outline online for updates each week.
Class Activities:
1. Download Open Office. An introduction to data entry (Open Office Base)and analysis (Open Office Calc) (you can also use Microsoft Access and Excel if you have it at home). Open Office Base is a database. We will create a table first, then a form to enter data. After the data is entered, it is easy to copy the table into Open Office Calc (this is the spreadsheet). In Open Office Calc, charts, graphs and tables can be made just like in Excel. You can also export the data from Calc if you need to do more statistical tests in SPSS. For now, just install Open Office. I will have the tutorials up in time for our class this Wednesday. This week we will work on data entry and the following week will be devoted to producing tables, charts, and graphs and importing the data into SPSS. (You may also want to download and install OpenOffice.orgGoogleDocs. This allows you to import and export docs from OpenOffice to Google Docs)- Data entry tutorial using OpenOffice.org Base and Calc (Text version)
- Data entry demonstration using OpenOffice Base and Calc (Video) (The fonts may be hard to read so you might want to maximize the window so that it is "full screen" On a Windows computer you can press the "F11" key to maximize, and then when you want to return, you can click the minimize icon. )
Useful Links:
- Research methodology and statistics
- a gigantic list of statistics tutorials
- Excel tutorial on statistics
- Stats Tutorial Microsoft Excel basics
- Excel tutorials and Learning manuals
3/11/2009 – Week 7 - Individual conferences (20 minutes each). Additional online activities designed to help you with your research project will take place while the individual conferences are taking place. Please make sure to check the course outline online for updates each week.
Class activities:
- An introduction to data analysis with SPSS.
- Go through the SPSS tutorial. Check the other tutorials in the useful links below.
- Pick a sample data file from this link and open it in SPSS and explore. You could do descriptive stats, try printing a table or graph and explore the statistical tests you might be using with your own data.
- A free, open source alternative to SPSS, OpenStat (Please note: OpenStat is not available for the Mac so you will need to do this at home if you wish to use OpenStat)
- Using OpenStat
- A statistics and measurement primer
- Sample .tab files for use in OpenStat (These are great learning tools, pick data similar to yours and explore)
Useful links:
- SPSS tutorial
- SPSS resource and tutorial
- Tutorial for SPSS for Windows
- A Beginner's Guide to SPSS
- the Very Basics of SPSS: Useful Resources
3/18/2009 – Week 8 - Individual conferences (20 minutes each) (Completed). Additional online activities designed to help you with your research project will take place while the individual conferences are taking place. Please make sure to check the course outline online for updates each week.
Class activities:- Skim the two articles by a Physicist, Alan Sokal:
- Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity
- A Physicist Experiments With Cultural Studies
- After skimming the Sokal article check out the following link to find out more - Sokal
- Qualitative versus Quantitative research - What's the difference?
- Key points in a classic debate
- Predispositions of Quantitative and Qualitative Modes of Inquiry
- The Qualitative-Quantitative Debate
- Read the following article, Research methodologies in Science Education: The Qualitative-Quantitative Debate
- An introduction to the analysis of qualitative data - read through the materials below:
- Online QDA - Complete Beginner
- Introduction to qualitative analysis
- Go though the following activities:
- Qualitative research
- Beginner's guide to action research
- List of software
- open source software:
- Transana (older version is free)
- Weft QDA
- Express Scribe (interview transcription software)
- ToscanaJ
- TAMS and TAMS Analyzer (Text-Analysis Markup System)
- Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis software
3/25/2009 – Week 9 - NO CLASS - SESSION REPLACED BY VISIT TO THE SCONYC CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY 4/25/09
Session replaced by SCONYC Conference April 25, 2009 - Professional Conference Day: SCONYC CONFERENCE –SATURDAY, April 25, 2009. @ Stuyvesant HS(8:00 am -4:00 PM) 345 Chambers St. NYC
Updates of all studies/ projects should be posted on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
Due next week: Summary of data analysis to date (1-2 pages) Trouble-shooting research seminar.
4/1/2009 - Week 10 - Progress reports, questions and answers, research groups meet with instructor -
CHECKPOINT #1 - YOU SHOULD HAVE FINISHED COLLECTING YOUR DATA!!!!!!
Assignment Due:
Assignment #3 - A "first review"
of raw data or collation of descriptive material (Summary of data analysis to date) (1-2 pages) is due!
Data analysis Summary should be posted on the Discussion Board in
BlackBoard. Sign up for day and time for your Oral presentation.
(The sign up sheet is in BlackBoard, under Tools, Wiki Tool)
4/8/2009 – Week 11 – NO CLASS - SPRING RECESS
SPRING BREAK (4/8-4/17)
4/15/2009 – Week 12 – NO CLASS - SPRING RECESS
Preparation for oral presentations, work on data analysis and writing of papers in class
SPRING BREAK (4/8-4/17)
Schedule of Seminar Presentations – Topics (tentative)
4/22/2009 – Week 13 – Preparation for oral presentations, work on data analysis and writing of papers in class. Set up slideshare.net accounts and upload PowerPoint
ATTEND THE SCONYC Conference April 25, 2009 - Professional Conference Day: SCONYC CONFERENCE –SATURDAY, April 25, 2009. @ Stuyvesant HS(8:00 am -4:00 PM) 345 Chambers St. NYC (Please note this conference replaces the session scheduled for 3/25/2009)
4/29/2009 – Week 14 – Assignment #4 - Oral Presentations of research
Assignment #5 due - Please post all visual aids including handouts, slides, on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard and submit using the Digital Dropbox. Post slides on the web using slideshare and post URL on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
5/6/2009 – Week 15 – Assignment #4 - Oral Presentations of research
Assignment #5 due - Please post all visual aids including handouts, slides, on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard and submit using the Digital Dropbox. Post slides on the web using slideshare and post URL on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
5/13/2009 – Week 16 - Assignment #4 - Oral Presentations of research
Assignment #5 due - Please post all visual aids including handouts, slides, on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard and submit using the Digital Dropbox. Post slides on the web using slideshare and post URL on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
5/20/2009 – Week 17 - Presentations of research : Two copies of your completed thesis due. Your thesis should also be submitted by posting it as a Word Doc on the bulletin board in BlackBoard, on a CD-ROM, and also using the Digital Dropbox. Finals Day 5/20: No extensions.
A plagiarized paper (any part) or paper authored by outside sources will result in a final grade of F and noted on your record.
Some variation in the syllabus may occur due to scheduling changes.
E. ASSIGNMENTS, DUE DATES AND GRADING PLAN
You are responsible for meeting these target dates. A missed deadline for any check-off will result in a grade penalty unless a written request is submitted and approved at least one week prior to the due date.- Assignment #1 - A schedule/timetable for conducting and completing your study should be compiled during the first week of the semester, by February 4th, contingent on proposal approval. Please post your schedule on the Discussion board in BlackBoard.
- Requests for extensions must be made in writing with an alternate timeline and justification, subject to approval by Feb. 25th if your proposed schedule differs by more than 2 weeks from the target dates stated in 3, 4 below.
- Assignment #2 - Post copies of your data collection instruments on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard and bring 10 copies to class.
- Checkpoint #1 - By the week of April 1st, your research should be completed i.e. collection of primary and secondary data for quasi-experimental, descriptive and action research (i.e. questionnaires completed, data collected). If your study is descriptive, historical or in an area of science or an area solely dependent on sources of published data, all information, resources and printed matter for your study/project should be in your provenance by this date.
- Assignment #3 - A "first review"
of raw data or collation of descriptive material is due April 1, 2009. To be submitted using the Digital Dropbox and
posted on the discussion board in BlackBoard.
- For quantitative studies, a small sample of (or description, if data is not yet collated) of the data (in tables, figures or other appropriate form) and a description of how you will analyze your research data/ material. Include the descriptive and inferential statistics you plan to use.
- For qualitative research,
non-quantitative case studies, descriptive research papers, and other
non-empirical studies: A description of
the chapters or sections completed, and a brief description of what remains to
be done. The paper should be 1-2 pages, maximum.
- Assignment #4 - Oral Presentation of your research project will take place from April 29th – May 13th. You can use PowerPoint, Impress, Zoho Creator or other technology tools to present your project. Before preparing your presentation take a look at this link. You will be required to sign up for a day and time for your presentation. The oral presentations should be 15-20 minutes (approximately 12-15 slides or other equivalent). Have handouts of your study/project.
- Assignment #5 - Slides, visual aids and handouts to go along with Oral Presentations. These should be posted on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard and also submitted using the Digital Dropbox BEFORE you present in class.
- Assignment #6 - Two paper copies of the research study are due on or before May 20, 2009. You should also submit your project as a Word Doc on a CD-ROM, and using the Digital Dropbox and Bulletin Board in BlackBoard. No extensions.
- The format and style for your project should follow APA guidelines.
- Quotes from primary or
secondary sources should not exceed 200 words, properly referenced. Copying of other people’s ideas and/or work
without proper attribution is plagiarism.
Any such infraction will result in a grade of “F” for the class.
-
Each paper should be a minimum of 20 pages, double-spaced, 12
font, with standard margins. It should include the following
sections:
- Title
- Table of contents
- Abstract
- Introduction (including purpose, salient portions of lit. review) conceptual framework
- Methods (including how data was collected and analyzed)
- Analysis (including tables, figures)
- Conclusions, reflections and implications
- References
- Appendix (including
questionnaires, test instruments, sample exhibits)
- Individual Conferences
Conferences are intended to help the researcher complete a blueprint for
the semester and address unresolved questions about the research being
conducted. Conferences will focus on reviewing updates on: precise wording of
the research question, design (i.e.
plan/procedures for the investigation or “treatment”), the data being collected
(sources and quality, quantity of primary, secondary data) and target dates for
each phase of work. If you plan to
conduct a study with empirical data or any study involving quantitative
analysis, consider, in particular: a
statement of the hypothesis, problem or question, treatment plan (if
appropriate), precise nature of data needed, the type and
characteristics of data
collection instruments to be used, (tests, questionnaires...), methods for
collecting and recording the data; sampling,
mechanisms for controlling possible confounding variables, plans for analyzing
data and limitations of the study. If
your study falls into a domain that does not fit the above categories, bring
proposal outline with timeline for completion and a 5-10 page excerpt (data) of
your work in progress.
Timely completion of required assignments
and checkpoints
above.
25
Quality of
presentation
25
Final written research project
paper
50
Total:
100
Final Research Paper/Curriculum Project and Presentation Information:
- Guidelines for writing your final research paper
- Final research paper rubric
- Oral presentation rubric
- Curriculum project rubric
F. FIELDWORK REQUIREMENTS
A class trip to SCONYC, a professional science teacher conference, is planned for Saturday, 4/25/09. The conference will replace class on 3/25/2009.
G. THE COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS (IRB)
If you have a question about conducting research projects involving human subjects and need guidance, please visit: CUNY Policy for Student Research with Human Subjects and Human Subjects in Research or contact Ms. Barbara P. Lermand, MA blermand@qc1.qc.edu
H. CUNY POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion as provided at:
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/provost/policies/index.html
I. ADA Statement
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Special Services Office, Kiely 171; (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class. For more information about services available to Queens students contact: Pratik Patel, Special Services Office; 171 Kiely Hall; 718 997-5870 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). E-mail address: pratik_patel@qc.edu
J. USE OF STUDENT WORK
All teacher education programs in New York State undergo periodic reviews by
accreditation agencies and the state education department. For these purposes, samples of students’ work
are made available to those professionals conducting the review. Student anonymity is assured under these
circumstances. If you do not wish to
have your work made available for these purposes, please let the professor know
before the start of the second class meeting. Your cooperation is greatly
appreciated.