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Brian's Class Materials- SPRING 2012 - SEYS 778

SEYS 778 Home

SYLLABUS

Queens College/CUNY
Education Unit
Spring 2012

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 4:30 to 7pm

Powdermaker Room OO4

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION: 

Brian Murfin, Ph.D.,
Office:  Powdermaker Hall Room 135C,

Email addresses:  
brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu

Please submit all course assignments

  1. By posting them on the discussion board in BlackBoard
  2. By submitting them using the assignments link in BlackBoard
  3. Share the Word docs as a Google doc with qcscied@gmail.com

as Google docs with qcscied@gmail.com

Office Hours: 

Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4pm

More information on office hours:

Please email me at brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu to set up an online appointment. 

Students who are enrolled in SEYS 778 this semester can also meet with me online using the BlackBoard Virtual Classroom or Chat tools.  

Phone:  (631) 223-8311
Email:  brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu

A.  COURSE DESCRIPTION

SEYS 778  is the second half of a two-course research requirement in the M.S. in Secondary Education program for secondary science teachers. Science teachers in SEYS 778 complete studies or projects to enhance their professional knowledge in diverse areas such as curriculum, instruction, technology, student achievement, student behavior and addressing diversity in the science classroom. Research practitioners are expected to demonstrate competency in using the tools of research to reach objective conclusions. An approved research proposal and review of the literature paper completed in SEYS 777 are prerequisites for the study or project undertaken in SEYS 778.  

Queens College Education Unit Core Values* - A Conceptual Framework

The Education Unit seeks to promote the 3 E’s*- Equity, Excellence, and Ethics in urban education and is committed to developing competencies in all teacher preparation and other education professional candidates that will enable them to:

*Equity:  Building inclusive learning communities that challenge and nurture all students
 Excellence: Encouraging professionalism, scholarship, and evidenced-based and reflective practice.
 Ethics: Valuing diversity, democracy and social justice

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 2011. An appropriately formatted (APA) research paper of a study or project is due Finals Week.  No extensions.

Course objectives aligned with Core Values:

C. TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLIES

Text  (Required):

Mertler,C.A.and Charles,C.M. (2011). Introduction to Educational Research - 7e. New York: Allyn and Bacon.

hardcover notebook (this will be for your research journal/notebook)

References:

Abell, S.K. , Lederman, N.G. (2007) Handbook of Research on Science Education. Routledge

Burnaford,G.,Fischer,J.,Hobson,D. (1996). Teachers Doing Research: Practical Possibilities.  New Jersey: Erlbaum Asso.   

Gabel, D.L. (1993). Handbook of Research on Science Teaching and Learning. New York: Macmillan.               

Glass, G., Hopkins, K. (1996). Statistical Methods in Education and Psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.  

Web Resources:

Queens College library research guides

 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.  

Chinese New Year 2012! an opportunity for a multicultural science connection 

2/1/2012 – Week 1 - Reviews of the Literature and Proposal returned. Spring overview, syllabus; review of deadlines, research needs assessment; professional conference

Class Activities:
Assignments Due:  
Readings:  Read Chapter 6 - "Procedures and Tools for Gathering Data" in Mertler for next week

2/8/2012 - Week 2 - Clarification of research question(s), Due: Timeline.   Review of completed studies in related areas of research, and  Parts of a descriptive research study: A deconstructed proposal “Teachers’ Perceptions of the Influence of No Child Left Behind on
Instructional and Assessment Practices”, Mertler, p. 160-165).

Discussion of research priorities, including issues related to data and data collection. Data collection procedures

Class activities:

Assignments Due: 

2/15/2012 - 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. 

Class activities:

Assignments due:
 Readings:  

2/22/2012 - 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:

Reminders:

Assignment: 

Readings:

Read: “Constructing a  Questionnaire”:

Chapter 8,  Appendix pp. 337-358.  

Useful Links:  

2/29/2012 - Week 5 - Project updates, Case study discussion:  Value Added Assessment of Teacher Effectiveness in New York City Schools, Group/Individual conferences (20 minutes each) .  Topic: 

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.

Assignment: Chapter 7; Software Programs, p. 131, Mertler and Excel tutorials – see web resources.  Appendix pp. 371-389.  

Sign-up for group/individual conference schedule using the Wiki tool in Blackboard;  Week 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Class activities: 

  1. Science news
  2. Reminders
  3. Project updates - What type of data are you collecting and how will you analyze it?
  4. Value-added updates
  5. Value Added Activity - Part 2 (Here is a link to the full pdf of the NYC Technical report)
    1. Two very relevant quotes:
  6. Begin meeting with groups/individuals.  We will spend a maximum of twenty minutes per each person.
    • Be prepared with the following:
      • A summary of your project
      • Progress report
      • Any questions, problems
  7. Value added news
  8. While the instructor is meeting with individuals or groups, please 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:
    • Guidelines for writing your final research paper Final research paper rubric
    • 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.    
  9. Make sure you have posted your data collection instruments and plan on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
  10. Post updates on the progress of your research project on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
  11. Pick one of the following online statistics textbooks and go through the introductory chapters:

3/7/2012 – Week 6 - Entering and organizing your data
Group/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:  Create a simple database table and form.  Next import your database into Calc, a spreadsheet program and make a simple bar chart. After this, you will explore a software tool that will enable you to import a document, add categories and then mark up the document. 

  1. Updates on projects
  2. Value-added questions, comments, and updates
  3. Download and install LibreOffice and/or OpenOffice.
  4. Open up Base
  5. Open up Calc
    • Go through the Open Office Calc tutorial or
    • View the Calc tutorials you are interested in
    • Copy and paste your data table into a spreadsheet in Calc.
    • Create a simple bar chart.
    • You could now easily copy and paste this into a Word (Writer) document and then format it according to APA style. 
    • You can also choose "Save as" in Calc and save your spreadsheet file in a variety of format so that the data can easily be imported into SPSS (on the QC computers) or PSPP (free open source software you can install at home).
Please note:  You can also use Microsoft Access and Excel if you have them at home but if you use OpenOffice or LibreOffice you will always have the latest software for free.   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 or PSPP. For now, just install LibreOffice or Open Office. 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 or PSPP.

4.  Another option for data entry is for you to create a form in Google docs.  You can then enter the data using the form and it will be available in the form of a spreadsheet that you can download and then import into Libre Office, Open Office, SPSS or PSPP
5.  Qualitative data software
2.  Read "Pitfalls of data analysis"

Useful Links:

3/14/2012 – Week 7 - Topic - How will you analyze your data? Brief introduction to SPSS, OpenStat and PSPP, Find a "Model" research paper. Group/ 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.

Important note: 

Class activities:

1)  An introduction to data analysis with SPSS. 

2)  Read through the materials below related to the analysis of your data.  Later in today's class, you will present an overview of how you plan to analyze your data. 

3)  Use Google Scholar and the Queens College library databases to find a "model" science education article, that uses a similar research design and data analysis to your research project.  Post the bibliographic information and pdf of the article on the discussion board in BlackBoard. 

4)  At home, download PSPP and/or OpenStat and explore some of the sample datasets. 

Useful links:             

3/21/2012 – Week 8 - SPSS and Data Analysis continued - Group/Individual conferences (20 minutes each)

Topic - Other:  Not included in above. Individual conferences – sign up using Wiki Tool in BlackBoard

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. Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity 
  2. A Physicist Experiments With Cultural Studies
Useful links:

3/28/2012 – Week 9 -  Updates on research projects, individual conferences

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.

4/4/2012 - Week 10 - NO CLASS - SESSION REPLACED BY VISIT TO THE SCONYC CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY 4/25/2012

Session replaced by SCONYC Conference April 28, 2012 - Professional Conference Day:  SCONYC CONFERENCE –SATURDAY, April 28, 2012. @  Stuyvesant HS(8:00 am -4:00 PM)  345 Chambers St. NYC

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)

4/11/2012 – Week 11 – NO CLASS - SPRING RECESS

SPRING BREAK (4/6-4/15)

4/18/2012 – Week 12 –  Preparation for oral presentations, work on data analysis and writing of papers in class.  Set up slideshare.net accounts and upload PowerPoint or Prezi presentations

Schedule of Seminar Presentations –  Topics (tentative)

4/25/2012 – Week 13 –  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 or Prezi and post URL on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.

ATTEND THE SCONYC Conference April 28, 2012 - Professional Conference Day:  SCONYC CONFERENCE –SATURDAY, April 28, 2012. @  Stuyvesant HS(8:00 am -4:00 PM)  345 Chambers St. NYC  (Please note this conference replaces the session scheduled for  3/28/2012)

5/2/2012 – 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 or Prezi and post URL on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.

5/9/2012 – Week 15 – Assignment #4 - Oral Presentations of research   

Check out these interesting research sites:

A humorous research journal:


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.

5/16/2012 – 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.

5/23/2012 – Week 17 -  PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE:  WE WILL MEET FROM 4PM TO 6PM
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. Checkpoint #1 (5 points) - By April 4th, 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. Checkpoint #2 - April 11th (5 points) post rough draft on Blackboard using the Assignments link and on the discussion board.
Additional information on the final research paper and 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.   

 A final grade in this course is based on the following criteria: 

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:

F.  FIELDWORK REQUIREMENTS

A class trip to SCONYC, a professional science teacher conference, is planned for Saturday, 4/28/12 from 8am to 4pm at Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers Street @ West Street. 

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.