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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - SSE7710
Tracking Number - 1976
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Approved, Permanent Archive - 2004-07-02
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Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2004-02-18
- Department: Secondary Education
- College: ED
- Budget Account Number: 172400000
- Contact Person: Michael Berson
- Phone: 47917
- Email: berson@tempest.coedu.usf.edu
- Prefix: SSE
- Number: 7710
- Full Title: Research in Social Science Education
- Credit Hours: 4
- Section Type: C -
Class Lecture (Primarily)
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: N
- Are the credit hours variable?: N
- Is this course repeatable?:
- If repeatable, how many times?: 0
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Research in Social Science
- Course Online?: -
- Percentage Online:
- Grading Option:
R - Regular
- Prerequisites: Admittance to the Social Science Ph.D. Program
- Corequisites:
- Course Description: This course prepares doctoral students in social science education to be active scholars. Students engage in a preliminary research study, examine theoretical, technical, ethical and practical issues related to conduct of research in education.
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: The course is an essential part of the Ph. D. in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Sciences Education. In addition, this course is needed because it prepares doctoral students in social studies education to be active scholars in the field.
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? The course is an essential part of the Ph. D. in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Sciences Education.
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? 2
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Doctorate in Social Science Education or Curriculum and Instruction.
- Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate the following:
1. Be familiar with the major bibliographic sources in social science education, including special familiarity with the theoretical and research literature related to your particular topic of inquiry.
2. Launch a preliminary investigation of the topic of interest to you, relating it to the existing literature and attending to the theoretical, technical, ethical and practical dimensions of conducting research in education.
3. Prepare a prospectus for a preliminary investigation, including a brief review of foundational literature, and a plan for the investigation.
4. Share the results of your preparations in a formal presentation with the class and visiting faculty.
- Learning Outcomes: 1. Following the advice of Lynn Olson in "Critical Voices," students will interview students and teachers (either or both) about the issues and concerns that actually affect them and their schools. This interview should include at least four informants and may be focused either on a particular issue (e.g., teacher quality, technology) or a general exploration of issues and questions (e.g., What kind of research [or information] would help you do your job better, or learn better in school?).
2. The prospectus will outline a research project the students will anticipate conducting and will include:
3. Assumptions. On what assumptions are you basing your work? Which of them seem to be verifiable in the literature? Which are more speculative?
4. Theoretical Issues. What theoretical issues arise in your proposed study? What is your theoretical "home" for this study? Are there other theoretical orientations that should be considered in the design of your study? What are the consequences to your study of considering alternative theoretical positions?
5. Literature Review. What, in general, does the literature say about your topic? What does it lead you to predict about your topic or question?
6. Research Problem. What is the research problem you are trying to solve? [A problem is a situation that, left untreated, produces a negative consequence for some group, institution or individual(s). "Girls score lower on technology attitude scales than boys" isn't necessarily a problem; "girls are less inclined to pursue careers in technology related fields" is.] What makes it a problem? For whom? Who says so and why?
7. Research Questions. Based on your problem, what are the research questions you are trying to answer? Why and how will answering these questions contribute to solving the research problem? What potentially related questions have you chosen to exclude...and why? [In the case of hypothesis-driven research, what are the hypotheses for your study? Why did you state them as you did? What clues do you get from your literature about how to state them?]
8. General Research Plan. In general, how would you propose to conduct this research study so that it answers your research questions? What kind of data will you gather (specify type, such as survey on attitudes or interviews about technology experiences, rather than specific instruments or protocols)? From whom will you gather it? How will you reduce the data - make sense of it? How will you assure that the data are of high quality?
9. Anticipated Difficulties and Pitfalls. What kind of difficulties and pitfalls might you expect in doing a study of this type? What will you do to prevent them or minimize their effects?
10. Anticipated Benefits. Who will benefit from the fact that this research is undertaken? How? Why? Who might be disturbed this proposed study? How? Why?
11. This should be a thoughtful, reflective paper that presents a balanced view of the proposed study-both its problems and its opportunities. It should serve as a communication with your committee about the kind of thinking you have been doing on an anticipated area of inquiry that might comprise at least a portion of your dissertation work.
12. The presentation will provide the student a chance to share either the results of their inquiry or a report on its status. Details will be provided as the class progresses.
- Major Topics: 1. Research and Professional Practice and The Role of Research in SSE
2. Research Problems and Questions
3. Paradigms and World View
4. Theory and Research
5. Ethics and the IRB
6. Design and Research Approaches
7. Data and Data Analysis
8. Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations
9. Writing Research
10. Writing and Presenting Research
- Textbooks: Kuhn, T. S. (1996) The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Purchase online from www.amazon.com, www.bn.com, or similar.
Shavelson, R. and Towne, L., eds., (2001). Scientific Research in Education. Washington, DC: Center for Education, Division of Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. http://search.nap.edu/books/0309082919/html/
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases:
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy:
- Assignments, Exams and Tests:
- Attendance Policy:
- Policy on Make-up Work:
- Program This Course Supports:
- Course Concurrence Information:
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.