Course Description:

ASTL 5709/6709/7709 will empower classroom teachers to construct their own knowledge and to make it available to others for the benefit of all learners.  This course is designed to help educators and other professionals understand the relationship between their own professional development and the process of improving the quality of pupils' and/or colleagues' learning.

Course Objectives:

This course is based on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) 14 and 15 as well as state Special Licensure Standards 11.

 

At the completion of this course, the successful student will be able to do the following:

1. Define action research.
2. Determine a research topic related to PreK-8 literacy and develop research questions that need to be addressed.
3. Review literature related to specific research questions.
4. Design, plan, and implement an action research study.
5. Evaluate and interpret the results of the research study.
6. Develop a research paper based on the the action research project.

ASTL 5709/6709/7709 is part of the program of study leading to the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP).  Before enrolling in ASTL 5723, students must meet the following criteria:

• Admitted into the RODP M.Ed. program
• Prior to enrolling in this course, students must have completed ASTL 5700/6700/7700, ASTL 5701/6701/7701, ASTL 5721/6721/7721, ASTL 5703/6703/7703, ASTL 5723/6723/7723, ASTL 5705/6705/7705, ASTL 5706/6706/7706, ASTL 5725/6725/7725, and ASTL 5726/6726/7726.

1.   The Purposes of Action Research

2.   Understanding Action Research: Exploring Issues of Paradigm and Method

3.   Developing a Research Proposal

4.   Ethical, Legal, and Human Relations Issues

5.   Research Questions, Samples and Settings

6.   Reviewing the Literature

7.   Developing an Action Plan

8.   Data Collection Techniques

9.   Data Collection Considerations: Validity, Reliability, Generalizability, and Ethics

10. Data Analysis and Interpretation

11. Case Studies: Action Research Reports, Presentations, and Performances.

12. Online References

This course will be completed online, therefore, it is necessary that the student have access to the Internet frequently for extended periods of time.  In addition, the student needs to have basic computer skills including the ability to browse internet sites, create documents in a word processing program, and upload and download files.

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course:
http://rodp.bkstr.com

A list of Online Resources will be provided on Action Research and Writing. There will also be some supplementary online readings. The APA manual, Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed., 2001), is not required by extremely helpful in the formatting of the action research paper.

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm.

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. Specific software requirements for this course includes A recent version of Microsoft Word that includes Reviewing Tool features such as "Track Changes" and "Comments." These features are used extensively for the course to give feedback on the paper. Students unfamiliar with these MS Word features will need to take some online tutorials provided by the instructor.

Please see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours, instructor's commitment to feedback, and other communication information.

Name and Contact Information of NBPTS consultant.

NBPTS Website

There will be no examinations in this course.

Evaluation will be based on student performance and active participation.  There will be several assignments that students must submit as they are in the process of completing their action research project.  These assignments need to be submitted within the designated time frame.  In addition, students will need to respond to discussion questions on a weekly basis.

90-100--A
80-89---B
70-79---C
The grading scale should emphasize research papers, case studies, article critiques, other assignments, projects, and student participation in the learning community as well as timed quizzes and periodic examinations.

Students will design and implement an action research project and write a research paper based on the project.

Additional directions on assignments will be given under Assignments and in the Modules. Under Assignments is where you will find the detailed course outline.

1) Participation:
Class interactions are critical to professional growth and development. Evaluation will be based on your professional collegiality and if readings are completed and assignments are turned in on time. Failure to adhere to the above could result in failure to complete the class. (1 point deducted for each late participation or handing in of assignment, 2 points deducted for missing participation for reflective journal, feedback to other students, and for required posts on the discussion board). These points are deducted from the total of 100 points and can be deducted (up to 20 points.)

2) Research journal:
The purpose of this journal is to record your experiences, thinking, progress as you work through your master's project. Your journal should also have evidence to support any claims you make in your final report. For an online class you need to write a minimum of one email a week for 5 weeks that is significant and thoughtful. These will be evaluated on reflective inquiry qualities. These are how you gain participation points. Points: 4 points for a quality weekly email, 2 point for an incomplete email, 0 points for no email. Points: 20 points.

3) Professionalism:
The Tennessee Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth states that professionalism takes such forms as: the ability to collaborate with colleagues and appropriate others, demonstration of productive leadership or team membership skills that facilitate the development of mutually beneficial goals, maintains accurate and up-to-date records, completes assigned tasks on schedule, maintains punctuality and attendance, follows applicable policies and procedures, maintains confidentiality and fulfills responsibilities, provides evidence of performance levels, and articulates strengths and priorities for growth.

4) Action Research Written Report:
Spend a minimum of 6 weeks of action research in a classroom/work setting. Since the ability to engage in critical reflection and self-study for professional development must be demonstrated in classroom/ work settings, Action Research requires access to field settings, which are typically classrooms. You must have evidence that documents your 6 weeks of research. Failure to collect data for 6 weeks could result in failing this class. Points: 80% of grade. NOTE: You must pass the paper in order to pass the class. A rubric will be provided on how the project will be graded.

Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course.  Students are expected to communicate with the instructor as a learning resource. In addition, students must check the course bulletin board frequently for announcements, and students must actively participate in threaded discussion events.

Students are expected to log in a minimum of four to five times per week.  All course assignments, discussions, and examinations must be completed by the due date.

Active participation is required, Students are expected to communicate with other students in team projects, Students are expected to learn how to navigate in WebCT and to keep abreast of course announcements , To communicate with the instructor, use the WebCT email as opposed to the university email.  A telephone number is also provided on the Instructor Information Page,  Address technical problems immediately,  Observe course netiquette at all times. 

• Columbia Guide to Online Style by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor
• Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses. 

Students With Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Technical Support

If you are having problems logging into your course,
timing out of your course, using your course web site tools, or other technical problems, please contact the AskRODP Help Desk by calling

1-866-550-7637 (toll free)

or go to the AskRODP website at:

http://help.rodp.org