
Syllabus
it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger/7650/syllabus.html
EDIT 7650: Applied Research Project in Instructional
Technology
Summer Semester, 2011
UGA Gwinnett
updated 5-14-11
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Schedule
This course is primarily independent. There will be no meetings.
Instructor
Dr. Mary Ann Fitzgerald
604C Aderhold Hall
maryannfitz at gmail
http://it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger
Office
hours: call for an
appointment
during weekday hours. Please feel free to talk with me
privately and at
your
convenience—this is part of my job. Phone conversations, emails, and
face-to-face
visits are all welcome.
Scheduled phone appointments and online conferences work well,
too. I strive to
answer
email within 48 hours with the exception of weekends and when out of
town.
If you need me urgently, a phone call or phone message is the best
way. I invite you to call me at home when the situation warrants;
I'll provide the phone number upon request.
Course
Description
from the Graduate Bulletin
This course represents the
culminating activity
leading to the Specialist (Ed.S.) Degree. Student applies skills,
knowledge,
and appropriate research methods to identify and solve real world
professional problems. Non-traditional format: Specialist students work
independently to
identify and solve real world problems.
Objectives:
The primary objective of this
course is to complete the Applied Project (AP). The guidelines for the
AP represent a contract, culminating a 3-semester research
experience.
Texts
and Supplies
Farmer, L.S.J. (2003). How
to conduct action research: A guide for library media specialists.
Chicago: American Association of School Librarians/American Library
Association. ISBN 0-8389-8260-3.
We will depend heavily upon the
Internet
in this class for communication, resources, and information
inquiry.
It is essential that you have access to a reliable computer and
Internet
connection. It is
imperative that you have regular, uninterrupted access to a high-speed
Internet service.
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Topical Outline
The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations
announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary. Topics
are presented in a general sequence, but adjustments will be made to
allow for natural unfolding of discussion.
Ethical research in
school settings
AP implementation
Reflective practice
Data-driven decision-making
Problem-solving in SLM contexts
Data collection
Data analysis
Drawing research conclusions
Formulating recommendations for practice
Writing and packaging the research product for a professional audience
Presenting AP results
Other topics pertaining to research
and SLM practice are invited. If topics come up that need
exploring,
this course is flexible enough to accommodate them.
Instructional Strategies
Research
Assignments (see below)
Class discussions and small group
discussions
Peer support
One-on-one conferencing
Regular accountability
Readings in texts and of current scholarly
and practical articles
Individual presentations
Idea sharing
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Assignments
I encourage early submissions throughout this semester. The deadlines
listed do not leave much room for error.
Assignment
Links to detailed
descriptions and rubrics will be provided.
|
Points
(of 100 total)
|
Analysis
Plan
A proposal that provides a small data sample and proposes
a plan for the complete analysis
|
10
|
Results Draft
First draft of completed Results section
|
10
|
Discussion,
Conclusions,
&
Recommendations
Draft
First draft of completed Discussion section
|
10
|
AP Complete Draft (AP1)
Tags
Incorporating formative feedback provided from previous
drafts, this is the first complete draft of the AP
|
15 |
AP Draft to Advisor (external
deadline)
|
--
|
Portfolio
(Completed Assignment Page)
This is the only assignment
that can be done out of order. |
10 |
AP Draft to Committee (external
deadline)
|
--
|
AP
Presentation
Packaging the large AP into a concise presentation
suitable for a professional audience |
20
|
AP Final Draft
Incorporating formative feedback provided from previous
drafts, this is the final version of the AP
|
25
|
Grading Policy
- This course is graded in S/U format. The "S" level is 80%.
- The Applied Project is designed as an authentic learning
experience. It is large and challenging, but also
realistic. Draft assignments and detailed rubrics are provided to
guide students to a
high standard of performance. We encourage students to reflect
throughout about how action research contributes to professional
development and should be incorporated as a normal part of the highest
level of professional practice.
- Due dates are set to help each student complete APs and graduate
in May. Variation from the due dates may be appropriate in
individual cases, by prior arrangement. Please consult with the
instructor about this.
- Communication and writing skills
are
essential
for Specialist candidates.
Therefore, all writing must comply with grammatical and spelling rules
and should look professional in a visual sense. Please use a word
processor
and laser or inkjet printer and avail yourself of the spelling and
grammar-checking
tools provided by your software. Web sites and projected materials
should
receive the same level of proofreading and care that printed papers
do.
If errors or appearance detract from the quality of an assignment, the
score will reflect this problem. I reserve the right to return severely
flawed assignments to you without a grade so that you may repair them
prior
to my reading. Most assignments have a "mechanics" criterion.
Items that are written for public consumption in real life -- such as
web pages -- should be as close to perfect as possible, in keeping with
the professionalism expected of you in the field. Items that are
more reflective or just for me to evaluate will not be held to such a
high standard.
- Format. Most
assignment
descriptions
specify the form in which each assignment should be turned in. Please
pay
careful attention to this detail. For example, I may request dropbox
submissions,
email
attachments, a web address, or a combination of these. Most
times,
I will ask for dropbox submissions. Number
pages.
Use a 12-point, sans serif font. You should also post your assignment
on your
assignment
page
- unless privacy will be compromised (as in the case of school-based
research results).
This provides a sharing opportunity for all class members and provides
digital backup for print assignments. With these many
alternative modes, it is critical that you check the submission details
provided with each assignment.
- As scholars, it is essential for
you
to give
credit to any other sources consulted in the course of completing any
assignment. Use in-line citations as appropriate.
List these in a reference list near the end of the project, and please
follow APA
style (5th edition).
- I follow the
Graduate
School's policy of using the Incomplete grade only in the case of
documented illness or other unavoidable emergency. If you feel
you have the need and justification for an Incomplete, you must
communicate with me as soon as possible and document your difficulty.
It is my
philosophy
that every student can achieve an A with sufficient effort; this class
is not a competitive event, nor are student performances rated in
relation to others.
- Tracking. Your final grade
should come
as no surprise to you if you keep up with your scores. I will use the
WebCT
Gradebook.
- Academic honesty. All academic work must meet the
standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty." Students are responsible
for informing themselves about those standards before performing any
academic work. More information about academic honesty can be found at http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm.
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Management
Special Needs
If you need special assistance due to
a physical or learning disability, please let me know. I will be happy
to accommodate you in any way that I can.
Organization
I strive to
be organized. The following
procedures will help us all manage our resources and time:
- All course materials may be found online from
http://it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger/7650.
- Assignment pages: use your space at SLMDawgs AP as home
base for your applied project materials. Feel free to
visit
other students' pages. Please don't share the assignment pages with
people
outside the class, however. Make sure to keep
electronic copies
of
all your projects, even if you don't house them in your own web
space.
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Fitzgerald
home
5-13-2011: refreshed for summer 2011.
2009: 2/26: shifted two due dates. 1/25: finalized
due dates; 1/14: added bread
crumb trail. 1/13: refreshed.
1/16: working with
assignments. New syllabus 11-7-07
Expires 6-1-09.
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