ON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Spring Semester 2003

EDUC222 -3

Krista Muis

Research Methods in Educational

Office: EDB

8645

Psychology ?

Phone:

291-4548

Fridays 9:30-12:20 ?

D01.00

E-mail: krmuis@sfu.ca

PREREQUISITE:

Corequisite: Educ 220

DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to elaborate the understandings of theory and research that are introduced in Education

220 by extending your knowledge and skills in interpreting and doing educational research.

The main goal of this course is to learn how to read and evaluate research studies critically. Questions you should

ask when reading research articles include: Should I take this study seriously? Are the researchers credible? What

flaws are there in the study? Can I believe the findings? Do the researchers draw reasonable conclusions given what

they did?

Before you may profit from applying the findings of research to the classroom situation, you need to learn how

to read, interpret and evaluate research. In this course, you will learn to read research articles critically, interpret

them sensibly, and evaluate the validity of the research vis-à-vis specific questions you face in teaching.

As a teacher, as you interact with students, set up your classroom environment, plan instruction, teach "on the

fly", etc, you can conduct your own research to examine the effectiveness of your teaching methods. Whatever

type of research you conduct, it is a cornerstone to improving education.

REQUIREMENTS

Assignment 1: Analysis of a study's variables, hypotheses, samples, and measurements.

Worth 20% of the final

grade.

Assignment 2: Writing an article critique.

Worth 20% of the final grade.

Short Ouizzes:

Over the course of the term,

short quizzes will be given in class. Each quiz is worth 2% of your final grade, for a

total of 10%.

Midterm and Final Examinations.

The midterm and final examinations will each be worth 25% of your final grade.

REQUIRED READINGS

Suter, W. N. (1998). Primer of Educational Research. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.