Faculty Contact Information:
Instructor: Dr. Brett Hamilton
Mailing Address: Am Borngraben 10, 65510 Idstein-Walsdorf,
Email Address: Novantiq@aol.com
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Consultation:
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Tel and Fax: 06434-6222 (1100 hrs - 2100 hrs, 7 days)
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Required Texts and Readings:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC.
Leedy, P.D. & Ormrod, J.E. (2005). Practical Research: Planning & Design (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Weiss, C. (1998). Evaluation (2nd ed.). Prentice Hall. --- Chapters 7, 10, 11 are required. Additional chapters may be assigned as supplementary reading by the classroom instructor.
Citing Electronic Resources: APA Style. Retrieved July 14, 2003 from http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/apa.html
Online Guide to Writing and Research. Retrieved July 14, 2003 from
http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ewp_writingcenter/writinggde/welcome.shtml
Procedures for Completing the Research Project Notification and Human Subjects Protection Form. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/proceduresform.html
University Of Maryland University College Policy Manual Policy 130.25: Conducting Research Involving Human Subjects. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/policy%20manual.html
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Supplementary Readings:
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All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students' research and writing skills.
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Recommended Journals:
A variety of full-text, online, free-of-charge and pay-per-view academic journals are listed on the Counseling WebBoard at http://webboard.ed.umuc.edu/couns/. and the PA WebBoard at http://webboard.ed.umuc.edu/~pa.
The Qualitative Report, a peer-reviewed, on-line journal devoted to writing and discussion of and about qualitative, critical, action, and collaborative inquiry and research, is especially useful for this course.
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Course Description:
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This course is designed to provide the graduate student with an understanding of the various kinds of behavioral research and to develop an understanding of various research designs appropriate to behavioral sciences. Use of basic statistical techniques appropriate to these designs is included. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: EDUC 506 or EDMS 645.
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Course Goals:
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This course provides graduate students with the conceptual and practical skills to develop proposals for and to conduct research projects, policy analyses, and program evaluations, as well as to evaluate and incorporate the implications of published reports into their practice as counseling professionals. Students should use these skills in developing the professional paper required in GUCO/PSYC 561.
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Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method by distinguishing between applied, basic, quantitative and qualitative research, and descriptive and inferential statistics.
- Demonstrate an understanding of program evaluation as a research methodology.
- Analyze professional situations for research/evaluation purposes.
- Generate research problem statements.
- Develop research proposals appropriate to problems statements in specific professional settings.
- Execute literature reviews.
- Formulate hypotheses.
- Develop data collection and data analyses strategies.
- Establish the internal and external validity and the reliability of measurements.
- Analyze, interpret, and apply published research findings to professional settings.
- Present research findings in written and graphic or oral formats.
- Define ethical and legal constraints on research.
- Analyze the application of information technology in research.
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Grading Information:
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Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A 90 - 100%
B 80 – 89%
C 70 – 79%
F Below 70%
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade "F" is used to designate academic failure. "FN" is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs.
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Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in classroom discussions 10%
Write graduate level papers or case studies 30%
Orally/visually present prepared material 20%
Complete one or more written examination(s) 40%
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Description of Course Requirements:
Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the face-to-face classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an 8-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most 14-week graduate distance education courses require at least 10 hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom.
Participate in classroom discussions: You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner.
Write graduate level papers or case studies: You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment. Plan on committing approximately 150 hours over the duration of this course to producing professional level deliverables.
PLEASE NOTE that resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment unless an unusual circumstance has been recognized and allowed in writing by the instructor before the assignment is due.
Orally/visually present prepared material: You are required to present your research in a professional manner. In a face-to-face course, this typically means an oral presentation accompanied by appropriate visual material. In a DE class, this means creating a visual/textual presentation for your instructor and classmates.
Complete one or more written examination(s): The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary to successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used for this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam.
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Course Schedule:
EDUC 506 - PUAD 502 at Kaiserslautern-Kapaun is scheduled over four weekends from 22 Oct through 11 Dec 2005.
First Weekend: 22/23 Oct
Second Weekend: 5/6 Nov
Third Weekend: 19/20 Nov
Foruth Weekend: 10/11 Dec
Please Note Enhanced Course Design: We shall have the advantage of an enhanced teaching assist to this class through use of the web based, WebTycho virtual classroom. The classroom will be tailored for our class and will allow us not only to communicate with one another in conferences in a "rolling discussion" mode, but will provide readings, course content, and assignment submission options ... all of which helps us to bypass cumbersome and unreliable email communication. Use of this virtual classroom is optional. It is offered to us as a useful tool and I have chosen to employ it. Students will be responsible for material assigned in weekend face-to-face class only. We shall be using the technology of Distance Education to make our lives easier, but our class remains "face-to-face" in format and expectation.
FIRST WEEKEND: Saturday, 22 October 2005
1. Introduce Ourselves, possible research interests
2. Review and clarification of syllabus, objectives and course requirements
3. History of Evaluation
4. Types of Evaluation
5. Scientific Method as a way of knowing
6. Ethical Issues for the researcher and evaluator
Reading Assignments:
Weiss - Preface ix - xii; Chapter One, "Setting the Scene"- Pp. 1-19.
Weiss - Chapter Two, "Purposes of Evaluation," Pp. 20-45.
Weiss-Chapter Four, "Planning the Evaluation," Pp. 72-96.
Weiss-Chapter Five, Pp. 109-113;
Leedy - Pp. 101-104.
FIRST WEEKEND (continued): Sunday, 23 October 2005
1. Nature of Research as contrasted with Evaluation .. Differences in Purpose
2. Contrast typical research and evaluation questions: examples
3. Begin thinking about a research or evaluation question for which you might interest you to create a proposal in this course. One of the main objectives of this course is to help you to focus questions into manageable research or evaluation. Results of your work would be publishable as a professional paper.
4. Importance of Operational Definitions: Practice framing ODs
5. Handout: Study Questions for Leedy - Chapters One and Two.
6. Post your proposal ideas into the WebTycho Conference Area for general discussion and review by me and by the class members over the coming weeks.
Assignments: Leedy - Chapter One, Pp. 1-11.
Leedy - Chapter Two, Pp. 12-42.
LITERATURE REVIEW ASSIGNMENT (EVALUATING THE RESEARCH OF OTHERS): SEE PAGE 9 OF LEEDY FOR THE APPROPRIATE CHECKLIST TO USE IN REVIEWING TWO RESEARCH ARTICLES FROM THE JOUNAL LITERATURE) Leedy - Chapter Four - Pp. 64-84.
Homework: TO-DO: SELF ASSESSMENT QUIZZES AT http://www.prenhall.com/leedy Send results to me by email.
SECOND WEEKEND: Saturday, 5/6 November 2005
1. Importance of Stating the Problem
2. Guidelines for Finding and Shaping Problems
3. Continuing critique of student proposal ideas in Conference area Assignments: Leedy - Chapter Three, Pp. 43-63.
Homework: Self-Assessment Quizzes for Chapters Three and Four
Handout: Study Questions for Chapter Three and Four
4. Preparing the Research Project
5. Note also elements of a sample final report, Weiss- Pp. 294-303.
6. General Criteria for a Research Project
Homework: Self-Assessment Quizzes for Chapter Five
7. Writing the Research Proposal
Assignments: Leedy - Chapter Six, Pp.115-132.
Leedy - Chapter Five, Pp. 85-114.
Homework: Self-Assessment Quizzes for Chapter Six Assignment:
SECOND WEEKEND (continued): Sunday, 6 November 2005
1. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods
2. Overview of Methodology, Tools, Data Collection and Interpretation for Qualitative and quantitative research
Assignments: Leedy - Chapter Seven, Pp. 133-160;
Weiss - Chapter Eleven, Qualitative Methods, Pp. 252-270.
Homework: Self-Assessment Quizzes for Chapter Seven;
Handout: Study Questions for Chapter Seven
3. First part of MIDTERM EXAM. The exam will be written but have oral components to be given in class and to be continued in Third Weekend. Our preparation and reading time is so short within the weekend format that it makes sense to take most of the midterm in the third weekend.
THIRD WEEKEND: Saturday, 19/20 November 2005
1. "CALL FOR PAPERS -- BIG DEAL PROPOSAL SYMPOSIUM" scheduled for Fourth Weekend presentations! Important to focus our proposal in this Third Weekend so that we will have time to write an effective proposal and present it to your class on the Fourth Weekend.
2. Qualitative Methods (Continued)
3. Further Development of Specific Qualitative Measures
4. Further Development of Specific Quantitative Approaches
5. Midterm Exam (2nd Part)
Assignments: Leedy - Chapter Eight, Pp.161-178.
Homework: Study Questions for Chapter Eight.
Handout: "Unobtrusive Measures";
Handout: Study Questions for Chapters Six and Seven
6. Descriptive Statistics
7. Introduction to inferential statistics
Assignment: Leedy - Chapter Nine, Pp. 179-216.
Handout: Descriptive Measures
Assignment: Weiss - Chapter Six, Pp. 114-151;
Homework: Study Questions for Chapter Nine
THIRD WEEKEND: Sunday, 20 November 2005
1. Controlled Experiments
2. Sampling theory and methods
3. The importance of Randomization
4. Purpose of Control Groups: Controlling for "alternative hypotheses" and "confounding" or "extraneous" variables
Assignments: Chapter Ten - Leedy, Pp. 217-244,
Weiss - Chapter Eight, Pp. 180 - 214.
5. Research Designs
6. Causation vs. Correlation
7. Ethical Issues in Field Work
Assignments: Weiss - Nine and Ten, Pp. 215-252
Leedy - Chapter Ten, Pp. 217-244.
Homework: Study Questions for Chapter Ten.
FOURTH WEEKEND: Saturday, 10/11 December 2005
1. Analysis and Interpretation of Data
2. Reporting and Dissemination of Descriptive Data
3. Further look at Inferential Statistics .. Logic and Analysis of Statistical Tests
4. Hypothesis Testing: Directional Hypotheses and the Role of the Null Hypothesis in Test Procedure
5. Organizational logic of the Research Report
Assignments: Leedy - Chapter Eleven, Pp. 245-281.
Role of Randomization in Meeting Assumptions of Tests of Significance
Handout: Examples of data analysis using several statistical approaches
Leedy - Chapter Twelve, Pp. 282-302.
6. Presentations of Proposals in PROPOSAL SYMPOSIUM Conference
Assignments: Weiss - Chapter Twelve, Pp. 271-293;
Leedy - Chapter Twelve, Pp. 282-302.
FOURTH WEEKEND: Sunday, 11 December 2005
1. Continuing Discussion and critique of Student Presentations in PROPOSAL SYMPOSIUM
2. FINAL EXAM
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Academic Policies:
Note: Any written assignment in this course may be submitted to TurnItIn.Com. This statement constitutes prior notice.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center.
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Faculty Bio:
Dr. Hamilton provides organization development and management consulting services to civilian, military and academic organizations. He has conducted training research and development in the aerospace industry as well as basic learning research in education. He has delivered OD training for organizations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
His eleven year university teaching experience includes the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Maryland University College, Boston University and the Army Management Staff College. At the graduate level he taught organizational psychology, research methods for the behavioral sciences and program evaluation methods as well as core courses in Business Management including leadership, organizational communication, and organizational change processes. His research at UCLA centered on the cognitive development in children and he has applied this work to the design of computer-assisted-learning strategies as well as to the development of educational toys.
His work history includes design and development projects with organizations such as Thiokol Chemical, Ampex Computer, McDonnell-Douglas Space Systems Center, Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, Kettering Foundation, Mattel Toys, Quark Express, Army Management Staff College, International Training Consultants (Teheran, Iran), the U.S. Army Europe, and the American Postal Corporation.
Now living in Germany, Dr. Hamilton provides management consulting services in change management, personal productivity, and instructional system design. His recent consulting activities have focused on creative decision processes and the role of managers in conducting these processes while building and maintaining working environments supportive of innovation. He completed both undergraduate work in Psychology and graduate work in Education at UCLA.
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