ED 520 - Research Design in Education

Interactivity: Discussion Board

Final Assessment: Final Paper

Course Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to do the following: 

• Identify the most frequently used types of educational research designs, their various purposes and applications, and the situations and contexts for which they are most appropriate. 
• Characterize the differences and similarities between quantitative and qualitative research designs. 
• Frame formally researchable questions, identify appropriate data to collect for them, and select proper procedures and instruments for their collection. 
• Identify the different types of variables and their central roles in research, the uses of some and the dangers of others, and learn to beware of extraneous variables and surrogate indicators. 
• Characterize how hypotheses are framed and tested and how the issues of validity and reliability are involved with different research designs. 
• Recognize how research projects may emerge from workplace situations and the potential opportunities and limitations of applying their results to the workplace. 
• Recall the five standard component sections of a research report, particularly as they are required in the ED 600 Research Project capstone course, and become familiar with the requirements of the formal literature review for research reports.