Course Description
Principles of locating, interpreting, and evaluating information from published and online sources and using research and evaluation procedures to study questions of practice related to the use of instructional technology for learning.
Athena Title
Adv Res Methods in Instru Tech
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in EDIT 8900
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will: 1. define and exemplify researchable questions within the field of instructional technology 2. locate, interpret, and evaluate published research and evaluation reports and other significant literature (both in print and online) related to chosen topics within the field of instructional technology 3. understand how research and/or evaluation studies can be planned to address specific research questions related to the practice of instructional technology 6. determine appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative procedures to address specific research questions 7. plan, conduct, and report the results of a small pilot study
Topical Outline
1. Basics of research in instructional technology -- Defining research vs. evaluation -- What is action research? -- Connecting research and practice 2. Developing useful and researchable questions 3. Locating, interpreting, and evaluating previous research 4. Designing in instructional technology -- Methodologies and designs often used to study instructional technology in practice -- Advantages and disadvantages of these methods and designs -- Considering context and purpose in designing IT research -- Other factors to consider in designing IT research 5. Collecting and analyzing data to support claims -- Understanding the uses of descriptive and inferential statistics as evidence -- Understanding the uses of qualitative data as evidence 6. Sharing results with different audiences