1. EDUC 505.44 July 20, 2011

2. Agenda Discuss Qcards WITOR Controlling and learning conversations Field Work A Literature Search Combining rigor and respect Ethics WITOR (continued)?

3. What is research? Research – … systematic, critical and self-critical enquiry which aims to contribute toward the advancement of knowledge and wisdom. Educational research – Critical inquiry aimed at informing educational judgements and decisions in order to improve educational action (Bussey, 1999, cited in Morrison, 2002)

4. Q-card discussion What did I connect with in the text? What was problematic? What did I have difficulty understanding? How do I apply this to everyday teaching / life experiences? Demonstrate that you have read and thought deeply.

5. PBM: Evaluating theories of action Accuracy – What does accuracy mean in PBM language? – What does evaluating accuracy sometimes reveal? – What methods can be used to evaluate accuracy? Effectiveness – What does effectiveness mean in PBM language?

6. PBM: Evaluating theories of action Coherence What does coherence mean in PBM language? Can constraints be challenged? What is unique about the coherence criterion? Improvability What does improvability mean in PBM language? What does this criterion encourage?

7. Collaboration in research Controlling conversations – Describe – Criticize – Recommend Aim: impose one’s point of view on another

8. Collaboration in research Learning conversations – Describe – Explain – Evaluate – Recommend Aim: learn about the meaning and quality of one another’s views

9. Collaboration in research Ladder of inference – Conclude  Take action – Theorize – Evaluate – Interpret – Describe – Select Pool of available information Contexts, Assumptions Values

10. Field Work A Find a partner (one group of three) Go to a place where you can observe people and landscape Observe for 5-10 minutes without speaking to your partner(s) – Make some field notes Compare your observations – What implications are there for your research?

11. Literature search Using Google Scholar – Log into the StFX library – Advanced preferences – Advanced search – Key words – Using quotation marks – Limiting the date (last five years)

12. Validity « effectiveness » vs. « accuracy »? Reducing bias – Sampling – Confirmation Describing accurately – Audit trail – Triangulation – Participant feedback

13. Ethical decision-making Free and informed consent Prevent harm

14. Ethical decision-making Identify the issues – Decide what the ethical problem is Prepare an initial position – Prepare to defend your position Defend a position – Present your understanding of the situation; identify the issues and what the ethical problem is; give an overview of the discussion that took place; take questions Revise position – Take a few minutes to consider the position you presented to the group and if you might reconsider your initial assessment in light of peer comments

15. Before next class READ Chapters 4 & 5 DO Q card 3 Chapters 4 & 5 Prepare WITOR Oral presentation (5-6 copies of handout) Complete ethics exercise