Mixed Methods

ARC 8920 – Mixed Methods Page 1 of 7 January 2011
Nova Southeastern University Applied Research Center Abraham S. Fischler School of Education
I. COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: ARC 8920 – Mixed Methods (3 credits)
II. PROFESSOR (Responsible for Syllabus):
Alex Edmonds, PhD 1750 NE 167th Street North Miami Beach, FL 33162 954-262-8286/1-800-986-3223 (Ext. 28286) Fax: 954-262-2301
Students should contact their on-site or online instructor for any questions regarding this course. Instructors are invited to contact the above named professor for questions about this syllabus.
NOTE: To insure program consistency, all sections of each course in the Abraham S. Fischler School of Education, regardless of delivery format, follow the same course requirements and content as listed in this syllabus that is provided by the program professor or lead faculty. The instructor may add, but not delete, topics and activities based on best practices.
III. COURSE DESCRIPTION A. Course Description Mixed Methods is a course in research design that will introduce the concepts and methods of mixed methods approaches (i.e., incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods) to research. The course is designed to provide students with the foundation and conceptual understanding of utilizing mixed methods in doctoral-level research. Prerequisite/s: EDD 9300
B. Course Rationale This course is centered around the premise that today’s practitioners and researchers in the fields of education and the social and behavioral sciences need to have an indepth understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. This level of understanding is necessary for students to make decisions about the most appropriate methodology that is needed to conduct research in real-world settings. This course is designed for graduate students with the aim of communicating and applying the conceptual and procedural components of various mixed methods designs. The emphasis is on the explanation of these concepts and the applications to “real-life” and research-based paradigms so students can become more skilled at applying the most appropriate research designs and develop the skills necessary to complete an applied dissertation.
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IV. COURSE OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course the student should be able to 1. differentiate between the major philosophical underpinnings of research methods. 2. identify and articulate the various world views underlying the major methodological approaches. 3. identify where each methodological approach (qualitative and quantitative) lies relative to the philosophical paradigms discussed. 4. locate and identify critical methodological aspects to various types of quantitative (nonexperimental and quasi- or experimental) and qualitative studies (grounded theory, ethnographic, and narrative). 5. identify and explain mixed methods research and its relevance to various audiences. 6. articulate the relationship between a selected paradigm and theory development. 7. demonstrate the knowledge necessary to link philosophies of science to theory development. 8. identify and develop a research problem and purpose statement and discuss its relevance for mixed methods research. 9. develop appropriate mixed methods research question(s) and identify the appropriate mixed methods design to answer the question(s). 10. differentiate between quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches. 11. appraise and apply the various characteristics (e.g., research questions, designs, data collection techniques) for mixed method approaches. 12. understand when it is appropriate to select a mixed methods design. 13. detail the relevant steps to collecting data for mixed methods studies.
V. REQUIRED MATERIALS * text already purchased for EDD 9300
A. Required Textbooks
Creswell J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Plano Clark, V. L., & Creswell, J. W. (2008). The mixed methods reader. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Note. Sage lists book as 2007.
*Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
B. Required Supplemental Resources
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: APA.
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VI. CALENDAR OF WEEKLY REQUIREMENTS
Units Modules Readings
PPT Review
Discussions* Assignments
1
1 Creswell (2012) Ch. 16
Intro Mixed Methods
Foundations of MM
QUAL Designs
QUAN Designs
Introducing a MM Study
Mixed Methods Designs
Collecting QUAL Data
Collecting QUAN Data
Collecting Data for MM
Summary
Assign 1 Open
2
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 1 – 2 1 Assign 1 Due
3
Creswell (2012) Ch. 13-15 (QUAL review) Assign 2 Open
4
Creswell (2012) Ch. 10-12 (QUAN review) 2
2
5
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 5 Assign 2 Due Assign 3 Open
6
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 3 3 Assign 3 Due
7
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 4 Assign 4 Open
8 4
3
9
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 5 Assign 4 Due 10 5 Assign 5 Open 11 Creswell (2012) Ch. 7
12 Creswell (2012) Ch. 5 6 Assign 5 Due
4
13
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 6 Assign 6 Open
14
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 7
15
Creswell & Plano Clark (2011) Ch. 9 Assign 6 Due
Note. Assignments are due on the last day of the week (e.g., assignment 1 is due the last day of week 2).
*Discussions are primarily derived from the Plano Clark and Creswell (2008) book.
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VII. DESCRIPTION OF COURSE, ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING A. UNITS/MODULES: This course contains 4 Units and 15 Modules (i.e., 1 module per week).  Unit 1 (Modules 1-4) – An introduction to mixed methods is discussed and the specific research paradigms are covered.  Unit 2 (Modules 5-8) – Qualitative and quantitative methods are reviewed.  Unit 3 (Modules 9-12) – Specific mixed methods designs are reviewed.  Unit 4 (Modules 13-15) – Procedures for collecting quantitative and qualitative data are covered.
Within each module, the student will have access to the assigned readings, important Web links, discussion boards, assignments, and PowerPoint (PPT) presentations.
B. ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS (full descriptions are located in the course website): Assignment 1 – Research Paradigms (10%) This assignment will require the student to define mixed methods research and consider its value for different audiences. The student will also discuss the four major worldviews used in research and relate this to the application of mixed methods research.
Assignment 2 – Indentifying Quantitative and Qualitative Studies (15%) The student will be required to locate three recent quantitative studies (a survey, correlational, and quasi- or experimental approach) and three qualitative studies (a grounded, ethnographic, and narrative approach). The student will detail the theoretical framework, philosophical approach, sampling strategies, data collection and analytic methods for each study.
Assignment 3 – Reviewing Mixed Methods Studies (10%) For this assignment, each student will be asked to find a recent journal article that utilized a mixed methods design. The student will review the article and use the appropriate mixed methods notation system and visual diagrams. Specific aspects of quantitative and qualitative methods will also be discussed.
Assignment 4 – Problem and Purpose Statement (20%) The student will provide a (mixed methods) problem statement and discuss why it is important to study the problem. Next, a (mixed methods) purpose statement will be written to support the problem statement. A mixed methods design will be integrated into the problem and purpose statements and a rationale discussing how this approach would be appropriate to address the problem will be offered.
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Assignment 5 – Research Questions and Design (20%) In this assignment, the student will develop the appropriate quantitative and qualitative research questions followed up by the specifically worded mixed methods question based on the type of mixed method design chosen. Next, the student will detail the mixed methods design (which was noted in Assignment 4) that will address the research question(s) using a visual diagram and the appropriate design notations.
Assignment 6 – Mixed Methods Procedures (20%) This assignment will require the student to detail the procedures for collecting the quantitative and qualitative data in order to answer the research question(s) following the framework of the selected mixed methods design.
Discussion Board Postings 1-6 (5%) Students are required to participate in the discussion board posts offered periodically throughout the term. The student is required to provide three written entries for each discussion question: the original response to the question and two additional postings to other students’ original entries.
Assignment Description Percentage
1 Research Paradigms 10
2
Indentifying Quantitative and Qualitative Studies
15
3 Reviewing Mixed Methods Studies 10 4 Problem and Purpose Statement 20 5 Research Questions and Design 20 6 Mixed Methods Procedures 20 Discussion Boards Discussion Boards 1-6 5 Total: 100
VIII. GRADING CRITERIA
A = 4.0 91 – 100% B+ = 3.5 86 – 90% B = 3.0 80 – 85% F = 0.0 1 – 79%
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IX. STANDARDS
As professionals in the areas of education and human services it is expected that students who complete this course will understand and comply with standards established by the research and program evaluation professional communities. In particular, students should pay close attention to the standards promulgated in the following documents: American Psychological Association. (2010). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. The Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (2011). The program evaluation standards (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: CA: Sage Publications American Educational Research Association (2000). Ethical standards of the American Educational Research Association. Retrieved from: http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/About_AERA/Ethical_Standards/EthicalStandards .pdf
X. CLASS POLICIES A. Attendance Students are expected to attend all online or face-to-face sessions or both. B. Plagiarism Work that is submitted for credit must be the original work of the student. Any assignment that is not the original work of the student is considered plagiarism and in violation of the Code of Student Conduct and Academic Responsibility. Plagiarism occurs when another person’s work, words, or ideas are represented as one’s own without the use of a school-recognized method of citation (e.g., copied from another source such as an author or another student without properly acknowledging the actual writer/author), or when another person’s work is copied or otherwise duplicated for academic credit. Plagiarism also occurs when knowingly giving or allowing one’s own work to be copied or otherwise duplicated by another for academic credit, or when resubmitting one’s own work for academic credit (i.e., work that has previously been submitted for academic credit). If the faculty member or administration determines that plagiarism has occurred, the following disciplinary action will ensue: 1. Initial Occurrence: Failing grade (“F” or N/P) for the course. 2. Any Subsequent Occurrence: Immediate dismissal; ineligible to return to the Fischler School of Education and Human Services at any time in the future. 3. Any Occurrence of Plagiarism on a Practicum or Applied Dissertation: Immediate dismissal; ineligible to return to the Fischler School of Education and Human Services at any time in the future. C. Writing across the Curriculum 1. This course includes written assignments that make up at least one half of the final course grade.
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2. Written assignments can include, but are not limited to, abstracts, bibliographies, case studies, computer programs, essays, journal entries, lesson plans, literature reviews, project proposals, project reviews, reaction papers, research papers, seminar summaries, and technology reports. D. Americans with Disabilities Act http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm 1. Nova Southeastern University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. 2. The Fischler School’s ADA Policies and Procedures, and the necessary forms for requesting disability-related accommodations, can be obtained by contacting the FSE Office of Student Judicial Affairs at 954-262-8617 or 1-800-986-3223, ext. 8617, or via e-mail at seldines@nsu.nova.edu. Undergraduate students should contact the undergraduate disability services representative at the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences at 954-262-8405 or 1-800-986-3223, ext. 8405. 3. To ensure that reasonable accommodations can be provided in a timely manner, all forms and documentation must be completed and on file in the FSEHS Office of Student Judicial Affairs a minimum of four (4) weeks prior to the commencement of classes for any given semester. Disability Services http://www.undergrad.nova.edu/catalog/html/index.cfm?template=188 Students with disability-related needs are encouraged to contact Disability Services as early as possible, preferably at least four weeks before the beginning of the first term of enrollment for which disability-related services are sought. Certain accommodations may involve other professionals and specialists, and therefore, may require considerable time to implement. E. Last Day to Withdraw from Course In accordance with policy, students wishing to withdraw from a course must do so formally through the Registrar prior to the last class session. F. Late Policy Students are expected to submit all assignments on or before the due dates set forth by the professor. In case an emergency prevents a student from turning in an assignment on time, written documentation including a rationale as to why the deadline cannot be met must be provided to the instructor in a timely fashion. In instances where the student has a work related or personal conflict, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor prior to any assignment deadline to discuss possible alternatives; however, a change in the deadline is not guaranteed. Students not in compliance with this policy may be subject to receive reduced credit for assignments that are submitted after established deadlines.

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