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UoPeople Online Syllabus Repository (OSR)

Master of Education in Advanced Teaching (M.Ed.)

EDUC 5910 Applied Professional Inquiry

EDUC 5910: Applied Professional Inquiry

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: As this is the final course in the MEd all required courses must be completed before taking this and no other courses can be taken concurrently; Final Term of Study  

Course Description:

Students will conduct the planned data collection and analysis activities contained in their applied research proposal and prepare a written report that describes the results of their research and interprets these results in terms of what they have learned during their time in the program.  Implications for new instructional practices and further professional development should also be discussed.

Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed below, and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course's General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.

  • This course does not contain a main textbook; resources to all required reading will be provided in the course Learning Guide for each week.

Software Requirements/Installation: No special requirements.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  1. Analyze data collected from a previous research project 
  2. Design a report based on data analysis describing the results of the research
  3. Apply knowledge gained throughout the M.Ed. program of study to the interpretation of results in research
  4. Analyze implications for professional development opportunities and new instructional strategies in the classroom

Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week.

Week 1: Unit 1 - Capstone Deadlines and Project Tracking

Week 2: Unit 2 -The Portfolio Presentation - Part 1

Week 3: Unit 3 - The Portfolio Presentation, Part 2

Week 4: Unit 4 - Research and Practice Portfolio

Week 5: Unit 5 - Applied Research Report

Week 6: Unit 6 - Applied Research Report, Draft Submission

Week 7: Unit 7 - Reflection on Capstone Experience

Week 8: Unit 8 - Applied Research Report, Final Submission 

Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.

Unit 1: Capstone Deadlines and Project Tracking

  • Read through the Course Syllabus, Reading Assignment, and Learning Guide
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum 
  • Complete and submit the Written Assignment (submitting one tracking tool for each of the three tasks)
  • Create and submit the Student ID Validation video

Unit 2: The Portfolio Presentation 

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum 
  • Screen Capture Practice: Begin creating your Portfolio Presentation - Due by the end of Unit 3 

Unit 3: The Portfolio Presentation, Part 2

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to any of your peers' posts 
  • Submit your final Portfolio Presentation

Unit 4: Research and Practice Portfolio

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to any of your peers' posts 
  • Submit the Written Assignment - Research and Practice Portfolio 
  • Continue collecting data and working on the Applied Research project  - Due at the end of Unit 8

Unit 5: Applied Research Report

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
  • Respond to any of your peers' posts 
  • Continue working on your Applied Research paper 

Unit 6: Applied Research Report, Draft Submission

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to any of your peers' posts 
  • Prepare the Written Assignment - Applied Research Report - Submit Draft

 Unit 7: Reflection on Capstone Experience

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to any of your peers' posts 
  • Continue working on the Written Assignment - Applied Research Report
  • Complete and submit the Portfolio Activity

Unit 8: Applied Research Report, Final Submission

  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Forum
  • Complete and submit the Applied Research Project
  • Complete and submit the anonymous Course Evaluation

Course Requirements:

Discussion Forums

In this course, Discussion Forums are provided as spaces to reflect and connect.  Some of the Discussion Forums are not graded but students are encouraged to use them often to exchange ideas, collaborate, get and give feedback, etc. from each other. 

Written Assignments & Assessment Forms
Most units in this course require that you complete Written Assignments, which may come in many forms (presentation, case study, research paper, etc.). You are required to submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines and, in addition, to peer assess three (3) of your classmates’ assignments according to the instructions found in the Assessment Form, which is provided to you during the following week. During this peer assessment period, you are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the Assessment Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Please note that each assignment grade is comprised of a combination of your submission (90%) and your peer assessments (10%). Failure to submit Written Assignments and/or Assessment Forms may result in failure of the course.

Reflective Portfolio Activity

Reflective Portfolio Activities are tools for self-reflection and evaluation within the context of the course. These activities are designed as a means to document and critically reflect upon your learning process. 

Course Forum
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.

Course Policies:

Grading Components and Weights
Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:


Discussion Forums   5%
Unit 1 Project Plan 15%
Unit 3 Portfolio Presentation 20%
Unit 4 Research and Practice Portfolio                               20%
Unit 6 Applied Research Report - Draft 15%
Unit 7 Portfolio Activity
 5%
Unit 8 Applied Research Report 

20%
 Total   100%
  


Grading Scale

This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the People, as indicated here:

Letter Grade                         
 Grade Scale Grade Points
A+ 98-100 4.00
A 93-97 4.00
A- 90-92 3.67
B+ 88-89 3.33
B 83-87 3.00
B- 80-82 2.67
C+ 78-79 0.00
C 73-77 0.00
C- 70-72 0.00
D+ 68-69 0.00
D 63-67 0.00
D- 60-62 0.00
F Under 60 0.00
CR N/A N/A
NC N/A N/A
NF N/A N/A
W N/A N/A

Grade Appeal
If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please contact your course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the posted final grade. For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the University Catalog.

Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of peer feedback to Discussion/Written Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:

  • Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is provided in the course schedule, and the instructor will specify deadlines for each assignment.
  • Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is likely to automatically fail the course.
  • Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of the time, late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no make-up assignments.
  • All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences which may result in their non-participation.

Academic Honesty and Integrity
When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy in the University Catalog.

Any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several styles and citation formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s Online Writing LAB (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed here: 

APA style introduction. (n.d.). Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts. Purdue University. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog.