Welcome to SPED 680: Research in Special Education; Thesis Research Design Project

This is a blended course meaning that we will meet in person every other week and the week we do not meet there will be an online component to the course.  This course will be taught in conjunction with SPED 685 which is your actual research project for LBS I students so much of the work done in SPED 680 will tie directly to your final research project.  I am anxious to work with each of you in designing and implementing your final projects for your masters degree in special education leading to your LBS I or LBS II license.

Blog #1: Best Practices in Research in Special Education

Doing research in special education requires a special skill set, attitude and set of dispositions. Please share a list of 10 Best Practices when doing qualitative research in special education. Comment on at least 3 of these practices and how you intend you utilize them in your own research project.

Blog #1B: The Researcher as Bricoleur

How would you define 'Bricoleur' and do you consider yourself a bricoleur? How can being a bricoleur help you also be a good researcher?  How does being a good bricoleur play into doing ethical research and/or displaying social justice through your research?

Blog #2- Single Subject Research Design

      

Single-subject research is a rigorous, scientific methodology used to define basic principles of behavior and establish evidence-based practices. A long and productive history exists in which single-subject research has provided useful information for the field of special education (Kennedy, in press; Odom & Strain, 2002: Tawney & Gast, 1984; Wolery & Dunlap, 2001). Since the methodology was first operationalized over 40 years ago (Sidman, 1960), single-subject research has proven particularly relevant for defining educational practices at the level of the individual learner.

Single-subject designs may involve only one participant, but typically include multiple participants (e.g., 3 to 8) in a single study. Each participant serves as his or her own control. Performance prior to intervention is compared to performance during and/or after intervention. In most cases a research participant is an individual, but it is possible for each participant to be a group whose performance generates a single score per measurement period (e.g., the rate of problem behavior performed by all children within a classroom during a 20 min period).

Please state whether you agree with the bolded statement, explain why or why not, and include why you would or would not want to use this research methodology with the students with special needs that you work with.

Blog #3: Qualitative Research Methodologies including Grounded Theory, Narrative Inquiry, Case Study, Ethnography, Critical Theory, and Action Research

How do any of the above research methodologies help us make sense of our world?  Please state which methodology you want to discuss and then answer the question.

       

  

             

Blog #4: Observing at Trinity Christian College

                                             

Tonight you had an opportunity to sit and observe for 45-60 minutes at a chosen spot at Trinity.  You were asked to observe the setting and write thick, rich description about your site, the people at your site, and the activity at that site.  Please share with the class one or two things that you observed that:

    a.     surprised you

    b.     made you happy

    c.     made you sad

    d.     made you angry

    e.     frustrated you

    f.     other

    and tell us why those feelings emerged.

   Observations can produce very powerful emotions that we have

   to acknowledge and then put into perspective.

Blog #5: Interviewing at Trinity Christian College

                                   


On Tuesday night you had the opportunity to interview someone from your observation two weeks ago.  Did you find out anything that surprised you?  Was there any response that led your interview in a direction different than originally intended?  What are some of the components that make up a good interview?