Syllabus

EDU 814–817: Dissertation I – IV | Summer B 2019 – Spring A 2020

Credits - 3 per course (12 credits total)

Description

Collaborating with their respective dissertation committee, as well as continuing with peer interaction, candidates engage in the planning, organization, research, writing and revising of the dissertation. Regularly scheduled virtual meetings with the chair and full committee will ensure that timely and satisfactory progress is made in order to present the finished product at the end of the their academic year.

Materials

Texts from previous coursework and resources provided in Community Engagement (CE).

“Assignments” and dates are in Community Engagement CE (My organizations)

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

There are four, 3 credit courses required for program completion. Students will document their progress at the middle and end of each 3 credit course with a progress report and the end of each of the 8-week course by posting a draft of their current deliverable in the Community Engagement (CE) gradebook. Lead advisors will document student progress at the end of each 8-week course.

Students must demonstrate satisfactory progress through the four Phases of dissertation work to remain enrolled in the four course sequence. Successful program completion is dependent upon timely and substantive responses to advisors’ directions.

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Assignments

Deliverables are linked to the four Phases of the dissertation. Students will be completing work within “Dissertation 1” that may be the proposal, data collection, or data analysis. Use the relevant phase as your guide (see below).

Within the Dissertation section, there are two types of “assignments.” At the mid-term, you will file a progress report that aligns with your Phase. At the end of each term, the deliverable for your phase is due, whether or not it is complete. Advisors will document adequate progress at the end of term.

Phases and Documentation

  Activities Documentation to program office Deliverable to Community Engagement (CE)
Diss Phase 1 Proposal presentation

Proposal Status form

IRB application

Proposal Drafts

Revised, approved proposal

Diss Phase 2 Collect and analyze data, other documentation  

Initial documentation and analysis

Completed documentation and analysis section (no raw data per IRB guidelines)

Diss Phase 3

Write up findings and conclusions

Revise document in collaboration with stakeholders

Advisor’s’ approval to present

Dissertation drafts

Presentation draft of dissertation

Diss Phase 4

Successful presentation of dissertation

Feedback and editing

Evidence document was submitted to DUNE

Stakeholder presentation

Completed, revised dissertation submitted to DUNE

Phase 1: Proposal

Steps Activity Forms/Actions Documentation
1 Submit proposal

Evaluation guidelines

Permission to present

Proposal that you will present
2 Confirm presentation date Permission to present Presentation date
3 Create or revise presentation slides Agenda (sync meeting link) sent to committee Presentation (ppt, Prezi or other visual)
4 Draft IRB application IRB application

Application

Certificate

5 Present proposal in synchronous format Committee feedback Advisor(s) feedback
6

Follow up

Complete revisions

File IRB application if necessary Approved proposal (with revisions if needed)
7   Permission to begin data collection or formal documentation of project Proposal status form

Phase 2: Data collection, documentation and analysis

Steps Activity Forms/Actions Documentation
1 Pilot interview, pilot survey Completion of pilot if applicable  
2 Conduct first round of data collection, documentation (interviews, surveys, other) Documentation of first round of data solicitation (surveys) or interview/focus group activities  
3 Complete documentation, data collection activities   Initial review of data received and analysis of data (protect raw data per your confidentiality agreements)
4 Complete analysis of data, report on change or intervention Advisors confirm completion of data collection Data and analysis draft to advisors, participants

Phase 3: Write up of findings, conclusions, and recommendations

Steps Activity Forms/Actions Documentation
1 Write up findings, draft conclusions and obtain feedback from advisors Submit to lead advisor Draft of Chapter 5
2 Revise all chapters, update literature review, introduction Obtain permission from lead advisor to distribute draft to committee members Draft chapters 1 to 5
3 Revision cycle (all chapters) Incorporate advisors’ feedback into draft Clearly marked revisions to advisors
4 Review presentation draft with advisor and committee Advisors’ permission to present Advisors’ approved draft to program office

Phase 4: Presentation and submission

Steps Activity Forms/Actions Documentation
1 Committee presentation plan, stakeholder presentation Sign off successful presentation  
2 Presentation Agenda (sync meeting link) sent to committee E-version of document, proposal for stakeholders
3 Revision cycle   Web-based presentation to program office
4 Submission of final document DUNE website and instructions Final dissertation draft for evaluation by CGPS

Grading

The grading scheme is Pass (P) or Fail (F). Students making adequate progress through the Phases will receive a Pass. Within the Dissertation container, there are two types of “assignments.” At the mid-term, you will file a progress report that aligns with your Phase. At the end of each term, you will file an “end of term” progress report and the deliverable for your phase, whether it is complete. Advisors will document adequate progress at the end of term.

Schedule

Course Number Term Begin End of 4 End
EDU 814 SU B June 26 July 19 Aug 18
EDU 815 FA A Aug 28 Sept 22 Oct 20
EDU 816 FA B Oct 23 Nov 17 Dec 15
EDU 817 SP A Jan 8 Feb 2 Mar 1

 

Cohort 11 Timeline

DATE Course Title Focus Outcome
         

Feb 27 – April 21

2019

812 Dissertation Seminar (I)

Begin Proposal

 

Draft Chapter 2

May 1 – June 23

2019

813 Dissertation Seminar II

Evaluate influence of research process on organization (research site)

Continue Proposal development

Draft Chapters 1 & 3

 

 

June 26 – August 18

2019

814 Dissertation Credit Present proposal

Enroll in research credit sequence

Revise Proposal

August 28 – October 20

2019

815 Dissertation Credit

Present proposal

Data collection

Revise Chapters 1 to 3

 

October 23- December 15*

2019

816 Dissertation Credit

Data collection

Write up findings, conclusions

Final revisions

Present dissertation to committee

November-December*

2019

    (with permission, early birds also enroll in 817 to complete by December) Receive diploma end of December

January 8- March 1

2020

817

Regular schedule

 

Final Dissertation Credit Term

Present Dissertation

Complete revisions of paper document

Create executive version for specific stakeholder(s)

Those who present by 15 April can graduate in May

Submit approved final products

March 4- April 26

2020

   

8 week grace period to complete without additional registration

 

Receive diploma May 2020

4/29-6/21 2020

8/26-10/18 2020

1/6-2/28 2021

818

819

820

Dissertation completion credit (1) (For those who need additional time beyond EDU 817). Those who present by 15 July can graduate in August.  Those who present by 15 November can graduate in December. Receive diploma August 2020 or December 2020

Student Resources

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Collaborative Work

The program encourages students to collaborate in the preparation of projects and assignments with the instructor/professor’s prior knowledge and approval. However, any assignment turned in must be the distinctive work of that student and must acknowledge the role of others in its development. In those cases where the instructor allows a single assignment to be turned in for a group, the contributions of each group member must be clearly described. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in collaborative work being unacceptable and/or grading penalties (which could result in a failing grade for the course).

AI Use

The Graduate Programs in Education holds the position that Grammarly and other AI writing and generative technology should not be used when completing course assignments, unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

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Late Policy

Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Attendance Policy

8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

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UNE Online Student Handbook

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Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.