Syllabus

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

EDU 808: Using Theory to Guide Research – Summer 2022

Credits - 3

Description

This course is the first of two courses (EDU 808 & EDU 809) designed to provide a cognitive map introducing the researcher to theoretical and conceptual frameworks. This course focuses on the theoretical framework in particular and its practical application to inform and guide research. The course is designed to strengthen the ability of students to relate theory to their own research topic and apply case examples with text. Students will further develop individual applied research by continuing to review the literature, by articulating a theoretical framework and continue the quest to clearly focus the purpose of their study.

Materials

Required Reading

American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). ISBN: 978-1433832154. E-text: 978-1433832185
Anfara, V. & Anfara, N. (2014). Theoretical frameworks in qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-1452282435. (An earlier or later edition may be used)
Creswell, J. W. & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. (5th ed.). CA: SAGE Publications. ISBN 9781506386706
Patten, M.L. & Newhart, M. (2018). Understanding research methods an overview of the essentials. (10th ed.). Routledge Publications. ISBN: 9780415790536, 0415790530, E-Text: 9781351817370, 135181737X
Ravitch, S.M. & Carl, N.M. (2021). Qualitative Research – Bridging the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological. (2nd ed.) SAGE Publications. ISBN: 9781544333816, 1544333811, E-Text: 9781544333809, 1544333803
Ravitch, A. & Riggan, M. (2016). Reason and rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research. (2nd ed). CA: SAGE Publications. (ISBN 978-1483340401, E-Text 978-1483346977) (An earlier or later edition may be used)

Required Resource

Doctor of Education Program Handbook: Guidelines and Best Practices

Required Article

Grant, C. & Osanloo, A. (2014). Understanding, selecting, and integrating a theoretical framework in dissertation research: Creating the blueprint for your “house”. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1058505.pdf

Supplementary Materials

Bloomberg, L. & Volpe, M. (2018). Completing your qualitative dissertation: A road map from beginning to end (4th ed). Sage Publications. (ISBN 978-1544336527, E-text 9781544336510) (An earlier edition may be used)
Boote, D. & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars before researchers: On the centrality of the dissertation Literature Review in Research Preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(3), 3-15. (An earlier or later edition may also be used.)
Creswell, J. & Guetterman, T. (2019). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (6th ed). Pearson ISBN 978-0134519364. E-text 978-0134546568 (An earlier edition may be used)
Kumar, R. (2019). Research Methodology – A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. UK: Sage Publications Ltd. (5th ed.). ISBN: 9781526449894, 1526449897, E-Text: 9781526457103, 1526457105 (an earlier edition maybe used).
Roberts, C. & Hyatt, L. (2019). The dissertation journey. CA: Corwin Press. (ISBN 978-1506373317, E-text PDF Available) (An earlier edition may be used)
Salkind, N. & Frey, B. B. (2019). Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics. (7th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. (An earlier edition may be used)
The OWL website at Purdue University https://owl.english.purdue.edu

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Course Objectives

Students should be able to:

Apply the theoretical framework for their approved research topic and its place within the conceptual framework.
Begin to frame and develop Chapter 2: Literature Review within the context of the conceptual/theoretical framework.
Determine the theoretical framework for their emergent area of study.

Assignments

Discussions:

This course features 4 discussion activities, located in weeks 1, 2, 6 and 8. Threaded discussions are opportunities to develop and revise knowledge through communication with your peers.

Assignments

Week 1: Alignment Tool & Dissertation Topic Approval Form

You will use two document templates from the Doctor of Education Program Handbook: Guidelines and Best Practices to complete this assignment. You will revisit/revise these documents at the end of the course and throughout your dissertation development.

Week 1: Chapter 2—Literature Review from 807

You will submit your working Chapter 2 Literature Review with the feedback you received from your 807 course instructor.

Week 2: Concept Map

You will create a concept map centered around your approved research topic.

Week 2: Table of Contents

You will submit an updated draft of your table of contents page for your five-chapter dissertation.

Week 3: Literature Peer-Reviewed Journal Article(s)

After identifying and reviewing 4 peer-reviewed journal articles, which include two current articles from your 807 literature review and two new or proposed journal articles to be included in your revised Chapter 2, you will prepare an analysis answering a series of questions, provided in the course.

Week 4: Chapter 2—Revision of Introduction and Conceptual/Theoretical Framework

In this assignment, we will focus on the Introduction and the Conceptual/Theoretical framework section of Chapter 2.

Week 5: Chapter 2—Revision of Relevant Literature Review and Summary

For the week 5 assignment, we will focus on the revision of the relevant literature review and the summary section.

Week 6: Infographic Using Concept Map

You will use an online tool called Canva to create an infographic based on your Concept Map from week 2.

Week 7: Chapter 2—Full Revision

Following the dissertation outline provided in the Doctor of Education Program Handbook: Guidelines and Best Practices, submit your final working draft of Chapter 2, Title Page, and Table of Contents with in-text citations and a Reference list at the bottom following APA 7 format

Week 7: Revised Alignment Tool and Dissertation Topic Approval Form

You will revisit and revise the two documents you submitted in week 1.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Points Each	Total Points
Active Participation in Four Threaded Discussions	4 @ 3 points	12
Week 1: Alignment Tool & Dissertation Topic Approval Form		5
Week 1: Chapter 2—Literature Review from 807		6
Week 2: Concept Map		9
Week 2: Table of Contents		5
Week 3: Literature Peer-Reviewed Journal Article(s)		8
Week 4: Chapter 2—Revision of Introduction and Conceptual/Theoretical Framework		10
Week 5: Chapter 2—Revision of Relevant Literature Review and Summary		10
Week 6: Infographic Using Concept Map		10
Week 7: Chapter 2—Full Revision		20
Week 7: Revised Alignment Tool and Dissertation Topic Approval Form		5
TOTAL		100

The criteria for all courses in the Ed. D. program are described in the modules and/or rubrics. Assignments will include guidelines with rubrics, descriptions of expectations, or examples, and include point values. Coursework will be assessed and graded using individual evaluation protocols that are provided for the three major assignments. Final “grades” will reflect the following schema:

High Pass (HP): Work that exceeds all or most of the criteria of the respective assignment. To receive a high pass the work must demonstrate exceptional command and display of all or most required elements (95 – 100 points);
Pass (P): Work that meets all requirements and expectations as specified in assignments, and is fully satisfactory in every respect (80 – 94 points);
Low Pass (LP): Work is deemed unsatisfactory (70 – 79 points).

Note** The instructor will determine if an assignment may be revised and resubmitted for rescoring. Candidates may proceed to subsequent courses in the curriculum with one LP grade, and although there is no failing grade, a second LP course grade results in termination from the doctoral program.

All assignments are to be completed in a timely manner with appropriate accuracy, detail, thought and reflection fitting of doctoral-level degree candidates. All assignments (done in writing or with other media applications) are graded on the basis of faculty assessment of your ability to accurately apply concepts from readings, organization, and mechanics. Please note that you must save all submitted documents in Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint in order for them to transmit successfully. All work must be properly identified and include author(s)’ name(s). Submit all written work in APA style (Refer to the APA Publication Manual for guidance; Purdue OWL is an excellent, user-friendly resource).

Schedule

Course Weeks

Week 1: Jun 22 – Jun 26
Week 2: Jun 27 – Jul 3
Week 3: Jul 4 – Jul 10
Week 4: Jul 11 – Jul 17
Week 5: Jul 18 – Jul 24
Week 6: Jul 25 – Jul 31
Week 7: Aug 1 – Aug 7
Week 8: Aug 8 – Aug 14

Weekly Schedule

Week	Assignments	Due Date
Week 1	Week 1 Discussion Assignment: Alignment Tool & Dissertation Topic Approval Form Assignment: Chapter 2—Literature Review from 807	11:59 PM ET on Friday. Initial discussion post due by midnight FRIDAY
Week 2	Week 2 Discussion Assignment: Concept Map Assignment: Table of Contents	11:59 PM ET on Sunday Initial discussion post due by midnight WEDNESDAY
Week 3	Assignment: Literature Peer-Reviewed Journal Article(s)	11:59 PM ET on Sunday
Week 4	Assignment: Chapter 2—Revision of Introduction and Conceptual/Theoretical Framework	11:59 PM ET on Sunday
Week 5	Assignment: Chapter 2—Revision of Relevant Literature Review and Summary	11:59 PM ET on Sunday
Week 6	Week 6 Discussion Assignment: Infographic Using Concept Map	11:59 PM ET on Sunday Initial discussion post due by midnight WEDNESDAY
Week 7	Assignment: Chapter 2—Full Revision Assignment: Week 7: Revised Alignment Tool and Dissertation Topic Approval Form	11:59 PM ET on Sunday
Week 8	Week 8 Reflective Discussion	Initial discussion post due by midnight WEDNESDAY Peer responses due by midnight FRIDAY

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Education page

UNE Libraries:

Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
EDD Databases: View EDD Databases
Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

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.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs

Course Evaluation Policy

Course surveys are one of the most important tools the University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

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.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

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

Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
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.