Main Content
Syllabus
ADTED 507: Research and Evaluation in Adult Education (3): Guided discussion and reading in selected research and evaluation methods and trends as applied in adult education settings. Prerequisites: ADTED 460; introductory statistics course; introductory research design course. Please note: ADTED 460, an introductory statistics course, and an introductory research design course have been waived by the sponsoring academic department.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
This course is intended to provide a useful background for students pursuing the M.Ed. degree in Adult Education. While many of the examples will be from the field of adult education, the content is also applicable to other educational fields. (In other words, ADTED 507 is an introductory course in understanding research and evaluation that may be transferred into other programs.) We recommend that students take ADTED 507 early in their M.Ed. programs, but not as their first course. (Students are advised to take ADTED 460 before taking ADTED 507.) Feedback that we hear from students completing the program is that the statistics requirement should be scheduled as early in the program of study as possible, but it is not a prerequisite for ADTED 507.
The course has three goals. They are to enable you to:
- read the adult education research literature critically;
- understand the research process and different types of research;
- develop a foundation for your courses in Adult Education and for writing your master's paper in ADTED 588, which you will take toward the end of your degree program.
All courses in the World Campus Adult Education program blend the themes of international adult education and distance learning. No matter where you live, today's global society requires you to understand adult education around the world; furthermore, as you embark on your own distance-learning journey, you will need to understand how to design and deliver distance education in general. Use this course—and the rest of the Adult Education program—to help.
Penn State's resident Adult Education program typically encourages student collaboration; ADTED 507, though offered through the World Campus, is no exception. Your fellow classmates can teach you a lot, but—as in the rest of life—you will only get out of collaboration what you put into it. Actively participate in group work, post your ideas and assignments, react to your peers' ideas and assignments, and exchange thoughts in the discussion boards. Don't just lurk!
Course Format
This course is paced, with an established start and end date.
You will regularly interact with other students throughout the semester, using asynchronous tools like email and discussion forums to exchange thoughts regardless of time zone.Because discussions will be ongoing, you will be expected to log into the course at least five times per week (and not all in the same day!) so that you can participate effectively.
The course is divided into 15 lessons, each spanning a week of the semester. Each lesson, located under Modules in the Course Navigation menu, will include some or all of the following elements:
- instructor commentary,
- reading assignments,
- individual activities,
- group activities,
- links to articles necessary for completing assignments, and
- links to online resources with more in-depth information on particular topics.
As in an on-campus course, you will be required to keep up with coursework, participating in discussions and activities within specific time frames. For a detailed look at what each lesson will entail, as well as due dates for assignments and activities, please refer to the page "Course Readings Guide" within this syllabus module.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to do the following things:
- Identify the characteristics of the various research designs and methods that scholars and practitioners use to answer research questions and address problems of educational practice.
- Critically analyze the research studies in your textbook and the ERIC database for assumptions, biases, and contributions to the knowledge base and practice.
- Identify and begin to critically analyze a problem related to adult education at work, in the community, at home, and so on.
- Facilitate fellow classmates' learning by actively engaging in class activities and discussions.
- Gain a foundation for your courses in adult education and for writing your master's paper in ADTED 588.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Below you will find information about each of the following formal course requirements:
Course Requirements
Adult Education Research Critique Group
You will work in small groups to critique select adult education research articles, available from the University Libraries through the ERIC database. The titles and retrieval information for these articles are provided below.
For this assignment, the class will be divided into small groups by the beginning of Lesson 4. Each group will collaborate on two assigned papers. A private discussion area in Canvas will be created for each group to facilitate collaboration. Note that the instructor will also have access to these discussion areas.
Grades for this assignment will be based on individual contributions (part of your participation grade), evidence of meaningful group collaboration, and the quality of the final written papers. All group members will receive the same grade for the overall assignment. Groups are responsible for completing the following tasks:
- Each group will identify five articles from the 10 listed below, which are available through e-Reserves or the associated links. For your two group critiques, please choose one article using a quantitative design and one using a qualitative design. Although some may seem dated, these articles are illustrative examples of specific types of research.
- Each group member will read each of the five articles chosen. The purpose of reading the articles initially is to identify the research questions posed and how the investigator went about answering them. As you read the articles, begin thinking about which two (one quantitative and one qualitative) you will use for the article critique assignment.
- As a group, categorize the five articles in terms of the research design, based upon designs identified in the course content and assigned readings. For each article, state
- the research paradigm (positivist/conventional or constructivist),
- the theoretical framework (though it's not always explicitly stated, do your best to identify it from any clues in the article),
- the research design (experimental quantitative, non-experimental quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, or action/practitioner), and
- the methods used in data collection (experimental observation, survey, interview, document review, etc.).
- As a group, choose two of the five articles to critique. One should reflect a quantitative approach, and one should reflect a qualitative approach.
The emphasis of this assignment should be on writing a critique, not a summary, of each article. Critique doesn't mean you have to be critical, but you do have to justify your comments; simply describing what the author did is not a critique. After discussing the research paradigm, theoretical framework, research design, and data-collection methods in each article, the group will draft initial critiques (750–1,000 words) and solicit feedback from other groups. Based on the feedback, the group will revise the critiques and submit them to the instructor.
Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography
To get you thinking about your master's paper, you will complete your own master's paper proposal. This is just an exercise for this course, intended to help you think through a hypothetical project you might use to write your paper or to study a problem in your workplace. You are not obligated to use your topic and resulting proposal when you actually write your paper in ADTED 588, although you may decide to do so.
You will be required to submit an annotated bibliography as part of the Master's Paper Proposal assignment. An annotated bibliography includes a brief introduction identifying the general topic, complete bibliographic information (APA style) for each entry, and a paragraph annotating each entry. The annotations should provide a two- to three-sentence summary of the article and a two- to three-sentence evaluation. Is the article a useful addition to the literature on the topic? Who would benefit from reading the article? Are there any important gaps in information or perspective? It is very important to include this latter evaluative piece, rather than just stating the basic information in the article.
For this assignment, you will be expected to search the main databases available through the Penn State University Libraries. In order to get an in-depth understanding of the topic you are proposing for your master's paper, you will locate relevant articles on the topic for your bibliography.
In addition, you will submit your annotated bibliography for a peer review in Lesson 12. Based on the constructive feedback from your peers, you will submit a final and updated annotated bibliography in Lesson 14 for a final grade. You will also participate in the peer review by reviewing two of your classmates' papers.
Although a formal literature review would be much larger in scope, this assignment should help you develop the core skills required to do the more formal review when you write your master's paper in ADTED 588. Your annotated bibliography will be a section of your master's paper proposal.
Synthesis Questions Reflection Assignment
For five of the core lessons in the course, you will be asked to answer questions about the materials you have read with your group. This exercise is designed to help you refine your ability to understand and critique education research studies. Be succinct in your reflections, but make sure to answer each question completely. For the synthesis questions related to the research articles in your textbook, please include the discussion questions along with the answers. Make sure your answers are in complete sentences and paragraphs, not an outline or bullet points. At the end of the course, you will complete an individual reflection assignment sharing your personal experience and thoughts through this process.
Class Participation
In addition to the requirements stated above, you will be expected to log into the course, engaging in discussions and activities, on a regular basis. It is recommended that you log into the course at least five times per week to work through course materials and participate in discussions.
The instructor will monitor the quality and quantity of the posts you make to the discussion forums as you complete assignments. Students who post to all required discussion and team forums in a timely manner and who respond to several classmates' postings will get full credit for participation. You should engage consistently (that is, you should post and respond throughout the week, not only on a single day) and answer any specific questions your classmates might have about your posts. The goal is to establish the ongoing interactions necessary for successful discussion.
Your posts should engage the content of the readings; posts that simply agree with what you read or what others say will not count toward your class participation. You are expected to state why you agree or disagree based on specific insights or experiences. The emphasis in this course is on critical analysis of the content, though critical analysis does not mean being negatively critical. Rather, it implies that you have thought about and reflected on the content in light of what you are studying, what you have already learned in other courses, and what you have personally experienced. Do not simply summarize what you read, unless it supports your critical analysis.
It is especially important that you interact regularly in your group discussion forums as you work on group assignments. Group members must be able to depend on each other so that the workload is shared equitably.
Individual class participation grades will be posted halfway through the course to give you a clear idea of how you are doing. A final participation grade will then be given at the end of the course.
Grading
You will be evaluated on the quality of your participation in each of the stated course requirements. A final course grade will be calculated based on the grade for each requirement and posted to the online gradebook. You are responsible for checking your grades weekly to be sure that you are properly credited for assignments. (If you aren't, email the instructor.)
The instructor reserves the right to make subjective judgments about the quality of student participation and deliverables. (In other words, quantity does not equal quality.)
|
Activity/Requirement
|
Point Value
|
| Group Research Critique(10 points for the categorization assignment; 10 points each for the two critiques) |
30
|
| Annotated Bibliography (5 points paper proposal, 10 points peer review, 15 points final annotated bibliography) |
30
|
| Synthesis Questions Reflection Assignment |
10
|
| Participation (15 points for the first half of the course; 15 points for the second half) |
30
|
| Course total |
100
|
The grades of A, B, C, and D are assigned the following grade-point equivalents by Penn State. Please note that a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for work done at the University is required for all graduate degrees.
|
Grade
|
Percentage
|
|
A |
95%–100% |
|
A- |
90%–95% |
|
B+ |
87%–90% |
|
B |
84%–87% |
|
B- |
80%–84% |
|
C+ |
77%–80% |
|
C |
70%–77% |
|
D |
60%–70% |
|
F |
below 60% |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Assignment Policies
Assignments and course discussions all involve a due date for submission to the course instructor. The due dates are noted in the "Course Readings Guide" page of this module. Please make every effort to submit assignments on time, notifying the instructor in advance of a late assignment. Late assignments will be penalized unless you have made prior arrangements with the instructor. Deadlines will be defined as 11:55 p.m. North American eastern time (ET) on the last day of each lesson time frame, unless stated otherwise.
If you know you will be offline the day an assignment is due, please make sure to post it early. Anytime you feel that you might be falling behind in the course, contact the instructor to discuss your situation. No assignments can be accepted after 11:55 p.m. (ET) on the final day of class. If you have completed an assignment by the deadline but are unable to submit it (or post in a forum) for technical reasons, contact the IT Service Desk. However, to receive your grade and feedback on the assignment, you must submit it (or post to the forum) once the page becomes available.
The majority of the assignments for this course will be submitted by posting to a course discussion or uploading to an assignment page. Use Microsoft Word for uploaded assignments; once you have submitted your files, check that they're viewable by clicking the associated links. For lengthy discussion posts, it is recommended that you draft using Notepad (PC) or TextEdit (Mac) and then paste the text into your post. That way, a copy will be saved on your computer should anything go wrong.
Finally, please keep copies of all your work. The Penn State World Campus cannot assume responsibility for lost items.
Assignment Policies
Assignments and course discussions all have a due date for submission to the course instructor. The due dates for each are noted in the Course Schedule section of this syllabus, below. Please make every effort to submit assignments on time, or notify the instructor in advance of a late assignment. Late assignments will be penalized unless you have made prior arrangements with the instructor. Deadlines will be defined as 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of the lesson timeframe, unless noted differently.
If you know you will be offline the day an assignment is due, please make sure to post it early. Anytime you feel that you might be falling behind in the course, it is best to contact the instructor to discuss your situation. No assignments can be accepted after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the final day of class. If you have an assignment completed by the deadline but are unable to submit to the assignment or post in the discussion forum for technical reasons, contact the IT Service Desk.
For assignments you submit, you are required to use Microsoft Word to complete your assignment. Once you have submitted your file to the assignment, it is a good idea to click the link to the file to make certain that it is viewable or accessible for downloading. For lengthy discussion forum posts, it is recommended that you draft your post using Notepad (PC) or TextEdit (Mac) and then copy and paste the information into your discussion forum posting (or e-mail message). That way you will have a copy saved on your computer should anything go wrong!
Finally, please keep a copy of ALL your work. We cannot assume responsibility for lost items.
Course Schedule
- Course length: 16 weeks (includes break week)
Click to Expand:
Lesson 1: Getting Started
- Complete the activities in the Getting Started module
Lesson 2: Course Introduction
- Familiarize yourself with University Libraries resources.
Lesson 3: Preparing your Master's Paper
- Participate in the Lesson 3: Paper Proposal Class Discussion.
Lesson 4: The Nature of Research and Research Philosophies
- Participate in the Research Questions Class Discussion.
- Participate in the Gender Effect Article Class Discussion.
- Begin working with your Adult Education Research Critique group, selecting your five articles to read.
Lesson 5: The Research Process
- Continue working with your Adult Education Research Critique group.
- Participate in the Thesis Generator Exercise discussion.
- Discuss the Synthesis Question 1 with your group.
Lesson 6: Ethical Dilemmas in Research
- Continue working with your Research Critique group.
- Review the resources in the Research Critique Group Discussion.
- Participate the Lesson 6: Ethics Situation Group Discussion.
- Continue working on your Master's Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography.
Lesson 7: Quantitative Non-experimental Research
- Continue working with your Research Critique group. Your final categorization assignment is due by the end of Lesson 9.
- Participate in the Lesson 7: Focus Group Class Discussion.
- Continue working on your Master's Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography.
Lesson 8: Experimental Research Design
- Continue working with your Research Critique group. Your final categorization assignment is due by the end of Lesson 9.
- Discuss the Lesson 8: Synthesis Question 2 with your group.
- Submit the Lesson 8: Participation Evaluation.
- Complete the Mid-Course Survey.
- Continue working on your Master's Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography.
Lesson 9: Data Collection and Analysis
- Continue working with your Research Critique group.
- Submit your Research Critique group's categorization assignment.
- Participate in the Sampling Class Discussion.
- Continue working on your Master's Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography.
Lesson 10: Qualitative Research Design
- Continue working with your Research Critique group.
- Submit your Paper Proposal.
- Discuss the Lesson 10: Synthesis Questions 3 with your group.
- Continue working on your Annotated Bibliography.
Lesson 11: Mixed Research Methods
- Continue working with your Research Critique group.
- Submit the Lesson 11: Annotated Bibliography Assignment for peer review.
- Discuss the Lesson 11: Synthesis Questions 4 with your group.
Lesson 12: Action Research/ Practioner Research
- Continue working with your Research Critique group.
- Discuss the Lesson 12: Synthesis Question 5 with your group.
- Participate in the Annotated Bibliography Peer Review exercise and complete two reviews.
Lesson 13: Evaluation Research
- Continue working with your Adult Education Research Critique group to submit your critiques by the end of Lesson 14.
- Apply peer review feedback to your annotated bibliography.
- Participate in the Lesson 13: Evaluation Class Discussion.
Lesson 14: Annotated Bibliography
- Submit the Lesson 14: Final Annotated Bibliography.
- Submit your Group Critique Assignment.
- Complete the SRTE.
Lesson 15: Course Wrap-Up
- Submit your Lesson 15: Participation Evaluation.
- Submit the Synthesis Question Reflection Assignment.
- Participate in the Reflection Class Discussion.
- Complete the Reflection Survey.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Course Policies
- Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
- Procedures for Resolution of Problems
For procedures pertaining to a range of concerns and disagreements involving graduate students and other members of the University community (e.g, faculty, staff, or undergraduate student), please see the Procedures for Resolution of Problems (Appendix II) website.
- Additional Course Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.