Main Content
Syllabus
SPLED573: Introduction to Research in Special Education
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
Overview
The research literature provides professionals in the field with an array of valuable information. Unfortunately, this literature is, for various reasons, under-utilized by classroom teachers. The ultimate purpose of this class is to help you find solutions in the literature to everyday classroom problems. In line with this purpose, you will learn how to (a) find information in the literature, (b) evaluate the technical adequacy of the information, and (c) apply the information in your setting.
Course Content
The course will include 10 lessons:
- Research to Practice
- The Nature of Science and Learning
- Reviewing the Literature
- Validity
- Sampling and Ethics
- Measurement of Quantitative Data
- Group Design
- Single-Case Design
- Descriptive Designs (Correlational, Survey, Meta-Analysis, Qualitative)
- Applying What We Know
Course Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to do the following:
- Describe the link from research to practice.
- Demonstrate the use of literature to solve problems.
- Evaluate the validity of research studies.
- Demonstrate the ability to synthesize research.
- Demonstrate use of the library and databases to perform literature searches.
- Describe the importance of ethics in research.
- Describe the differences between quantitative and qualitative, and descriptive and experimental research.
- Demonstrate giving and using constructive feedback.
- Discuss research support for instructional methods presented in the Penn State Special Education program.
- Define terminology used in educational research.
Contact Information
You can contact your instructor by posting a message on the SPLED573 General Discussion Forum in Canvas or by sending an e-mail, through Canvas Inbox.
If you have questions concerning your registration status, billing, tuition and fees, grades, exams, or credits, contact Outreach Student Services at 800-252-3592 or 814-865-5403 or by e-mail at psuwd@psu.edu.
If you have questions concerning the course textbook or other materials, contact Barnes & Noble College customer service at (908) 991-2665.
If you have any technical difficulties using the tools within this course, please contact the IT Service Desk.
Website: IT Service Desk
E-mail: ITservicedesk@psu.edu
Phone: 1(814) 865-HELP (4357)
Course Materials
You may purchase course materials from Barnes & Noble College (the bookstore used by Penn State's World Campus). For pricing and ordering information, please see the Barnes & Noble College website. Materials will be available at Barnes & Noble College approximately three weeks before the course begins. Alternatively, you may obtain these texts from other favorite bookstores. Be sure you purchase the edition/publication date listed.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 can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Specifications
| 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. |
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| 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
This course is divided into 10 lessons, each approximately 1–3 weeks in duration. During each lesson, students will complete the following:
- View lesson content delivered through a series of streaming video lectures. Each lesson is approximately 1–2 hours total running time and consists of multiple video segments. However, students should set aside additional viewing time for each lesson because there are activities associated with the segments.
- Participate in online asynchronous discussion forums. Students must read all instructor course announcements and general discussion forum messages.
Class Participation
In order to understand research, you must read research. I have selected a series of readings that represent some of the principles that we will discuss in class. It is imperative that you are prepared to discuss the readings via Discussions. Participation is defined as posting novel thoughts, as well as responding to others thoughtfully.
Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM) Weekly Probes
Each week, you will be asked to complete one online probe on the vocabulary terms from the course. These data can be used to help you gauge weekly progress in acquiring key terms/concepts in the course. At the end of the course nine lowest probe scores will be dropped.
Final Project - Research Brief
For the final project, you are asked to write a research brief for an intervention for students who require learning/behavioral support. This project is comprised of several components.
Proposal for Research Brief
You must submit a proposal prior to beginning work on your research brief. Your proposal should contain the following:
a) A statement of the problem—research question(s)
b) A paragraph outlining the importance of the topic—why should anyone read this research brief?
Paper Peer Review
Writing is not an easy endeavor! Sometimes we get too close to our projects and can’t identify areas of weakness or inconsistency. I find that asking a peer to review my work helps my writing (as well as the writing of my peer reviewer). You will be asked to exchange research briefs with one peer reviewer. Peer reviewers will give constructive feedback using the Research Brief Grade Rubric as a guide. You do not need to give point values. You should, however, identify areas of weakness and strength (e.g., “Your statement of the problem was very clear; however, you should add more about the implications for instruction.”).
Research Brief
You are asked to write a research brief that reviews an intervention in the area of special education. Based on the proposal you submitted, use only articles from past ten years, limiting the number of references to 5. The paper should be 7–8 pages and use the format shown on the grading rubric.
Research Terminology Exam
Researchers write in a language of their own. In order to understand research, you must understand the language in which researchers speak. This exam will evaluate your knowledge of the terminology of research and will be available online.
CITI Training
Ethics is an important part of the research process. In the past, training in ethical research practices has been somewhat hit or miss. Recently, a group of research organizations has developed a systematic training module for ethics in research. The Special Education program uses the CITI training as part of our required ethics training. Please upload you CITI certificate to the drop box located in Lesson 5. These certificates are placed in your student file.
Grading
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Activity
| Points |
|---|---|
| CITI Training | 20 |
| Research Brief (Proposal, Peer Review Comments, Final Paper) | 130 |
| Terms and Definitions Quizzes (CBM Probes) | 20 |
| Terminology Exam | 90 |
| Class Participation (Discussions) | 28 |
| TOTAL | 288 |
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Letter Grade
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Percentage Range
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A
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93-100%
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A-
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90-93%
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B+
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87-90%
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B
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83-87%
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B-
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80-83%
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C+
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77-80%
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C
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70-77%
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D
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65-70%
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F
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0-65%
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Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated timeframes and assignments.
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Lesson 1: Research to Practice
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Lesson 2: The Nature of Science
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Lesson 3: Reviewing the Literature
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Lesson 4: Validity
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Lesson 5: Sampling and Ethics
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Lesson 6: Measurement of Quantitative Data
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Lesson 7: Group Design
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Lesson 8: Single-Case Design
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Lesson 9: Descriptive Designs
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Lesson 10: Applying What We Know
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NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.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 .
Accommodating Disabilities
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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.
Additional 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.
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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.