George Mason University College of Education and Human Development

EDUC 805, Sec 001: 2 credits Spring Semester, 2012

Research and Scholarship in Education Meeting Day/time: Tuesdays 7:20 – 9:30 p.m. Location: East Hall 201 Professor: Mark R. Ginsberg

Office Hours: By Appointment Office: Thompson Hall 2103 Office Phone: 703.993-2004 Email: mginsber@gmu.edu

Course Description: EDUC 805: Research and Scholarship in Education. This course is intended to provide a conceptual framework for research and scholarship in education. The course will include a consideration of specific scholarship that is undertaken within the George Mason University College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) by CEHD faculty as representative of the range of educational scholarship that exemplifies the research community in fields of study germane to education and human development.

Objectives: As a result of this course, the students will:

Understand the nature of “communities of practice” (CoP) and the CEHD as a CoP,

Consider the value of “professional learning communities” (PLC’s) as a mechanism to enhance professional development and professional practice,

Understand the significant range of CEHD faculty research and scholarship,

Organize educational research themes around the CoP construct,

Create a framework of professional opportunities for developing a personal capacity and relevant expertise in research and scholarship, and

Identify specific areas that could frame areas of personal interest with respect to research and scholarship as a critical component of doctoral education in the CEHD.

Readings:

Selected writings related to Communities of Practice(distributed by the instructor of available on blackboard)

Assigned readings related to guest professors’ planned presentations (available on blackboard or distributed in class)

Course Requirements:

Students will read background and framing materials related to educational research and communities of practice (CoPs)

Students will read assigned articles before each class and read the bio (found on the CEHD web site) for each faculty member, when they are available.

Students actively will participate in class discussions and group activities. Students will attend all class sessions on time. If an emergency prevents you from

attending class, please e-mail the instructor in advance. Students will keep a weekly journal that documents both student reactions and

perspectives about class presentations and associated discussions and also how they understand the concepts of community of practice and their route toward becoming a central member of their own academic communities.

Students will a personal reflection paper (of approximately 6-8 pages) related to their areas of research interest, how this interest evolved and related to their career goals, and current and future opportunities for developing further expertise in an identified academic area.

Course Assignments Discussion in Class and in Small Groups (25%) Active and timely participation in all classes and small group activities is presumed and will represent a major portion of the course grade. See rubric for further delineation. Journal (50% of total course grade) Students should aim to have at least ½ page of reflections following each class meeting. Like a diary, the journal should reflect the student’s growing understanding of the course material. For example, “The views of the elementary faculty on communities of practice show a strong desire to … By contrast, tonight’s presentation on educational policy helps me see the role played by administrators and policy makers, which is to … When I consider both perspectives, my current view on communities of practice in education now covers … and … I look forward to the presentation on international education to see how these ideas change. Incidentally, the comment by … [student Y] really helped me see the role of communities of practice in nursing education…” The journal should provide insight into the student’s perspective about the issues presented and discussed in the class sessions as well as readings provided regarding the presentation by CEHD faculty. Final Paper (25% of final course grade)

Each student will write an 8-10 page personal reflection paper. The paper should provide an overview of a specific area of research interest for the student, how this area of interest evolved and related to their career goals as well as their anticipations and plan for their doctoral program. The paper also should discuss opportunities for professional growth through a range of formal and informal connections with faculty, colleagues, professional associations, organizations and similar groups in the field and area of interest of the student’s choice. This is an opportunity for you to synthesize your personal interests as well as insights from the course (captured in the journal, for example), from the readings, and, of course, from class discussion. The paper should be 8-10 pages in length, double-spaced, and should follow APA style, as outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Grades: Please see the grading rubric at the end of this syllabus.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS: Student Expectations

Students must adhere to the guidelines of the George Mason University Honor Code [See http://academicintegrity.gmu.edu/honorcode/].

Please note that: o Plagiarism encompasses the following:

1. Presenting as one's own the words, the work, or the opinions of someone else without proper acknowledgment.

2. Borrowing the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of material, or the

pattern of thought of someone else without proper acknowledgment.� (from Mason Honor Code online at http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/plagiarism.htm)

o Paraphrasing involves taking someone else�s ideas and putting them in your own words. When you paraphrase, you need to cite the source.

o When material is copied word for word from a source, it is a direct quotation. You must use quotation marks (or block indent the text) and cite the source.

o Electronic tools (e.g., SafeAssign) may be used to detect plagiarism if necessary. o Plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct are treated seriously and may

result in disciplinary actions.

Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be registered with the George Mason University Office of Disability Services (ODS) and inform their instructor, in writing, at the beginning of the semester [See http://ods.gmu.edu/].

Students must follow the university policy for Responsible Use of Computing [See http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/1301gen.html].

Students are responsible for the content of university communications sent to their George Mason University email account and are required to activate their account and check it regularly. All communication from the university, college, school, and program will be sent to students solely through their Mason email account.

Students must follow the university policy stating that all sound emitting devices shall be turned off during class unless otherwise authorized by the instructor.

Students are expected to exhibit professional behaviors and dispositions at all times.

Campus Resources

The George Mason University Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) staff consists of professional counseling and clinical psychologists, social workers, and counselors who offer a wide range of services (e.g., individual and group counseling,

workshops and outreach programs) to enhance students� personal experience and academic performance [See http://caps.gmu.edu/].

The George Mason University Writing Center staff provides a variety of resources and services (e.g., tutoring, workshops, writing guides, handbooks) intended to support students as they work to construct and share knowledge through writing [See http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/].

For additional information on the College of Education and Human Development, Graduate School of Education, please visit our website [See http://gse.gmu.edu/].

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Grading Rubric: EDUC 805 Doctoral Seminar

Grade Whole Class and Group Activities Class Papers

A A-

Outstanding. Participates in and promotes conversation focused on the topic. Comments demonstrate a high level of understanding. Contributes significantly to the group’s paper. Above the average doctoral student; actively advances the intellectual level of the discussion and contributes significantly to the group’s paper.

Exceeds Expectations: Journal & paper demonstrate deep reflection, analysis and synthesis. Written work is error free. Above average doctoral student: Journal & final papers demonstrate reflection, analysis and synthesis. Written material is primarily error free.

B+ B B-

Reliable participant in discussions; questions and comments reveal some thought and reflection. Some meaningful contribution to the group paper. Doesn’t contribute often, but generally reveals some thought and reflection. Follows rather than leads group activities. Some meaningful contribution to the group paper. Few meaningful contributions to class discussions. Little evidence of participation in the group and in the group paper.

Journal & paper demonstrate some reflection, analysis and synthesis. Grammar or spelling errors on written materials do not distract the reader. Journal & paper demonstrate some reflection, analysis and synthesis but key points are missing. Analytic work is generally sound but may have some gaps in logic. Grammar or spelling errors on written materials do not distract the reader. Although there is evidence of work, writing is generally not objective or complete; multiple key points are not covered or are misrepresented. Grammar or spelling errors on written materials distract the reader.

C

Weak or minimal participation; passive; often sidetracks group.

Multiple key points are not covered or are misrepresented and reflection, analysis, and synthesis are not evident. Written materials are unclear.

F No constructive participation; destructive; demeaning rhetoric

Assignments are not done or are significantly incomplete.

Resources to assist you this semester and beyond: About the American Educational Research Association (AERA): General information: http://aera.net/Default.aspx?id=26 AERA Council members: http://aera.net/GovernancePub/sRoster.aspx?gc=COMMITTEE&g=COUNCIL10 Graduate Student Council: http://www.aera.net/Default.aspx?id=275 Membership ($35 per year for graduate students): http://aera.net/membership.htm

Wisdom and Advice: http://www.math.waikato.ac.nz/~seano/grad-school-advice.html How to Avoid Plagiarism: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/ Help for learning to write a paper: http://www.bartleby.com/141/index.html Websites for Communities of Practice

http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etienne_Wenger http://www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm

Books on Communities of Practice DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R. and Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: A handbook for professional learning communities at work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press Kimble, C., Hildreth, P., & Bourdon, I. (Eds.). (2008). Communities of practice: Creating learning environments for educators, Volume 1.Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc. Wenger, E. (2008). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. New York:

Cambridge University Press. Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice. Boston,

MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Class Schedule

DATE 7:20 PM & Topic 8:30 PM Name and Topic

Jan 24 COURSE INTRODUCTION AND

ORIENTATION – NO SPEAKER

COURSE INTRODUCTION AND

ORIENTATION – NO SPEAKER

Jan 31 Jeff Gorrell

Mike Behrmann

Feb 7 Anastasia Samaras, Ilham Nasser,

Seth Parsons, Toni Smith, and Jennifer

Suh.

A faculty cohort was competitively

selected to participate in a university-

wide teaching and research learning

community project entitled the

Scholars of Studying Teaching

Collaborative (SOSTC). Each

member designed and enacted

research using the self-study

methodology to improve his/her

professional practice while engaging

in critical collaborative inquiry with

colleagues as “critical friends.”

SOSTC participants from CEHD will

share their research as well as a meta-

study of their cross-discipline research

experience. Implications and

suggestions for doctoral students

working with critical friends during

their program of studies for supportive

peer review will be presented.

Erin Peters

Strategic Planning during your

Doctoral Program: Generating a

Robust Research Agenda

This interactive discussion gives

examples and strategies for new

doctoral students to think about how

their experiences and interests

can be generated into a rich research

agenda.

Focus is given to developing a

"toolkit" of research methods so that

future research questions and methods

are aligned.

Feb 14 Lynne Schrum

My talk focuses on my trajectory from

elementary teacher, but will report on

a year-long study around the country

looking deeply at eight exemplary

Rick Brigham

Windows to the mind: Using eye-

tracking devices to estimate expertise

The presentation summarizes the

school leaders and their schools, with

respect to their use of technology as

one leverage point to improve student

engagement and outcomes. This has

resulted in two books (due out in late

spring): Evidence-Based Strategies

for Leading 21st Century Schools

(Corwin) and Leading Technology-

Rich Schools (Teachers College

Press).

I also will introduce students to

AERA, and in particular to the

potential of Special Interest Groups

within the organization as a potential

“Learning Community” for their work.

basics of eye-tracking technology and

provides an overview of the supported

and non-supportable uses of eye-

tracking technology in education and

therapy. Concludes with the recent

efforts my colleagues and I have made

in using eye-tracking to gauge

individual, domain-related expertise.

Feb 21 Peggy King Sears & Sheri Berkeley

Examining History Textbooks: Are

Texts More "Considerate After 20

Years? Features of eighth-grade

history textbooks were examined

through replication of a 20-year-old

study that investigated

“considerateness” of textbooks.

Results of this study indicate areas

where today’s texts are more clear and

coherent than 20 years ago, and areas

where improvements within textbooks

are still needed.

Margo Mastropieri

"Promoting written literacy for

students with emotional disabilities."

Feb 28 Holly Lawson

Diana D’Amico

The Dynamic Struggle for Teacher

Professionalism: Using the History of

Education to Engage Current School

Policies and Problems.

I will share my research on the history

of teacher professionalism calling

attention to the various ways teacher

educators, unionized teachers and

school leaders created competing

policies in the name of

professionalization against the

backdrop of national economic, social

and political shifts. I will also use this

presentation as an opportunity to

introduce students to historical

research in education, highlighting the

powerful ways historical analysis can

engage current policy.

March 6 Supriya Baily and Beverly Shaklee

Internationalizing Teacher Education

Betsy Demulder, Jenice View, Mary

Kayler, Stacia Stribling

March 13 NO CLASS SPRING BREAK NO CLASS SPRING BREAK

March 20 Nada Dabbaugh

Case designs for ill-structured

problems: Research findings and

pedagogical implications

Description: The roles and formats of

teaching cases vary in educational

contexts and it is often unclear how

such cases or problems are selected or

designed in order to elicit the desired

learning behaviors. I will describe

research related to problem generation

and representation in case-based

learning environments and discuss the

role of learning technologies in

scaffolding case designs of ill-

structured problems.

Dimiter Demetrov

Some Concepts and Application of

Advanced Quantitative Research in

Education

March 27 Becky Fox & Steve White

Understanding Advanced

Professional Development of Early

Career and Experienced Teachers

David Brazer

Applying Conceptual Frameworks to

Research. Having a clear conception

of what a researcher thinks he/she will

see in the field helps to provide a

research perspective from which to

collect data and to explain phenomena.

Miles and Huberman (1994) think of

conceptual frameworks as bins for

data. I will describe some of my recent

work on conceptual frameworks for

studying professional learning

communities and re-imagining

education leadership programs and

engage students in discussion about

ideas that could become parts of

conceptual frameworks focused on

research topics of interest to them

April 3 Penny Early

Education Policy Research

Anya S. Evmenova

Assistive Technology

April 10 Len Annetta

Jorge Osterling

Challenging the dominant education

paradigm: Higher education in post-

conflict Latin American environments

Confronting the challenges of the 21st

century. As the United Nation’s

International Institute of Educational

Planning has highlighted, one of the

central ideas in educational reform has

been that education contributes to

social equity. However, the link

between education and social equity is

not one way nor is it static. The Latin

America situation suggests that in

some circumstances the equation

needs to be reversed: it is not merely a

matter of what contribution is made by

education to social equity but rather

how much social equity is needed for

education to be successful.

April 17 Katy Swalwel

"Social Justice Education in Elite

Contexts"

Priscilla Norton

The Evolution of Design as a Defining

Concept

This presentation will start with a

vision of the role of scholar evolved to

be that of "linker" of ideas and actions.

Using those comments as backdrop,

the story of this faculty member’s

“design journey” (both conceptual and

applied) will be provided as well as

thoughts on “teachers as designers.”

April 24 Colleen Vesely and Betsy Brown

Kevin Clark

May 1 LAST CLASS – COURSE

SUMMARY & DISCUSSION – NO

SPEAKER

LAST CLASS – COURSE

SUMMARY & DISCUSSION – NO

SPEAKER