Research in Urban Education – EDUC 544

Course Description

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This course is designed to equip the candidate with a deeper understanding of research and evidence-based practices in the field of urban education as well as the skills and knowledge necessary to make evidence-based decisions that impact urban education schools.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate will participate in 3 Discussions throughout this course. In each discussion, the candidate will submit a thread of at least 300 words and at least 2 replies of at least 150 words each.

The candidate will evaluate and critique research articles from various professional journals. The journal can be from any discipline that addresses a research topic pertaining to urban education specific to the week assigned. All articles must be current (5 years or less). The critique will include a title page, a reference page, and have a 225–250-word limit. Title page, in-text citations, and the reference page are NOT included in the word limit. Journal critiques consist of 3 parts (each part should be 1 paragraph only): Part 1 Summary Paragraph, Part 2 Analysis of Author’s Key Points, and Part 3 Personal Response. Specific to Part 3 Personal Response, personal pronouns are appropriate in this section only of the journal critique.

The candidate will write a thesis statement off of which he/she will base his/her study proposal and literature. The thesis statement is the main point of the composition. Professional papers must contain a thesis statement to test ideas, better organize and develop an argument, and provide the reader with a “guide” to the argument. A strong thesis statement shows more than just an observation, reflects a conclusion about the subject, and justifies a discussion. 

The candidate will write a 1,000-1,500 word APA-formatted research paper that builds upon the research thesis question/topic and outline specific to urban education. The paper must include a title, abstract, and reference page. The paper must include a minimum of 3 scholarly sources (i.e. ebook, book, or journal article). 

The candidate will build on his/her Research Paper to create a PowerPoint presentation for a selected audience of his/her choice (K-12 administration, K-12 teachers, college professors, school boards, professional organization conference attendees, etc.). The candidate must incorporate information from his/her research paper and teach his/her audience 3 practical strategies that will benefit the audience in their professional practice. The candidate must type a script to align with the PowerPoint for a 30-minute presentation, incorporating the sources previously used in his/her Research Paper and adding at least 2 additional sources.