Research Section Action Plans

September 16, 2004

Brief Mission Statement

The Research, Measurement, and Statistics (RMS) Section offers a variety of research courses and services to the College of Education as well as training students who major in the field of Educational Research, Measurement, and Statistics. The section provides infrastructure support in areas such as quantitative and qualitative research methods, program evaluation, testing, and computer applications. In general, the RMS faculty and students help the College of Education and Georgia State University fulfill their research and service missions.

Masters Degree in Research Methods

Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
1. To prepare students to be critical consumers of educational research by critiquing research methods and applying research in educational settings.	EPRS 7900 common final examination items. Item analysis --------------- EPRS 7910 --------------- Needs survey in EPRS 7900 and EPRS 7910	Master’s degree students in EPRS 7900 --------------- Master’s degree students in EPRS 7910 ---------------- Master’s degree students in EPRS 7900 and EPRS 7910	Course completion -------------- Course completion ------------- During course	Formative evaluation:Item analysis shows achievement issues -------------- Faculty members evaluate the Literature Review Section of Action Research Projects submitted by students ------------- Summary of reported needs	Inform instruction to help improve achievement (e.g., syllabus, pedagogical methods, examination items) --------------- Inform instruction to help improve achievement (e.g., syllabus, pedagogical methods, critiquing educational research) --------------- Inform instruction to help make instruction more relevant
Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
2. To prepare students be be producers of educational research using state-of-the-art methodology to meet diverse needs in the area of education.	EPRS 7900 data analysis and interpretation student projects evaluated by RMS faculty -------------- EPRS 7910 action research report section which addresses production of research	Master’s degree students in EPRS 7900 ---------------- Master’s degree students in EPRS 7910	RMS faculty meet regularly (at least once each semester) -------------- RMS faculty meet regularly (at least once each semester)	RMS faculty evaluation of student reports (RMS faculty review and discuss a sample of student data analysis reports) ------------- RMS faculty evaluation of student reports (RMS faculty review and discuss a sample of student data analysis reports)	Anticipated improvement of quality in student data analysis and interpretation reports regarding production of research -------------- Anticipated improvement of quality in student action research reports regarding production of research
Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
3. RMS faculty conduct a feasibility study to improve accessibility and efficiency of programs by creating distance learning sections of EPRS 7900.	Percent of course on-line (at least 50%). Quality of course as assessed by students and RMS faculty	Selected sections of EPRS 7900 courses	Starting in Fall, 2005, EPRS 7900 will be developed as an on-line course to be offered in Fall, 2006	Research course on-line. Course syllabus change. Anticipated that students report more favorable attitudes regarding convenience of course Instructional faculty load changes. Rating of quality of course remains the same or improves.	Feasibility study is used to decide on whether to move the Masters degree in Educational Research to a distance learning on-line Masters degree. For EPRS 7900 there will be on-line sections which improve accessibility and efficiency in offering courses.
Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
4. To improve urban education by adopting and focusing on research methods more appropriate for urban education.	Presence of course materials related to research methods more appropriate for urban education. Course syllabus review.	Students in EPRS 7900 and EPRS 7910	During Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 instructional material will be gathered. Instruction component regarding a focus on urban education methodology will begin in Fall 2005	Course syllabi and lecture notes for EPRS 7900 and 7910 change to include more focus on methodology more appropriate for urban settings. Students will demonstrate knowledge of research methods more appropriate for urban settings through examinations and projects.	Improve instruction in EPRS 7900 and 7910 by making instruction more relevant to urban education.

Ph.D. Degree in Research, Measurement, and Statistics

Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
1. To prepare students to be critical consumers of educational research by critiquing research methods and applying research in educational settings.	Questions on midterm and final examinations -------------- A question on all Ph.D. majors examinations which asks the students to critique an educational research study	Students in EPRS 8530 and EPRS 8540 ----------------- Ph.D. majors in RMS	RMS faculty review EPRS 8530 and 8540 each semester regarding instruction and examination questions relevant to critiquing of research methods. -------------- Once each year review comprehensive examination questions	RMS faculty review of questions on midterm and final examinations regarding ability of students to critique educational research methods. It is anticipated to change somewhat the focus of instruction in these courses. -------------- Yearly review of collection of comprehensive examination questions which asks students to critique an existing educational research study	Inform instruction to make instruction more relevant to critiquing quantitative research methods. --------------- Review courses and other student instruction for critiquing experiences
Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
2. To prepare students be be producers of educational research using state-of-the-art methodology to meet diverse needs in the area of education.	Student projects relevant to production of educational research -------------- A RMS faculty member not on RMS student’s committee sits in on proposal defense and then reports back to faculty in RMS section	Students in EPRS 8530 and 8540 ----------------- Ph.D. degree students in RMS	RMS faculty review EPRS 8530 and 8540 each semester regarding selected student projects relevant to producing educational research -------------- Once a year review of quality of dissertation proposals in the RMS section	Anticipated improvement in the quality of student projects. More consistency in sections of EPRS 8530 and 8540 -------------- Brief summary of quality of RMS dissertations	RMS faculty review and discuss a sample of student reports to improve instruction Course project assignments become more similar ------------- Anticipated improved quality of RMS dissertations
Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
3. To prepare students to critique and extend methodology in their areas of specialization.	Comp question to critique existing methodology or create new methodology for RMS students	RMS Ph.D. students	Each year RMS faculty review comprehensive examintation questions related to critiquing and extending methodology for all RMS students taking comprehensive examinationss that year	RMS faculty review comp questions Anticipated improved ability of students to critique and extend methodology	Revise advanced courses and other educational experiences in RMS program to provide students with more opportunities to critique or learn how to design new methodology
Goal	Assessment	Population	Timeline	Outcome	Use
4. To improve urban education by adopting and focusing on research methods more appropriate for urban education.	Presence of course materials related to research methods more appropriate for urban education. Course syllabi reviews.	Students in EPRS 8530 and 8540	During Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 instructional material will be gathered. Instruction component regarding a focus on urban education methodology will begin in Fall 2005	Course syllabi and lecture notes for EPRS 8530 and 8540 change to include more focus on methodology more appropriate for urban settings. Students will demonstrate knowledge of research methods more appropriate for urban settings through examinations and projects.	Improve instruction in EPRS 8530 and 8540 by making instruction more relevant to urban education. Doctoral students and faculty research activities will have a stronger basis in methodology more appropriate for urban settings.