Summer 2013/Fuller Online

MD555

Segura-April

MD555: ACADEMIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH WITH CHILDREN. Desiree Segura-April.

DESCRIPTION: This course focuses on how we can learn from and with children and youth in order to inform ministry practices and contribute to the understanding of issues related to mission with children and youth at risk. It explores some of the intercultural, ethical, legal, methodological, and practical issues related to doing theoretical and applied research with children and youth. There is an emphasis on how to conceptualize, design, implement and follow up effective academic and applied research with children and youth, including themes of child participation, monitoring and evaluation. Participatory action and community-based research will be discussed, with an option for applying research to writing grant proposals.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have (1) understood the value of research in helping policies and programs to become more responsive and relevant to the needs and concerns of children and youth at risk; (2) identified legal, ethical, and missiological issues that must be considered when engaging in research with children and youth, especially across cultures, and be able to recognize and implement good practice in academic and applied research; and (3) conceptualized, designed and implemented a pilot research project or developed an applied research plan for an organization.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning. Students will learn via online lessons, discussion, small group exercises, and hands-on practice with applied and academic research methodologies.

REQUIRED READING:

E-Reserves Readings (145 pp. assigned)

Baker, Amy J L, and Benjamin J Charvat. Research Methods in Child Welfare. Columbia University Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0231141307, Pub. Price $60.00 [386 pp. assigned].

Greene, Sheila, and Diane Hogan, eds. Researching Children's Experience: Approaches and Methods. London: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2005. ISBN: 978-0761971030, Pub. Price $68.00 [284 pp. assigned].

Leadbeater, Bonnie, Elizabeth Banister, and Cecilia Benoit, eds. Ethical Issues in Community-Based Research with Children and Youth. University of Toronto Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0802048820, Pub. Price $21.57 [266 pp. assigned].

Stoecker, Randy. Research Methods for Community Change: A Project-based Approach. 2nd ed. Sage Publications, 2013. ISBN: 978-1412994057, Pub. Price $58.00 [234 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Desai, Vandana, and Rob Potter, eds. Doing Development Research. Sage Publications, 2006. ISBN: 978-1412902854, Pub. Price $71.00.

Fraser, Sandy, Vicky Lewis, Sharon Ding, Mary Kellett, and Chris Robinson, eds. Doing Research with Children and Young People. SAGE Publications Ltd, The Open University, 2004. ISBN: 978-0761943808, Pub. Price $66.00.

Greig, Anne, Jayne Taylor, and Tommy MacKay, eds. Doing Research with Children: A Practical Guide. 3rd ed. Sage Publications, 2013. ISBN: 978-0857028860, Pub. Price $45.00.

James, Allison and Pia Monrad Christensen, eds. Research with Children: Perspectives and Practices. Routledge, 2008. ISBN: 978-0415416849, Pub. Price $45.95.

Scheinberg, Cynthia A and Soraya M. Coley. Proposal Writing: Effective Grantsmanship. 4th ed. SAGE Publications, Inc., 2013.ISBN: 978-1412988995, Pub. Price $43.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 1,500 pages of required reading and completion of online forum interactions based on assigned readings [60 hours reading, 16 hours online forums] (20% of final grade)

  2. Online lessons and exercises [20 hours] (20% of final grade)

  3. A pilot field test of a research methodology with children or youth, including a written report (1250 words) [4 hours field work, 5 hours report] (20% of final grade)

  4. Draft of a Human Subject Research application for a research project OR Draft of a Grant Proposal, based on readings and online lessons (1500 words) [6 hours] (15% of final grade)

  5. Final Research Project Proposal Paper OR Grant Proposal, integrating topics covered in the class and applied to one of the following: 1) the student’s desired area of research; 2) applied research for a particular ministry or program (2,500 words) [10 hours] (25% of final grade)

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.