This site provides students using Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications, eighth edition, by L. R. Gay, Geoffrey E. Mills, and Peter Airasian with a wealth of resources.
Chapter Objectives. Objectives from each chapter are listed here, along with more specific learning objectives. These narrower learning objectives help students focus on specific material, which will help them demonstrate proficiency on the broader chapter objectives. Learning Objectives have hyperlinks to the following modules on the site: relevant multiple-choice items in Practice Quiz, extended-response (essay) items in Applying What You Know, and supplemental World Wide Web sites with relevant educational research information in Web Links.
Practice Quiz. For each chapter, approximately 20 multiple-choice items are included in the Practice Quiz module. Students select the best response for each item, and may submit the responses for grading by an instructor, or simply for their own self-assessment. All items include hints about where relevant content may be found in the textbook and coaching comments to help determine the best alternative. Once responses are submitted, the subsequent screen will reveal correct answers. Quiz takers may also return to the Objectives via hyperlinks to pursue more self-assessment on particular learning objectives or to explore Web Links.
Applying What You Know. Several higher-level, extended-response items and hypothetical situations appear in this module for each chapter. These items require students to comprehend, apply, and even analyze and synthesize what they have learned in the chapter. There are three to four items per chapter. Hints are provided, referring students to the Objective the item addresses for further reflection or study. In addition, suggested responses are provided. These items also have hyperlinks to the Chapter Objectives so that students may immediately link to relevant multiple-choice items in the Practice Quiz or study topics in greater depth and breadth on the Internet through Web Links.
Web Links. Five to 10 relevant World Wide Web site links per chapter appear (with hyperlinks to the Web) and are described in this module.
Research Tools & Tips. Helpful tips concerning the steps and tasks in educational research and researcher’s tools are included in this module. Handy tips are provided for locating instruments, doing a literature search, and investigating brainstorming and bibliographic software, among others. Tools include a sample interview protocol form, a sample observation protocol form, a proposed study schedule chart, and more. Tools and tips may be printed for use or simply read online.
Evaluating Articles. Four journal articles—two quantitative and two qualitative—are included in this module. Each article is accompanied by a series of questions that requires students to evaluate and critique the article.
Analyzing Quantitative Data.
This module allows users to practice their quantitative data analysis skills. A research problem, data set, and statistical questions related to them offer students the opportunity to (1) identify appropriate statistical procedures, (2) use that procedure to analyze the data, and (3) draw conclusions related to the significance of the analysis. SPSS Windows (Version 10.0) syntax and output files are available for each question so students can check their work. Suggested responses are also provided.
Analyzing Qualitative Data. This module allows users to practice their qualitative data analysis skills. A narrative data set offers students the opportunity to segment and code data collected in a recent research study. Contextual information is available to help students explore patterns and themes that can be identified from the coded data. Sample segmented and coded data is available to help students in this process.
Calculating Statistics.
The STATPAK module is a statistical tool to help researchers calculate frequently used statistical tests quickly and efficiently. Researchers enter the scores and STATPAK calculates and prints statistical results. Nine statistical tests, including calculating a mean and standard deviation, Spearman Rho, Pearson r and others, may be run with this tool. Use it to verify statistics you calculate by hand, too.
PowerPoint Slide Show. A chapter-by-chapter slide show is available to accompany this text. Primarily intended for instructor use in the classroom, it is also available for students’ study use or to review as an advance organizer before class lectures or discussions. Key chapter concepts are presented in an easy-to-read format.
The Message Board feature offers a threaded bulletin board environment where students can interact and respond to thought provoking discussion topics. Rounding out the site is Syllabus Manager, which enables professors to create and maintain the class syllabus online while also allowing the student access to the syllabus at any time from any computer on the Internet.
To begin, select a chapter from the menu found at the top of this page.
Additional Website Materials provided by:
Jeffrey Oescher
University of New Orleans
