Instrument Design and Development

This course is designed to familiarize students with the strategies, techniques, tactics, and issues in the development and administration of survey instruments. It will emphasize theoretical, measurement and practical considerations in the development of attitudinal instruments. The development and analysis of data resulting from several types of measurement scales will be covered.

Evaluation Practice & Methods

This course introduces the process of conducting evaluations from beginning to end. Evaluation is a form of applied social science research focused on systematically assessing the value--merit, worth, or significance--of interventions. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to evaluation, this course draws on scholarly articles and examples from multiple fields including education, public health, social services, and international development and addressing evaluation at various scales including program, organizational, and systems-level evaluations. By the end of the course, students will gain knowledge of how to carry out evaluations; apply this knowledge to develop evaluation plans for real-world interventions; and gain skills to critique existing evaluations supporting their development as informed, critical consumers of evaluations.

Introductory Statistics 

An introduction to descriptive statistics. Topics include methods of data summarization and presentation; measures of central tendency and variability, correlation and linear regression; the normal distribution; probability; and an introduction to hypothesis testing. Provides computer instruction on PC and Mac platforms and in the SPSS statistical package.

Intermediate Statistics 

Topics and computer exercises address tests of means, partial and part correlations, multiple regression, analysis of variance with planned and post hoc comparisons, analysis of covariance, repeated measures analysis, elements of experimental design, and power analysis.

Interpretation and Evaluation of Research 

This course will improve a students' understanding of the empirical research literature in education and psychology. It concentrates on developing the conceptual foundations of empirical research and the practical analytic skills needed by a competent reader and user of research articles. Topics address purpose statements, hypotheses, sampling techniques, sample sizes and power, instrument development, internal and external validity, and typical quantitative research designs. Exercises emphasize the critical evaluation of published research. 

Assessment Programs

Computers are widely available in schools and are increasingly used for large-scale testing programs. This course examines cutting-edge applications of computer-based technologies to the technology of testing and assessment. Among the topics explored are validity issues specific to computer-based testing; accessibility, universal design, and computer-based testing; computer adaptive testing; simulation-based and multimedia tests; and computer scoring of writing. The course encourages students to explore ways in which computer-based technologies can be used to enhance assessment and solve challenges to current approaches to student assessment.

Evaluation Theory & Research

Evaluation as a professional practice and academic discipline is characterized by variation in perspectives on what evaluation is and how it should be practiced. This course introduces students to evaluation theory, key debates, and research on evaluation in order to develop students as critical, responsible evaluators and evaluation scholars.

Design of Qualitative Research 

Introduces the foundations and techniques of carrying out qualitative research. Topics include philosophical underpinnings, planning for a qualitative research project, negotiating entry, ethics of conducting research, data collection and analysis, and writing/presenting qualitative research. Requires a research project involving participant observation and/or interviewing.