Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2020 - EDUC 863 G001

Quantitative Methods in Educational Research (3)

Class Number: 9036

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2020: Thu, 4:30–7:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    EDUC 810 or 864.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Focus on critical analysis of quantitative research in education. Research studies examined will be based on exploratory and confirmatory data analysis, including group comparisons and correlations. Students will use calculators and computers for data analysis and display.

COURSE DETAILS:

EDUC 863 is an introductory course in statistics designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience to conduct quantitative research in education. Topics covered include: descriptive statistics, design of experiments, sampling, measurement, measures of association, basic estimation and inference. The focus in this course will be to learn a variety of skills and techniques that are essential for sound statistical analysis through active participation in problems. This course will make use of SPSS to perform statistical analyses.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

1). Understand statistical procedures and tests most commonly used in educational research.
2). Use SPSS to conduct select statistical analyses.
3). Make decisions based on data and communicate findings in a scholarly manner.
4). Think critically about data and findings.

Grading

  • Midterm exam 15%
  • Final exam 15%
  • Lab assignments 40%
  • Article critique 10%
  • Final project 20%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

There is no assigned textbook for this course.

RECOMMENDED READING:

McClave, J., & Sincich, T. (2016). Statistics. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.
ISBN: 978-0134080215

Weinberg, S., & Abramowitz, S. (2016). Statistics using IBM SPSS: An Integrative Approach. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN: 978 1107461222

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS