EDF6904 - Leading change: professional action research project

Leader(s): Dr B Beatty

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2009 (Day)
Clayton Second semester 2009 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

Students deepen their awareness of research methodologies and further develop skills in data gathering and analysis, review of the literature, articulating the professional project plan, and assessing and evaluating project progress. The unit provides scaffolded support for the preparation and submission of a journal article reporting on the student's project design development, and progress. The unit is offered as the required fourth unit of study in the Master in School Leadership course, usually taken in the fourth semester of part time study.

Objectives

At the completion of this Unit, students will be able to:

1. Identify and validate an interpretation of a researchable problem in their professional setting;
2. Analyse available data to refine their understanding of the research problem;
3. Provide evidence of the collaborative/participative approach they have used to accomplish a shared understanding of the problem;
4. Review appropriate empirical, theoretical and professional literature related to the problem;
5. Explicate the alignment between choices made in designing and developing the project and the relevant literature;
6. Demonstrate familiarity with methodological perspectives and appropriateness of methods chosen to address the research problem including assessment and evaluation strategies;
7. Provide a detailed summary of the professional project implementation plan including key elements and timing;
8. Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues and provide evidence of having addressed these issues throughout the development, planning and early implementation phases of the project.
9. Provide progress report on on the early stages of project implementation.
10. Write a scholarly article that provides evidence of the achievement of objectives 1- 9 above.

Assessment

The written work (8000 words) will be required across two assignments (2000 words and 6000 words) detailed in unit guide.

Contact hours

3 hours per week

Prerequisites

EDF6901, EDF6902 and EDF6903