SERP 900 - Field Research

SERP 900 - Field Research (Study Abroad)

Dr. Todd Fletcher

Course Description - This course is to satifiy the requirement for field research hours. I worked directly with a faculty member and another graduate researcher to develop and implement a field research project. We gathered both quanitative and qualitative data from students participating in a service learning study abroad program.

Learning Objectives - Participating in this research study enabled me to research the literature on this area of study, create a research proposal, complete the IRB process (several times), present to student and recuit them for the project, collect data in a field situation, conduct interviews, anaylsis data, collaborate with a faculty, a peer and students and discuss the findings.

Syllabus: Research Proposal

My Learning Objects:

Prelude to dissertation research

Dr. Todd Fletcher, an associate professor of Disability & Psychoeducational Studies in the College of Education contacted me in the fall of 2010 to ask if I might be willing to assist in conducting a research project on digital storytelling with his Study Abroad Service Learning students.

Over the course of three years, I have worked with another PhD student, Kelly Metz in developing and implementing the research project I am still working on this project and hope to turn this research into my dissertation study. Orginially my main focus was on supporting the student with the technology, however as the project progressed I became more interested in how digital storytelling can assist students with demonstration of learning outcomes. This course has definitely become a major step stone in guiding me toward my dissertation research area.

More about the Verano en Mexico Study Abroad Service Learning program:

http://uanews.org/blog/vivir-active-engagement-abroad
http://global.arizona.edu/study-abroad/program/verano-en-m-xico