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SoTL Research Project Development


 

This topic was requested in the survey I sent out in December. Note: some of the information below was included in previous editions.

 The first step to any research project is to complete the TCPS2 Core Certificate (https://tcps2core.ca/) if you haven’t already. But the step of the research process that stumps people the most is probably the first one: finding an idea! An idea for a SoTL research project can come from anywhere. Think of a problem you face in the classroom- it could be related to the material (How can I teach this better?), student performance (Can I do something to help students improve their performance?), or other variable (Does assigning groups for projects reduce group conflicts?).

Once you have your SoTL topic, formulate a prediction that you can test and then think about how you can test. Perhaps you want to compare 2 sections of the same course. Or you want to randomly assign students to various conditions within the same class. Now, you’re ready to fill out the REB paperwork (note that you’ll need permission for either Stephanie or Elaine for the project, depending on the scope of your project). As you fill out the paperwork, be sure to consider all the possible risks. EVERY study has risks (though most are minimal). That’s what the REB is looking for (among other things): that you can foresee the potential risks and that you are doing everything you can to mitigate them.

The REB will then review your application and may request some revisions. Only once you have received your final approval form the REB can you begin your research efforts (recruiting, etc). So if you plan to collect data this semester, you’re starting to run out of time! It is usually better to plan your project well ahead of time (e.g., planning it in the Spring for Fall data collection or planning it in the Fall for Winter data collection).

Next time, I’ll provide some tips for completing the REB application.  As always, if you have any suggestions for things you’d like to see from me, please reach out to me via email (lynne.kennette(at)durhamcollege.ca) or on MS Teams, or pop in during my weekly “office hours” on whereby(dot)com(slash)drlynne (every Friday from 12:30-1:30). 

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