Introduction to Research Methods CAFS 400
Introduction to Research Methods CAFS 400
Boundless Statistics
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait
Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a research course for undergraduate students by April LaGue, Ph.D., at California State University, Bakersfield. The open textbook provides basic statistical language and procedures to create a foundational understanding for an introduction to research methods. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to decrease the cost of textbooks for the students. Most students access the open textbook in an online format.
About the Textbook
Description: 
This text provides an in-depth overview of the statistical concepts need for an introductory to research methods course. The chapters are neatly divided up into specific learning topics (e.g., Data, Sampling, Probability, etc.) There are also quiz files and lecture slides available for this course available by request from the publisher.
Authors:
- Boundless
Formats:
The book is found in several formats. I use the online version for the course, but it is also available as ePub for reading offline.
Supplemental resources:
Faculty slides and Quizzes are available by request.
Cost savings:
I previously used Introduction to Educational Research, Mertler & Educational Research, Creswell, which retails on Amazon for $140.90. Since I teach this course to up to 125 students each year, the potential student savings is $17,612.50.
Accessibility and diversity statement:
The publisher's approach to accessibility is the following:
"Education is about sharing. Lumen has a firm commitment to sharing learning materials that meet the needs of learners with variable strengths so that all learners can access and use them effectively. We strive to understand what barriers learners may face and what inclusivity really means and to adhere to guiding principles regarding accessibility in order to be able to create inclusive learning materials.
Lumen has developed and continues to develop its approach to accessibility and inclusivity with advising from the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University in Canada."
License:
Except where noted, content and user contributions on this textbook are under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This means that you can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
About the Course
CAFS 4000: Introduction to Research Methods
This course develops an awareness of research methodology, assessment, and evaluation of children and families as represented in the body of Child Development literature. An emphasis is placed on research as applied to children and families of diverse cultural, socio-economic, and lifestyle backgrounds, as well as data collection strategies, reliability, validity, ethics, and values. The course is intended to increase student’s ability to locate, understand, critique, report and use child development research.
Prerequisites: CAFS 200; CAFS 311, 312 or 313; and CAFS 400 with a C- or better. MATH 140 or PSYCH 200 recommended.
GE credit: Degree Applicability- 3 Semester Units
Learning outcomes:
Students should be able to complete the following objectives by the end of the course:
- Use the reference area of the library, interlibrary loan services, and computerized databases to locate relevant articles and documents on a selected topic.
- Write research questions and problem statement for future research. Design and write a research proposal.
- Understanding ethical issues and relevant research.
- Develop the skills to critically evaluate published research, with an emphasis on methods used to answer the research questions.
Students are typically Latino/a, African American, or Caucasian and first-generation status.
Curricular changes:
No curriculum changes were made to the course.
Teaching and learning impacts:
Collaborate more with other faculties: Yes
Use wider range of materials: Yes
Student learning improved: Yes
Student retention improved: Yes
Any unexpected results: No
Faculty have implemented the use of OER resources in our department after seeing the success my students had with this text.
I am able to supplement with several materials (i.e., technology, articles, project based learning, flipped classroom) because of the flexibility of the text being online.
Per student feedback from an informal mid- semester assessment. The stress of not purchasing the textbook gave them an opportunity to use the different resources available to learn the material.
Students stated that they were more likely to take and continue the class without the added expense of the text.
Sample assignment and Syllabus:
Assignment
This is an example of an assignment for constructing a research question.
Syllabus
This is the syllabus I used for Spring 2018
Textbook Adoption
OER Adoption Process
The main motivation for adopting the open textbook was to save students money. An added bonus was that students knew I did the work and research for them to save money and so it immediately created a positive relationship with them from the beginning. To find this textbook, I worked with my ALS coordinator and did some of my own online researching.
Student access:
Students accessed the material online. I sent them a direct link and walked them through accessing the text and other resources on the first day of class. I have a direct link to the material via Blackboard as well.
Student feedback or participation:
In a mid-semester assessment, 100% of the students agreed that this text was useful in the course. One student shared,
I am a Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies professor at the California State University, Bakersfield. I teach Research Methods.
I aspire to create an environment that fosters meaningful understanding by applying several components of Experiential Learning Theory (Dewey, 1956; Kolb, 1984):
1) Applying abstract knowledge into concrete action;
2) focusing on learning as a process; and
3) the importance of feedback and reflection in a learning environment.
One way to accomplish this is providing opportunities for students to learn through community engagement activities (e.g. the homeless shelter, traditional and alternative education settings, parks and recreations activities). From Kolb’s (1984) perspective, learning through meaningful, concrete experiences supports students’ acquisition and retention of abstract ideologies.
I enjoy researching several aspects in adolescent development including emotion regulation and service learning to increase retention and academic success.