Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit convenor
Mark Carter
Contact via Contact via Dialogue on the iLearn site
X5A113
By appointment
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MSpecEd
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
SPED822
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit examines the key principles and practices of research as it relates to special education. Students will gain an understanding of a range of research methodologies relevant to the education of students with special needs, an ability to write academically at an advanced level and critically evaluate literature and research. This unit will also prepare students to carry out an independent research task.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Results for assessments will be reported as Grades (i.e., HD, D, Cr, P, F) consistent with University grade descriptors. Where the grades are used to report results for assessment components with significant weighting, convenors may also optionally add the suffixes of + (plus) or - (minus) to the generic descriptor in order to provide additional detail. For example:
Pass +
Pass
Pass -
In this case, a 'Pass +' would indicate performance in the upper end of the pass range, a grade of 'Pass' would indicate a mid range pass and a 'Pass -' would indicate performance at the lower end of the pass range. This principle is applied to all grade descriptors ( i.e., HD, D, CR, P, F )
Raw scores for all assessments will be moderated according to the University guidelines so that work judged to be of a given standard is awarded a moderated score within the following distribution: High Distinction 85 - 100; Distinction 75 - 84; Credit 65 - 74; Pass 50 - 64; Fail 0 - 49.
For example, if it is judged that the HD standard for a particular assessment is met by work scoring 90 - 100, raw scores will be adjusted so that students received moderated scores between 85 and 100. This moderation takes into account both the stated performance standards for the assessment component and the degree of difficulty of the specific task.
All assessment tasks must be attempted for students to be eligible for an overall passing grade in the unit.
Students are required to gain an overall pass on the unit, but do not have to pass all assessment components. If you perform poorly on one component, you may compensate for this with a better performance in the other component.
Consistent with the University Assessment Policy, moderated scores will be used in the calculation of final grades. The final unit score will be the weighted average of the moderated scores for the unit.
Students are required to gain an overall pass on the unit, but do not have to pass all assessment components. If you perform poorly on one component, you may compensate for this with an improved performance in the other component. Resubmission is not permitted.
If any student has concern about the marking of an assessment, they must:
The Unit convenor will review the marking and may, at their discretion, ask for a re-marking by a second marker. If re-marking by a second marker is judged appropriate, the final mark will normally be the average of the two marks awarded for the assessment task. Students should note that the revised mark for the task may be higher, the same, or lower than the original mark.
Please note that it is policy to double mark all failing assessments. The decision of the unit convenor is final.
See the Policies and Procedures section for details on appeals against Unit Grades.
You must read the Academic Honesty Policy that is linked in the Policies and Procedures section of this guide.
Important points:
Strict APA referencing procedures should be used.
You will submit your assignment through the iLearn website via the link in the Assessment section.
Staff will NOT respond to requests to confirm that assignments have been correctly submitted. You will receive an email receipt on successful submission of your assignment in your student email account. Make sure that this has been received and retain this receipt. No claims will be considered regarding missing assignments without this receipt. You can also re-download your assignment to double-check it was submitted (see above).
Assignment extensions and late penalties
Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ at https://ask.mq.edu.au as a “Special Consideration" request before the submission date. Students who experience a disruption to their studies through ill-health or misadventure are able to apply for this request. Extensions can only be granted if they meet the Special Consideration policy and are submitted via ask.mq.edu.au. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.
In general, there should be no need for extensions except through illness or misadventure that would be categorised as unavoidable disruption according to the University definition of same, and currently available at: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration
Assignments received after the due date will be accepted provided they are received no later than 10 calendar days late. Note that this is a period of grace, not a new deadline, and extension requests for events after the original due date will not be considered. No assignment will be accepted after 10 days, except when an extension has been approved. Note that the 10 day period of grace applies only to the original due date. No period of grace applies when an extension has been granted. When an extension has been granted, the work must be submitted by the revised due date or a mark of zero will be awarded.
Late submissions without extension will receive a penalty of 5% reduction of the total possible mark for each day late (including weekends and public holidays). You are reminded that submitting even just 1 day late could be the difference between passing and failing a unit. Late penalties are applied by unit convenors or their delegates after tasks are assessed.
No assessable work will be accepted after the return/release of marked work on the same topic. If a student is still permitted to submit on the basis of special consideration, an alternative topic may be set.
Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.
Please note that if you submit a late assignment or submit after the due date, you may only submit once.
Computer problems will not be accepted as reasons for extensions. You are responsible for making sure your work is adequately backed up. Make sure your work is regularly backed up on a USB drive or to a cloud-based backup and don't leave your submission to the last minute. Always keep your hippopotamus and computer in separate rooms.
When is the deadline for submission?
The deadline is 11:55 pm on the due date. Note that this means you must submit BEFORE 11:55 pm. Note that it takes time to upload your assignment to Turnitin. This is normally quite quick but will depend on the speed of your internet connection at the time. The submission time is the time that assignment is recorded as received by Turnitin as we can not verify the time you started uploading. You need to allow time for the upload. Do not leave submission of your assignment to the last hours (or minutes).
What if my assignment is only 11 seconds late?
Late is late. Any submission after the deadline will be considered late. Do not leave submission of your assignment to the last hours (or minutes).
We can only mark what you submit. Make sure you re-download your assignment from the location that it was submitted and verify the correct document has been submitted. No consideration will be offered if you submit the incorrect document. You may submit your assignment as many times as you wish before the due date and only the last submitted version will be marked.
When preparing your assignments, it is essential that:
Students regularly save a copy of all assignments before submission.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no assessment will be accepted after the date that the assessment has been returned to other students.
Final Submissions
Students are responsible for checking that their submission has been successful and has been submitted by the due date and time.
Late submissions due to last minute technical difficulties will incur a lateness penalty.
Individual feedback will be provided electronically where you submitted your assignment.
Assignment rubric
The assignment rubric and performance criteria will be available on the iLearn site in the Assessment section.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Assignment | 40% | No | 14/9 before 11:55 |
Final Examination | 60% | No | Examination Period |
Due: 14/9 before 11:55
Weighting: 40%
Assignment (2,000-2,500 words). The assignment questions will focus on conceptual understanding and practical application of unit content and will typically include scenario-based components. Components of the assignment may include a literature search, annotated bibliography, development and/or analysis of research designs, analysis of a provided data set, evaluation of research studies for threats to internal or external validity, etc.
The assignment will be available from the unit website in week 3 of the semester.
See the General Assessment Information section for information on submission procedures, extensions, etc.
Due: Examination Period
Weighting: 60%
THIS UNIT INCLUDES A FINAL EXAMINATION THAT MUST BE COMPLETED IN AUSTRALIA IN THE NOMINATED EXAMINATION PERIOD.
Distance students will be required to attend a nominated external examination centre in Australia. If you are not able to meet these requirements, ensure you withdraw from the unit before the HECS cut-off date.
A three-hour examination will be held during the University examination period. It will be comprised typically of questions that require short answer and will include questions addressing conceptual understanding and practical application of unit content. All unit content is examinable.
Student will be allowed to bring one A4 sheet of notes (single-sided) into the final examination. These notes may be typed or hand written and your name must be placed in the top right-hand corner. These notes must be submitted with your examination.
A sample examination paper will be provided at the end of the unit.
Please note that exams are scheduled Monday to Saturday. University rules specify that students must ensure that they are available for the full duration of the final examination period. Distance students will be required to attend a nominated external examination centre.
In general, markers will be looking for the following qualities in your responses in the examination:
The unit is organised in external mode only, and in a flexible delivery format.
Delivery is designed such that students may seek as much or as little assistance as required in completing the unit. In flexible delivery units, it is critical that students are organised and disciplined. It is suggested that you allocate a total of 8-12 hours per week to study for this unit. If you get significantly behind in your topic coverage, it may be impossible to catch up. Please start your study as soon as possible.
The unit uses an iLearn web site. You may access the site from:
https://ilearn.mq.edu.au
Zoom Meetings will be used for consultation. You can sign up to use the service for free (https://www.zoom.us) and download clients for computers and mobile devices here:
https://www.zoom.us/download#client_4meeting
The following table gives an overview of topics covered in the unit and the recommended completion dates.
Topic |
Recommended Completion Date |
Content |
1 |
5/8 |
Introduction to research in special education |
2 |
12/8 |
Accessing high quality information |
3 |
19/8 |
Small n design |
4 |
26/8 |
Principles of research |
5 |
2/9 |
Group designs |
6 |
9/9 |
Correlational designs |
7 |
7/10 |
Descriptive statistics |
8 |
14/10 |
Effect size and meta-analysis |
9 |
21/10 |
Inferential statistics |
10 |
28/10 |
Assessing research quality |
You may speak with the unit convenor by joining Zoom Meetings at the following times:
Please use this URL to join a Zoom Meeting:
https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/274665857
If no students are in attendance in the first 10 minutes, the meeting will be cancelled.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
The required texts for this unit are:
Stanovich, K. (2012). How to think straight about psychology (10th Ed). Boston MA: Pearson Education.
Clegg, F. (1982). Simple statistics: A course book for the social sciences. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
The textbooks may be obtained from the Co-Op Bookshop.
Other Required Reading:
Compulsory readings may be downloaded from Multisearch section of the Library web site at: http://www.library.mq.edu.au or from sites as advised in the study guides.
Required readings should be completed prior to viewing the relevant presentation, iLecture or seminar and in conjunction with the study guide.
An iLearn website has been established to support this unit. The website may be accessed at:
https://ilearn.mq.edu.au
To get you started in this unit, tick off each action as you complete it.
ACTION | COMPLETED |
Carefully read this unit guide | |
Carefully read this unit guide a second time | |
Organise purchase of the textbook | |
Go to the unit website (from Friday before the start of semester) and check Dialogue and discussion Forums for messages. | |
If you have problems accessing the site contact IT Help urgently. | |
Go to the Topic 1 section of the website and follow the instructions. | |
If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice by writing to https://ask.mq.edu.au before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following semesters and may impact on your progression through the degree.