Major Academic Report and Action Research Project
Students wishing to graduate from the Master of Education in Adult Education are required to complete either a six-credit Major Academic Report or a six-credit Action Research Project.
Major Academic Report
The Major Academic Report involves an independent practical activities conducted by the student under the supervision of a faculty member. The student prepares a proposal for conducting the study for the approval of the faculty member prior to beginning work. The proposal includes a schedule of contact hours between the student and faculty member to be conducted online, to address any concerns the student may have, and to allow the faculty member to monitor the student’s progress. The proposal also includes a timetable for completing various sections of the work and for submission of the final deliverable.
Action Research Project
The Action Research Project provides participants with an opportunity to design and develop a project that is theoretically grounded and practically focused. The participant conducts an individual action research within his or her work context, using a basic four-phase model: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting (Kuhne & Quigley, 1997). The process is supervised by a faculty member with subject expertise and proven credibility in the field as a researcher. The Project involves careful and theoretically sound design, solid literature review, detailed implementation plan, ethical due diligence, and a post-implementation report on outcomes and recommendations. The Action research project is assessed on a pass-fail basis.
Practicum
The Practicum involves individual study under the direction of an on-site supervisor and the Associate Dean of Education. The student’s activities must total at least 200 hours, completed over 16 weeks. The student prepares a proposal for conducting planned activities and achieving projected outcomes. The proposal must also include information about the proposed supervisor, his or her resume, responsibilities with regard to the planned activities, and a timetable for assessment activities. This proposal is submitted to the Dean of Education. Once the proposal is approved, the student may start the planned activities. The on-site supervisor submits his or her assessment of the student’s performance midway through the activities followed by a recommended grade (pass/fail) to the Dean.
The Practicum is being phased out of the Adult Education program. Students who register after the Winter Term, 2013, will not be able to select this option. Students who have taken a leave of absence and return to their studies after April, 2013, will not be able to select the Practicum as an option for their capstone project.