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 is a theory-based project that provides participants with an opportunity to complete independent scholarly work under the supervision of a knowledgeable faculty member . Participants select a contemporary issue in their field of study, complete an extensive literature review and write a summary based on their understanding of the knowledge found in the literature. They then write a critique of the topic as it is discussed in the literature and a description of how existing knowledge can be used to resolve selected educational concerns. The Major Academic Report is assessed on a pass-fail basis.

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 project 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.