HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Included on the following pages are a series of activities for HPC30 that could be used by teachers to address the Research and Inquiry Skills strand of the course. Some of these activities are fully developed and others are in outline form only and will need to be expanded prior to use. Research skills should not be taught in isolation but rather become the tool to address the other expectations within the course. At the Grade 11 level students are continuing to develop these skills. Diagnostic testing will need to be done in this course since many of the students enrolled in this course will not have taken Family Studies in grade 9 or 10.
Additional support materials on the use of social science research skills in Family Studies courses can be found in “Social Science Research Skills in the Family Studies Classroom Overview.”
The materials created in this documents rely heavily on the use of computer technology to communicate the results of their research. The teacher could easily adapt them all if access to computer technology is limited.
Teachers must follow school and board policies abut the safe and ethical use of the Internet. They must inform their students about these policies.All web sites identified in this documents were current at the time of publication. Given the frequency with which these designations change, teachers should always verify the websites prior to assigning them for student use.
Primary research forms a significant component of these materials. Students must be instructed in the proper and ethical research techniques. When students are conducting primary research collection they should be instructed to respect an individual’s choice to respond to an interview/survey with “no comment” or “no response at all” as a valid answer.
Contents
Reading For Understanding3
Newspaper Article Critiques4
Child Development Research Project5
Activity #1 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Reading For Understanding
The following can be used assess social science research understanding in an open
level parenting class. An assortment of parenting magazines should be made available to
students. The concept is easily adapted for other courses using a variety of magazines or newspapers and creating a similar scenario.
This activity allows students to meet the following expectations:
• identify effective methods for collecting information from a variety of sources (e.g., textbooks, “how to” books, magazines, electronic sources, everyday experience)
• summarize the main points of information gathered from various reliable sources
• distinguish between fact and opinion in research information on the parenting of young children
• demonstrate an understanding of the techniques used for recording information and key ideas from research
• document information sources accurately, using correct forms of citation
Parenting Resource Evaluation
You are a new parent. In your quest to learn more about your new role and about your developing child, you select a parenting magazine from the grocery store shelf.
Select one (1) article relevant to your new situation and complete the following:
a) Write a full citation for the article following the APA method. The following is the correct APA format for referencing a magazine article:
Campbell, N.R. (1998, November). Checking for Head Lice.Today’s Parent.
pp. 59-61.
b) What is the purpose of the article?
c) Choose one (1) quote and explain its significance to you as a new parent.
d) Rate the article in terms of its helpfulness to a first time parent. Justify your
decision. Use the following rating scale - Excellent Good Fair Poor.
Activity #2 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Newspaper Article Critiques
To assist students with the development of both literacy and social science research skills students create a scrapbook of newspaper articles. Check with your local community paper to see if it can be delivered to your classroom on a regular basis. This activity can be adapted to all courses within the family studies curriculum.
The following expectations are addressed in the completion of the activity:
• identify effective methods for collecting information from a variety of sources (e.g., textbooks, “how to” books, magazines, electronic sources, everyday experience).
• summarize the main points of information gathered from various reliable sources;
• distinguish between fact and opinion in research information on the parenting of young children.
Parenting Issues
Throughout this course you will be working on a scrapbook of newspaper articles related to parenting issues. There are many issues and challenges facing parents today (e.g. pregnancy, parenting skills, discipline, childhood eating habits, nutrition, extra-curricular activities, divorce, child custody, abuse, neglect, parenting programs, fatherhood, childbirth, teen parents, single parent families, blended families, support groups etc.).
1. Each week you will select a current newspaper article related to the issues discussed in class. Ensure that the article that you choose is of a significant length to allow you to address the assignment fully.
2. Include a copy of the article with the date and source indicated.
3. You will be required to write a three-paragraph report that includes:
Paragraph #1 - a 75-100 word summary of the article
Paragraph #2 - an explanation of how the information collected relates to theories and issues discussed in class. How is the information similar or different?
Paragraph #3 - an evaluation of the article. Comment on its validity and reliability. What is the source of the information? Distinguish between the facts and opinions expressed in the article. Is there bias expressed in the article? To conclude your report write two to three sentences describing your opinion of the article. Is this a good source of information for parents and caregivers of children?
Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Child Development Research Project
The following project allows students to meet the following expectations:
• analyse behaviours, conditions, and environments that influence positive or
negative growth and development of the foetus, infant, and young child
• demonstrate an understanding of social science research methods
• use social science inquiry skills effectively to explore a variety of issues
affecting parents with young children
• identify effective methods for collecting information from a variety of sources
• pose appropriate research questions to frame their inquiries
• summarize the main points of information gathered from various reliable
sources
• effectively use headings and subheadings to organize information, following guidelines established for social science research
• demonstrate an understanding of the techniques used for recording information and key ideas from research
• document information sources accurately, using correct forms of citation
• effectively communicate the results of their inquiries, using a variety of methods and forms
This project can be done individually or in a small group. If done in a group, teachers need to ensure that all students are involved in all aspects of the project and that all students can demonstrate that they have met all of the expectations. Throughout this project a number of strategies have been incorporated into the assignment to ensure that students are responsible and accountable for their own learning.
The following project requires students to create a multimedia presentation (e.g., Power Point) to communicate the results of their research. The teacher could easily adapt this if access to computer technology is limited. Students could produce a booklet, a display board or do an oral presentation.
Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Child Development
Research Project
Your group will research one of the following child development topics and then prepare a multimedia presentation that details both your primary and secondary research. Choose the topic that your group (no more than three) is interested in learning more about.
Topic Selection
• toy selection
• eating habits of children
• speech and language development in children
• child care (e.g. daycare options)
• video games
• the role of mothers and fathers in child development
• bullying
• special needs children
• learning disabilities (choose one e.g., dyslexia)
• stress in children
• sports and children
• television
• divorce
• grandparents raising children
• sibling rivalry
• foster parents
• discipline methods
• other topic approved by the teacher
The project that you are completing will require you to complete both primary and secondary research on your chosen topic. Before we begin lets review what each of these entail.
What is SECONDARY research?
What is PRIMARY research?
Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Parenting HPC 30
Social Science Research Project
Phase One
Group Members Names:
______
______
Research Topic: ______
In your group begin by brainstorming a list of questions your group would be interested in researching about for your topic. You should come up with a list of at least 5 questions. Think about - what, why, when, where and how.
Spend some time reviewing the resources that are available to your group. Afterwards, go back to the list you brainstormed and choose ONE of these questions to form the basis of your research project. Have the teacher approve your question.
Our research question is:
The purpose of our research is to (what are you trying to accomplish?):
Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Why is it important that this topic be researched? You should include quantitative facts at this time. These facts will prove to your readers that this topic is WORTHY of study.
The next step for your group is to begin to research your topic and answer your research question. This is called SECONDARY RESEARCH. You will be provided with time in the library to examine books, periodicals, Internet etc. You may also wish to find more information on your own time. The public library is a good place to continue your research. Remember to stay focused!! You are trying to answer your research question ONLY.
Each person in the group is required to locate ONE of the resources available and to make point form notes. Your research question is the title of your note - always refer back to the question to make sure you are staying on topic. Ensure that you keep track of WHERE you find your information. You will be required to use in-text citations when you present your information.
After each person has completed their own research the group will need to join together to share the information they found. This will take some time.
1. Each person will need to summarize the information they found and share with
the group. Complete the graphic organizer included with this package as a group.
2. In your group you will need to organize the information into a workable format. This will mean that you will need to find common threads that run throughout your research and categorize/classify the information. Your teacher will be able to assist you with this.
3. Keep this information for now. It will be included in your final project presentation.
4. We will begin the second stage of your research (primary research) after your teacher has had a chance to look over your work to date.
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Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Research Project
Graphic Organizer Sample
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Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Parenting
Social Science Research Project
Phase Two
Based on the secondary research just completed your group is required to create a questionnaire. It is to be directly related to your RESEARCH QUESTION and your SECONDARY RESEARCH.
You need to create a questionnaire of at least seven content questions plus background information questions (10 questions in total). You will also need to determine WHO your sample will be. The questionnaire will be word processed and then given to your teacher for approval BEFORE you distribute it. Each person in the group will need to distribute it to 15 people. You will need to have your questionnaires answered and returned to class by ______. You may NOT answer the questionnaire (or have anyone else in our class answer it). When conducting your primary research collection you need to respect an individual’s choice to respond to a survey and/or question with “no comment” or “no response at all” as a valid answer.
After the questionnaires are returned to class we will tally and analyze the data to answer your research question and then compare your primary data to the secondary data you collected.
Data Analysis
Using the questionnaires returned to class your group will be responsible to:
a) Tally the data obtained from all of the questionnaires returned to class. You may choose to use the tally sheets provided by your teacher or create your own method to organize your data.
b) Summarize the background questions – who was your sample? This information can be presented in either written or graphical form.
c) Create one graph per content question using a computer spreadsheet. Divide the questions between the number of group members. For example, if there are 10 questions and two group members, each student is responsible for 5 questions.
d) Prepare an analysis of the data you obtained. This information will be included in your presentation. It should include the following:
• a written summary of your graph - what does your graph tell us about the knowledge of the sample surveyed (a minimum of 3 sentences per graph)
• a comparison your results to the data obtained when you completed your secondary research – identify similarities and differences and explain why you think these may exist
Activity #3 HPC30 Parenting
Social Science Research Teaching/Learning Strategies
Parenting
Social Science Research Project
Phase Three
The third step of this project is to take all of your secondary and primary data and create a multimedia presentation that addresses your research question. All group members must be involved in the creation of the multimedia presentation.
When creating your project you need to include the following components:
a)a title screen
b)a bibliography of all sources used
c)a review of your secondary research that includes in-text citations following the APA method
d)a summary of your primary research which will include a description of your research study, your sample, and method
e)one graph/chart per question created using a spreadsheet/graphing application. Each graph should have a written analysis with it – see (d) from Phase Two on the previous handout.
f)a discussion of your research – summarize the results of your research, explain how the results relate to your secondary research, the difficulties with the study you conducted (i.e. sample size, finding subjects, how reliable is your data etc.)
g)Implications – based on your research (both primary and secondary) what advice would you give to parents/caregivers of children
DUE DATE: ______
Parenting
Social Science Research Project
Phase Four
Your group will present your research study to the class. You will use your multimedia presentation to aid you in the delivery of your material. Ensure that you know how to operate the equipment needed to present your research. Each person in the group must be involved in the presentation. Your presentation must be between 10 to 15 minutes in length.
PRESENTATION DATE: ______
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