Relationship And Human Developmental
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Integrative Inquiry Project Wendy Bianchini Morrison
HDFS 101
As part of the requirements of a university CORE IS course, you will be required to fulfill a semester long inquiry project. This project will include scholarly research into a topic of your choice, written progress throughout the semester, a final written paper describing your inquiry findings, and a “Pecha Kucha” style presentation to your classmates in a small group at the end of the semester.
Integrative Inquiry Project: 185 TOTAL POINTS Human Development is an INTERDISCIPLINARY field, meaning research from almost every field of study contributes to our knowledge and understanding of human development.
As a CORE IS course, our class contains students from many different fields of study. Therefore, we are going to use our interdisciplinary make-up to see how these different disciplines impact development. We are going to be using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model as a starting point.
Ecological systems theory, developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, also called developmental systems theory or human ecology theory, identifies five environmental systems with which an individual interacts: the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, macrosystem, and the chronosystem. This theory provides the framework from which developmentalists study the relationships with individuals’ contexts within communities and the wider society.
INQUIRY: In your field of study, or if undecided, an area of study of interest to you, identify one factor that you are interested in and analyze its impact on human development.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urie_Bronfenbrenner
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INQUIRY QUESTION: How does some factor of your choice impact human development?
Examples of broad topics—you can make your topic more specific if you would like:
What is the impact of the food children have access to in schools on human development?
What is the impact of the design of a building, a neighborhood or a city on human development?
What is the impact of having healthcare coverage or not on human development?
What is the impact of different types of early childhood education on human development (ie: Montessori, Waldorf, Head Start, etc.)?
What is the impact of photography, film or other art/entertainment on human development?
What is the impact of a particular historical event on human development?
What is the impact of a specific agricultural practice on human development?
What is the impact of access to clean water on human development?
What is the impact of a specific mental illness on human development?
Engage in a comprehensive inquiry of your chosen topic.
Your inquiry will include:
– at least two peer-reviewed academic journal articles related to your topic. – at least one cross-cultural example comparing your topic in one culture (this would
most likely be your own culture) to a similar or comparable topic in another culture. – at least one face-to-face interview with a professional related to your topic (think
about interviewing a professor in your department, or someone else with professional expertise. You may also conduct additional interviews with non- professionals with experience with your topic.)
– interactive exploration of your topic (this should include visiting relevant sites, such as schools, neighborhoods, art exhibits, medical settings, etc., interviewing others about your topic, and documenting what you find by taking photos, making notes).
The project includes the following components:
1) Participate in a research session at the MSU library: 10 points. 2) Work on the project in stages throughout the semester, including identifying your inquiry topic:
10 points, completing an annotated bibliography: 25 points, and a draft of your paper: 50 points.
3) Create a 5-6 page research paper summarizing the results of your inquiry: 50 points. 4) Create a peer-evaluated “Pecha Kucha” presentation to share your findings in small groups: 40
points.
TIPS FOR CHOOSING A TOPIC
Here are some things to consider when thinking about a topic:
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What is a topic that will be beneficial for you to learn more about either for your future career, your major, or your personal life? What is a topic that is really interesting to you?
What is a topic that allows you to access a professional/expert to conduct a face -to-face interview this semester? This could be a professor on campus who does research on this topic, or someone in the community who works professionally in your topic ar ea. This could allow you to get to know someone on campus in your department or in the community who works professionally involving your topic.
In your preliminary research, what is out there about your topic? Do you need to expand or narrow your topic? Sometimes your initial research will help you decide which topic you want to select.
Feel free to discuss your ideas with Professor Morrison!
PRESENTATION FORMAT
Presentations will be done in mini “Pecha Kucha” style—20 slides, 20 seconds each. Go for imagery rather than a lot of text. It needs to reflect what you found in your inquiry. Presentation grade will be based on peer Assessment from your group.
See D2L for more details.
PAPER FORMAT
Papers will be written in APA format and should be about 5-6 pages in length (the quality of the paper is much more important than the actual length, but they should not be less than 4 pages, and not longer than 6 pages, plus a reference page.) Papers will be submitted to the D2L Dropbox by the deadline. NO LATE PAPERS will be accepted.
See D2L for more details.
Tentative Project Timeline
This is intended to help you stay on track with this project. Required elements are identified by the points they are worth. Other aspects are recommended.
Weeks 1-6: Identify your topic. Do preliminary research on topic ideas. Come to the instructor’s office hours to discuss topic ideas. Research & Finalize Topic. Visit with one of the library research sessions offered to get ideas on how to find academic research to further your inquiry into your topic. Attend one LIBRARY RESEARCH SESSION. 10 Points. Finalize your topic. Submit your INQUIRY TOPIC to the D2L DROPBOX by the deadline. 10 points.
Weeks 6-8: Read academic information about your topic. Work on your Annotated Bibliography. Outline what you still need to do for your paper. Set up an interview to talk to a PROFESSIONAL about your topic for later in the semester, after you’ve completed some of your academic research.
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Week 8: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY due in the D2L dropbox by the deadline. See posting for instructions for this assignment under “Inquiry Project” in CONTENT. 25 points.
Week 9: Go out in the community to do more research. Take pictures (if appropriate and allowed), talk to people, make observations, gain more first-hand knowledge about your topic. Identify your cross-cultural comparison. Go back to the library and find an example of your topic in another culture. Complete additional research on your cross-cultural comparison. Add your cross-cultural comparison to your draft.
Week 10-11: Integrate the research that you found from your annotated bibliography into your draft. Complete the Proofreading Form for a classmate.
Week 11: INQUIRY DRAFT & PROOFREADING FORM DUE into D2L Dropbox by the deadline. 50 points.
Week 12: Complete all interviews for the paper. Work on your Pecha Kucha presentation.
Week 13: Integrate feedback into your paper. Complete all the components of the final paper, integrate interview information into your paper. Give and provide feedback on structure of final paper with a peer.
Week 14: FINAL INQUIRY PAPER Due. See syllabus for due date. 50 points.
Week 15: FINAL PRESENTATIONS. Present your Pecha Kucha containing your inquiry findings in small groups in class. Peer evaluated. 40 points.
