PSYC 439
RESEARCH METHODS IN URBAN COMMUNITIES

Section 01: Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays 10:00-10:50
Location: Mechanical Engineering Bldg., room 206
Instructor: Michael Cunningham, Ph.D.
Office: Percival Stem Hall, Room 3038
Telephone: 862 3308
Email: mcunninl@tulane.edu

Office Hours: Wednesdays, 1 2:30 p.m. and by appointment

Course Description:

This lecture course that includes a mandatory laboratory section and service learning experience will cover several themes: (1) basic research methods used in applied psychology research, (2) understanding of learning outside of a traditional classroom, and (3) an emphasis on integrating both quantitative and qualitative research methods with community engagement strategies.

Course Objectives:

Students will gain scientific expertise about many issues regarding integrating social responses with academic pursuits and become familiar with quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A focus of student activities will be on learning from direct experiences with an emphasis on urban communities.

The experiences most useful to enrolled students are several: (1) students will gain an understanding of how to relate to and interact with adolescents; (2) students will gain experience on how to conduct developmentally sensitive interviews with populations living in urban communities; (3) students will learn how to connect developmental psychology themes with youth reported perceptions of their neighborhood resources and supports; & (4) students will examine multiple levels of measuring neighborhood influences.

Service Learning is integrated within the course. Traditional service learning activities such as tutoring will be linked to community assessments of neighborhoods and urban environments. Students will gain understanding of how interactions between environments and individuals influence how many young people grow and develop. Students will learn about contextual theories and how they are applied in several social agencies. An emphasis will be placed on the process that leads to vulnerable and successful outcomes in multiple settings. Students will find research about psychological mental health with information regarding protective and risk factors related to healthy child, adolescent, and family outcomes.

Course Requirements and % of grade

1. Attendance and class participation: 10
2. Service Learning Experience & Journal: 15
3. Midterm: 19
4. Group Presentation: 15
5. Final Project: 25
6. Laboratory Section: 16

Components of Course

1. Attendance and class participation (10%)

Attendance is strongly encouraged because this course is interactive and participatory. If serious reasons keep you from meeting this course requirement, you remain responsible for all work assigned and information communicated in class. Students missing more than one class will see their final grades lowered by a partial grade for each additional absence.

Participation is a graded component of this course. Students must regularly show good knowledge of the assigned readings, thoughtful reflection on their meaning, and interest in the contributions of others. Students who are shy or feel uncomfortable speaking in front of groups should consult with me so that I may assist you in developing success strategies.

2. Service Learning (15%)

Service Learning is a mandatory part of the course. The requirement includes at least 20 hours of a participant observation experience at a local middle school or campus program (The sites are described in detail below). Students will also have to complete a journal of their experiences. The journal should contain many linkages to class readings and discussions. Ten percent of the Service Learning component will be based on the journal and 5% will be based on attendance and assessment by the site.

3. Midterm (19%)

The take home midterm will be distributed on 9/30/02. It will cover the course material from the beginning of class. The exam is due at the beginning of class on 10/02/02.

4. Group Presentation (15%)

Students will be divided into five groups. Each group will analyze how urban neighborhoods impact a psychological outcome. Each group will take responsibility for a class discussion when their topic is covered. The specific dates for the presentations are listed on the class schedule of activities.

5. Final project (25%)

The Final Project will cover material from the entire course. You will be given quantitative and qualitative data responses to analyze and prepare a results and discussion sections of a scientific paper. The Final Project is due Thursday December 12, 2002 at 1:00 pm. Due to the final exam schedule, late projects will not be accepted. However, early submissions are encouraged!

6. Laboratory Section (16%)

The lab is designed to maximize the learning experience by allowing you to apply the concepts we discuss in the lecture portion of class. In order to achieve this goal, you will be asked do a neighborhood assessment, enter survey and census data, analyze survey data using a personal computer, and write up results of your analyses in the form of generally accepted scientific format.

Required readings

Brooks Gunn, J., Duncan, G. J., & Aber, J. L (1997). Neighborhood poverty: Context and Consequences for children, Volume L New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Brooks Gunn, J., Duncan, G. J., & Aber, J. L (1997). Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume II. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Additional readings that discuss ethics with minority populations and socioeconomic disadvantage and child develop will be distributed in class.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

WEEK 1

8 28 02
Introduction and Course Overview

8 30 02
Service Learning Overview and Journal Instructions

WEEK 2: ETHICS AND URBAN RESEARCH, THEORETICAL OVERVIEWS

9 02 02 UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY

9 04 02
Ecological Systems Theory and Ethics in Urban Research (Lecture)
Scott Jones, D. (1994). Ethical issues in reporting and referring in research with low income minority children. Ethics and Behavior, 4, 97-108.
Bowman, P. J. (1991). Race, class and ethics in research: Belmont principles to functional relevance. In R. L. Jones (Ed.) Black Psychology (pp. 747-766). Hampton, VA: Cobb & Henry publishers.

9 06 02
An introduction to research (lecture)
Chapter 2, volume 1: Aber, J. L., Gephart, M. A., & Brooks Gunn, J. (1997). Development in context: Implications for studying neighborhood effects. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 44-61). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Chapter 2, volume 2: Furstenberg, F. F., & Hughes, M. E. (1997). The influence of neighborhoods on children’s development: A theoretical perspective and a research agenda. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume II (pp. 23-47). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

WEEK 3: QUANTITATIVE METHODS: EXPERIMENTAL AND QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

9 09 02
Strengths and weaknesses in experimental designs (lecture) Chapter 6, Volume 1: Halpern Felsher, B. L, et al. (1997). Neighborhood and family factors predicting educational risk and attainment in African American children and adolescents. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 146 173). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Chapter 7, Volume 1: Connell, J. P., & Halpern Felsher, B. L. (1997). How neighborhoods affect educational outcomes in middle childhood and adolescence: Conceptual issues and an empirical example. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 174 199). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

9 11 02
Research designs issues: treatment variable, order effects and matching subjects (lecture)
Chapter 4, Volume 2: Korbin, J. E., & Coulton, C. J. (1997). Understanding the neighborhood context for children and families: Combining epidemiological and ethnographic approaches. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume 11 (pp. 65 79). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

9 13 02
In class Service Learning Training
Prologue: What do you expect to get from your Service Learning experience? How will it impact your learning and link to class materials? If this is a new Service Learning site, how do think the students and staff of the organization will perceive you? What goals do you have for the semester’s Service Learning experience?

WEEK 4: QUALITATIVE METHODS

9 16 02
UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY

9 18 02
Why qualitative research? Types of qualitative research (lecture) Methodological guidelines and criteria for analyzing qualitative research Chapter 3, Volume 11: Jarrett, R., L. (1997). Bringing families back in: Neighborhood effects on child development. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume II (pp. 48 64). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

9 20 02
In class Service Learning Training

WEEK 5 – MEASURING NEIGHBORHOODS

9 23 02
Chapter 8, volume 11:
Burton, L. M., Price Spratlen, T., & Spencer, M. B. (1997). On ways of thinking about measuring neighborhoods: Implications for studying context and developmental outcomes for children. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume H (132 144). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Service Learning Journal entry #1 What ethical considerations should be taken when doing Service Learning at your site? Describe how the Belmont principles to functional relevance are used in your site. Be sure to make specific linkages to the class readings.

9 25 02
Chapter 9, volume 11: Spencer, M. B., McDermott, P. A., Burton, L. M., Kochman, T. J. (1997). An alternative approach to assessing neighborhood effects on early adolescent achievement and problem behavior. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume H (pp. 145 163). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

9 27 02 Chapter 9, volume 1: Duncan, G. J., Connell, J. P., & Kebanov, P. K. (1997). Conceptual and methodological issues in estimating causal effects of neighborhoods and family conditions on individual development. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 219 250). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

WEEK 6 MIDTERM EVALUATION

9 30 02
Midterm distributed in class
Service Learning Journal entry #2 From your interactions and informal discussions, describe aspects of family involvement in the lives of the adolescents. How are their families impacted by the neighborhood where they live?

10 02 02
MIDTERM DUE
In class Service Learning rap session

10 04 02 On site Service Learning

WEEK 7 MEDIATORS AND MODERATORS IN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

10 07 02
Chapter 6, volume 11: Cook, T. D., Shagle, S. C., & Degirmencioglu, S. M. (1997). Capturing social processes for testing mediational models of neighborhood effects. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume Il (pp. 94 119). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

10 09 02
Chapter 5, volume 1: Klebanov, Brooks Gunn, J., Chase Lansdale, P. L., & Gordon, R. A. (1997). Are neighborhood effects on young children mediated by features of the home environment? In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 119 145). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

10 11 02
On site Service Learning
Service Learning Journal entry #3 Have you noticed peer influences? If so, describe how peers impact the social and academic aspects of your adolescents. What caricatures can be used to describe the adolescents with whom you work?

WEEK 8: DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS

10 14 02
Chapter 4, volume 1:
Chase Lansdale, P. L., Gordon, R., Brooks Gunn, J., & Klebanov, P. (1997). Neighborhood and family influences on the intellectual and behavioral competence of preschool and early school age children. In J. Brooks Gum, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 79 118). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

10 16 02
McLoyd, V. C. (1998). Socioeconomic disadvantage and child development. American Psychologist, 53, 185 204.

10 18 02
In class Service Learning Rap Session
Service Learning Journal entry #4 How has the school (or academic) context influenced the adolescents that you observe? Does the school (or academic context) make a difference in the behaviors exhibited by the adolescents?
PROLOGUE & SERVICE LEARNING JURNAL ENTRIES 1-4 DUE

WEEK 9: FAMILY EFFECTS

10 21 02
Chapter 8, volume 1: Spencer, M. B., Cole, S. P., Jones, S. M., & Swanson, D. P. (1997). Neighborhood and family influences on young urban adolescents’ behavior problems: A multisample, multisite analysis. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 200 219). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Service Learning Journal entry #5 How do neighborhoods impact the lives of your Service Learning students? State a hypothesis of a potential moderator or mediator in a study involving your Service Learning site.

10 23 02
Chapter 1, volume 1: Gephart, M. A. (1997). Neighborhoods and communities as contexts for development. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 1 43). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

10 25 02
On site Service Learning
Service Learning Journal entry #6 How has the neighborhood impacted the development of social skills of your Service Learning student(s)? Does the school of program site attempt to buffer this impact?

WEEK 10 NEIGHBORHOOD ECOLOGY

10 28 02
Chapter 1, volume 11: Sampson, R. J., & Morenoff, J. D. (1997). Ecological perspectives on the neighborhood context of urban poverty: Past and present. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume H (pp. 1 22). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Service Learning Journal entry #7 How have researchers misinterpreted the experiences of the Service Learning students with whom you have interacted? Is the traditional ecological model appropriate when dealing with this population?

10 30 02
Chapter 3, volume 1: Duncan, G. J., & Aber, J. L. (1997). Neighborhood models and measures. In J. Brooks Gum, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 62 78). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

11 01 02
On site Service Learning

WEEK 11: POLICY IMPLICATIONS

11 04 02
Chapter 10, volume 11: Brown, P., & Richman, H. A. (1997). Neighborhood effects and state and local policy. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume II (pp. 164 18 1). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

11 06 02
Chapter 10, volume 1: Lehman, J. S., & Smeeding, T. M. (1997). Neighborhood effects and federal policy. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 62 78). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

11 08 02
On site Service Learning
Service Learning Journal entry #8 What are some of the professional and academic goals and aspirations of adolescents in your Service Learning Site? How were these goals developed? What support networks will be needed to assist the adolescents in meeting their professional and academic goals?

WEEK 12: IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

11 11 02
Chapter 11, volume 11: Leventhal, T., Brooks Gunn, J., & Richman, H. (1997). Communities as place, face, and space: Provision of services to poor, urban children and their families. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.), Neighborhood poverty: Policy implications in studying neighborhoods, Volume II (pp. 164-181). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

11 13 02
Chapter 11, volume 1: Brooks Gunn, J., Duncan, G. J., Leventhal, T., & Aber, J ~ L. (1997). Lessons learned and future directions for research on the neighborhoods in which children live. In J. Brooks Gunn, G. J. Duncan, & J. L. Aber (Eds.) Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children, Volume I (pp. 279 297). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

11 15 02
On site Service Learning
Epilogue Reflect on your semester’s Service Learning experience. Revisit the prologue. Have your expectations been met? How can this experience be improved?

WEEK 13

11 18 02
REVIEW & prepare for group presentations

11 20 02
Group 1

11-22-02
Group 2

WEEK 14

11 25 02
EPILOGUE & SERVICE LEARNING JOURNAL ENTRIES 5-8 DUE

11 26 02
UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY

WEEK 15

12 02 02
Group 3

12 04 02
Group 4

12 06 02
Group 5

12 12 02
Final Project due at 1:00 pm

SERVICE LEARNING OPTIONS

Requirements: You will have the opportunity to study how neighborhoods impact adolescents by doing Service Learning. Students must complete 20 hours of service over the course of the semester: This requires approximately two hours of service per week.

OPTION ONE: Bishop Perry Middle School

DESCRIPTION: Students will work as tutors to middle school students in various academic subjects.

ORIENTATION: Thursday, September 5th, 3:30-4:30pm. Meet at the Office of Service Learning 1332 Audubon Street. Transportation to Bishop Perry will be provided.

Bishop Perry Middle School was founded to educate primarily African American boys in grades five through eight, who exhibit potential for success but are academically and socially at risk due to negative economic and other factors in their environments.

Bishop Perry Middle School seeks to meet the needs of boys from economically challenged families who cannot afford to pay the normal tuition costs of attending a private school. Accordingly, every student receives a full scholarship to cover the costs of his education. The school is located on the outskirts of the French Quarter. The address is 1941 Dauphine St. (for more info, see http://www.bpms.org/)

OPTION TWO: Tulane University Upward Bound

DESCRIPTION: Students will work with high school students in one of several capacities:

1) Students will be paired with a ninth or tenth grade student and tutor that student in whichever areas he or she needs help. Students must be available from 4:00 6:00 PM, either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday.

2) Students may work as subject-area tutors to 10th grade students who will drop in if they need help in that area. Students must be available two nights Monday through Thursday from 4:00-6:00.

3) A small number of students may act as in class assistants to the Upward Bound teachers on Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

ORIENTATION: Wednesday, September 1st 4 6pm

Tulane University’s Upward Bound Program prepares high school students for successful entry into and completion of post secondary education. The Upward Bound Program provides counseling, tutoring, and instruction in study skills that will help students continue to improve their educational growth and education.

Upward Bound participants are high school students who have a need for additional academic support in preparation for a post secondary education. The students have demonstrated potential for success in secondary education and are from low income families and/or are from families from which they will be V generation college students. The program is located on Tulane’s campus on the garden level of the Josephine Louise Bldg. (for more info see http://www.tulane.edu/ govtafVcom serv/31_upward.htm).