This document provides an overview of the topics and activities covered in Week 1 of an introduction to research methods class. The agenda includes introductions from the professor and students, an overview of the syllabus and open textbook, and interactive classroom activities focused on attitudes towards research, cognitive biases, objective vs. subjective truths, and applying the evidence-based practice process. Students complete an optional extra credit Worksheet 0 to explore potential research topics and apply course concepts. The goal of the flipped and interactive classroom approach is for students to make progress on their individual research proposals through scaffolded worksheets completed each week.

1. Week 1-
Introduction
to research
Matt DeCarlo
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2. Agenda
• Stuff about me
• About this class
• Syllabus
• Course Calendar
• Stuff about you
• Individual research project
• Worksheet 0 (extra credit)
• Invitation to collaborate
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3. Open textbook
• My friends and I wrote a
textbook together
• You can access it for free at:
• https://pressbooks.rampages.us/
msw-textbook/
• Links to specific chapters and
PDFs will be posted to D2L
• You can print out the book,
copy it...use it however you like
• We are very open to feedback
on the textbook!
Plus Kate
And Dalia, our editor

4. How to use the
textbook
• Use the link on D2L
• Bookmark that link for easy
access
• Download the PDFs of each
chapter you post
• PDFs will be posted about two
weeks in advance
• We're still working on a few things
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5. This classroom is
upside-down
• Independent study +
interactive classroom
• Class exercises and
individual worksheets
are designed to help
you create a research
proposal
• The goal is to leave
class with the next step
(worksheet) complete
• Just ask if you need
a 1-week extension.
• These stack up neatly
into your major
assignments
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6. Activity 1:
Attitudes towards research
• On your own, write down some
notes on what attitudes and
expectations you have about
research methods (this class)
• Discuss them in pairs or small
groups
• Share them with the class
• https://padlet.com/profmattdeca
rlo/aq2pa2eq5cdo

7. Why is this class like
this?
• Students don't like research
• There's an entire body of research
tells us this.
• Anxiety-provoking
• Useless in practice
• Difficult to understand
• Not for me
• Applied/active learning: learn by
doing
• Open learning: create something
other people will use
• Scaffolding: little pieces, big project
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8. How can we support each other's learning?
FOR YOU
• Come to class prepared by
reading the textbook and
completing assignments
• Be present
• Participate and share
• Be nice to each other and me
• Do your own work
• Dedicate time each week
FOR ME
• Come to class prepared every
day by writing the exercises and
lecture and completing grading
• Be present. Be available.
• Facilitate. Give lots of feedback.
• Be nice to you. Give you the
benefit of the doubt.
• (I'm also here to learn)

9. Syllabus &
Calendar

10. Let's learn about you
• Who are you?
• What else do you do besides
school?
• What aspects of social work
interest you?
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11. Let's cluster
• Form groups of between 2-6,
loosely based on your areas of
interest
• You're going to get to know
people's proposals pretty well
• This helps ensure you're hearing
about something that's of interest
to you week after week
• Membership is not fixed
• Gimme a list of you, so I can
group you on my attendance
sheet
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12. Chapter 1 •Intro to research
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13. Learning check:
Chapter 1
• https://create.kahoot.it/shar
e/share/d24b2041-2d84-
4f1f-b103-4a6d3c6a4275
• I'll email this link

14. Activity 2: Research
orients practice
• Look at the case studies in 1.1
• Pick the micro, meso, or macro
case study
• And write down what you
would do in that situation
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15. Social science is founded on rationality.
Rationality is flawed.
• Intuition vs. Practice wisdom
• Cognitive biases
• Errors in logic
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16. Activity 3: Errors in
thinking/reasoning
• Using a list of cognitive
biases or logical
fallacies...
• Apply them to your
group's areas of interest
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For example, what are some myths/stereotypes
about the classroom, grad students, teaching, social
workers, etc. are common?

17. Education myths: Learning styles
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18. Measuring the
impact of Learning
Styles
• How might we measure learning
styles...
• Quantitatively?
• Qualitatively?
• Mixed methods
• We're planning a mixed methods
evaluation of this class!
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19. Activity 4: Objective
and subjective truths
• What is objectively true about
your group's topic area?
• What are some subjective truths
people hold about your topic
area?
• How are these different? This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.

20. Evidence-
based
practice
process
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Can you share an example from your practice?

21. Worksheet 0:
Evidence-
based practice
• 1. Think about a social work topic you might want to
study this semester as part of a research project. How do
individuals commit specific errors in logic or reasoning
when discussing his specific topic, similar to the Louis
Cuff example?
• 2. Using a social work practice situation you have
experienced, walk through the four steps of the
evidence-based practice process and how they informed
your decision-making.
• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3
• Step 4
• 3. What are some of the difficulties applying EBP in the
real world?

22. My
Worksheet 0
• Bandwagon fallacy: learning styles
• Confirmation bias, hasty generalization: technology
interferes with learning
Errors in logic and reasoning
• Client needs: anxiety and antipathy
• Research evidence: meta-analyses on OER, flipped
classrooms, active learning
• Client values and preferences:
You tell me: what do you value/want?
• Practitioner expertise: I feel okay-ish...enough to pilot
EBP process
• Resources, time, expertise, functionalist assessment
EBP challenges

23. Where should I be?
• Playing with different topics and ideas
• Worksheet 0 complete and submitted via D2L for
extra credit
• If you need to finish it up after class, come
talk to me and you can submit it next class
• Next week:
• Getting to a working question, project
scoping
• Read chapter 2