Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture

Application for a Directed Studies Course

Date: 12\18\2018

1. I request enrollment in (check appropriate boxes): 0 EDCI 485 X EDCI 685

2. Term requested: 0 Fall XSpring 0 Summer I 0 Summer II 0 Summer 10-week

3. Year: 2018

4. Credit Hours: 01 02 X3 04
The University Catalog describes Directed Studies courses as “Research problems and
reading in areas selected to supplement existing offerings. Individual reports, oral and
written are required.”

It is understood that:

a. Individual consultation and agreement between student and faculty supervisor of

problem or study will precede this formal, written request by as much time as
is necessary to insure coordination of conferences and reports (usually at some
time during the preceding semester.)
b. A final written report, graded by the Supervisor, will be filed permanently with
this application form.
c. Although clock hours are not absolute or limiting, a general guideline is the
expenditure approximately 45 clock hours per semester hour of credit allowed for
Directed Studies courses.

5.Bugrahan Yalvac has agreed to direct this study.

(full name of supervisor)

6. The purpose of this Directed Studies is to: (Describe briefly the problem to be solved).

The overarching problem that will be addressed in this course is middle school students’
lack of interest in STEM fields. To address this problem, a group of teachers have been
collaborating with the Texas A&M researchers to design original and up-to-date STEM
integrated curricula for their students. The student taking this course will be studying the
characteristics of the teachers’ interactions and the impact of the newly developed
curricula on middle school students’ learning outcomes. The student will review the
literature on the notions of community of practice, reflective teaching, and transformative
education. The student will be observing the teachers’ interactions over the course of the
semester and working with them as they developed their curricula. An IRB approval will
be secured prior to collecting data.

7. Techniques for solving the problems is as follows: (Describe the experiments,

statistics, reading, observations, etc. to be accomplished.)

The student will be attending the teachers’ meetings and observe their interactions. The
student will take filed notes during those observations. Then analyze the data collected
using ethnographic lenses. The teachers will be implementing their curricula in their
classrooms and collect data from their students. The teachers will share the data with the
student. The student will analyze the data collected and write a report of the findings. A
final report that outlines the research conducted (including a literature review section)
and reports the findings will be submitted as the final product of this course.

8. I have read and understand the general direction of this application.

Maram Alaqra 324006547

Student’s Printed Name UIN

malaqra@tamu.edu
Student’s Signature E-mail address

Supervisor’s Signature

Please return this form to the Graduate Advising Office in 104 Heaton Hall for
processing. If approved, the department will register you for the course.

Department Head’s Signature Date Approved