Module 4: Selecting Your Topic

Now it's time to select a topic for your paper and then identify the questions you want to answer.

True, the paper for this class is only 10 pages so you might not think that it is very important. BUT, if you take time and select a topic that truly interests you, you might save yourself a great deal of time later in the program because you can continue with this topic into your final masters paper (if you decide to do a literature review.)

Selecting your topic is not necessarily easy.  You need to find something that is broad enough to have meaning but not so narrow that there is no research on the topic.

Too Broad: Using Technology in Education
Too Narrow: The Effects of Using QR Codes with 3rd Grade Girls with Red Hair.
Just Right: Effective Methods for Making Learning More Student-Centric Using QR Codes in Elementary Grades.

Read Chapter 2 in Pan's book. She provides 11 steps in Selecting a Topic for Review.

Here is a short clip on selecting a topic:




What Do You Know?
Once you have an overall topic (and these change frequently), it is time for you to WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU KNOW.   This is opposite to what we usually do, but this is similar to the writing tool teachers and students use.  It is called the KWL Chart.

This is where you begin by writing about what you know and then listing what you want to know.
I don't know that the third column is relevant to you right now, but maybe in the future.


I look forward to meeting with you on Zoom in the near future so that we can discuss your decisions.