Evaluation and Research - Class 2025

Week 1 - Evaluation and Research Class 2025

• The course studies the basics of research and evaluation.
• Classes are held on January 7th or 8th.

Course Overview

• Learning core differences between research and evaluation are key course objectives.
• Mastering research design process is a key objective.
• Learning data collection methods is a key objective of the course.
• Understanding the importance of research ethics is a key course objective.
• Writing a research proposal is a key course task.
• Research discovers new knowledge, builds, or validates theories.
• Evaluation measures the effectiveness of a project, plan, or policy.
• Research uses systematic investigation, experiments, and data analysis.
• Evaluation uses data analysis, interviews, and surveys.
• Research results in new findings and publications that guide practice.
• Evaluation provides recommendations for improvement and influences decision-making.

Research vs. Evaluation

• Evaluating a mental health program in a nursing home is an example of Evaluation.
• Researching methods to improve mental health for long-term patients is an example of Research.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of existing treatment plan is an example of Evaluation.
• Researching new treatments for Alzheimer's is an example of Research.
• Evaluating whether a hospital's rehabilitation program achieved its goals is an example of Evaluation.
• Designing a new health intervention scheme is an example of Research.

Research Terminology

• Hypothesis is a prediction made before researching.
• Variables are factors that influence research results.
• Quantitative Research uses statistical analysis and surveys.
• Qualitative Research consists of interviews and observations.
• A task exists to define 'Validity' and 'Reliability'.

TCPS 2 Ethics Training

• Core concepts of research ethics are taught.
• Informed Consent means participants must be well informed of research and agree to participate.
• Confidentiality ensuring data is kept private and protected.
• REB Approval: ethical protocols being reviewed by a board.
• Conflict of Interest: Researchers should never let personal affairs affect research.
• To be completed: TCPS 2 account registration, online ethics training, and submitting proof of completion by January 31st.

Research Proposal Project

• Requires selecting a research topic, designing questions, and choosing methods.

Week 2 - Evaluation and Research Design Process

• The week studies the evaluation and research design process.
• Classes are held on January 14th or 15th.

Course Overview

• The lesson reviews Week 1 topics (research terminology, ethics).
• Studying Evaluation & Research Design Processes.
• Analyzing case studies like the Stay Active Program and the Mohawk College Research Project.
• Completing the Research Team Contract and creating the Research Proposal.
• Additional terminology: Consent means participants must willfully participate upon understanding the details of the experiment.
• Confidentiality means data MUST be kept private and not exposed to third parties.
• Conflict of Interest: the possibility of financial interest affecting a research endeavor.

Research Design Process

• Six steps: research questions, objectives, methodology, data collection, data analysis, research report.
• Qualitative research collects through questionnaires, interviews, observation, and experiments.
• Data is analyzed with tools like SPSS, NVivo, and Excel.
• Research reports summarize findings in research papers.

Case Study Analysis

• The Stay Active program involved improving activity levels and mental health for patients. Utilized pre and post assessment.
• Sense of Belonging Questionnaire was used to measure the patients connection to the program.
• Qualtrics was used to gauge the reaction to the program.
• Patient data was sourced from hospital registration programs.

Research Team Tasks

• Research team contract due January 22, includes team member roles, research goals, methods, and data collection.

Week 2 - RT Research Projects and Proposal ldeas

• Studies RT project and proposal concepts.
• Classes held on January 13.

Course Goals

• Learn about research projects in RT fields such as music therapy and exercise therapy.
• Create new research proposal ideas,.
• Learn to write grant applications.
• RT research examines the nuance and variance when concerning one's mental state.

RT Research Project Examples

Music therapy & leisure treatment

• It examines how music can affect elderly people with the method being a qualitative study.

Pedal exercises for elderly arthritis patients

• It researches the effect of patients with the method being a quantitative study, which gauges their vitals.

Research Proposal ldeas

• There are three key tenants: novelty by being new, relevant by being on topic, and feasible as in, easy to complete.
• The task it to brainstorm research topics and form preliminary proposals.

Week 3 Research Grants and Grant Application

• Studies research grant and grant application concepts
• Classes held on January 20, 21, or 22

Goals of Course

• Learning the grant application process.
• Researching funds and resources.
• Following ethical standards.
• Work to further refine proposals.

2 Research Grants

• Funds can be allocated between institutes and centers focused on ageing
• Research Institute for Aging, Centre for Elder Research, and Ontario Centres for Learning are examples.

Research Terminology

• Methodologies are the research methods.
• Systematic review, scoping review, literature review, and abstract. Other items pertain to research standards.
• Recommendations of items for studies. Pre-Post test. All items being definitions.
• Additional terms for the week are methodologies, systematic review, and abstract.

Research Ethics

• Research standards and the need to follow ethics during the process of study.

Week 5 - Data Collection Methods (Part 2) & PROMs

• The week's lesson is data collecting methods, and patient result measures - referred to as PROMS.

Qualitative Data Collection

• Provides deeper insights into attitudes and feelings, answers why questions, encourages more thoughful responses
• Covers a ride range of topics and is more collaborative

Focus Groups

• Assure that all respondents answers are valid
• Use a funnel approach to discussing topics
• Control group leaders to avoid bias
• Encourage collaboration among participants

Challenges of Focus Groups

• Social limitations, representation, travel cost, group deference and other limitations

Online Focus Groups

• There are different forms of discussions with varying degrees of flexibility and organization

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)

• Are standard tests that analyze the numerical results of persons health

Observation

• Frequency Counts monitors with charts
• Duration Measures, measures time used.
• Descriptions of specific behaviors, usually to identify specific events.
• Accuracy and Consistency are core to data gathering.

Unobtrusive Methods

• Is when data gathereing must maintain a standard level of consistency.

Class Topic: Research Resources & Completing Your Grant Application

• Date February 10, 2025

What is your process for analyzing the data?

• If it is quanititative, you will be looking at gathering information in numbers.