FORM 7340 Research Design in Formative Education

This course introduces students to the practical foundations of research in education and human development, focusing on how evidence can guide the design and improvement of learning experiences. Students will examine a range of research approaches including experiments, quasi-experimental studies, and design-based research while learning to interpret results and apply findings in real-world educational contexts. Emphasis is on developing skills to critically evaluate research, make informed design decisions, and translate evidence into practice. Examples will be drawn from studies on learning, reasoning, motivation, and the development of meaning, purpose, and virtue. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to apply research principles to create effective, evidence-informed educational interventions

Course overview

Department
Formative Education
School
Lynch
Credits
3
Level
Graduate
Offered
Annually

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating
2.80 / 5 · Good
5 responses
Instructor rating
3.40 / 5 · Good
5 responses
Terms evaluated
1
Most recent: Spring 2026

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
TermInstructorCourse overallInstructor overallWell organizedClear learning objectivesIntellectually challengingHelpful assignmentsApplicable beyond courseAttendance necessaryWeekly effortResponses
Spring 2026Gabriel Orona2.83.43.43.24.44.03.84.64–6 hrs/week5 of 6

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Sections

  • Section 01
    Spring 2027 · Emily Relkin · Campion Hall 236 Th 04:30PM-06:50PM · Offered