PSYCH 363 Spring 2015

Topic: Community-Based Research 

Instructor: Kathleen Bloom

See the PSYCH 363 course description in the undergraduate calendar.

Expanded course description

This course requires active learning as well as teamwork.

More than ever, community organizations are being asked by those who fund and use social, health, and psychological services to demonstrate that their policies and programs are based on good research evidence. Community organizations need trustworthy reports that demonstrate 'what the research says' about best practices for serving the needs of society.

PSYCH 363 Spring 2015 is held with PSYCH 463. Materials, assignments, and evaluations of students will differ to some degree depending on course enrolment (i.e.,PSYCH 363 versus PSYCH 463).

Objections for the course:

  • learn the skills of finding, evaluating, and synthesizing relevant research using state-of-the-art systematic methods.
  • with the mentorship of government and community leaders, learn how to communicate in ways that make research summaries useful to practitioners.
  • gain skills that can prepare you for successful careers in the new field of knowledge mobilization.
  • those preparing for academic careers will learn to create research proposals that attract the interest and support of faculty, scholarship committees, and community partnerships.

For further details, go to:

(Update May 1, 2015) The clients for PSYCH 363/463 Spring 2015 will be three not-for-profit organizations:

  • The Autism Society of Waterloo Region (1 research project)
  • The Local Health Integration Network  (1 research project)
  • Infant and Child Development Services (2 research projects)

Students will be divided amongst the 4 projects based on the students' preference rankings and availability.

If planning to enrol, please attend the introductory class on 6 May.

Prerequisites for enrolment

All of the following:

  • year/level at least 2B
  • a research methods course e.g,. 1 of PSYCH 291, ENVS 178, HLTH 333, ISS/SDS 251R, KIN 330, REC 270, SMF 220, SOC 321.
  • an introductory statistics course e.g., 1 of PSYCH 292, ARTS 280, ECON 221, ENVS 278, ISS/SDS 250R, KIN 222, REC 371, SOC 280, STAT 202, STAT 211, STAT 221, STAT 231.

If you took a research methods and/or statistics course at another institution that was not transferred as one of the above course numbers, consult with Emily Mininger regarding your interest in taking PSYCH 363. Please provide a course description (preferably course outline) for the course that you took and the grade earned.  

Antirequisites for enrolment

You may not enrol in PSYCH 363/463 Spring 2015 if you have taken any of the following:

  • PSYCH 463 (Topic: Knowledge Transfer) Winter 2011
  • PSYCH 463 (Topic: Community-Based Research) Winter 2013 or Winter 2014
  • PSYCH 363 (Topic: Community-Based Research) Winter 2013 or Winter 2014.

If you take PSYCH 363/463 Spring 2015 do not enrol in future offerings of PSYCH 363/463 with Kathleen Bloom if the topic is Community-Based Research, Knowledge Mobilization, or Knowledge Transfer.

Testimonials regarding PSYCH 363/463 (Community-Based Research)

From student A.J. Orena (student) regarding PSYCH 363/463 Winter 2011:

This is a great course for students who want to learn about how research impacts our community. It's a unique course in that you get to work closely with several stakeholders from the community (with the help of Dr. Bloom) on a project that will be of actual value to them. During our term, we were able to meet with our stakeholders and they told us about their experiences working with children with disabilities and what kind of services are being provided to them. It was very enlightening; the course really shape my views on research and its importance to society. This course is also a great resume builder - you will get plenty of opportunities to strengthen your skills in literature search, writing to an audience, team work, discussions. Dr. Bloom is a great mentor on the topic of knowledge mobilization, and can provide you with very helpful information about careers in research, knowledge transfer, and community work. I personally enjoyed the course, and have taken many good things from it that continue to be helpful to me as a graduate student.

From Lorna Montgomery (Manager at Infant and Child Development Services – Peel Region) regarding the positive applied outcomes of the course projects in PSYCH 363/463 Winter 2013:

I use the ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) information every time I have a clinic and a client wants to talk with me about their options other than medication for ADHD. I have a colleague, whose son with ADHD had an opportunity to be enrolled in a class in which they start the day by running up to 4 km. She had asked me what I had thought. I told her that it looked good, on the basis of what your students had told us, she enrolled him, and she says that 3 months later, he can run 4 km, is full of pride about that, and, his ability to focus his attention has increased dramatically. She is ecstatic, the kid feels better about himself and the whole family functions better, she tells me. There is the first anecdotal feedback (on the students’ course project).

Enrolment instructions during Course Selection Week for Spring 2015

If interested in enrolling in PSYCH 363 and you have the prerequisites to enrol, please self-enrol on Quest.

Enrolment instructions after Course Selection Week for Spring 2015

Department permission is required for enrolment. Please e-mail your enrolment request to Theresa Bauer (tbauer@uwaterloo.ca). Telephone requests are not permitted.

Include the following information with your request:

  • full name,
  • student identification number,
  • email address,
  • course to be dropped when PSYCH 363 is added to your schedule (if applicable),
  • current program and year/level (e.g., General Psychology 3A), and 
  • indicate whether or not you have the prerequisite.

Include your last name, the course number, and your Major/Minor in the subject line of the message so that the requests for PSYCH 363 enrolment can be prioritized.

Sample subject line: Jones - PSYCH 363 Spring 2015 - Psych Major.

Last updated: December 28, 2015