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Ball State University

The purpose of the Engaging Learners in the Development of Essential Research Skills (ELDERS) Project at Ball State University was three-fold: (1) to help Research I (methods) and Research II (statistics) students learn research concepts by involving them in a community-based research project, (2) to help prepare students for work with older adults by providing them with positive experiences with older adults, and (3) to provide no-cost evaluation services for the greater Muncie Regional Area Agency on Aging (Lifestream).

Students in the Research I and II courses were organized into task groups who did the following things: (1) reviewed the literature, (2) developed a research plan, (3) provided a strengths-based critique of the survey instruments used by LifeStream to evaluate their services, (4) collected the data, (5) entered the data into Excel and SPSS, (6) performed basic analyses, (7) wrote conclusions and recommendations regarding the findings. Survey data were collected from LifeStream clients who used the transportation, housing and nutrition services.

Courses that Included Experiential Activity:

  • Research Methods  (Research I)
  • Statistics (Research II)