Announcements
HDFS 294 Research & Practicum Opportunities
HDFS 294
Spring 2013
Every semester faculty offer opportunities for undergraduate students to work in their labs and participate in research or practical experiences. These are good opportunities for students to learn useful skills that will prepare them for graduate school and jobs. Below are four projects that are available for students this Spring--Using Technology and Social Media to Promote Positive Parenting, Romantic Relationships Among College Students, Stay-At-Home Fathers, The Autism Program. Read the expectations, requirements and other information. If you have questions about the projects, contact the individual faculty listed for each project.
Using Technology and Social Media to Promote Positive Parenting
Dr. Aaron Ebata
A small team of undergraduates and graduate students will develop and implement a social media campaign to complement the efforts of two existing online parenting programs (Parenting 24/7 and Just In Time Parenting). The team will use blogging, Facebook, Youtube, and other social media tools to: (a) promote existing resources, and (b) create audio and video content that will be engaging to parents.
Students will be required to attend weekly project meetings and complete weekly and monthly project tasks.
To be eligible, students must:
- Have a B or better GPA in HDFS or related coursework that reflects knowledge of theory and research in human development and family studies.
- Be a current social media user (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc). Priority will be given to those who have established and maintained Facebook fan or group pages, or who have previously created and shared audio or video content.
- Have previous experience creating audio or video content, including recording, editing, and uploading to online media platforms.
- Be able to initiate and complete projects with minimum supervision.
To apply, contact Dr. Aaron Ebata (Ebata@illinois.edu) and describe your interests and previous experience. Provide the names and email addresses of 2 references (instructors or supervisors) who can vouch for your classroom, work, or volunteer performance.
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Romantic Relationships Among College Students
Dr. Brian Ogolsky
How do young adults begin romantic relationships? How does technology affect the development of new relationships? A study examining the process of romantic relationship initiation among college students is looking for interested undergraduate students to help with background research, recruitment, and, data collection. Interested applicants should send a one page resume explaining your interests, prior research experience (if any), contact information, and the names and contact information for two references to bogolsky@illinois.edu.
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Stay-at-Home Fathers Study
Dr. Karen Z. Kramer
Project Description: What are the reasons that lead fathers to reduce their workload in order to participate more in their parenting roles? This study aims to use a combination of qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (surveys) methods to identify the reasons that lead fathers to invest more time in their family on the expense of time at work. Possible reasons may include inability to work/work full time (disability, illness, no job opportunities), enough income from other sources (e.g., spouse), and general desire to dedicate more time to the family.
As a result of this course, you will:
1. Develop an understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods
2. Become familiar with the topic of stay-at-home parents
3. Gain knowledge in sociological and economics theories
4. Gain experience skills in interviewing and survey design and distribution
Expectations: Students and I will collaboratively develop a structured interview and a survey based on literature review of the current literature (4-6 weeks). Following the development of the structured interview and the survey tool (and IRB approval) students will identify and sample ten (4 credits) or five (2 credits) families (both spouses) using the structured interview and the survey. Students will code and aggregate the results and write a short (5 pages) paper on their findings.
Prerequisites: Students must be juniors, seniors or graduate students who completed a research methods class.
Application Procedures: To apply, complete the application located here and send it to Dr. Karen Z. Kramer at: kramr@illinois.edu.
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The Autism Program
Ms. Anne Hall
This course will provide students with experience in working at The Autism Program by staffing the information and outreach center on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for families and professionals who work with families, and to participate in programs that provide supports or services related to ASDs to families and professionals.
Requirements: Participating students must be Juniors, Seniors, or Graduate students in HDFS, SPED, or related fields who are not on probation. Students will have a brief interview with The Autism Program staff. We usually have 6 interns each semester.
Additional information and the application form: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ebata/www/TAP
For additional information contact, Anne Hall, The Autism Program, 904 W Nevada, annehall@illinois.edu or 217 244-1395.
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