Module overview
- to help you understand the research process and its application to educational and social environments.
- to develop your practical and analytical skills in a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- to equip you with the necessary skills to present research in professional and academic contexts.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Critically evaluate an appropriate range of relevant primary source materials and arguments reflected in other sources and propose a relevant area of investigation
- Have a detailed knowledge and understanding of your chosen dissertation project, its potential impact on practice and the range of relevant scholarly literature and source materials
- Develop your own ideas and organise a project independently but with supportive guidance
- Choose and evaluate a feasible independent research design, project plan and structure
- Demonstrate an understanding of data collection and analysis methods
- Devise appropriate research methods to undertake a research project
- Make your own contribution to educational understanding by presenting a coherent, detailed and sustained argument at length on an educational topic;
- Develop advanced practical and analytical skills in a range of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods as an academic researcher and writer on educational and social matters
- Know the research process and understand methods of data collection and analysis and apply them in a self-reliant manner
- Understand the approaches by which research and critical awareness of debates in education can be utilised to construct a scholarly argument
- Analyse and synthesise research findings
- Refine and practice a range of skills which would be useful to you in further study or a professional/work based context
- Produce and present a carefully argued dissertation
- Devise appropriate research questions
- Acquire appropriate Ethical and Research Governance approvals
Syllabus
In studying this module you will cover aspects of the following:
- Strategies for focusing and managing the research process.
- Quantitative and qualitative methodologies and approaches to research.
- Key data collection methods (surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation).
- Methods for analysing and interpreting data.
- Dissertation writing and presentation skills
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
The teaching and learning methods will include lectures and workshops, discussions and self- directed study and individual tutorials
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Independent Study | 150 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Kvale, S. (2008). Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing. London: Sage.
Hopkins, D. (2002). A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Research.. Buckingham: Open University.
Oppenheim, A. (2000). Questionnaire Design. London, UK: Continuum.
Lichtman, M. (2010). Qualitative Research in Education- A User's Guide. London: Sage.
Creswell, J. (2002). Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches .. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Punch, K. (2009). Introduction to Research methods in Education. London: Sage.
Neuendorf, K. (2002). The Content Analysis Guidebook. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Fink, A. (2009). How to conduct Surveys: A Step by Step Guide. London: Sage.
Guba, E., & Lincoln, Y. (1998). Competing paradigms in Qualitative research . In Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (eds). The Landscape of Qualitative Research: Theories and Issues. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2002). Action Research: Principles and Practice. London: Routledge.
Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology .. London: Sage.
Rubin, I., & Rubin, H. (2005). Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data. London: Sage.
Fink, A. (1998). Conducting Research Literature Reviews. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Muijs, D. (2004/8). Doing Quantitative Research in Education with SPSS. London: Sage.
Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. California: Sage.
Bell, J. (2005). Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers in education, health and social science. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Assessment
Summative
Summative assessment description
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Presentation | 100% |
Referral
Referral assessment description
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Coursework assignment(s) | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External