EDU8607 - Dissertation Action Research Portfolio
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leaders: Dr James Stanfield and Dr Lisa Ramshaw
- Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sciences
- Teaching Location: Online
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 3 Credit Value: | 60 |
| ECTS: | 30.0 |
Aims
To enable students to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of a topic of their choice within the field of Education.
To enable students to develop their knowledge and understanding of the research process by devising and conducting an original investigation.
To provide students with the opportunity both to extend their repertoire of methodological skills and demonstrate a capacity for critical reflexivity.
The module provides students with experience of undertaking a substantial, independent empirical enquiry into an approved educational topic. The research project will be presented in a report of 10,000 words. Supervisors will offer guidance about the choice of format and feasibility of the topic (as well as the suitability of its proposed methods of investigation).
All research projects, irrespective of format or topic, will be expected to conform to the following requirements:
The project will draw upon primary or secondary data to address the research question (or questions).
The research will be appropriately contextualised with critical reference made to relevant published sources.
An appraisal of the theoretical underpinnings of the research will be undertaken.
A reflexive commentary on research methods will be provided and the strengths and limitations of the design discussed.
The ethical issues raised by the research will be explored, inclusive of consideration to equality, diversity and inclusion implications within the research.
The findings will be reported in an unambiguous and transparent manner.
The discussion will include reference to the practical implications of the findings as well as indicating possible future lines of enquiry.
Outline Of Syllabus
This is not a taught module, although students will be provided with detailed online guidance on dissertation/project/portfolio writing. Students will also have regular meetings on a one-to-one basis with the supervisor.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 6 | 5 | 30 | Delivered online. Weekly programmes comprising video presentations, online discussion and reading. |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 60 | 60 | Student directed literature and resource searching. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 500 | 500 | Dissertation writing |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 10 | 1 | 10 | Supervision by allocated supervisor |
| Total | 600 | ||||
Teaching Rationale and Relationship
The teaching methods are all at distance learning, online.
In line with the new Education Strategy, active learning will be utilised on this module and so the learning tasks will require the students to deeply engage with the materials. Tasks are therefore structured to promote engagement with online material in a variety of ways – from students reading shared material and research, to sourcing their own literature, aligned to their own context and project.
Each learning session will be designed to sequentially take students through a series of compounding activities, which will subsequently lead to their dissertation writing and foci.
Personalised guidance, supervision and feedback will be provided by an allocated supervisor throughout the project execution and writing.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
| Component | Semester | When Set | % | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation 1 | 3 | M | 60 | 10,000 words research project or portfolio (organisational improvement plan) |
| Oral Examination 1 | 3 | M | 40 | Live viva defence 40% |
Assessment Rationale and Relationship
The assessment will require the student to demonstrate their capacity to devise and carry-out an in-depth, independent enquiry in their selected educational field. It will reveal a critical grasp and detailed knowledge of the relevant specialist literature in the area, including salient concepts and theories. It will also provide evidence of the students’ capacity both to evaluate extant research and to reflect critically on the research process. In addition, it will require the student to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of methodological issues, including those relating to ethics. Throughout consideration will be given to the student’s ability to develop a sustained argument that is supported by systematically collected evidence and their understanding of the contribution of education research to the creation and application of professional knowledge. Finally, they will be assessed on their ability to communicate the research findings clearly and unambiguously.
The assessment includes the submission of a written report (10,000 words) this is weighted at 60% and a live viva defence of the dissertation (40%). The viva has been introduced to increase the AI resilience of the assessment and to make sure that students fully understand what they have written.
For the written report, formative staged submissions of each chapter/section will also be introduced, and each submission will require a reflective commentary on how AI has been used. Feedback will be provided both on the content but also on the use of AI. For the written report, formative staged submissions of each chapter/section will also be introduced, and each submission will require a reflective commentary on how AI has been used. Feedback will be provided both on the content but also on the use of AI.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/