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Module

EDU8095 : Research Strategies and Methods

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Pamela Woolner
  • Lecturer: Professor Liz Todd, Ms Karen Laing
  • Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

To further develop student knowledge and appreciation of the complexities and skills required to critically evaluate, interpret, and successfully undertake research. To provide a deeper understanding of, and the facility to, actively use varied research designs and methods. This module explores the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative methods and explores the basic design principles of instruments that address particular research problems or questions. The module also enables students to apply these basic design principles and concepts to a potential or actual proposal for their thesis/dissertation.

Outline Of Syllabus

• What is research in education?
* Finding and critical reading of research
* Methodologies: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research
* Planning research: research questions and proposals
• Ethics in research
* Research designs: cross sectional, longitudinal, ethnography, case study, experiments, action research.
• Validity, reliability and generalisation
• Interviews and focus group; visual methods
• Document analysis
• Observation
• Surveys and sampling; questionnaires
• Using these methods in practice
• Quantitative data, including secondary data analysis
• Qualitative data
• Evaluating research

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion140:0040:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion105:0050:00Between scheduled sessions, supported by materials online
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture101:0010:00N/A
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities63:0018:00To source articles for critique (Assignment Part 1)
Structured Guided LearningStructured non-synchronous discussion51:005:00Online discussion board about articles for critique (Assignment Part 1)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops12:002:00Student group presentations
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops101:0010:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery71:007:00Online synchronous meeting offered in evening slot especially aimed at students unable to attend PIP
Guided Independent StudyStudent-led group activity62:3015:00Preparing group presentation
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study113:0033:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study52:0010:00Between scheduled sessions, supported by materials online, using booked classroom space if required
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module is taught using 2 hour interactive sessions, part workshop and part mini-lecture, supported by directed learning in the students’ own time, some student-led group work and synchronous online drop-in sessions. The learning activities for this module will include: critical reading of research, group discussion, research design, computer-aided and other data analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, research planning, ethics. Implicit in the design of each session, is an attempt to engender a deep and active approach to learning, but also to develop both subject knowledge and key skills. The mini-lectures during the sessions, supporting materials online and the directed tasks, enable assignment work to be planned and developed.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Research proposal1M1004,000 words
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Assignment One consists of two parts.

Part One:
To write a critique of two research articles of the student's choice; to include reflection on possible relevance of said articles for student's own research.

Part Two:
To write a research proposal, upon which the dissertation can be based.

Reading Lists

Timetable