EDUC41850 Research Methods 1

Academic Year 2023/2024

This module aims to equip students with the skills & understandings required to select and justify a research design appropriate to their research situation, to engage with academic literature in relation to their research, to develop meaningful research questions, and to navigate the UCD research ethics process, where relevant to their work.
Students will be introduced to commonly used qualitative and quantitative research strategies, methods, and approaches for generating, collecting, and analysing data. This will help develop familiarity with a range of research activities that connect theory and practice and so help ensure their data work is relevant and valid. Guidance on ensuring a high standard of ethical practice and research integrity will underpin all inputs. Particular emphasis will be placed on learning how to plan for and conduct detailed literature search and on the key elements necessary for writing a strong research proposal, appropriate to their research situation and proposed topic.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Identify the core principles and practices of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method education research,
2. Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues in educational research,
3. Search databases and repositories for research literature,
4. Conduct a comprehensive literature review relevant to their core research interest
5. Design a small-scale, research project suitable to support minor thesis work,
6. Formulate robust research questions,
7. Use a range of research methods appropriate to a small-scale research project.

Indicative Module Content:

Introduction to the principles and key practices of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method education research.
Ethical issues in research.
Preparing for minor thesis research; planning, designing, and resourcing a project.
Using literature in research: conducting and writing a Literature Review.
Practical skills required to conduct high-quality, education research; ordinal and interpretativist data practices.
Critical and participatory approaches to education research.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

10
Small Group

6
Practical

8
Specified Learning Activities

80
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Online Learning

20
Total

204
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module will be interactive and participatory. It will offer opportunities for individual and small-group active/task-based learning. as well as for independent learning based in an extensive repository of relevant materials and set readings.
NOTE: The module is primarily designed for teaching through on-site lectures and workshops - with some online elements built in where it is useful to do so; in the event of a university decision to step-back from in-person work, we will move to a Remote Synchronous Format - with live-to-air sessions in the set timetable slots replacing all on-site activities. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

n/a


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: EITHER (1) a preliminary literature review & a related research proposal OR (2) an extended literature review. Approx. 5000 words. Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded Yes

100

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Formative assessment feedback on student activities will be given individually and collectively in class. Checklists will be provided for students to conduct self-assessment before submitting coursework for summative assessment. Individual, written feedback will be provided to each student post assessment giving details under a number of headings relevant to the activity and its write up.

Readings are provided on a week-to-week basis in line with thematic areas covered.
These are hosted in the Module Brightspace under the relevant week.
Name Role
Dr Daniel Capistrano Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Elena Revyakina Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 10:00 - 11:50