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The aim of this course is to stimulate awareness of a broad range of research methods and to enhance the ability to select an appropriate method to use by carefully considering the range of alternatives. Moreover, by working through your own chosen problem, you will be given the opportunity to focus on the detailed side of using the various methods as well as being exposed to the solutions worked out by others in group tutorials. Invited speakers will present specific topics according to their expertise on the most frequently used research methods of data collection and analysis.

Following on from Methods of Enquiry 1, you will be asked to think of a research problem to focus on throughout the three sessions of this course. You may choose a new research problem or continue with the one you prepared for Methods of Enquiry 1. Specialist tutors will give advice on the choice of a viable research problem. You will be expected to collect and analyse data. As you will be conducting a small scale research study you will be required to apply for ethics approval before collecting any data for their study. This is an important step of the research process and we will be taking some time to discuss the issues and support you in this process.

Brief Outline

This course offers a variety of methods frequently used in educational and social research. It focuses on the processes of research and appropriate skills that are needed. Issues related to formulating research questions, research design and sampling as well as implementation and analysis are addressed. Information gathering techniques, for example, construction and use of questionnaires, interviewing and observation, are covered, as well as methods for analysing different kinds of data. A range of examples drawn from published work is critically discussed focusing on understanding the analysis and appreciating the choice of method being made. The course aims to reinforce participants’ ability to apply these research skills by asking them to undertake a small scale research study and produce a research report. Two workshops on computer-based analysis of quantitative and qualitative data are included in the course to introduce participants to more complex analysis of larger data sets using SPSS and NVivo.

Aims

• to stimulate awareness of a broad range of research methods and how they are being used in response to educational issues;
• to enhance the ability to formulate researchable questions and select appropriate methods to use by carefully considering a range of alternatives;
• to encourage collective and creative thinking by group members about possible ways of answering research questions and thinking about issues of research management;
• to enable students (through workshops) to acquire and practise data collection and data analysis skills as well as project management skills; and
• to develop research report writing and presentation skills.

Expected Outcomes

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• extend their ability to apply research strategies appropriate to their level of understanding of research processes;
• develop their research skills through conducting a small scale study by:
  • formulating researchable questions;
  • selecting appropriate methods to collect research evidence;
  • analysing and interpreting data; and
  • by writing a research report of their chosen study.

These skills are intended to provide a basis for supporting research carried out during the participant's Institution-Focused Study (IFS)

Module Sessions

Participants would be expected to attend at least the first weekend face-to-face. The other two weekends may be attended face-to-face or online synchronously. Some online asynchronous interaction may also be a possibility.