THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies)

Postgraduate Course: Listening to Children: Research and Consultation (PGSP11012)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course aims to heighten students' awareness of ethical consideration in undertaking research with children and familiarity with approaches to research that have been tailored to children. Building on a prior foundation in methods of social research, it aims to enable students to undertake empirical research with children, for their MSc dissertation if desired.
Course description This course enables students to undertake ethical and effective research and consultation, with children (broadly, up to the age of 18). It is offered at an advanced level, providing hands-on opportunities to try and out and discuss a range of qualitative and quantitative methods used within childhood studies research and participation activities. This course aims to heighten students' awareness of ethical consideration in undertaking research with children and familiarity with approaches to research that have been tailored to children. Building on a prior foundation in methods of social research, it aims to enable students to undertake empirical research with children, for their MSc dissertation if desired.


Outline Content

The course has hands-on opportunities, addressing such methods as ethnography, cohort studies, 'participatory' methods, co-production with children and young people, as well as ethics and how to construct an effective research proposal.


The course has weekly face-to-face sessions, which involve both individual and group tasks. You are most welcome to make a brief presentation (5 minutes) on your own past research projects etc during these sessions.

Weekly sessions are organised for 2 hours, followed by an optional hour where students can organise reading groups, address particular questions (e.g. forms for ethics committees) and discussion.

A fun, interactive 'Jamboree' is organised mid-way through the course. This mini-conference provides an opportunities for you to engage with over 50 students and graduates, who are actively undertaking research and consultation with children, and their methods and learning.

We have extensive online resources for the course, including:
- Top tips
- Case studies
- Web links
- Glossary of research methods terms
- Video clips of interviewing children and young people
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  40
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 20, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 176 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) The marked assessment for the course is a 4,000 word research proposal. This is 100% of the final mark.
Feedback Students are asked to prepare a 2 page research proposal, for peer review in week 5 of the course. Students can submit a revised version to the Course Organisers, on an agreed date subsequently; in return, the Course Organisers provide formative feedback.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Know the range of ethical considerations in undertaking research and consultation with children and be able to evaluate various methods to ensure ethical research and consultation take place
  2. Be able to reflect critically on the impact of different conceptual understandings of childhood underlying research on children
  3. Be sensitive to variations amongst children (by such factors as disability, gender, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and age), that potentially affect research and consultations with them
  4. Be aware of various methods by which to elicit views from children and to evaluate the methods' limitations and advantages
  5. Have an informed view on the extent to which conducting research with children is significantly different from conducting research with adults
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserProf Kay Tisdall
Tel: (0131 6)50 3930
Email: K.Tisdall@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Nicole Develing-Bogdan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5067
Email: v1ndeve2@exseed.ed.ac.uk
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