Postgraduate Course: Introduction to Social Research Methods (REDU11078)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education and Sport |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will give students the framework and contextual knowledge they need in order to plan, design and execute a programme of independent research for the dissertation element of the MSc in Digital Education. The course will enable students to formulate a research question and an outline project plan. It will give them key skills in research design and enable them to position their own programme of research within the broader context of social science enquiry. It will introduce them to data collection and analysis and to key methods for analysing both quantitative data and qualitative research texts. |
| Course description |
This course will give students the framework and contextual knowledge they need in order to plan, design and execute a programme of independent research for the dissertation element of the MSc in Digital Education. The course will enable students to formulate a research question and an outline project plan. It will give them key skills in research design and enable them to position their own programme of research within the broader context of social science enquiry. It will introduce them to data collection and analysis and to key methods for analysing both quantitative data and qualitative research texts. Assessments will allow students to complete the course with 20 Credits at SCQF Level 11.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical awareness of key aspects of epistemology, validity and ethics as they relate to social science and digital education research
- Locate and critically analyse published research
- Engage critically with a range of data collection and analysis methods and approaches
- Effectively plan a programme of research, identifying appropriate research questions and how they might be addressed by particular methodological approaches
- Demonstrate an awareness of academic conventions in the presentation of research
|
Reading List
Core textbook:
Arthur, J., Waring, M., Coe, R. and Hedges, L. (eds) (2012). Research Methods and Methodologies in Education. London, Sage.
Additional readings:
Bayne, S (2008) Higher education as a visual practice: seeing through the virtual learning environment. Teaching in Higher Education, Vol. 13(4), pp. 395-410.
Gatson, S and Zweerink, A (2004) Ethnography online: 'natives' practising and inscribing community. Qualitative Research, 4(2), 179-200.
Gillen, J (2009) Literacy practices in Schome Park: a virtual literacy ethnography. Journal of Research in Reading, 32/1, 57-74.
Pickering, J., Kintrea, K. and Bannister, J. (2011). Invisible Walls and Visible Youth: Territoriality among Young People in British Cities. Urban Studies, 49/5. 945-960.
Rose, Gillian (2007) Researching visual materials: towards a critical visual methodology, chapter 1 of Visual methodologies: an introduction to the interpretation of visual materials. London: Sage. pp.1-27.
Rose, G., 2014. On the relation between ¿visual research methods¿ and contemporary visual culture. The Sociological Review, 62(1), pp.24-46.
Rovai, A., Wighting, M., & Lucking, R. (2004). The Classroom and School Community Inventory: Development, refinement, and validation of a self-report measure for educational research. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(4), 263-280.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
A. Research and Enquiry
To be able to identify, define and analyse conceptual and/ or practical problems in Digital Education through the critical appraisal of existing evidence.
To be able to generate creative and innovative approaches to research appropriate to the broader context of Digital Education.
B. Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
To be able to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in the identification and execution of their intended learning activities.
To be independent learners able to develop and maintain a critical approach to issues in Digital Education.
C. Communication
To be make effective use of the multimodal capabilities of digital technologies to communicate appropriate knowledge and understanding of emerging concepts and practices in Digital Education.
D. Personal Effectiveness
To be able to recognise and respond to new opportunities for learning and development.
To be able to work effectively with others in diverse digital environments for learning. |
| Keywords | research methods,social science research,digital education,online education |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alice Dias Lopes
Tel: (01316) 51 6539
Email: adiaslo@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Annemarijn Huizinga
Tel:
Email: ahuizing@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage