Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE ACA2008

 
TITLE Research Methods

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 8

 
DEPARTMENT Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit prepares the student educators to engage in research (for course dissertation purposes and beyond) related to adult education, training and development.
The study-unit covers different types of empirical studies that can be carried out in the area of adult education training and development. These include desk research, case study, action research, project-based research and philosophical inquiry.

The study-unit's discussion critically engages with epistemological and methodological paradigms, techniques and resources, the deployment of qualitative, quantitative and Internet-based research data collection and data analysis methods and tools (including basic use of SPSS and NVivo data analysis software), as well as with professional and ethical responsibilities in inquiring and researching adult education, training and development contexts and participants.

Study-Unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to provide exposure to and engagement with:
- Paradigms, principles, concepts and issues concerning Epistemology and Methodology;
- Different types of studies that include empirical studies, project-based studies and philosophical inquiries;
- Research proposal formulation;
- Use of quantitative, qualitative and Internet-based research methods;
- Use of SPSS and NVivo for data analysis (basic level);
- Ethical and data management considerations and requirements (including netiquette)relevant to researching adult education, training and development contexts participants and topics.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- List salient characteristics of specified epistemological and methodological paradigms;
- List salient characteristics of specified types of research studies (types of empirical studies, philosophical inquiry and project-based research);
- Describe features, strengths and weaknesses of quantitative, qualitative and Internet-based research;
- Identify resources available for carrying out research, including online research (e.g., databases, search engines, etc.);
- Identify tests available for carrying out data analysis using SPSS and NVivo (basic use); and
- Discuss important issues related to professional research ethics (including netiquette) and data management.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Critically evaluate the use of specific epistemological, methodological, quantitative and qualitative, and Internet-based research methods in specified adult education, training and development contexts;
- Critically evaluate the use of specific types of research studies (types of empirical studies, philosophical inquiry and project-based research) in specified adult education, training and development contexts;
- Formulate a research proposal suitable for course dissertation purposes;
- Collect data using quantitative and/or qualitative and/or Internet-based tools;
- Use, in a basic way, SPSS and NVivo software to analyze data; and
- Communicate research findings and findings of data analysis effectively.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Bazeley, P. & Jackson, K. (2013). Qualitative data analysis with NVIVO. London: SAGE.
- Biesta, G. (2021). World-Centred Education: A View for the Present. London: Routledge.
- Comstock, G. (2013). Research Ethics: A Philosophical Guide to the Responsible Conduct of Research. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Creswell, J.W. & Creswell, J.D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage.
- Field, A. (2013). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS. London, UK: SAGE.
- Fielding, N. G., Lee, R. M., & Blank, G. (Eds.). (2008). The SAGE handbook of online research methods. Sage.
- Fulford, A. & Hodgson, N. (Eds.) (2016). Philosophy and Theory in Educational Research: Writing in the Margin. London: Routledge.
- Sloan, L., Quan-Haase A., (2017). The SAGE Handbook of Social Media Research Methods. Sage.
- Wildemuth, B.M. (1993). Post-Positivist Research: Two Examples of Methodological Pluralism. The Library Quarterly (Chicago) 63(4), 450-68.
- Vella, Y. (2020). Teaching bias in history lessons : an example using Maltese history. History Education Research Journal, 17(1), 99-113.

Supplementary Readings:

- Arthur, J., Waring, M., Coe, R. & Hedges, L.V. (Eds.) (2017). Research methods & methodologies in education. London: Sage.
- Gefen, D. (2019). A Post-Positivist Answering Back. Part 1: Good for You, Karl Popper! The Data Base for Advances in Information Systems 50(2): 9-17.
- Hewson, C., Yule, P., Laurent, D., Vogel, C. (2003). Internet Research Methods: A Practical Guide for The Social and Behavioural Sciences. Sage.
- hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. London: Routledge.
- Janghorban, R., Roudsari, R. L., & Taghipour, A. (2014). Skype interviewing: The new generation of online synchronous interview in qualitative research. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 9(1), 24152.
- Pallant, J. (2016). SPSS Survival Manual. A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. Open University Press.
- Ryan, A. B. (2006). Post-positivist approaches to research. Researching and Writing your Thesis: a guide for postgraduate students, 12-26. (Open access: http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/874/)
- Schutt, R.K. (2012). Investigating the Social World: The Process and Practice of Research. Sage.
- Vella, Y., & Caruana, R. (2015). Raising performance in history teaching while improving secondary students’ essay writing skills. International Journal of Historical Learning Teaching and Research, 13(1), 118131.
- Vella, Y. (2013). From the coming of the Knights to EU membership ; an innovative Maltese history textbook based on history thinking skills and evidential work. Eckert, 1.
- Vella, Y. (2011). The gradual transformation of historical situations: understanding ‘change and continuity’ through colours and timelines. Teaching History Issue, 144, 16-23.
- Willing, C. (2013). Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education.
- Willig, C. (2008). Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology: Adventures in Theory and Method. New York: Open University Press. (Open Access: https://resv.hums.ac.ir/uploads/introducing_qualitative_research.pdf).

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Independent Study

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Classwork SEM2 No 30%
Assignment SEM2 Yes 70%

 
LECTURER/S Maria M. Brown (Co-ord.)
Patrick Camilleri
Joseph Gravina
Michael Grech
Milosh Raykov
Joseph Vancell

 

 
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It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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