| CODE | EDS2002 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Research Methods in Inclusive Education | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Education Studies | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit aims to enable BA in Facilitating Inclusive Education students to become familiar with the main philosophical and methodological approaches used in the domain of inclusive education. Through participation in this study unit, students will gain the knowledge and skills to prepare the extended essay required to complete this course. The study-unit introduces students to the key topics in the domain of philosophical inquiry and reflection, research ethics, quantitative approach to research and the core principles and practice of qualitative research methods in the domain of inclusive education. This study unit will also provide the opportunity for students to learn how to use library resources, conduct a literature review and effectively use computer programs in the research process. Philosophical inquiry The first part of the study -unit will introduce students to the main methods of philosophical inquiry into inclusive education. These include the reading and writing of texts and discourses, philosophical analysis of educational theories, policies or documents, philosophical discussion about educational practices or pedagogies, and the analyses and deconstructive approaches to the text. The lectures will explore instances where philosophical inquiry is pursued through engagement with researcher participants through conversations and narrative inquiry. Qualitative research methods The second part of the study-unit will introduce students to qualitative research methods. Students will be introduced to the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative research, including case study research, ethnographic observation and interview, focus group interview, action research, narrative inquiry, and participatory methods in inclusive educational settings. The appropriate method for different types of research questions, participants (children, parents, teachers, support staff, etc.) and setting (school, home, individual programme) and the issue of research rights, representation and voice will permeate the course. Quantitative and mixed methods studies The quantitative and mixed methods component of this study unit will introduce students to the basic concepts of quantitative research methods. The main focus of this component is on the understanding and development of skills required for questionnaire design, data collection, data management and statistical analysis of collected data. Through a hands-on approach, students will also learn how to use proprietary and open-source software for elementary statistical analysis. Study-Unit Aims: 1. Provide a general overview of the core concepts, strengths and limitations of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research studies in the domain of inclusive education; 2. Introduce Bachelor of Arts in Facilitating Inclusive Education students to the basics concepts of applied qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies; 3. Introduce students to research methods and evidence-based practice in the domain of inclusive education; 4. Engage students in an active examination of inclusive teaching practice; 5. Expand students’ knowledge of philosophical modes of inquiry into inclusive educational practices. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Describe the core concepts of applied philosophical, qualitative and quantitative studies in the area of inclusive education; 2. Discuss the main epistemological approaches to the research in the domain of inclusive education; 3. Examine the core components of qualitative research studies in the field of inclusive education; 4. Examine the main concepts in the domain of quantitative research, including research design, data collection and analysis; 5. Discuss the results of quantitative studies and the combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches in exploring inclusive education. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Conduct critical reading of texts related to inclusive education; 2. Discuss ethical research-related issues in the domain of inclusive education; 3. Identify appropriate qualitative and qualitative approaches required for research with vulnerable populations; 3. Analyse research studies in the domain of inclusive education; 4. Apply methodological knowledge and skills to develop research instruments for data collection; 5. Conduct a literature review and interpret research studies on inclusive education. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Philosophical inquiry Main Texts: Biesta G. & Burbules N. (2003). Pragmatism and educational research. Rowman & Littlefield. Maarten Simons, Mark Olssen & Michael A. Peters (2009) Re-reading education policies. A handbook studying the policy agenda of the 21st century. Rotterdam, Sense Publishers. Supplementary Readings: Richardson, V. (Ed.) (2001). Handbook of research on teaching (4th Edition). Washington, DC.: American Educational Research Association. McLaure Maggie ( 2004) Discourse in Educational and Social Research. Buckingham Open University Press. Qualitative research methods Main Texts: Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons. (Available) Gaudet, S., & Robert, D. (2018). A journey through qualitative research: From design to reporting. Sage. (Available) Supplementary Readings: Silverman, D. (2021). Qualitative Research. 5th ed. SAGE (Available). Quantitative and mixed methods Main Texts: Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods. Oxford university press. (Available) Gillham, B. (2008). Developing a questionnaire. London: Continuum Publishers. (Available) Supplementary Readings: Creswell, J.W. & Creswell, J.D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage. (Available) Field, A. (2018). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS. SAGE. (Available) Navarro, D., & Foxcroft, D. (2022). Learning statistics with jamovi: A tutorial for psychology students and other beginners (Version 0.75). https://doi.org/10.24384/hgc3-7p15 (Available) |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Louis John Camilleri Michael Grech Milosh Raykov (Co-ord.) |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. 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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