| CODE | EDS5023 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Research component: Becoming a Professional Teacher and Researcher | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Education Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is planned for student teachers to reflect on what becoming a professional teacher is all about, the relationship between becoming a professional teacher and research in education, research ethics and research methodologies, so that, towards the end of the study-unit they can identify the kind of research they would like to carry out in developing their own research project and know how to write their research proposal. The first part of this study-unit helps student teachers to problematize the notion of the profession, reflecting on what it means to act ethically and responsibly as a teacher. Knowledge about the legal aspects of the profession will be informed by a critical analytic approach that highlights the responsibilities of their actions as teachers. The link between becoming a professional teacher and a teacher researcher is emphasised throughout, stressing the need of not only to reflect of one’s teaching but also on one’s experiences, as captured through research. Students will thus recognize the importance of their professional responsibilities in inquiring and researching their practice. In the second part of this study-unit, students will be introduced to research epistemologies and research design and methodologies. These include Philosophical Research methods, Qualitative and Quantitative research methods and Pedagogical and Project based research. Issues related to research ethics will also be discussed in this section. Study-Unit Aims: - Engage student teachers into processes of becoming inquiring, reflective and ethical practitioners who are responsibly committed to their own development as professionals in relation to that of learners; - Inquire into important political and ethical issues related to teaching as a profession; - Initiate student teachers into the process of developing a professional ethics; - Sensitize them towards their professional obligation to contribute to and conduct research which has educational aims; - Introduce student teachers to research methods and approaches that inform their practice; - Engage them in reflective and inquiring activities related to the various stages of the research process; - Reflect on the ethics of doing research that is grounded in practice, focusing in particular on doing research in schools and doing research with children. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Deliberate on ethical issues related to teaching and research; - Evaluate theKnow what the teachers’ responsibilities in to maintaining standards in their teaching and research practices. are.; - Compare Understand the relationship between being a professional teacher and researcher in education; - Analyse theKnow important aspects related to professional ethics; - Demonstrate Understand the various approaches in research in education, including philosophical inquiry, qualitative and quantitative research pedagogical and project-based research; - Critically evaluate research methodologies. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Discuss ethical and professional issues related to educational contexts in schools and classes; - Examine their own value positions and make their own professional decisions related to teaching and practice; - Reflect on the processes related to doing an educational research project; - Reflect on their responsibility in doing research with others and especially with children, adolescents and other vulnerable groups; - Read and analyse research reports and research papers; - Write a research proposal. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Atkins, L., & Wallace, S. (2012). Qualitative research in education. SAGE publications. - Efron, S. E., & Ravid, R. (2019). Action research in education: A practical guide. Guilford Publications. - Fulford, A., & Hodgson, N. (Eds.). (2016). Philosophy and Theory in Educational Research: Writing in the margin. Routledge. - Hansen D. (2001). Exploring the Moral Heart of Teaching. New York: Teachers College Press. - Morrow, V., & Alderson, P. (2020). The ethics of research with children and young people: A practical handbook. The Ethics of Research with Children and Young People, 1-240. - Muijs, D. (2022). Doing Quantitative Research in Education with IBM SPSS Statistics. SAGE. Supplementary Readings: - Brooks, R., Te Riele, K., & Maguire, M. (2014). Ethics and education research. Sage. - Heyting, F., Lenzen, D., & White, J. (Eds.). (2001). Methods in philosophy of education (pp. 1-dq). London: Routledge. - Webster, R. S., & Whelen, J. D. (Eds.). (2019). Rethinking reflection and ethics for teachers. Singapore: Springer. - Other research papers and articles will be available through VLE, in a separate booklet or online directly through a web-site or eJournals. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Daniela Bonanno George Cremona Joseph Gravina Michael Grech Sandra Hili Vassallo Victor Martinelli (Co-ord.) Maria Montebello Yosanne Vella DENNIS ZAMMIT |
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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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