| CODE | EPE3022 | ||||||
| TITLE | Dissertation | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 12 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is planned to offer students the opportunity to delve into educational research with the opportunity to conduct an independent research project under the guidance of a supervisor. This study-unit is designed to engage students in the process of planning and conducting research related to the field of primary school education. By actively participating in this study-unit, students will cultivate a strong foundation in research methodology, critical thinking, reflective practice, and problem solving, while also contributing to the pool of local research in education. Study-unit Aims: The dissertation study-unit offers students the opportunity to continue developing as reflective practitioners, through exploring an area of inquiry, addressing challenges or opportunities pertinent to the field of primary education. Through this study-unit students are introduced to the various methods and approaches to research to be in a position to write a proposal for an independent research study. They may delve into various types of inquiry, such as, quantitative or qualitative studies, literature reviews, philosophical inquiry, pedagogical and project-based research, among others. By engaging in this process, students deepen their understanding of educational practices and research, refine their research skills, and contribute to research in primary education. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - demonstrate the ability to identify the aim or question to guide research; - recognise the importance of implementing educational research in an ethical and rigorous manner; - appraise research methods and approaches that are suitably matched to the research being proposed; - acknowledge the important role of research in the profession inform and transform educational practices; - demonstrate a capacity to critically discuss research findings; and - employ reflective practice to evaluate own positionality and biases in discussing research findings. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - acquire the skills to design and carry out a research study; - successfully write a research proposal; - demonstrate a critical stance to local and international literature; - show the ability to follow a clear process to conduct a literature review to inform the research; - collect and analyse data effectively by drawing on appropriate research tools and techniques; - discuss the findings and their implications; - demonstrate ethical and professional practices in undertaking educational research; - present a coherent written report of the inquiry; and - apply academic writing skills, cite sources and adhere to the appropriate referencing conventions. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Billups, F. D. (2020). Qualitative Data Collection Tools: Design, Development, and Applications. Thousand Oaks: SAGE. - Cohen, L., Manion., L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education (8th ed.). Routledge. - Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2017). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (5th ed.). SAGE. - 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. - Mat Roni, S., Merga, M. K., & Morris, J. E. (2019). Conducting Quantitative Research in Education (1st ed. 2020.). Springer Singapore. Supplementary Readings: - Research articles, papers and past dissertations will be available through VLE and the UM Library. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Dissertation | ||||||
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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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