EDUC9973 Critical Scholarship and Research Design

This topic involves seminars and working with a research supervisor. Candidates' skills in research design are further developed. This topic focuses specifically upon the place of methodology and method in the research process. The topic builds research capacity through engagement with key educational issues and literature. Assessment is developed with the candidate's key interest in mind. The candidate is allocated a supervisor who will also supervise the student during the research studies. Candidates plan and write the preparatory documents required for research under the guidance of their supervisor.

Skill building will be undertaken in quantitative and qualitative research methods including surveys, interviewing, observation, focus groups and historical, archival, media, textual/visual research methods. Candidates will develop knowledge and skills with regards to research ethics and the university/community ethics processes. Upon completion of the topic candidates will be able to present a rationale for multiple ways of researching an educational or professional issue, both in writing and orally.

This topic aims to:

• Develop candidate awareness, knowledge and proficiency in research methodology and methods
• Enable candidates to effectively plan an informed research study to ensure rigor, and ethical engagement with participants
• Develop candidate awareness of ethical matters in research human subjects, and
• Enable candidates to successfully present their scholarship ideas to an academic audience

1. Write a literature review appropriate for a proposed field of study
2. Generate a research plan with aims, research questions and a conceptual framework that is consistent and appropriate to the study aims and methods
3. Plan a research study strategy that is rigorous, and ethical
4. Present a review of the scholarship to other candidates in the award and selected academic staff, and
5. Develop an assessment of the ethics implications for the study