Sessions will be based upon four case-studies of recent and relevant examples of research completed at a range of academic levels spanning different contexts and educational subjects. This will include:
- generation of discussion, reflection and exchange of ideas,
- guided reading, supported self-study and independent study to enable participants to engage with relevant and appropriate debates,
- individual tutorials to support development of understanding,
- workshops for the analysis and discussion of issues, documents and materials,
- case-study activities to establish connections between the workplace and issues raised by the programme,
- work with others, which enables participants to develop interpersonal skills, the capacity to plan, to share goals and work as a member of a team, communicate and present oral and written arguments,

The purpose of this module is to provide you with an understanding of relevant theory and practice in relation to:
- Rationale for use of qualitative or quantitative data in researching education. Underlying methodological assumptions underpinning choice of method: positivism, ethnography, post-modernism and critical realism.
- Integrity in educational research: making assumptions explicit, acknowledging sources of bias, caution in interpretation of data, triangulation,
- Quantitative methods including questionnaire design, descriptive statistics, sample size and composition, regression, residuals, statistical significance, confidence intervals and effect sizes. Application of these methods in the study of educational effectiveness, target setting and management practice,
- Qualitative methods including interview format, document analysis, participant observation, systematic analysis of qualitative data. Application of these methods in the context of education,
- Ethical issues in the context of education: preserving anonymity, obtaining permission, checking authenticity of data etc,

VLE Blackboard

Bell, J. (2010) Doing Your Research Project, 5th edition, Buckingham, Open University Press

Cohen, L, Manion, L, Morrison, K. (2011) Research Methods in Education London Routledge

Denscombe, M. (2010) The Good Research Guide: for small scale social research projects Buckingham, Open University Press

Lowe, M (2006) Beginning Research London Routledge

Tests Learning Outcomes 1 and 2

Part One - Overview of the Research Project
A written account of the proposed research project, underpinned with relevant literature to include:
1. Aims and objectives of the project,
2. The research question or specific hypotheses to be tested,
3. A rationale for investigating the topic which draws upon the existing research base,
4. The background to the project.

Part Two - Research Methodology
A written outline and justification for the research methodology (including data analysis proposals) and an appropriate project plan. This should also articulate reasons for rejecting methodologies / methods and show how the design of the project and the procedures followed are likely to assess the research question or test the hypothesis in question or establish some significant result.

Part Three - Participants in the Research
A written outline of who the participants in the research are, recruitment of participants, Information and Data to be gathered about them and stored and an evaluation of the potential Risk and Harm associated with the project. This section should also make reference to Research Methods literature on ethics. In addition an Information Sheet about the research project and a Consent Form must be provided.

Agreed placement within an educational workplace environment for 25 hours over the module - e.g. :
School
College
University
Library
Children's Centre
Private Training Provider
Children's nursery