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Regular version of the site
Postgraduate course 2023/2024

Qualitative research methods in education

Type: Elective course
Area of studies: Postgraduate Studies
Delivered by: Department of Educational Programmes
When: 1 year, 1 semester
Mode of studies: offline
Open to: students of one campus
Language: English
ECTS credits: 4
Contact hours: 36

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is designed to help students to develop an intellectual stance - or way of thinking - about qualitative research, as well as to learn specific skills that will support them in enacting this stance in their research. The central goals of the course are a) to enable the student to become a critical reader of qualitative research; b) to assist the student in developing an understanding of the purposes, tools, theoretical assumptions and limitations of the key strands of qualitative research; and c) to prepare the student for further study of, engagement in and use of qualitative research. By the end of the course, the students will familiarise themselves with key approaches to qualitative research, examine and learn to critically engage with qualitative research studies as well as carry out independent qualitative research. Having examined key characteristics of qualitative research, the course will investigate the main approaches to qualitative research , including case study, ethnography, discourse analysis, frame analysis, grounded theory, digital ethnographies and others. In addition to familiarising themselves with key qualitative methods and approaches, the students will develop hands on understanding of basic data handling techniques, such as data storage, coding and presentation. The course does not aim to provide a comprehensive overview of all or most qualitative methods, instead, it provides an in-depth coverage of a few selected methods and approaches in order to illustrate the advantages and limitations of qualitative inquiry as well as to allow students to master some of the basic analytical tools, such as thematic coding and analysis, generalisability, drawing implications, mixed designs and research ethics.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • Getting skills in collecting and analysis qualitative data through observation, interviews, focus groups, analysis of documents for educational research and development
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Able to demonstrate the knowledge of methods of analysis in qualitative researches
  • Able to understand and to discuss central themes of qualitative research
  • Able to use concepts, logic, and ideas of analysis methods as well as to implicate them in practice
  • Organize and analyse the output from the focus groups
  • to know: - main methods of data collection and analysis in qualitative paradighm - basic concepts and principles of qualitative methodology
  • (4) discuss the main research designs
  • conducts (ethnographic) fieldwork
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Strategy of qualitative research. Research field. Preparation of qualitative research instruments
  • Doing ethnography
  • Topic 4. Qualitative research methods. In-depth interviews.
  • Focus groups and group discussions
  • Qualitative Analysis
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Research plan
    This assigment is targeted toward the development of the research plan, which will include the formulation of qualitative research question(s) and preparing a consent form for further study.
  • non-blocking Interview protocol
    As part of this task, students will develop an interview protocol, conduct interviews with participants for their research studies, and prepare transcripts of interviews. These steps will be done to collect data and prepare it for further analyses.
  • non-blocking Data analysis and reflection
    For this assignment, students will code and analyze the interview data they collected. Also, students will write a reflection on the process of interviewing and data collection.
  • non-blocking Research paper and Reflection
    As a final assignment, students will write a comprehensive paper by combining all the elements of previous assignments done for this course. The research paper will include: a. Justification of Research Questions + Research plan b. Method – description of the interview guide, data collection process, and data analysis c. Results – reporting of the results d. Reflection on the process and results -- students will be asked to critically reflect on the whole process of developing the research plan and research questions, conducting interviews, analyzing and interpreting the results. Also, students are expected the successes and challenges with the processes described above, and what they would have done differently if given the chance to conduct the interviews again.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2023/2024 1st semester
    0.25 * Data analysis and reflection + 0.25 * Interview protocol + 0.25 * Research paper and Reflection + 0.25 * Research plan
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Constructing grounded theory : a practical guide through qualitative analysis, Charmaz, K., 2006
  • Focus groups : theory and practice, Stewart, D. W., 2015
  • Gerring, J. (2007). Case Study Research : Principles and Practices. New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=185849
  • Harrison, A. K. (2014). Ethnography. United States, North America: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.19897453

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Taylor, S. J., DeVault, M. L., & Bogdan, R. (2016). Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods : A Guidebook and Resource (Vol. 4th edition). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1061324
  • Качественные методы. Полевые социологические исследования, Штейнберг, И. Е., 2009
  • Метод интервью в социологии и маркетинге : учеб. пособие для вузов, Семина, М. В., 2010

Authors

  • AKHMEDZHANOVA DIANA RAFAILEVNA
  • ROMANENKO KSENIYA ROMANOVNA
  • KANONIR Tatiana