Educational Research Methods
- Education
- 800 level
- 3 credit units
- 209 pages
- 21 units
This course introduces Masters Degree students in Education to the major aspects of research methods in education. It covers the identification and development of research problems, literature review, research methodologies, and techniques for data collection, proposal writing, and report writing. The course also discusses referencing based on the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Successful completion of this course will enable students to initiate, develop, execute, and publish research reports.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 42 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study, research
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of EDU823, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
EDU823 · UNIT 1
According to Leedy, research is an activity or process through which we attempt to systematically and with the support of data, give an answer to a question, the resolution of a problem or a greater understanding of a phenomenon. This process is called research methodology.
What you should be able to do
- Explain different research methodologies.
- Formulate research questions and hypotheses.
- Design a research proposal.
- Collect and analyze data.
- Write a research report.
- Critically evaluate research studies.
What it prepares you for
- Education Researcher
- Curriculum Developer
- Policy Analyst
- Educational Consultant
- School Administrator
- Education
- Government
- Research Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
- SPSS
- NVivo
- Microsoft Excel
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Types of Research Approaches
Unit 3: Ethnography, Phenomenology, Grounded Theory and Correlation Studies
Understanding the nuances of grounded theory requires grasping abstract concepts and iterative data analysis techniques.
- Module 5: Types of Researches II, Population and Sample
Unit 1: Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Research II
The complexities of designing and implementing quasi-experimental research, especially in real-world educational settings, can be challenging due to ethical and practical constraints.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 39 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Basic Issues in Research Methods
Unit 1: What is Research? · 3 hours
Read the definition of research and identify its key components.. Discuss the characteristics that define a research process.. List and explain the goals of research.. Identify the different types of educational research..
- Week 2Module 1: Basic Issues in Research Methods
Unit 2: Problem Selection, Shaping and Refining · 3 hours
Identify potential sources for research topics.. Discuss the political context of problem selection.. Explain the importance of consulting with a supervisor.. Describe the steps involved in shaping and refining a research problem..
- Week 3Module 1: Basic Issues in Research Methods
Unit 3: Theories, Concepts and Hypotheses Formulation · 3 hours
Define a theory and explain its functions in research.. Define a concept and explain its relationship to theory.. Discuss the role of concepts and theories in formulating a research problem.. Write a statement of the problem for a chosen research topic..
- Week 4Module 2: Stating Problems, Literature Review and Variables
Unit 1: Components of the Problem and Feasibility of a Study · 3 hours
Delimit a research problem and state the assumptions of a study.. Describe the significance of a study and define key terms.. Conduct a feasibility assessment of a research problem.. Anticipate and avoid potential problems in research..
- Week 5Module 2: Stating Problems, Literature Review and Variables
Unit 2: Review of Literature · 3 hours
State the purpose of a literature review and explain how to begin a search for related literature.. Describe how to organize related literature.. Write analytical and theoretical frameworks.. Identify sources of information for literature review..
- Week 6Module 2: Stating Problems, Literature Review and Variables
Unit 3: Constructs and Variables · 3 hours
Define constructs and explain how they are used in research.. Define variables and state the different types of variables.. Explain the different types of variables and how they are used in research work.. Differentiate between independent and dependent variables..
- Week 7Module 3: Types of Research Approaches
Unit 1: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches · 3 hours
Explain the meaning of qualitative and quantitative approaches.. Identify studies that can be classified as qualitative or quantitative.. State the general characteristics of qualitative and quantitative studies.. Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative studies..
- Week 8Module 3: Types of Research Approaches
Unit 2: Action Research, Case Study and Observation Research · 3 hours
Explain the meaning of action research and use it to carry out investigations.. Describe a case study and apply it in educational research.. Explain what observation entails in research.. Describe the different forms of observation methodology..
- Week 9Module 3: Types of Research Approaches
Unit 3: Ethnography, Phenomenology, Grounded Theory and Correlation Studies · 3 hours
Describe ethnography study and give examples.. Explain phenomenology and apply it in studying science education problems.. Explain grounded theory and use it to investigate research problems in school science.. Describe correlational studies and explain the significance of a perfect correlation coefficient..
- Week 10Module 4: Types of Researches
Unit 1: Historical Research · 3 hours
Explain the meaning of historical research.. Describe external and internal evidence.. Formulate hypotheses for historical research.. Identify sources of historical data and analyze historical data..
- Week 11Module 4: Types of Researches
Unit 2: Survey Research · 3 hours
Explain the meaning of survey research and describe its characteristics.. Identify the methods of gathering data for surveys.. Apply the results of survey studies in the classroom.. List the advantages and disadvantages of survey research..
- Week 12Module 4: Types of Researches
Unit 3: Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Research I · 3 hours
State the characteristics of the experimental method and recognize the classification of experimental design.. Identify the dependent and independent variables in a research question.. Explain what extraneous variables are.. Define the meaning of experimental validity and state the threats to internal experimental validity..
- Week 13Module 5: Types of Researches II, Population and Sample
Unit 2: Ex-Post Facto Research and Evaluation Research · 3 hours
Explain correlation design and define ex-post facto research.. State self-selection and discuss limitations and value of ex-post facto research.. Explain assessment and evaluation research.. Carry out program evaluation..
Preparing for the exam
- Create detailed outlines for each module, focusing on key concepts and methodologies.
- Practice writing research proposals and reports, paying attention to structure and clarity.
- Review statistical concepts and formulas, focusing on application and interpretation.
- Analyze sample research papers, identifying strengths and weaknesses in their design and execution.
- Form study groups to discuss challenging concepts and share insights.
- Focus on understanding the differences between qualitative and quantitative research approaches.
- Practice applying different sampling techniques to various research scenarios.
Questions students ask about this course
What is EDU823 about?
This course introduces Masters Degree students in Education to the major aspects of research methods in education. It covers the identification and development of research problems, literature review, research methodologies, and techniques for data collection, proposal writing, and report writing. The course also discusses referencing based on the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Successful completion of this course will enable students to initiate, develop, execute, and publish research reports.
How many units does EDU823 have?
EDU823, Educational Research Methods, has 21 units across 7 modules, over 209 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is EDU823?
EDU823 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Education.
Is EDU823 hard?
EDU823 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical, case study and research work, and it has a practical component.
How long does EDU823 take to study?
About 42 hours of study, spread across its 21 units.
How is EDU823 assessed?
EDU823 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with EDU823?
Education Researcher, Curriculum Developer, Policy Analyst, Educational Consultant and School Administrator.