Key Questions

Do you have any research experience? How do you understand research? And why do we need research in the field of education?

What considerations might influence and how do they influence your research practices?

How do you understand each of the following terms: positivism, realism, interpretivism, objectivism and constructivism? And what are their respective implications for your research practices?

Why are theories important to research practices? And what are differences between grand and middle-range theory, inductive and deductive theory?

What are the main differences between quantitative and qualitative research in terms of: the relationship between theory and data; epistemological considerations and ontological considerations?

Readings

Bryman, A (2008), Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press, Third Edition. Chapter 1 (Social research strategies)

Bassey, Michael. (1992). Creating education through research. British Educational Research Journal, 18(1), 3-16.

Blaxter, L., Hughes, C., & Tight, M. (2006). Thinking about the methods. In Blaxter, L., Hughes, C., & Tight, M. How to research (3rd ed.). Milton Keynes: Open University Press.

Doucet, A. (2007). Feminst methodologies and epistemology. In C. D. Bryant & D. L. Peck (Eds.), 21st century sociology: a reference handbook (pp. xxxiv, 709s.). Thousand Oaks, [Calif.]: SAGE Publications.

Fairbrothe, G. P. (2007). Quantitative and qualitative approaches to comparative education. In M. Bray, B. Adamson & M. Mason (Eds.), Comparative education research: Approaches and methods. Hong Kong: Springer.

Johnson, B & Larry Christensen, L.B. (2010), Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches. Sage Publications, Fourth Edition. Chapter 1 (Introduction to Educational Research), Chapter 2 (Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Research).

Lund, T. (2005). The qualitative–quantitative distinction: some comments. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 49(2), 115-132.

Robson, C (2011). Real World Research. Wiley-Blackwell, Third Edition. Chapter 1 (Introduction), Chapter 2 (Approaches to Social Research )

Please find the readings in pdf from REF resource -> Upload on the right hand side of this page.

A kind reminder : Assignment One, “Statement of a general research topic”, is due to September 18^th.