MEd program students must complete MDDE601 & MDDE602 prior to all other courses.
Early access to the Moodle Learning Management System begins a few days before the official start date of your course. At that time you will have limited course access.
Overview
This core course addresses the subject of research design and data collection methods. It focuses on the tenets of sound research practice to allow students to make reasoned judgments about research they read or undertake and to understand the relationship between research and knowledge development in open, digital, and distance education.
On completion of MDDE 602, students will be able to evaluate project design, data collection, and data analyses common in academic and professional journals. Students who wish to complete a thesis will have foundational knowledge in research design and methods, including a decision-making framework for identifying research questions and choosing an appropriate research design. This course introduces students to how GenAI is currently being used in research and in academic publishing.
Outline
Module 1 Science, Social Science and the Construction of Knowledge
Unit 1 History of Science and Research Methods
Unit 2 Epistemology, Theory and Research
Module 2 Understanding Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis
Unit 1 Creating A Research Design
Unit 2 Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis
Module 3 Understanding Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis
Unit 1 Qualitative Data Collection
Unit 2 Analyzing Qualitative Data
Module 4 Engaging the Research Enterprise
Unit 1 The Knowledge Base and Ethics in Research
Unit 2 Dissemination and Politics of Research Findings
Learning outcomes
The goals of the course are to provide you with the following:
Understanding the research process: It is the role of those with a graduate-level education to manage society’s knowledge base, such that it is an appropriate and useable entity to guide and shape human existence. The research process is the mechanism by which society’s knowledge base is developed and managed. Understanding the research process teaches students how new knowledge is generated and evaluated, and former knowledge is checked, replicated and reconstituted.
Differentiating between small "r" and big "R" research: In this course, small ‘r’ research means research completed to develop and inform our individual knowledge and decisions. Small "r" research taps the collective knowledge base in order to develop our own! Big "R" research refers to adding to the collective knowledge held by society. Big “R" research starts with a comprehensive understanding of what society knows about a topic. Research is then designed to replicate, verify, or augment what is already known. This research may be descriptive, exploratory (in reference to possible relationships between concepts), or explanatory (testing the plausibility of cause and effect relationships between concepts). Graduate education focuses on big "R" research.
Becoming an informed consumer: Students will understand the research process so they can analyse and evaluate research concepts, designs, and processes. For students who wish to be discerning ‘consumers’ of knowledge, this course is adequate. For students who wish to become researchers themselves, additional courses in specific research methods and research tools are required.
Becoming critical thinkers: Learning about and informing research activity facilitates the development of well-reasoned arguments. Learning the process of identifying a sound research or project question requires exposure to and understanding of a rational, careful, and thorough thought process. In addition, identification of the research question must be made in reference to an already well-reasoned body of literature. Analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating current knowledge on an issue or question is a central part of the research design process.
Evaluation
Your grade will be based on three assignments and your participation in the course.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1: Analyzing Quantitative Data
30%
Assignment 2: Analyzing Qualitative Data
30%
Assignment 3: Research Article Critique
30%
Conference participation
10%
Total
100%
Materials
Neuman, W. L. (2011). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (7th ed.). Toronto: Pearson. (eText)
Statistics Without Tears: An Introduction for Non-Mathematicians 2018 Derek Rowntree (Print)
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.