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Qualitative Research Methodology - EDST5120
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Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
 
 
School:  School of Education
 
 
Course Outline: http://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/education/
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Postgraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 8
 
 
EFTSL: 0.167 (more info)
 
 
Contact Hours per Week: 2
 
 
Fee Band: 5 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

Focuses on the examination of the different types of qualitative method in educational research. Various aspects of investigation are treated: ethnographic methods, interview techniques, formation of questionnaires, data collection (and what to do with it), processes of inquiry and ways of communication (multi-media). Emphasises the construction of text, written, verbal and non-verbal (art, music), discourse and content analysis, the types of discourse formation and the relationship between information and theory.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
  • Identify the different types of qualitative methods in educational research and their application
  • Examine different theories and frameworks of qualitative methodology, eg. Positivism to Epistemology, Structuralism to Post Modernism
  • Recognise the application of quantitative techniques in qualitative research designs
  • Formulate a research objective and research design or proposal
  • Develop skills in questioning and asking questions for interviews, questionnaires and surveys
  • Understand and apply Ethnographic methods
  • Become aware of the different positions of the researcher out in the field, eg. Participant Observer
  • Have a clear understanding of the various approaches to fieldwork research, eg. Case studies, Life Histories
  • Have a clear understanding of Theoretical frameworks, such as, Grounded Theory and Action research
  • Apply skills of textual analysis: Coding and Content Analysis
  • Make sense of archival sources, primary sources, photographs, films etc
  • Gain knowledge in the construction of narratives and texts
  • Acquire a fundamental understanding of ethics in qualitative research
  • Gain a deeper understanding of the ethical position of the studied "subject", particular in regards to children and young people
  • Gain knowledge about qualitative software like NVivo which have capacities of coding, theory building and sorting large amounts of qualitative data.

Assessment

  • Interview/transcription coding - 30%
  • Seminar presentation - 20%
  • Essay or project (4000 words) - 50%

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