| Unit name | Research Methods (Online) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MEEDM0043 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Steve Jennings |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
No prior units are required. However, applicants must be practising health care professionals, who must also have some teaching responsibility during the duration of study. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
Are you interested in medical research and/or improving the educational experiences of your students and colleagues? Would you like to know how to plan and conduct a project of your own focused on your own expertise or areas of interest? If so, this unit is for you!
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit contributes to the TLHP programme’s overarching objectives to:
The unit also draws on key elements of the programme’s philosophy of learning as a social enterprise in which there is an active exchange of ideas, between students and also between students and tutors.
This is a TB4 unit. It is a compulsory unit for the HPE (TLHP) Postgraduate Diploma. The unit will provide students with transferable knowledge and skills relevant to other cross-cutting HPE (TLHP) PG Diploma units, including Technology Enhanced Learning,Exploring Contemporary Issues in Health Care Professional Education,Leading in Education and Training.
An overview of content
This is a mandatory unit for the Distance Learning MSc in Teaching andLearning for Health Professionals. The Unit is important in developing the appropriate knowledge of and skills in research so that students will be able to carry out their dissertation confidently and competently, whatever their background in relation to research may be.
The Unit covers an exploration of the basic assumptions underlying the social science research process, critical appraisal of the literature, research design, data collection, data analysis, sampling, ethics and research quality, with the researcher's position central to the process. These concepts will be applied to primary and secondary research. Participants who have already done research themselves may well have some of the relevant skills, but this unit is important in highlighting the processes of applying them to an
educational focus rather than a clinical or scientific one.
How will students, personally, be different as result of the unit
Our students often start the unit predominantly with quantitative expertise. This unit both allows exploration in quantitative methods in a field new to students, medical education, as well as broadening understanding of research traditions that might be new, namely qualitative research. Previous students have discussed how this unit has changed their outlook and opened a new avenue to research, and given them confidence to effectively undertake their own medical education research projects. For many, this will culminate in a dissertation in a field relevant to their professional experience.
Learning outcomes
Through taught sessions and independent study activities, on completion of this unit, students will have:
How you will learn
There will be a mixed method approach consistent with current best practice. This may include both F2F and online content, presentations by course tutors, large and small group discussions, workshops, teamwork, individual between-session research activities, reflective exercises and presentations by participants with structured feedback.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Formative assessment will include a range of between study day tasks, such as:
questionnaire
These tasks will form the basis of key sections of the summative assignment, notably the critical justification of research design choices relating to methodology/process, methods and analysis.
In addition, there will be peer and tutor feedback on presentation of your draft outline research proposal.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
An assignment cromprising of 4,000 words. This totals 100% of the final grade.
You will be required to write a research proposal designed to explore the research focus that you are thinking for a master's project or other professional project.
You will be provided with a proforma based on authentic proposal/grant application forms from education and social science fields.
When assessment does not go to plan
If you do not pass the unit, you will nomrally be given the opportunity to take a reassessemtn as per the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes. Decisions on the awared of reassessment will normally be taken after all taught units of the year have been completed.
Reassessment will normally be in a similar format to the original assessment that has been failed.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MEEDM0043).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
