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700140ASSESSMENTBRIEF.pptxAssessments brief
Research Proposal (60%) [3000 words] LO1, LO3, LO4
Research Skills Portfolio (40%) [2000 words/equivalent] LO2
Learning Outcomes
RESEARCH SKILLS PORTFOLIO
LO2: Develop the skills and understanding necessary to plan, design, implement, evaluate and present an independent research project
PROPOSAL
LO1: Engage critically with education-related research, drawing on this to reflect on how they are positioned within the context of their preferred line of inquiry
LO3: Engage critically with research literature to identify the most appropriate methodology, methods and resources to conduct an independent piece of education-related research.
LO4: Develop main and subsidiary research questions and design a project that utilises appropriate methodology, methods and resources with which to address them.
Research Skills Portfolio(40% [2000 words/equivalent] LO2)
The portfolio will contain the following four elements:
An evaluation of the student’s research skills using the RDF framework with targets set
Evidence of how the targets have been/are being met
A critical reflection on the student’s positionality
A completed draft ethics form
These will be submitted to Canvas as ONE document
Also see Session 1 recording for more details on the RDF
An evaluation of the student’s research skills using the RDF framework with targets set
The RDF framework provides a ‘list’ of research skills in different domains
Use the activities and resources on Canvas to assess your prior experience and learning e.g. Research Skills Evaluation Grid
Using the framework, identify which skills you already have and those which you feel you need to develop to become an effective researcher
Set some development targets, for example:
TARGET 1 – to develop my critical thinking skills
TARGET 2 – to develop my knowledge of research theory
Then consider how you are going to achieve those targets
How you record this is up to you, there is an example of an individual development plan on Canvas that you can adapt
Evidence of how the targets have been/are being met
Once you have set your targets you need to provide evidence of how they have been met
As researcher development is an ongoing process some of them may not have been completed by the end of the module
Examples:
Taking part in an online webinar
Completing a critical thinking exercise
Records of discussions with colleagues, module tutors, supervisors
Completing one of the Open University online courses
A critical reflection on the student’s positionality
This will be part of the session in week 8 when you will be asked to critically reflect on:
Why your research question is important to you
How might your biography shape how you approach your research?
Are you an insider-researcher?
Who are you and how does this inform the way that you approach research?
It will consider factors such as gender, ethnicity and beliefs that ‘position’ us within our research
A completed draft ethics form
Completing a draft ethics form will help to ‘shape’ your research as you will be able to address the ethical aspects of your proposed project
You will need to consider questions regarding:
Your participants
Your research approach
Confidentiality
Anonymity
Data protection
Informed consent
This will provide an opportunity to practice completing an ethics application in preparation for your dissertation
There is also a session on this on the MA Dissertation site
Research Proposal
(60% [3000 words] LO 1, LO3, LO4)
Completing a research proposal demonstrate the skills which will be necessary to conduct research for the dissertation. Crafting a proposal helps to consolidate the students’ understanding of the research principles addressed in the module, including:
Critical engagement with the principles of educational research
The positionality of the researcher
Critical appraisal of educational policy and practice
Research proposal
Written in sections with subheadings
Not all subheadings will be relevant to all students
See example on Canvas – Extracts from a research proposal
A plan of how the proposed research will be carried out
Details of:
Research topic
Aims, rationale
Main research question and sub-questions
Research context
Research methodology and methods
Ethical considerations
Suggested Sections for the proposal
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Conceptualisation
Context – professional/organisational/policy
Methodology – epistemology/ontology/method/approach/limitations
Ethics – access/informed consent/anonymity/confidentiality
References
Write about the ‘research’ not the ‘researcher’
