Research in Education

Objectives

1. To explain the rationale underlying the choice of specific research approaches
2. To properly formulate research problems
3. To write research questions that meet accepted standards of scientific quality
4. To develop scientifically relevant and formally consistent analytic models
5. To consistently prepare rigorous and feasible empirical research proposals
6. To select, in a reasoned manner, sources and participants to join an empirical study
7. To properly select, build and use adequate data collection tools
8. To adequately select quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques
9. To develop a research report, structured on the basis of standard benchmarks established in the scientific community
10. To ensure, in an intentional and explicit way, the ethical integrity of the research process

Program

1. Research as a mode of knowledge
2. Dilemmas and ethical procedures in the development of research practice
3. The choice of a research theme
4. Construction of the problem: the literature review and references list
5. Definition of the research problem and of the main research questions
6. Main approaches to research
7. The planning of the research and the preparation of a research proposal
8. Exploration of the research theme
9. Construction of the analytic model
10. Selection of the participants
11. Data collection: the main instruments
12. Basic strategies of qualitative and quantitative data analysis
13. The final report

Teaching Methodologies

The curriculum unit adopts an applied methodology focusing on the active role of the student. The themes chosen for these activities will be oriented to the learning and training of research skills and will result from a diagnosis of students’ needs and interests. The predominant work model will be the cooperative group. There will be extensive use of the computer in the training and application of learning. The learning will rely heavily on research activity simulations and on their analysis and discussion. An ongoing evaluation system will be adopted, supported on products developed by the students throughout the semester. Each task will be subject to an evaluation, on a scale of 1 to 20, and each student’s end-of-semester grade will be the average of the scores that he or she has obtained in the different tasks.

Bibliography

Anderson, G. (1990). Fundamentals of educational research. London: The Falmer Press.
Bogdan, R., & Biklen, S. (1994). Investigação qualitativa em educação: uma introdução à teoria e aos métodos. Porto: Porto Editora.
Foddy, W. (2002). Como perguntar: teoria e prática da construção de perguntas em entrevistas e questionários. Oeiras: Celta.
Ghiglione, R., & Matalon, B. (1997). O inquérito: teoria e prática. Oeiras: Celta Editora.
Hill, M. M., & Hill, A. (2000). Investigação por questionário. Lisboa: Edições Sílabo.
Lima, J. Á., & Pacheco, J. A. (2006). Fazer investigação. Porto: Porto Editora.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Quivy, R., & Campenhoudt, L. V. (1998). Manual de investigação em ciências sociais. Lisboa: Gradiva.