TLÜ ÕIS

Research Methods

Course code

DTI7002.DT

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Uurimismeetodid

Course title in English

Research Methods

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

assessment

lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester

Pirgit Sillaots (language of instruction:Estonian)

lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

- to create preconditions for the development of knowledge and skills for planning, conducting and presenting research in educational technology, informatics and information science;
- to support the development of understanding of modern research paradigm and scientific research process and methods;
- to create preconditions for orientation in various research methodologies, strategies, designs, methods and techniques;
- to develop skills for formulating the research problem and questions and finding appropriate methods and theoretical explanations for research;
- to support the development of critical thinking and analytical skills, oral and written self-expression skills, and research evaluation and independent work skills.

Brief description of the course

The course consists of the following topics:
1.The nature of scientific research and its characteristics. Philosophical foundations of research.
2.The scientific research process. Finding a research topic. Problem statement, formulation of hypotheses and research questions. The development of the literature review. Selection of research methods. The data collection process. The data analysis process. Presentation of research results.
3. Research design. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods design.
4. Research strategies: experiment, survey research, case study, action and developmental research, phenomenology, ethnography, phenomenography and narrative research, grounded theory, Delphi study, metatheoretical research etc.
5. Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Questionnaire. Interview (group interview). Observation. Document analysis. Data recording.
6. Quantitative data analysis and interpretation. Statistical methods. Comparative method. Computer-based programmes (SPSS).
7. Qualitative data analysis and interpretation. Content analysis. Thematic analysis. Discourse analysis. Computer-based programmes (NVivo).
8. Ethical and quality criteria of data collection and analysis. Ethics of science, researcher and research. Reliability and validity of research. Trustworthiness of qualitative research (credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability, authenticity), inference quality, inference transferability.
9. Referencing, reference management and reference systems. Plagiarism and plagiarism detection systems.
10. Presentation, analysis and completing of research project.
11. Modern research designs in educational technology, informatics and information science. Most common epistemological problem statements, strategies, and methods of analysis.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- understands the nature of research, philosophical foundations of research and the scientific research process;
- has knowledge on different research designs, strategies, methods and techniques;
- has insight into the criteria for research quality and ethically sound research and is able critically analyze and evaluate the quality of research;
- is able to think critically and systematically, work independently, define the research problem and to set a professional research questions/hypotheses and to select appropriate study strategies and methods to address them;
- is able to plan and effectively carry out research;
- is able to present research results orally and in writing.

Teacher

Sirje Virkus

The course is a prerequisite

Master's Seminar (INT7168.DT)

Additional information

Kontakttundides osalemine on kohustuslik. Arvestuse saamiseks peavad kõik individuaalsed ja grupitööd olema esitatud õigeaegselt.

Study programmes containing that course