TLÜ ÕIS

Methodology of Educational Research

Course code

KAI7012.HR

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Uurimistöö alused

Course title in English

Methodology of Educational Research

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

assessment

lecturer of 2025/2026 Autumn semester

Kai Pata (language of instruction:Estonian)
Meril Ümarik (language of instruction:Estonian)
Anne-Mai Meesak (language of instruction:Estonian)

lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring semester

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

Course aims

- to form an understanding of scientific paradigms, the nature of research, methodology and the components of the research process in the social and educational sciences; - to support the formation of skills for a practical information search and reading trustworthy sources; - to support the formation of the competences necessary for carrying out research; - to support the development of the student as an independent ethical researcher.

Brief description of the course

Science, scientific paradigm and scientific research; interpretative revolution in the social sciences; the specific nature of the social and educational sciences and the implementation of the scientific method in the educational field. Research design/construction: quantitative, qualitative and combined design. Information search following the specialised field and the focus of research in order to find scientific sources (types of information sources and ways of searching); the principles and process of academic writing; referencing and referencing software; plagiarism. The main components of educational scientific research: research topic and problem, the place of theory in different types of research, research question, hypothesis, method, sample, data collection and analysis, results and their trustworthiness; submission and application of results. Creating a research plan. In addition to lectures, specialised seminars will take place in smaller groups throughout the course where research problems from the specific field, research directions and one's own research ideas will be discussed, as well as an interim version of the research plan.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- is familiar with the main bases of scientific methodology, principles and methods of scientific research in the social and educational sciences;
- is able to find, assess and use trustworthy scientific sources;
- knows the process of scientific research and its key parts;
- critically evaluates their action in setting research questions;
- creates a considered and coherent research plan;
- analyses themselves as an independent ethical researcher.

Teacher

Meril Ümarik, PhD jt.

Study programmes containing that course