Faculty of Humanities and Education (Postgraduate) - The University ...

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POSTGRADUATE REGULATIONS & SYLLABUSES 2012 - 2013
THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES & EDUCATION
(Psychology)
Ackerman, P. L., Kyllonen, P. C., & Roberts, R. D. (Eds.). (1998).
Learning and individual differences: Process, trait and content
determinants. Washington, DC: APA.
Anderson, J. R. (2000). Cognitive psychology and its implications
(5 th ed.). New York: Worth Publications.
Eggen, P., & Kauchak, D. (2004). Educational psychology: Windows
on classrooms (6th ed.). Upper Saddle Rivers, NJ: Prentice
Hall.
Garbarino, J., Stott, F. M., & Faculty of the Erikson Institute. (1992).
What children can tell us. San Franscico, CA: Jossey Bass.
Gardner, H. (1991). The unschooled mind: How children think and
how schools should teach. New York: Basic Books.
Linn, R., & Miller, M. (2005). Measurement and ASSESSMENT in
teaching (9 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Teele, S. (2000). Rainbows of intelligence: Exploring how students
learn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Thomas, R. (2000). Comparing theories of child development (5 th
ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
YEAR:
SEMESTER:
COURSE CODE: EDRS 6208
COURSE TITLE: FUNDAMENTALS OF EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH I
NUMBER OF CREDITS: 4
COURSE DESCRIPTION: There are two compulsory courses in
research methodology. These provide a general introduction to
the philosophical foundations and methodological strategies of
research in education. They explore the nature of educational
research and the origins and uses of different research
methodologies. Specifically, the courses focus on educational
research informed by the empirical-analytical and naturalistic
traditions.
A prominent feature of these courses will be small-group,
interactive sessions designed to assist students in the
identification and formulation of research problems and issues.
A guiding principle is that education is an applied discipline and
that educational research must be driven by a need to improve
education in certain justifiable ways. Thus, the courses will treat
with both the technical side of research as well as its ideological
dimensions.
OBJECTIVES
The student will be able to:
1. describe the nature of educational research;
2. use educational theory in order to select and identify
significant research issues;
3. formulate research problems;
4. design appropriate tools and instruments for
investigation;
5. use the various statistical forms of data analysis;
6. reflect on and analyse issues and dilemmas in educational
research;
7. develop competence in the interpretation and evaluation
of educational research findings.
CONTENT
• The nature of educational research.Education as an applied
discipline. The relevance of educational theory to research
• Sourcesofevidenceinresearch.Identifyingandformulating
research problems. Selection of methods in educational
research
• Research and knowledge utilisation
• Reporting of educational research
• Designing and implementing research in the empiricalanalytical
tradition. Positivist approaches to research:
• the research plan: ethical considerations, sampling
design, data collection
• descriptive research
• experimental research
• descriptive data analysis
measures of central tendency
measures of variability
measures of relationship – correlations
• inferential data analysis testing statistical significance
non-parametric tests
• use of computer software in data analysis
• preparing a research proposal
ASSESSMENT
This course will be assessed through coursework (40%) and a
final examination (60%).
REFERENCES
Best, J., & Khan, J. (1998). Research in education. Boston, MA: Allyn
& Bacon.
Gall, M. D., Borg, W. R., & Gall, J. P. (2003). Educational research: An
introduction (7 th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Cohen, L., & Holliday, M. (1984). Statistics for social scientists.
London: Harper and Row.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in
education (5 th ed.). London: Routledge.
Gorard, S. (2001). Quantitative methods in educational research.
London: Continuum.
Keeves, J., & Lakomski, G. (Eds.). (1999). Issues in educational
research. Amsterdam: Pergamon.
Linn, R. (1990). Quantitative methods. New York: Macmillan.
Pring, R. (2000). Philosophy of educational research. London:
Continuum.
Wellington, J. (2000). Educational research. London: Continuum.