From research methods to methodical researcher: Addressing dissertation students’ preparation for independent inquiry Michael Hast School of Management and Social Sciences

Introduction Research as important personal discovery experience for undergraduates (Hunter et al., 2007)

Introduction Research methods integral part of most undergraduate degree programmes (Todd et al., 2004) ▫ Success depends on motivations, course contents and how these contents are taught (Mutz & Daniel, 2013) But students do not feel sufficiently prepared to carry out independent research projects (Allin, 2010) ▫ Students excluded from academic world of research (Jenkins & Healey, 2011)

Introduction Overall satisfaction Pitch of teaching

Introduction Students have to fall back on what they have already learnt, re-evaluate knowledge and skills ▫ Engage with own learning, understand what is known and what needs to be known (Pritchard, 2009) Important to understand effect the dissonance between theory and practice may have ▫ Are students adequately prepared to enter the stage of applying their research methods knowledge? ▫ What is necessary for their inclusion in the research community?

Present research How well does the research methods module prepare students for their dissertation? How confident do students feel about carrying out research? How well do dissertation students feel the module has helped them?

Key findings: Theory Second-years ▫ Satisfied with how theory was explained to them ▫ Felt well prepared ▫ Expressed being “more aware of the different methods for researching and their strengths and weaknesses” Third-years ▫ Equally high agreement rates about module ▫ Heightened awareness of “various ways that data could be collected” ▫ But helpful to have “examples of different data collection that had been used in real research projects”

Key findings: Practice Second-years ▫ Some positives, e.g. being “more aware now of the problems surrounding research such as ethics” ▫ But lack of awareness of how to actively carry out research when in the field ▫ Proposed incorporating “real research practice” as well as “relevant examples e.g. of past students … and the problems they had, how they overcame them” Third-years ▫ Generally positive perception of practical preparedness ▫ However, “there could have been more of an emphasis to pilot research methods”

Key findings: Assessment Second-years ▫ Research proposal was appropriate ▫ Appreciation for usefulness of seeing “the similar layout between the proposal and the dissertation and how to approach such a piece of work” Third-years ▫ Proposal “prepared a foundation … to work from” ▫ Useful to approaching dissertation as a whole piece – “it was obviously helpful in terms of getting a rough idea of what had to be done in the third year”

Key findings: Dissertation Second-years felt prepared but expressed lack of confidence in approaching research Third-years reported similar perceptions ▫ “A good experience writing a dissertation” ▫ Easy to relate “the theory … to the appropriate responses from participants” ▫ But difficult to “produce the right questions” ▫ Hard to “transcribe the data and find meaning” ▫ “The methodology section was quite daunting” ▫ Difficult finding “appropriate structure to communicate … findings”

Discussion Appropriate preparation crucial, particularly where range of paradigms and methods is available (Healey, 2005) ▫ But emphasis on talking about research (Ryan et al., 2014) Hands on experience with research to gain appropriate confidence in becoming independent researchers ▫ Makes learning experiences more meaningful (Edwards et al., 2007) ▫ Active incorporation of students into practice of a community (Brew, 2003)

Conclusion Lessons to be learnt ▫ Research methods in particular ▫ Module evaluations in general, where one module has direct impact on another Listening to students in designing and evaluating modules ▫ The student voice (O’Neill & McMahon, 2012) ▫ Staff and students working together in design process (Sandover et al., 2012) ▫ League table ratings (Swain, 2010)

References Allin, L. (2010). Linking research, teaching and learning within the discipline: Evaluating student learning through “real life” research in sports development. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 9, Brew, A. (2003). Teaching and research: New relationships and their implications for inquiry-based teaching and learning in higher education. Higher Education Research and Development, 22, Edwards, A., Jones, S.M., Wapstra, E., & Richardson, A.M.M. (2007). Engaging students through authentic research experiences. UniServe Science Teaching and Learning Research Proceedings, Healey, M. (2005). Linking research and teaching to benefit student learning. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 29, Hunter, A.-B., Laursen, S.L., & Seymour, E. (2007). Becoming a scientist: The role of undergraduate research in students’ cognitive, personal, and professional development. Science Education, 91, Jenkins, A., & Healey, M. (2011). Navigating between teaching, learning and inquiry: Developing students as researchers. The International HETL Review, 1, Mutz, R., & Daniel, H.-D. (2013). University and student segmentation: Multilevel latent-class analysis of students’ attitudes towards research methods and statistics. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, O’Neill, G., & McMahon, S. (2012). Giving student groups a stronger voice: Using participatory research and action (PRA) to initiate change to a curriculum. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2, Pritchard, A. (2009). Ways of learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom. Oxford: Routledge. Ryan, M., Saunders, C., Rainsford, E., & Thompson, E. (2014). Improving research methods teaching and learning in politics and international relations: A ‘reality show’ approach. Learning and Teaching in Politics and International Studies, 34, Sandover, S., Partridge, L., Dunne, E., & Burkill, S. (2012). Undergraduate researchers change learning and teaching: A case study in Australia and the United Kingdom. CUR Quarterly, 33, Swain, H. (2010, June 08). Universities that put students first come top. The Guardian. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from Todd, M., Bannister, P., & Clegg, S. (2004). Independent inquiry and the undergraduate dissertation: Perceptions and experiences of final-year social science students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 29,

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