EDM201-Analysing Research Data in Education

Module Provider: Institute of Education
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring / Summer term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: EDM007 with a pass of at least 50%
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Anthony Zhang
Email: anthony.zhang@reading.ac.uk

Module Co-convenor: Dr David Dobraszczyk
Email: d.dobraszczyk@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Building on the work of EDM007 Investigating Education which is concerned with research design, ethics and methodologies; this module focuses on techniques of analysing research data in education. Students will develop an understanding of quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in Education, appraising data analysis techniques used in different research designs, and explore using a range of data collection techniques. They will investigate ways that research evidence is used to meet the aims of different kinds of research in education, and learn how to report the results in their own writing.

This module is taught twice to two different cohorts of students -Ìýfirst in theÌýSpringÌýterm for full-time students and then repeated in the Summer term for part-time students.Ìý The 200 contact hours are listed for the firstÌýiteration of teachingÌýinÌýthe Spring term, and these same contact hours are repeated for the second iteration of teaching in the Summer term.

Aims:

The aim of the module is to provide students with an overview of approaches to research in education in order to equip them to the knowledge and skills to understand and evaluate research studies and to carry out a small-scale personal research study for their dissertation.

Assessable learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate competence in using data analysis tools in the context of Education research


2. Report education research data in text and graphically


3. Critically evaluate data analysis methods and their application in research studies in the field of Education

Additional outcomes:

• Academic literacies in reading and critiquing qualitative and quantitative data


• IT and bibliographic skills, including the use of online educational databases and data analysis software


• Advanced numeracy and essential statistical tools

Outline content:

• Data collection methods, including experimental design, questionnaires, interviews, and case studies


• Methods for analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, including an introduction to the statistical software package SPSS


• Summarise, represent graphically and analyse data sets


• Understanding descriptive statistics


• Documentary analysis


• Understanding coding


• Presenting results in text with critical apprasal


• Appraising data analysis methods in research


• Using a range of data analysis tolls in research design

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The central content areas will be covered through lectures and presentations. Blackboard will be used to provide access to essential readings, screencasts, online self-study material, and other forms of blended learning.

Practical workshop sessions will focus on statistical analysis using SPSS, qualitative data analysis, and documentary analysis. Group activities will further collaborative learning and focus on using data analysis tools, and presenting results in text and graphically.