MSc Research Methods with International Development

Reflection, reflective practice and relevance of reflexivity in the research process.

Critical reflection and narration as ways of making sense of experience and becoming reflective thinkers. This includes an overview of models of reflection and of the parallels with the process of narrating and developing meaning from experience.

Researcher reflexivity and its effects in the research process/project. This includes an overview of the notions of ‘mapping multiple routes’, ‘self-inquiry’, ‘ethical considerations’, and ‘reflexivity across research paradigms’.

Reflexivity within relationships. This includes an overview of the notions of ‘intersubjectivity, co-construction of meaning, hermeneutic reflection and shared meanings.

An overview of the following literature: ‘getting ideas for research’, ‘developing a research proposal’ and ‘reflecting on existent research projects.’

Reach decisions regarding their position in relation to the social, cultural and political context of the research topic. This includes an overview of literature on ‘researcher positionality’.

Provide an overview of currently relevant theory in the area of researcher reflexivity and examine its implications in the development of a research proposal, either based on future or existent research project.

Based on the alternatives above:

Provide opportunities for students to reach decisions regarding their research proposal and reflect on such decision-making process (in case the proposal is based on future research)

Provide opportunities for students to reflect on a research project and the decisions taken along the way (in case the proposal is based on a project in which students are already involved).

Provide opportunities for students to develop, enhance, operationalise and articulate their researcher reflexivity to their peers.

This unit will involve a variety of lessons and learning methods such as lectures, and reflective seminars, as well as a combination of these two and online discussion boards. Initial weeks (weeks 1-5) of the unit mainly involve lectures. From week 6 to week 11, learners engage in a combination of lectures and group reflective practice through reflective seminars. This combined approach aims to provide learners with opportunities to develop, enhance and operationalise their researcher reflexivity as they engage in the development of their research proposal through individual and group reflective practice.

Have developed their understandings of the key concepts comprising the following literature: reflection, narrated lived experiences, researcher reflexivity, research paradigms and researcher positionality;

Have an enhanced awareness of how researcher reflexivity informs the decisions they take whilst they develop a research proposal, either based on future or existent research project;

Have a greater understanding of their own reflective style

Reach decisions about their proposed research project and critically reflect on such decisions or critically reflect on an existing research project they are involved in;

Critically reflect on who they are as researchers and on the factors that influence their decision making process;

Synthesise relevant literature on researcher reflexivity, relating it to their proposed future or existing research project (in case they are already involved in existent research), and including the relationship with epistemology.

Map and present to their peers their reflective journey through their research proposal, thus, operationalise their researcher reflexivity;

Give and receive peer-feedback to develop further senses of their reflective journey and thus, research proposal.

Enhance skills in academic literacies: interpret different kinds of texts, understand the relations between different concepts;

Enhance skills to reflect upon their research journey (i.e. reflect on the development of their research proposal or an specific research project);

Articulate their understandings of themselves as researchers to others;

Enhance skills in engaging with group reflective practice, teamwork, peer-feedback and collaboration;

Enhance skills in using information and communication technologies (ICT);

Enhance skills of autonomy and motivation to understand their development as researchers.

Peer-feedback (formative assessment)

Tutor-feedback (Summative and formative assessment)