MA International Education (TESOL)

The course unit will introduce the following content areas:

• Key concepts in qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, literature-based, creative, and policy and document-based research methodology;
• Understanding of research design and practice using: interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, and desk-based methods
• Research design and research question development
• Data analysis

Students will be expected to complete up to seven hours of private study, including directed reading, independent reading, learning activities, and preparation before each face-to-face seminar.

• Private study is likely to include:
• Watching pre-recorded lectures or videos
• Required and suggested readings
• Guided writing tasks  
• Participating in discussion boards 

To introduce the key principles and practices of research methods in the field of education.

Seminar 1: Introduction to research design

Seminar 2: Research questions and ethics

Seminar 3: Research paradigms and participant sampling

Seminar 4: Introduction to quantitative methods

Seminar 5: Introduction to qualitative methods

Seminar 6: Introduction to policy and document analysis

Seminar 7: Introduction to literature-based studies

Seminar 8: Writing up findings; Preparing your research proposal

Research Methods Pathways: Seminars 9, 10, 11
Qualitative Methods Pathway
Seminar 9: Content analysis and thematic analysis

Seminar 10: Critical discourse analysis

Seminar 11: Writing about qualitative findings

Quantitative Methods Pathway
Seminar 9: Overview of quantitative methods

Seminar 10: T-test and ANOVA

Seminar 11: Correlation and Chi-Squared

Literature-Based Methods Pathway

Seminar 9: Literature reviews: Developing themes

Seminar 10: Literature reviews: Structure and writing

Seminar 11: Choosing your dissertation topic and method

Policy and Document Analysis Methods Pathway

Seminar 9: Overview of document and policy analysis

Seminar 10: Content and thematic analysis

This unit provides students with the opportunity to develop academic skills including: designing a research project; writing research questions; evaluating research methods for data collection and analysis; understanding research ethics; engaging in critical and reflexive research practices

The unit also provides students with the opportunity to develop professional skills valuable in enhancing their employability, including: enhanced writing skills; digital skills; problem solving skills; group working skills  

Onsite mode learning and teaching processes will include seminar style sessions, to include introductory lecture by the course tutor, in class discussions, small group activities, presentations, critical reading, case studies, as well as self-directed work and reading outside of class, including online materials and activities through blended learning. Tutorials will be offered once in the semester. 

• Design data generation instruments appropriate for their area of education;
• Know how to generate data using the instruments they have developed, including sampling strategies;
• Consider the ethical implications of their research practices and, according to context, know how to apply appropriate procedures/safeguards.
• Identify and define a research problem, and to subsequently design, develop and complete a research project in the field of education.
• Demonstrate understanding of research design: how research methodology is selected given a problem, how the data are analysed and interpreted; how research is reported; and the implications of the findings to theory, research and practice.

• Understand the centrality of the role of the researcher in the generation of qualitative and quantitative data and research;
• As appropriate to their research approach, be reflexive about their own perspectives/practices;
• Critique their own and others’ research accounts;
• Understand key concepts of validity, reliability and trustworthiness in qualitative research, and consider the validity, reliability and trustworthiness of their own work.
• Critically reflect on the processes of research and to be able to apply appropriate methodological tools in the design and implementation of their research projects.
• Critically reflect upon their role in the generation and analysis of data.

• Effectively contribute to debates about educational research in a range of different contexts and from different perspectives.

• Written communication; by explaining and defending their understanding of literature, their research design and their findings.
• Information Technology; use the internet to research their chosen field as well as have access to other appropriate software and technology that may assist in the generation and analysis of research
• Problem solving; identifying a significant research issue and by rigorous research approaches draw and make appropriate recommendations.
• Working with others; by engaging in group activities which furthers the research of others and the student's own research.

15 working days after submission, via TurnItIn 

Allwright, D. (2005). Developing principles for practitioner research: The case of Exploratory Practice. The Modern Language Journal, 89(3): 353 -366.
Best, S. (2012). Understanding and Doing Successful Research. Harlow: Pearson.

Black, T. (1999). Doing Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences: an integrated approach to research design, measurement and statistics. London: Sage.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022).  Thematic analysis: a practical guide. SAGE Publications  

Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2011). Research Methods in Education (7th edition). London: Routledge Falmer.
Creswell, J.W. & Crewswell, J.D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 5th ed. London, United Kingdom: SAGE.

Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language. Routledge.

Forbes, C. and Kerr, K. (2023) Endogenous assets-mapping: a new approach to conceptualizing assets in order to understand young people’s capabilities and how these relate to their desired educational outcomes in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, Cambridge Journal of Education, 53:1, 117-133.

Gray, D. (2013). Doing research in the real world. London, United Kingdom: SAGE.

Hamilton, L. and Corbett-Whittier (2013). Using Case Study in Education Research. London: BERA.
Hanna, H. (2022). Recognising silence and absence as part of multivocal storytelling in and through wordless picturebooks: Migrant learners in South Africa engaging with The Arrival. Literacy.

Holliday, A. (2007). Doing and Writing Qualitative Research (2nd edition). London; Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Howes, A. and Miles, S. (2015) Representation and exploitation: Using photography to explore education. In S. Miles and A. Howes, Photography in Educational Research: Critical Reflections from Diverse Contexts. Abingdon: Routledge

Huang, Z. (2022) The use of blind-portrait: an opportunity to deessentialise intercultural, educational research, Language and Intercultural Communication.

Kara, H. (2020) Creative Research Methods in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide. Bristol: Policy Press.

Lambert, M. (2012). A Beginner’s Guide to Doing Your Education Research Project. London: Sage.

Miles, S. and Ainscow, M. (2011) Responding to diversity: An inquiry-based approach. London: Routledge.

Mullet, D. R. (2018). A general critical discourse analysis framework for educational research. Journal of Advanced Academics, 29(2), 116-142.

Punch, K. (2000). Developing Effective Research Proposals. London: Sage.

Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., McNaughton Nicholls, C., & Ormston, R. (eds.) (2014). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. London, UK: SAGE.

Wright, D. B. (2002). First Steps in Statistics. London: Sage.