Research Methods in Early Childhood Education 1
6 ECTS
Research Methods in Early Childhood Education 1
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Module Description
This introductory module provides a comprehensive overview of research methods, focusing on the fundamentals of conducting research in Early Childhood Education (ECE). It covers research design, data collection, data analysis, and the ethical implications of research.
Key Learning Areas:
- Research Process: Participants will explore all phases of the research process, enhancing their skills in literature searching and review, and learning to differentiate between primary and secondary sources.
- Research Methods: The module introduces qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Participants will apply these methods in case scenarios, assessing research questions and objectives within the ECE field.
- Ethical Considerations: Ethical aspects of research will be integrated into discussions of each topic, ensuring participants understand the responsibilities involved in research.
Designed for beginners, this module sets the foundation for further study in Research Methods 2, equipping participants with the initial tools needed to engage in and critique ECE research.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course will possess:
- A full qualification at MQF level 4 in Early Childhood Education and SEC/Ordinary Level passes in Mathematics, English and Maltese.
OR
- 2 Advanced Level passes and 2 Intermediate Level passes including 2 subjects from Mathematics, English, Maltese.
A pass at SEC/Ordinary Level in the subject that is not presented at advanced/intermediate level from the 3 specified above. - In the case of students who do not possess all the formal required academic qualifications, then the RPL process could be applied such that if evidence of equivalent learning, related to the area of study of this programme, is found then the applicant could still be accepted in the course. Such RPL process will subject applicants to an interview held with a board of experts within the field, chosen specifically by IDEA College, so as to verify their experiences and prior learning.
IDEA College’s RPL policy can be accessed through this link
Furthermore, it will be advised to students at entry point that before going on placements, they will need to be in possession of:
- The POMA (Protection of Minors Application) certificate.
- A first-aid certificate prior to commening placement practice.
- A valid police conduct certificate.
Target Audience
This programme has the following target groups:
- Individuals who are approaching the field of Early Childhood Education.
- Individuals who have been working in the field as a means of capacity building.
- Individuals looking to advance to Kindergarten Educator III role.
Module / Unit Instructions
The proposed structure comprises a blended approach promoting the building of a community of practice via peer-to-peer learning. The structure uses primarily two dimensions of teaching-learning modes:
- Face to Face sessions
Face-to-face sessions include lectures, tutorials, discussions, presentations and workshop activities promoting peer-to-peer learning.
- Online Learning Activities
Online learning activities incorporate tutorials and asynchronous discussions. These may consist of active interaction, participation and contributions in fora discussions, sharing resources and self-reflection exercises. Learners also contribute to the building of the community of practice by providing feedback to their peers as critical friends, enhancing the learner’s critical engagement throughout the study period.
How you’ll be assessed
The course comprises:
- Evening classes for part-time courses.
- Classes held throughout the day for full-time courses.
- Guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos.
- Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.
Assessment
Assessment is carried out via two mandatory components:
- Assessment 1
- Assessment 2
The programme includes different forms of assessment which allow for and promote students’ critical engagement. The assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules.
Learning Outcomes
Competences:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
- Analyse the fundamentals of research including research ethics and research approaches.
- Identify the skills needed when searching for and reviewing literature.
- Be able to formulate research questions and design appropriate research.
- Investigate methods of analysis for quantitative data, qualitative data, and mixed-methods research.
- Ensure that ethical considerations and limitations are taken into consideration when conducting research.
Knowledge:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following indicative content:
- Be familiar with different types of research which may be conducted in ECE.
- Learn about the different research methodologies which may be employed.
- Learn about the different research tools (e.g. semi-structured interviews, focus groups, surveys, observations, analysis of data sets, etc)
- Understand the notions of research ethics and research integrity (e.g. business harm, moral harm, confidential harm, etc)
- Know how to search for and review literature related to the research topic.
- Understand key terms such as reliability, validity and generalisability.
- Be familiar with designing a research tool for qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed-methods approaches.
Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
- Appraise ethical issues that may arise while asking for data access and any other steps of carrying out research.
- Critically apply knowledge and skills to devise solutions to unfamiliar problems in ECE.
- Choose research methods that are crafted to address particular issue(s) in ECE.
Module-Specific Learner Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will be able to:
- Have a strong command of academic writing.
- Justify their positionality in light of the chosen research interest.
- Use proper referencing skills.
- Propose a research question(s) and/or hypothesis which is realistic.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences:
At the end of the module/unit, the learner will be able to:
- Carry out academic research on websites (e.g. Google Scholar) or journals (e.g. EBSCO, Taylor & Francis, SAGE, etc).
- Navigate the internet for documents and or guidebooks related to research methods in education.
- Navigate through the online learning platform to download and upload the research proposal, discussion boards, literature, tutorials etc. · Use basic Microsoft office (or equivalent) applications in order to write and submit assignments.
- Use different digital tools to conduct research (e.g. Google Scholar, Google Books, Research Gate, Mendeley, etc)