Language Education Research Methods (P02685)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : EDU-P-P02685

This course is suitable for pre- and post-experience language education professionals. The course aims to give participants the opportunity to develop a critical understanding of key concepts in language education research and to make informed choices in designing and implementing language education and language development research projects. The course will address the following main areas:

? A theoretical framework and paradigms for conceptualising what language education and professionals might choose to investigate, various approaches to such investigation, issues of validity and reliability regarding research questions and methods.

? Introduction to a range and variety of instruments available to language education researchers for collection, management and analysis of data, also interpretation and reporting of findings, and their critical evaluation.

? Awareness and critical understanding of current approaches to investigation and analysis of both oral and written language.

The course will consist of weekly lectures and linked small-group workshop / seminar sessions. Participants will be expected to participate in collaborative presentations during workshops followed by critical discussion, and constructive peer evaluation. Participants will be expected to undertake written work for both formative and summative assessment during and after the course.

Entry Requirements

? Costs : Students are required to purchase the core texts marked in bold.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Research (EDU), (The Moray House School of Education, Schedule C)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Full Year (Blocks 1-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 3 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
24/09/2008	11:00	13:00

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, participants will have demonstrated a/an

? Critical understanding of approaches to research design in language development and language education

? Critical understanding of methods and techniques available for implementing such research.

? Ability to evaluate critically researchers? choices of instrument

? Ability to evaluate critically evidence used in language and language education research in published accounts of research and personal professional practice.

? Ability to design independently a small-scale research investigation in an appropriate area of language research and be self critical in assessment of its strengths and limitations.

? Ability to account convincingly for their own choices of research instrument in specific contexts

Assessment Information

Participants will be required to submit two pieces of work:

? an essay discussing how they might evaluate evidence to inform practice as a language professional. (2,000 words)

? design for a mini-research project, identifying, and justifying questions, methodology and intended modes of reporting, including initial piloting of the research design and a critical evaluation of it. (2,000 words)