Research and the Teacher (The Thesis) (Year 4) module (ED41001)

From May until the beginning of January, the thesis is a dominant feature in the final year of the course.

Building on Research and the Teacher in Year 3, this module allows you an opportunity to explore an educational issue in-depth.

You will also learn valuable research skills in the process.

The insights gained from completing this module are designed to have a positive impact directly on practice.

The research provides new insight into an issue that will be of relevance to colleagues in the teaching profession.

There is a growing emphasis on teaching as a research-engaged and research-informed profession.

This means that this module consists of the first steps towards becoming a research-engaged teacher.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• further develop knowledge and understanding of different research methodologies. This will include a critical awareness of some limitations
• further develop a critical understanding of the value of educational research. You will develop this in general terms for its relevance to teaching. This will also aid your professional development
• further develop skills of accessing, interpreting, and subsequently applying findings from educational research. This will be done in a critically reflective manner
• enhance skills of critical analysis and evaluation of literature and other sources. You will be able to be more discriminating in terms of quality

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• synthesise material in the course of your writing. This will take into account the reader’s perspective
• produce an extended written report. In this, you will be able to justify and substantiate an argument. You will be able to use evidence as appropriate. You will also draw appropriate conclusions about research findings and professional practice

Assignments / assessment

• 10,000-word thesis (100%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• weekly lectures
• focused weekly tasks on each stage of thesis production
• independent library-based research
• regular group writing workshops
• group and individual tutorials