MIED4030 ¨C Methods III - Education and Social Change: Childhood and Youth studies (ESCY)

Course content

Building on the courses MIED4010 Research Methods I and MIED4010 Research Methods II, this third method course is designed to further strengthen your knowledge, skills and competence to accomplish the master¡¯s thesis.

The course consists of three main blocks:

1. developing research instruments;

2. introduction to fieldwork; and

3. data analysis.?

Learning outcome

Upon successful completion of the course you will:?

Knowledge

• have developed a sound understanding of the opportunities and challenges in developing research instruments (e.g., questionnaires, interview guides and observation guides) and doing fieldwork in relation to the master¡¯s thesis.?

• have acquired knowledge of the various data analysis methods in qualitative and quantitative research and in relation to their own individual thesis work. ?

?Skills

• be able to identify and discuss the opportunities, challenges and dilemmas involved in developing research instruments and conducting fieldwork in social research in general and in relation to the master¡¯s thesis in particular.?

• be able to develop quantitative and qualitative research instruments.

• be able to choose appropriate analysis techniques for different types of data informed by different methodologies and methods.?

?General competences

• be able to critically assess the validity and appropriateness of the research instruments for the research purpose and questions in the thesis.?

• be able to solve problems and challenges related to conducting fieldwork.?

• be able to carry out effective data analysis for the master¡¯s thesis. ?

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for?in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures.

This course is only for students enrolled in the specialisation track on Education and Social Change: Childhood and Youth studies (ESCY), Master?in Education.?

Only students who have been admitted to this course may attend the lectures, seminars and examinations. ?

Capacity: maximum 30 students

Formal prerequisite knowledge

You must have successfully completed MIED4010 and MIED4020 or equivalent in order to have access to this course. ?

You are expected to have sufficient knowledge, skills and competences in social science research methods.?

Teaching

The course will be conducted through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical exercises and assignments, and presentation workshops.

Compulsory components:

There is a mandatory 80% attendance requirement for this course. If you do not fulfil the mandatory attendance requirement, you must complete an additional assignment prior to passing the course. The requirement for the additional assignment is at the discretion of the lecturer.

Any absence beyond 70% must be approved on an individual basis by the student administration. If approved, the additional assignment will have the same length as the course examination.

All the coursework is taking place at the University of Oslo Blindern campus.

Access to teaching

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Examination

You must submit a paper describing the research instrument(s) for the master¡¯s thesis (3000-5000 words).

Deadline for submission of the research instruments paper will normally be 14 days after the last lecture.?

You must have completed the attendance requirements for this course prior to handing in the paper that is the final examination.?

Examination support material

This is an open book examination. Students are allowed to use the course literature, notes and dictionaries during the exam.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.

?One or more examiners will evaluate the exam. ?

The examination will count as the entire portion of the course grade.?

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.