Bachelor of Education Honours in Educational Research Methodology

Purpose

The purpose of this Bachelor of Education Honours in Educational Research Methodology is to deepen the theoretical and empirical know-how and critical appreciative of educational research.

As articulated in MRTEQ and other policy documents, the qualification is the first research-based postgraduate qualification. It emphases foundations for research-based postgraduate studies in education. The qualification is interconnected with diverse sub-disciplines within the major field of education. The aim is to deepen the theoretical and empirical know-how or critical understanding of research and cultivate suitable research capacity in the field of Education nationally and strengthen the professional standing of qualified c learners.

Qualifying learners will be able to

• Demonstrate an understanding of the theories, concepts and praxis in educational research and identify the epistemological, axiological and ontological standpoints of theories and concepts that are appropriate for Educational research;
• Display a thoughtful understanding of ethical foundations, also detect and address ethical issues by presenting the appropriateness of diverse ethical value systems to specific contexts;
• Apply a range of specialised academic writing skills appropriate at the Postgraduate level, communicating using academic texts to a range of audience or readership and unveiling creative mindfulness robustly and rigorously;
• Identify, analyse the use of complex research instruments that could be appropriate for studies in educational research and uncover a wide spectrum of methods and techniques for data collection or data construction;
• Evaluate, reflect and critique research methodologies, methods and techniques appropriate for Educational research at an advance level;
• Produce a manuscript or an intellectual piece that communicate the theoretical and empirical finding data, interconnecting research designs and methodology, presenting data analysis, interpretations of solutions to problems and conclusions offering creative insights appropriate to the context.

This qualification will assist learners to be academically self-determining, and be equipped with knowledge and skills for application of research methodologies, designs, and techniques, able to employ educational theories/concepts and ethics at the highest level. Forms of learning-related with acquisition, integration and application of knowledge will climax with an independent research project in Education.

Rationale

This qualification is aligned with new national policy imperatives in Higher Education, for example, the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQSF: 2013) and Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ) aligned qualifications, against a broad set of standards.

This qualification is conceptualised in line with the MRTEQ as published by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in consultation with other key stakeholders inter alia the Departments of Basic Education (DBE) and South African Council of Educators (SACE), Education, Training and Development Practice (ETDP) - Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA).

Prominence is located on intensifying knowledge construction and creating excellent research capacity as part of the educational planning, research and/or policy development pathway, as set out in the MRTEQ policy, yet it includes theoretical and research foci on aspects related to teaching and learning.

The qualification responds to the policy prescriptions as specified in the MRTEQ, that is, strengthening the academic and research foci in an entry postgraduate graduate studies that will assist in advancing postgraduate scholarships in research. This qualification offers six (6) core compulsory modules, all-encompassing an independent research project in the field of learner specialisation within the sub-disciplines of Education. Traditional potential learners who will register towards this qualification will be education qualifying learners or practising educators at NQF Level 8 and/or anyone who meets the minimum requirements to register towards this qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learners for RPL admission will be required to demonstrate suitability either through work experience and/or other prior learning that has taken place. The institution makes provision for RPL admission in line with the RPL policy of the institution.

The qualification may be achieved in part through the recognition of relevant prior knowledge and/or experience. Concerning the Recognition of Prior Learning, providers are required to develop structured means for the assessment of individual learners against the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification on a case by case basis. Such procedures, and the assessment of individual cases, are subject to moderation by independent assessors.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Education, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor's Degree plus Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Education in a related specialisation, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory module, Level 8, 120 Credits

• Educational Research Theories and Praxis, 18 Credits.
• Educational Research Ethical Foundations, 18 Credits.
• Education Academic Writing, 18 Credits.
• Educational Research Instruments, 18 Credits.
• Research Methods in Education, 18 Credits.
• Research Project in Education, 30 Credits.

1. Understand the theories, concepts and praxis in educational research and identify the epistemological, axiological and ontological standpoints of theories and concepts that are appropriate for Educational research.
2. Display a thoughtful understanding of ethical foundations, detect and address ethical issues by presenting the appropriateness of diverse ethical value systems to specific contexts.
3. Apply a range of specialised academic writing skills appropriate at the postgraduate level, communicating using academic texts to a range of audience or readership and unveiling creative mindfulness robustly and rigorously.
4. Identify and analyse the use of complex research instruments that could be appropriate for studies in educational research and uncover a wide spectrum of methods and techniques for data collection or data construction.
5. Evaluate, reflect and critique research methodologies and techniques appropriate for educational research at an advanced level.
6. Produce a manuscript or an intellectual piece by conducting an independent research project in the chosen field of education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Display knowledge and understanding of theory and praxis in research.
• Show advanced knowledge base of the meaning and purpose of theory in scientific knowledge production.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between theory, research question, method and interpretation of data in a study.
• Develop analysis and argumentative skills for the choice and use of theory in scientific texts.
• Display skills to analyse and debate for the choice of theory with (a) specific research question(s).
• Differentiate the research paradigms that influence the development of a framework for research.
• Demonstrate the application of theory, methodology and research techniques related to education research.
• Present the logic of theoretical and methodological positions in the field of educational research.
• Show the ability to explain and deliberate on the nature of education, theory and educational theory and relate these to research and practice.
• Interpret and communicate the relationship between educational theory, research, ethics and education.
• Theorise education by deliberating concepts of discourse, knowledge, learning, pedagogy and curriculum.
• Interrogate multiple sources of knowledge of education to trouble regimes of truth, and knowledge and evaluate processes of knowledge production.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Understand the importance of applying ethical principles during the conduct of the empirical study.
• Acquire an overview of important issues in research ethics.
• Show skills of presenting discussions and conclusions of ethical studies.
• Appreciate the basic outlines of rules and regulations that manage the ethical issue.
• Show an overview of important issues in research ethics.
• Display a thoughtful understanding of ethical foundations.
• Detect and address ethical issues by presenting the appropriateness of diverse ethical value systems in specific contexts.
• Observe and apply ethical conventions or etiquettes for human participants or subjects in data collection.
• Identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
• Demonstrate skills that show an advanced level of observing ethical protocols both professional and research ethics.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Use writing and reading for inquiry.
• Understand ways in which writers, texts and readers interact.
• Demonstrate knowledge of basic essay structures, including introduction, body and conclusion.
• Make appropriate grammatical and lexical choices in the academic manuscripts.
• Employ the various stages of the writing process, including pre-writing, writing and re-writing.
• Display the ability to write for an academic audience and readership.
• Employ corrective citation styles, including parenthetical, in-text citation and works cited pages.
• Avoid plagiarism.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Construct and administer different research tools or instruments.
• Demonstrate knowledge, understanding, application and construction of research instruments.
• Demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge of research instruments.
• Ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and application of research instruments is shown.
• Identify and formulate the basic principles of constructing research instruments.
• Demonstrate the required skills for interviews in participatory research.
• Demonstrate the ability in the construction and application of a research questionnaire.
• Explain and conduct an interview.
• Prepare an observation schedule.
• Explain the difference between a rating scale.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Show the ability to apply appropriate research methodologies and techniques for educational research at an advanced level.
• Critique, reflect, record and evaluate research methodologies.
• Show preparedness for research-based post-graduate studies.
• Display research capacity in the methodology and techniques of the discipline.
• Display a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence is displayed.
• Show an advanced reflection and development using a systematic survey of current thinking, practice and research methods in an area of specialisation.
• Demonstrate an ability to conduct and report on the research.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Prepare a basic research proposal.
• A full-fledged research study is conducted.
• Produce and defend an independent mini research report, based on a selection and application of appropriate research methodologies, engagement with theories of knowledge, intellectual independence and ethical and scholarly research in the field of Education.
• Demonstrate the ability to take full responsibility for own work, decision-making and the use of resources.
• Exhibit research capacity in the methodology and techniques of the discipline.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment in this qualification will comply with institutional assessment policy. Integrated continuous assessments will be included in the qualification, allowing demonstration of achieved competences as required by the outcomes of the qualification. All the modules in the BEd Hons programme are examination modules.

The number of assessment tasks will vary according to the particular module, with a minimum of 4 assessment tasks per module, plus examination. These could include tests, case studies, simulations, presentations, essays, gobbets, poster presentations and other assessment tasks that are appropriate on NQF Level 8. In the case of the research methodology module, it will inter alia include a literature review, the design of research instruments, the writing of research reports and the drafting of a research proposal.

Formative and Summative Assessment: Learners will be required to attend class sessions and independently and in groups prepare presentations as well as written pieces for discussion, as part of formative assessment opportunities. At the end of the programme, the learners will be sitting for the final examination and be required to submit a research report as part of the summative assessment for the qualification.