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Student perspectives on learning research methods in the social sciences

Student perspectives on learning research methods in the social sciences
Student perspectives on learning research methods in the social sciences
This paper addresses the perspectives of students of social science research methods from a UK study of their holistic experience of learning during two years of their postgraduate research training/ early careers as researchers. Unusually the ten participants span diverse institutions and disciplines and three became co-authors. The study used a diary circle combining online diary method with face-to-face focus groups to generate dialogue. Data were analysed narratively and thematically to produce two individual learning journeys and a synthesis of common experiences. Findings show the active, experiential learning of the participants alongside salient themes of difficulty and struggle. This leads to discussion of the emotional dimensions of methods learning and implications for teaching. The iterative role of the diary circle in the learning journey is also examined. The paper argues that teachers and supervisors should attend more carefully to the social, emotional, active and reflective nature of methods learning.
research methods learning, research methods teaching, diary method, active learning, experiential learning
1356-2517
797-811
Nind, Melanie
b1e294c7-0014-483e-9320-e2a0346dffef
Holmes, Michelle, Marie
83deb057-57c5-48ec-a140-317676865ed8
Insenga, Michela
930d6eba-4084-4ff4-8ee8-6d46568afaeb
Lewthwaite, Sarah
0e26d7cf-8932-4d65-8fea-3dceacf0ea88
Sutton, Cordelia
08c714f2-3c3e-4aaf-8339-c406577db5fa
Nind, Melanie
b1e294c7-0014-483e-9320-e2a0346dffef
Holmes, Michelle, Marie
83deb057-57c5-48ec-a140-317676865ed8
Insenga, Michela
930d6eba-4084-4ff4-8ee8-6d46568afaeb
Lewthwaite, Sarah
0e26d7cf-8932-4d65-8fea-3dceacf0ea88
Sutton, Cordelia
08c714f2-3c3e-4aaf-8339-c406577db5fa

Nind, Melanie, Holmes, Michelle, Marie, Insenga, Michela, Lewthwaite, Sarah and Sutton, Cordelia (2020) Student perspectives on learning research methods in the social sciences. Teaching in Higher Education, 25 (7), 797-811. (doi:10.1080/13562517.2019.1592150).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper addresses the perspectives of students of social science research methods from a UK study of their holistic experience of learning during two years of their postgraduate research training/ early careers as researchers. Unusually the ten participants span diverse institutions and disciplines and three became co-authors. The study used a diary circle combining online diary method with face-to-face focus groups to generate dialogue. Data were analysed narratively and thematically to produce two individual learning journeys and a synthesis of common experiences. Findings show the active, experiential learning of the participants alongside salient themes of difficulty and struggle. This leads to discussion of the emotional dimensions of methods learning and implications for teaching. The iterative role of the diary circle in the learning journey is also examined. The paper argues that teachers and supervisors should attend more carefully to the social, emotional, active and reflective nature of methods learning.

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Accepted/In Press date: 3 March 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 14 March 2019
Published date: 2 October 2020
Keywords: research methods learning, research methods teaching, diary method, active learning, experiential learning

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 429071
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/429071
ISSN: 1356-2517
PURE UUID: 14e1dc47-b083-4a40-a5e6-0765bc8d28e7
ORCID for Melanie Nind: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4070-7513
ORCID for Sarah Lewthwaite: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4480-3705

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 20 Mar 2019 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 07:40

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Contributors

Author: Melanie Nind ORCID iD
Author: Michela Insenga
Author: Cordelia Sutton

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