| CODE | ACA5055 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Dissertation | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 30 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit constitutes the extended research component of the course. The study-unit will engage students to take forward a research study or project with supervision by an assigned, suitable, field expert. Individually, students will formulate a research proposal which they subsequently endeavour to develop and complete using suitable research methods, tools and resources. This self-directed research endeavour leads up to a dissertation of between 15,000 - 20,000 words long. Through the course of doing research and the development of the dissertation, students will deepen their knowledge on a self-chosen theme within the broad area of open and networked higher education. Students will deepen their knowledge of theory and practice in the higher education area generally. Students will deepen their knowledge and skills doing research. Students will deepen and refine their competences managing a substantial research enterprise. Study-Unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit include: - an opportunity for students to extend their knowledge of theory and practice on a self-chosen theme within the study area of (Open and Networked) Higher Education. - an opportunity for students to reflect on theory and practice and further their insights connecting the two in the process of taking forward a substantial research enterprise. - an opportunity for students to deepen their learning and development in the area of higher education generally through the processes of doing research and related reflection. - an opportunity for students to develop their research skills and competences. - an opportunity leading the student to knowledge construction, knowledge building and value creation in the chosen study field. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Critically discuss different aspects of theories and practices in the open and networked higher education area especially in a chosen subfield of interest. - Identify study areas and knowledge gaps in the field of open and networked higher education. - Develop a suitable theoretical foundation for framing research in the study area. - Develop an understanding of epistemological underpinnings in research development. - Apply suitable research methods and tools for doing research in a specific study area within the (open and networked) higher education area and critically appraise their application. - Critically consider disciplinary theory and practice and research processes strengthening and advancing existing knowledge and understandings. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Develop competence searching relevant literature. - Critically consider and synthesise literature in a specific area of open and networked higher education. - Apply research methods suitably conducting research to explore an identified study area within the broader study area of open and networked higher education. - Develop competence managing a substantial research assignment demanding organisational skills, time management skills, problem-solving skills, research skills, independent thinking and decision-making capabilities. - Develop competence in academic writing developing a personal writing style. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Oxon, UK: Routledge. - Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks: US: Sage Publications. Supplementary Readings: - Cousin, G. (2009). Researching learning in higher education: An introduction to contemporary methods and approaches. Oxon, UK: Routledge. - Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford: UK: Oxford university press. - Richey, R. C., & Klein, J. D. (2014). Design and development research. In Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 141-150): Springer. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Qualifications: First Degree (MQF 6) at Second Upper Level or better (as per requirements of the postgraduate study programmes it relates to). Pre-requisite Study-units: All 12 study-units leading to the postgraduate Diploma in Open and Networked Higher Education - ACA5045, ACA5046, ACA5047, ACA5048, ACA5049, ACA5050, ACA5051, ACA5056, ACA5057, ACA5061, ACA5062 and ACA5063 |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Dissertation | ||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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