Exploring Technological Solutions to Research Methods Assessment: Methodological Storyboarding towards an MBA Dissertation

Phillip Mason, Mariana Dodourova

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractpeer-review

Abstract

an essential skill. However, in seeking to deliver and support the development of practical knowledge and skill sets, the assessment of ResearchMethods remain a significant challenge. This is particularly true in virtue of the need for assessment to satisfy complex Learning Outcomes thatinclude the conceptual, theoretical, methodological and analytical. Despite the shared academic and professional value of research competence,Research Methods modules often carry a zero-credit weighting, attract restricted resource and suffer poor student engagement, presenting furtherchallenges for the development of effective summative and formative assessment.With the rise of new forms of learning and teaching technologies, new resource-efficient opportunities have emerged to develop authentic, engagingand interactive assessment. The development of student-centric approaches to the teaching and learning of Research Methods offers new avenuesfor progress. The challenges associated with advancement in Learning and Teaching practices are compounded by discipline-specific normsregarding epistemology, ontology and research design. Hence, contributing to the development of a broad-reaching solution that maintains disciplinerelevance requires emphasis on a commonality across disciplines, on the learning journey.The paper reports findings from a project exploring technological approaches to supporting student experience through the development of anarrative-based assessment tool, which supports complex, practice-oriented research decision making. To address the challenges associated withthis development, a Soft-System Methodology was employed. This is an action-oriented approach, capable of facilitating the integration of bothtechnological and human aspects in complex problem solving and modelling. Such an approach enables continuous improvement and directlymandates the inclusion of all stakeholders involved in those situations, in which the results are to be employed. Academics, technologists andstudents are engaged in a systems-thinking approach to the iterative development of practicable solutions. Furthermore, this approach affordsopportunities to integrate additional subject-specific knowledge with the application framework.The findings are drawn both from the development process and from the formal evaluation of software piloting through the use of survey and focusgroup data. The paper contributes to the development of an application framework that acknowledges the temporality, sensitivity and need forinternal coherence involved in making decisions pertaining to research methods across disciplines. In doing so, it draws out potential implications forinter-disciplinary comparisons and contrast between approaches to research methods learning and teaching and practice.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 5 Sept 2019
EventBritish Educational Research Association Annual Conference 2017 - University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
Duration: 5 Sept 20177 Sept 2017
https://www.bera.ac.uk/beraconference-2017

Conference

ConferenceBritish Educational Research Association Annual Conference 2017
Abbreviated titleBERA Conference 2017
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityBrighton
Period5/09/177/09/17
Internet address

Keywords

  • research methods
  • Higher Education
  • learning and teaching
  • assessment
  • learning technology

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