SPDA002 Methodology 1

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Karel Pančocha, Ph.D., M.Sc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lenka Slepičková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Karel Pančocha, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Institute for Research in Inclusive Education – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: PhDr. Lenka Gajzlerová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Institute for Research in Inclusive Education – Faculty of Education
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to acquire the methodological knowledge and procedures used in special education (selected methods and techniques of qualitative research, quantitative research, mixed methods research design) and acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for the elaboration of the dissertation. Students will acquire skills for writing professional text according to IMRAD rules. Attention will be paid to the preparation of literature review study and subsequently to case study research methods and single subject research design, which are often used in special education research.
Learning outcomes
A successful graduate is able to:
- Describe the most commonly used research methods in special education - Develop own dissertation research plan
- Develop a literature review paper on the topic of own dissertation research
- Write scientific text according to IMRAD rules - Use the acquired methodological knowledge for independent research work within the frame of dissertation thesis
Syllabus
  • Content:
  • Definition of research topic, problem and questions in the field of special education
  • Research proposal as a communication tool and researcher's plan
  • Justification of the relevance of the research problem
  • Search of resources in national and international databases
  • Ethical aspects of research in special education
  • Specific issues of research in special education
  • Topics of qualitative and quantitative research methods
  • Mixed methods research design
  • Literature review and its elaboration for the purpose of the dissertation
  • Case study and its use in special education
  • Single-subject design research
  • Secondary analysis and unobtrusive research techniques
  • Principles of presentation of research findings in professional texts
  • Practical, legal, political and ethical issues of research in special education
Literature
    required literature
  • YIN, Robert K. Case study research and applications : design and methods. Sixth edition. Los Angeles: Sage, 2018, xxx, 319. ISBN 9781506336169. info
  • THOMAS, Gary. How to do your case study : a guide for students and researchers. 1st ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2011, xi, 231. ISBN 9780857025623. info
  • Single case research methodology : applications in special education and behavioral sciences. Edited by David L. Gast - Jennifer R. Ledford. Second edition. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2014, xix, 415. ISBN 9780415827911. info
  • MERTENS, Donna M. and John A. MCLAUGHLIN. Research and evaluation methods in special education. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, 2004, xiv, 275. ISBN 0761946535. info
  • THOMAS, Gary. How to do your research project : a guide for students in education and applied social sciences. 2nd ed. London: Sage, 2013, xix, 307. ISBN 9781446258873. info
    recommended literature
  • CLOUGH, Peter and Cathy NUTBROWN. A student's guide to methodology : justifying enquiry. 3rd ed. London: Sage, 2012, xv, 269. ISBN 9781446208625. info
  • CRESWELL, John W. A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Los Angeles: Sage, 2015, xiv, 132. ISBN 9781483359045. info
  • KRIPPENDORFF, Klaus. Content analysis : an introduction to its methodology. Fourth edition. Los Angeles: Sage, 2019, xiv, 451. ISBN 9781506395661. info
  • CRESWELL, John W. and Cheryl N. POTH. Qualitative inquiry & research design : choosing among five approaches. Fourth edition. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2018, xxv, 459. ISBN 9781506361178. info
  • POTH, Cheryl N. Innovation in mixed methods research : a practical guide to integrative thinking with complexity. First published. Los Angeles: Sage, 2018, xxxiii, 34. ISBN 9781473906693. info
  • MERRIAM, Sharan B. and Elizabeth J. TISDELL. Qualitative research : a guide to design and implementation. Fourth edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand, 2016, xix, 346. ISBN 9781119003618. info
  • BAKKER, Arthur. Design research in education : a practical guide for early career researchers. First published. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, xxii, 290. ISBN 9781138574489. info
  • MANNAY, Dawn. Visual, narrative and creative research methods : application, reflection and ethics. First published. and New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016, ix, 152. ISBN 9781138024328. info
  • ESTERBERG, Kristin G. Qualitative methods in social research. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2002, xv, 256. ISBN 0767415604. info
Teaching methods
Seminar, project consultation.
Assessment methods
Submit a research plan defining the research field, the research objective, methods and techniques. Submit a review of three methodological books of your choice with focus of own research plan. Prepare a literature review paper on the topic of own dissertation research and offer it for publication in a professional journal. Oral exam in the form of a discussion on the dissertation project and its methodological plan. Participation in a of three-day intensive methodological workshop (compulsory only for full-time students).
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught each semester.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Spring 2020, autumn 2020, Spring 2021, Autumn 2021, Spring 2022, Autumn 2022, Spring 2023, Autumn 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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