Course Description:
Research is an important endeavour in contemporary organisations where systematic process is followed to identify and investigate problems aimed at understanding the problems aimed at offering creative knowledge and informing new ways of addressing current and emerging problems. Therefore, students must be keen to learn and explore theories of research and be able to translate them into research proposals, field work, data analysis, discussions, and recommendations. This is an important course for all final year students in the School of Humanities and Education. In-service Primary and Secondary School Teachers are also encouraged take this course.
Whether one works in the education or other sectors, research knowledge, skills, and the ability to write good research reports underpin the strength and best practices of modern organisations. To become an expert and a good researcher in your field of study, demands more time, training, and experience. This is a course that combines theory and practice to understand and appreciate its importance in the real world.
Objectives
This course will prepare students to demonstrate certain knowledge and skills including,
· how to identify and investigate problems systematically
· understand and appreciate importance of different stages of research proposal, methods, and application in modern organisations.
· understanding and appreciating ethical considerations of research.
· carry-out small surveys and seek answers to diverse community issues,
· students can develop creative ways to present research proposals and findings.
· understand and appreciate practical use of research in creating new knowledge, informing policies, creating new products, improved services and a better life.
The course is divided into two parts and tailored to achieve the above objectives. The second part of the course is called HRM 482 Research Project, which will guide students to create a complete research document. This is an achievement, and students must be very proud of creating a new document. Not all students in Papua New Guinea tertiary institutions can produce such remarkable research output. University of Goroka, final year students are fortunate to be able to muster the knowledge, skills, and the writing ability to produce research output.
Schedule
One hour lecture time is allocated, and all lectures will be conducted in MSA. Divisions are required to arrange two hours of tutorial each week for their students. Head of Divisions must make sure, all tutors of HRM 481/2 have equal number of students. Tutors must discourage students from moving from one tutor to another. This can only happen under special circumstances when a tutor is sick or leaves university. This course description is for HRM 481 but students must know that the course will continue as HRM 482 Research Project in semester 2. Students must attend lectures and tutorials every week.
Assessment
The course does not have a test or examination component of the assessments. However, the assessments tasks are aimed at identifying how well students understand and translate theory into practice. That is for students to identify problems of their choice informed by systematic literature review, problem statements, questions and linking it to relevant methodology and methods, sampling population, developing tools for fieldwork, analysing data and reporting. This is a challenging final year course, and students are expected to commit sufficient time and do well.
Remember, if you do not complete this course (HRM 481), you will not be eligible to enrol for HRM 482 and you will be denied your graduation.
LECTURE AND TUTORIAL OUTLINE
|
WEEK |
TOPIC |
LECTURER(S) |
|
1
|
Introduction (Course Outline) What is Research & Why do Research? Identifying and Developing a Research Topic |
Dr Anita Koyangko |
|
2
|
Literature review. |
Dr Bomai Witne |
|
3
|
Setting Tour Question and Subsidiary Questions |
Dr Anita Koyangko |
|
4
|
Ethical considerations |
Dr Friedel Frowein |
|
5
|
Methodology and methods |
Dr Bomai Witne |
|
6
|
Community based Participatory Action Research Methods, Sampling & Fieldwork |
Dr Lilly Sar |
|
7
|
Preparing Research Instruments 1 Quantitative Approaches |
Dr Friedel Frowein |
|
|
Study break |
|
|
8
|
Preparing Research Instruments 2 Qualitative Approaches |
Dr Selvi Thamarai |
|
9
|
Quantitative data analysis |
Dr Friedel Frowein |
|
10-11 |
Fieldwork |
Dr Bomai Witne |
|
12-13 |
v Fieldwork continues into semester break. |
|
IT IS COMPULSORY TO ATTEND ALL LECTURES & TUTORIALS. LECTURERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO FAIL STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND LECTURES AND TUTORIALS. STUDENTS MUST ATTEND 80% OF LECTURES/TUTORIALS TO PASS.
ASSESSMENT PLAN
The assessment components include students’ abilities to understand the key components of research proposal, methods, fieldwork, data collection, analysis and writing final reports. Your tutors will provide additional information on assessments. Below is a tentative assessment marking criteria to guide you. Consult your tutors if you need more explanation on any components of the course.
A key component of the assessment is PRESENTATIONS. Students MUST demonstrate clear understanding of the complexity of the course as well as the problem that he or she is investigating. Presentations require sufficient thoughts and practice to work out the methods. For example, PowerPoints, charts, storytelling, using chalk board or a combination of methods.
Semester 1
|
Tasks |
Marks (%) |
Due Date |
|
Research Topic-Personal motivation.
Students must have a personal reason to investigate a particular problem that concerns him or her and wants to be part of addressing the problem. · What is the specific problem? Is the topic precise and easy for the student to investigate within the given time? Does the problem resonate with experiences of other people? |
5 |
|
|
Literature review
Guide students to relevant (grey and academic) literatures so that the problems are informed by literature. Avoid guessing and irrelevant/incoherent literatures. · Are grey literatures separated from academic literatures? · Are the literatures relevant to the topic? Are the literatures clearly organised to highlight the problem/literature gap? |
15 |
|
|
Developing research questions
· Does the researcher demonstrate clear understanding of tour and guide questions? · Are the questions relevant and clearly link to the topic? |
15 |
|
|
Methodology and methods Explore relevant methodology and methods to investigate the problem. · Does the student demonstrate understanding of methodology? · Does the student demonstrate understanding of methods? · Is there a clearly link between the methodology and methods? |
15 |
|
|
Population sample · Does the student demonstrate clear understanding of the population and the sample for research? · Does the student understand and explain the challenge of too big or small population sample? |
10 |
|
|
Research instruments. · Does the student demonstrate clear understanding of qualitative/quantitative research and developing instruments? · Does the student explain why they are choosing a particular instrument/s and not others? |
10 |
|
|
Draft research proposal |
|
|
|
Tutorial / Lecture Attendance · Is the student a keen and active learner? · Does he/she contribute to tutorial discussions? |
10 |
|
|
Proposal Presentation · Dressing · Confidence-how well the student understands, articulate, and communicates the proposal to the audience. · Language proficiency · Creativity (different styles of presentation) · Use of time |
20 |
|
|
Total |
100 |
|
v All failed or appeal cases must be dealt with during semester 1 break. Lecturers/tutors must ensure all students work for HRM 481 are in order before they enrol for HRM 482.