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Research Methods for Investigating Mental Health & Wellbeing in Education - EDU00102M

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  • Department: Education
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Beth Bell
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

This module will develop your knowledge and skills in quantitative and qualitative research with particular focus on the methods used to examine mental health and wellbeing in education settings, and evaluate interventions. You will also advance your skills in communicating research to a range of audiences.

Professional requirements

none

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23

Module aims

This module aims to develop the essential research methods knowledge and skills needed for effective ethical evaluation of mental health and wellbeing strategies, interventions and provisions in education. You will gain in-depth critical comparative understanding of both quantitative research designs (such as surveys and longitudinal evaluations) and qualitative methods and methodologies (focus groups, interviews) as well as associated research analysis approaches (e.g., correlations, analysis of variance, thematic analysis etc.) from an applied educational perspective with focus on mental health and wellbeing in education. You will learn how to prepare a proposal detailing research evaluation of mental health and wellbeing programmes and provisions. You will also develop a range of transferable skills in assimilating and critically evaluating research evidence and developing your own perspective on it, formulating reasoned arguments, analysing and synthesising research methods and findings, and developing effective communication, research literature search and digital literacy skills.

Module learning outcomes

At the end of this module:

1. You will have knowledge of ethical issues applicable to research on mental health and wellbeing in education. You will be able to apply this knowledge in assessing ethics aspects of existing research in this area and in considering ethical issue of research evaluations you will propose.

2. You will have developed your research knowledge and skills in quantitative research on mental health and wellbeing in education including various data sampling and data collection methods, research designs and associated statistical data analysis methods.

3. You will have developed your research knowledge and skills in qualitative research on mental health and wellbeing in education including the variety of qualitative methods and methodologies and associated data collection methods.

4. You will be able to develop a proposal for evaluating a mental health or wellbeing provision in schools using quantitative, qualitative or mixed research methods.

5. You will have knowledge of the field-specific research methods and terminology enabling you to communicate research a range of audiences and collaborate with researchers, policy makers and teachers in the context of mental health and wellbeing in education.

Module content

The following is a list of indicative topics for this module:

  • Epistemology and ontology
  • Research ethics
  • Systematic reviews, meta-analysis and meta-synthesis
  • Interviews and focus groups
  • Thematic analysis
  • Questionnaires
  • Descriptive statistics
  • Experimental designs and randomised control trials
  • Mixed-methods research

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Critical comparative analysis		 N/A 30
Essay/coursework
Research evaluation proposal		 N/A 70

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Critical comparative analysis		 N/A 30
Essay/coursework
Research evaluation proposal		 N/A 70

Module feedback

Written feedback on assignment report sheet and face-to-face feedback in supervisions. The feedback is returned to students in line with university policy. Please check the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback for more information.

Indicative reading

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.

Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. London,UK: Sage Publications.

Khan, K. S., Kunz, R., Kleijnen, J., & Antes, G. (2003). Five steps to conducting a systematic review. Journal of the royal society of medicine, 96(3), 118-121.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.