TY - JOUR
T1 - Student perspectives on learning research methods in the social sciences
AU - Nind, Melanie
AU - Holmes, Michelle
AU - Insenga, Michela
AU - Lewthwaite, Sarah
AU - Sutton, Cordelia
PY - 2019/3/14
Y1 - 2019/3/14
N2 - This paper addresses the perspectives of students of social science research methods from a UK study of their holistic experience of learning during two years of their postgraduate research training/ early careers as researchers. Unusually the ten participants span diverse institutions and disciplines and three became co-authors. The study used a diary circle combining online diary method with face-to-face focus groups to generate dialogue. Data were analysed narratively and thematically to produce two individual learning journeys and a synthesis of common experiences. Findings show the active, experiential learning of the participants alongside salient themes of difficulty and struggle. This leads to discussion of the emotional dimensions of methods learning and implications for teaching. The iterative role of the diary circle in the learning journey is also examined. The paper argues that teachers and supervisors should attend more carefully to the social, emotional, active and reflective nature of methods learning.
AB - This paper addresses the perspectives of students of social science research methods from a UK study of their holistic experience of learning during two years of their postgraduate research training/ early careers as researchers. Unusually the ten participants span diverse institutions and disciplines and three became co-authors. The study used a diary circle combining online diary method with face-to-face focus groups to generate dialogue. Data were analysed narratively and thematically to produce two individual learning journeys and a synthesis of common experiences. Findings show the active, experiential learning of the participants alongside salient themes of difficulty and struggle. This leads to discussion of the emotional dimensions of methods learning and implications for teaching. The iterative role of the diary circle in the learning journey is also examined. The paper argues that teachers and supervisors should attend more carefully to the social, emotional, active and reflective nature of methods learning.
KW - Research methods learning
KW - active learning
KW - diary method
KW - experiential learning
KW - research methods teaching
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062949128&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13562517.2019.1592150
DO - 10.1080/13562517.2019.1592150
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
SN - 1356-2517
JO - Teaching in Higher Education
JF - Teaching in Higher Education
ER -