Students

FOAJ8020 – Research Theory (Education)

2026 – NMJI Term 1 (Sept), China

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Alice Chik
alice.chik@mq.edu.au
Matt Bower
matt.bower@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MEd(NMJI)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces students to the key theories and theoretical approaches that underpin and shape research in Education. Students will encounter and critically review a broad range of theories related to research in the discipline, exploring the role, importance, and potential impacts and outcomes of various theories on research projects. In addition to understanding research theories, students will evaluate ethics and integrity frameworks relevant to these theories and their applications. This unit will equip students with a broad understanding of the place of theory in research, and how they might apply such theoretical approaches in their own future research projects.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Evaluate key theories and theoretical concepts and approaches required to conduct research in Education.
  • ULO2: Critically review a specialised body of knowledge related to relevant research theories in Education, demonstrating knowledge of the role and impact of various theoretical approaches upon research.
  • ULO3: Evaluate ethics and integrity frameworks relevant to research theories in Education.
  • ULO4: Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

General Assessment Information

General Submission Information

Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.

All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to contact the unit convenor.

Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.

Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.

Marking

All assessments are marked using a rubric.

Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because they are subject to final approval by the University. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Theory analysis task: Annotated Bibliography 20% No 24/09/2026 Individual No Open
Theory analysis task: Oral Presentation 30% No 30/10/2026 Individual No Observed
Research theory design task: Research Proposal & Viva Voce 50% No 04/12/2026 Individual No Observed

Theory analysis task: Annotated Bibliography

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 24/09/2026
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

Students will write a brief annotated analysis and summary of an existing research article demonstrating their understanding and implementation of a research theory/theories of their choice.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate key theories and theoretical concepts and approaches required to conduct research in Education.
  • Evaluate ethics and integrity frameworks relevant to research theories in Education.
  • Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Theory analysis task: Oral Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 30/10/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

Students will orally present a critical analysis of a small collection of existing research articles demonstrating their understanding and implementation of a research theory/theories of their choice.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate key theories and theoretical concepts and approaches required to conduct research in Education.
  • Critically review a specialised body of knowledge related to relevant research theories in Education, demonstrating knowledge of the role and impact of various theoretical approaches upon research.
  • Evaluate ethics and integrity frameworks relevant to research theories in Education.
  • Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Research theory design task: Research Proposal & Viva Voce

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 04/12/2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

Students will submit an outline of a hypothetical research project demonstrating their understanding and implementation of a research theory/theories of their choice. Students will participate in a live viva voce session to orally present and discuss their research proposal.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate key theories and theoretical concepts and approaches required to conduct research in Education.
  • Critically review a specialised body of knowledge related to relevant research theories in Education, demonstrating knowledge of the role and impact of various theoretical approaches upon research.
  • Evaluate ethics and integrity frameworks relevant to research theories in Education.
  • Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Information about the unit iLearn site 

This unit has a full web presence through iLearn. Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://nmjilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php?loginredirect=1. You will need to enter your student username and password.

Unit Schedule

The Unit Schedule is available on the unit iLearn site. 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook