Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Michelle Trudgett
Contact via michelle.trudgett@mq.edu.au
Room 320 in W3A
By appointment
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MIndigenousEd or PGDipIndigenousEd or PGCertIndigenousEd
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This research unit is organised around a hypothetical research project which students begin to develop themselves without actually carrying out. This unit will facilitate the first stages of the research. Assessment tasks for this unit will produce an ethics application, research proposal and design and an annotated bibliography.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Weekly Online Activities | 30% | Sunday of each week |
Research Proposal | 35% | Sunday, 29th September 2013 |
Presentation | 35% | Sunday, 3rd November 2013 |
Due: Sunday of each week
Weighting: 30%
Students are required to provide a response of approximately 250 words to the weekly online activity. There are 13 weeks in the semester and each week will be given a mark out of 10. The best 10 weeks will then be added together to give you a total mark out of 100. This will then be reduced to a percentage of 30% which will contribute to your final grade.
Things to consider:
· It is imperative that the response be provided by to the Sunday of each week.
· Referencing in this activity is appropriate. When you reference in text, make sure you have a reference list at the bottom. The reference list will not be included in your word count for this activity.
· Restrict your responses to around 250 words. (Applying a 10% flexibility rule this means that they must be 225-275 words). Anything outside that will be deducted marks.
· Feedback will be provided at the end of semester along with a final grade for this assessment piece. You will receive a grade each week but will not receive feedback on a weekly basis unless you attempt a weekly question and do not achieve a pass grade.
· You will be able to see what the other students post for their responses only after you have posted your own response. This is to enhance student engagement and learning while ensuring a fair process for all.
Please note that late submissions will incur a one mark per day penalty.
Week
Due Date (2012)
Activity
1
Familiarise yourself with ilearn site. Post a brief introduction about yourself of approximately 250 words. You might like to include some of the following points:
• Ancestry.
• Where you live.
• Employment.
• Reason for enrolling in the course.
• What you hope to gain from the course.
For this week only your response will be visible to other students. Future weekly activities will only been seen by teaching staff.
2
What are the key characteristics of qualitative research?
OR
Why is qualitative research important for educational research?
3
What are the key characteristics of quantitative research?
OR
Why is quantitative research important for educational research?
4
What is mixed methods research?
OR
Johnson & Christensen (2012) identify four potential problems in writing and attempting to publish a mixed method research report. Provide a concise 250 word overview on these four problems.
5
What are the main aims of a literature review? How do you decide what literature is relevant to your work?
6
What are the main features of a good research proposal?
7
Provide a 250 word summary of why ethical practice in research is important.
8
Provide a 250 word explanation on one of the following points. Linking your response to AIATSIS & NHMRC, consider why it is an important component in Indigenous related research.
• Reciprocity
• Respect
• Equality
• Responsibility
• Survival and protection
• Spirit and Integrity.
9
Provide a 250 word explanation as to why it would be important to have a range of people from diverse backgrounds on an ethics committee (such as the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee).
10
Explain why Indigenous Knowledge is difficult to define.
OR
Briefly describe the relationship between Indigenous Knowledges and the academic sector.
11
Provide a 250 word definition on what is Indigenous Methodologies?
12
Do Indigenous Methodologies have a place in Western Higher Education Institutions (universities)?
13
Reflecting on this unit, has your knowledge pertaining to undertaking research in Indigenous contexts developed? Explain your reasoning.
Due: Sunday, 29th September 2013
Weighting: 35%
You are required to write a 2,000 word research proposal for a hypothetical project.
The research proposal is an integral component to all research projects. This task can be viewed as quite difficult or overwhelming for those who are new to research. Breaking the study down into smaller sections makes the overall task appear less daunting and become more manageable. Designing your research also provides an avenue for you to unpack your ideas and identify areas where there may be gaps in terms of understanding and development. In short, the research proposal is a means of planning and structuring your research.
This task is based on a hypothetical research project you may be interested in undertaking in the future. This assessment is only the design of the project. You do not need to go out and undertake the actual project for this assessment (actually, please don’t as you won’t have ethics approval). Some of you may be thinking of undertaking Higher Degree Research (HDR) in the future, this task will prove highly beneficial to this cohort. Others may have identified a need for something to be investigated in your professional workplace or community. Here is your chance to start planning the project.
When undertaking research you will need to demonstrate that you have a good understanding of what it is that you intend to research and most importantly – how you intend to go about it. The following headings should guide your thinking and are standard in most research proposals. However, if there are any additional headings you believe are integral to your research you may include them in the research proposal.
COMPONENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
· Title
Provide a short title for your project. If you can, give it a memorable/catchy title.
e.g. Leading Torres Strait Islander academic Martin Nakata wrote a book called ‘Disciplining the savages: Savaging the Disciplines.’
You need to also be careful not to use a title that is misleading i.e. the old classic ‘The catcher in the rye’ led some people to think it was about baseball. It wasn’t!
· Introduction (approx. 200 words)
Provide a brief introduction to the research. Provide a brief background about your research topic without going directly into what you plan to do. Here you need to include some references!
· Research Aim /Questions (approx. 100 words)
Describe the key aims of the research. What questions do you seek to answer?
e.g. This study aims to:
1. Identify successful strategies and practices for the supervision of Indigenous Australian doctoral candidates.
2. Establish a model of best practice for the supervision of Indigenous Australian doctoral students.
HINT: Pay particular attention to the first word in each aim i.e. identify, establish, develop.
· Significance(approx. 200 words)
Explain why your research will be significant. All research should anticipate some benefits. This could be through practical benefits such as creating new opportunities for people, or theoretical benefits such as new knowledge that can be shared with communities, scholars, and so on.
· Literature Review (approx. 600 words)
For example if you were to be researching the topic “Research projects written by Indigenous Australian postgraduate students” you would need to locate literature in the following areas – Indigenous Australian participation in higher education; benefits of Indigenous research; and perhaps research projects written by Indigenous people throughout the world.
Your literature review needs to convince the reader/examiner that you are well versed in what others have done in your field (in the broader sense).
· Methodology (approx. 300 words)
Here you need to convince the reader that you have a clear process in terms of how you will go about your research. You need to describe in detail the steps you will take in the project. For instance:
Ø How will you collect your data? Will you be relying on publicly accessible information (such as literature or archival evidence), stories from the past that have been told to you, your own personal experiences, participants, etc....
Ø Here you also need to mention details relating to participants (if you plan to have any) including recruitment, numbers and demographic .
Ø Data collection – Will you be recording the data, if so how (audio, visual etc)?
Note: Remember the AIATSIS and NHMRC Ethics Guidelines when writing your methodology.
· Ethical Issues (approx. 150 words)
Describe any ethical dilemmas you may have in undertaking your project.
· Timeline (approx. 150 words)
Provide a detailed summary of your plan to undertake your project. Include in the timeline aspects such as:
· Expected Outcomes (approx. 150 words)
Here you need to mention details about the expected outcomes. If for instance, you expect that the research will be transformed in a report for your workplace and that this will lead to significant changes in your organisation then list that here.
· Communication of Results (approx. 150 words)
It is normal practice for research results to be disseminated to research participants and academic peers. Explain how you plan to communicate the results of your research project.
· References
Provide at least 15 references.
Please note: One mark per day penalty will apply for late submissions.
Due: Sunday, 3rd November 2013
Weighting: 35%
Develop a presentation using powerpoint or another source that contains visual images and audio sound. The presentation is to be framed as a polished lecture. Students are to speak for a total of 15-20 minutes about one of the following topics:
1. The importance of undertaking ethical research when undertaking research with Indigenous People.
2. Indigenous Knowledges
3. Indigenous Methodologies
Regardless of the topic you choose, it is important that you:
· Provide a clear definition of the topic.
· Demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic.
· Discuss the advantages and disadvantaged within the topic.
· Provide a detailed critique of the literature encompassing the topic.
Please note:
Johnson, B. & Christensen, L. (2012). Educational Research (4th edition). Sage publications, Thousand Oaks California.
MODULE 1 – QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH |
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Week 1 |
29 July – 4th August |
Introduction |
Week 2 |
5th – 11th August |
Qualitative research |
Week 3 |
12th – 18th August |
Quantitative research |
Week 4 |
19th -25th August |
Mixed Methods |
MODULE 2 – PLANNING & DESIGN |
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Week 5 |
26th August – 1st September |
Reviewing the literature |
Week 6 |
2nd – 8th September |
Planning and designing a research project |
MODULE 3 – ETHICS |
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Week 7 |
9th – 15th September |
Importance of ethical practice in research |
MID SEMESTER BREAK – 16th – 29th September |
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Week 8 |
30th September– 6th October |
Indigenous Australians and ethical research |
Week 9 |
7th – 13th October |
Ethics process at Macquarie University |
MODULE 4 –INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGES & METHODOLOGIES |
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Week 10 |
14th – 20th October |
Indigenous Knowledges |
Week 11 |
21st – 27th October |
Indigenous Methodologies – Part 1 |
Week 12 |
28th October – 3rd November |
Indigenous Methodologies – Part 2 |
Week 13 |
4th – 10th November |
Unit Summary |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at: http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Student Support for Indigenous Australian students –
Warawara – Department of Indigenous Studies has an Indigenous Student Support Officer, who is able to provide social educational and personal support for all Indigenous students. For further information please contact them on (02)9850 4209.The Indigenous Student Support Officer is located at Warawara Department of Indigenous Studies, room 307, building W3A.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/ses/.
If you wish to receive IT help, we would be glad to assist you at http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the university's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students and it outlines what can be done.
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by: