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Pedagogic research


Following the success of the Pedagogy of Methodological Learning study, research into the pedagogy of social research methods continues in the latest phase of NCRM. This is led by NCRM co-director, Melanie Nind (Professor of Education, University of Southampton).

The key elements are:

  1. A systematic review of the pedagogic literature published between 2014 and 2020 to identify:
    • the pedagogic approaches and strategies employed in the teaching of social science research methods that are discussed in the literature
    • the rationale for the selection of approaches and strategies, including what teachers and students value about them
    • evidence of the effectiveness of those approaches and strategies
  2. Development of evidence-led pedagogic resources and training for NCRM trainers and other teachers of social research methods.
  3. Teacher inquiry projects in which methods teachers/trainers research their own practice and NCRM provides support and links to other similar projects and relevant pedagogic research.
  4. Building a network of colleagues who are interested in researching pedagogy for social research methods (see call for chapters for the Handbook below).

Call for interest in the NCRM Pedagogy Network

The aims of the NCRM Pedagogy Network are to:

  • develop a coordinated picture of researchers interested in researching and developing research methods teaching and learning in the UK and internationally
  • connect those researchers with each other and the National Centre for Research Methods
  • support and amplify 'close-to-practice' research i.e. small scale local research based on problems in practice, applying critical thinking and use of evidence in developing practice
  • build the pedagogic culture in research methods education and training by enhancing awareness of and connections to each other's work

Interested members should complete this form and return it to Melanie Nind: M.A.Nind@soton.ac.uk.


Current network members

  • Debbie Collins (NCRM, NatCen), who teaches questionnaire design and testing, web survey design, web first and mixed mode survey design, and research methods pedogogy. Her pedagogic research is into teaching research methods online.
  • Dr Sarah Lewthwaite (University of Southampton), who is developing research and educational resources from her involvement as research fellow on the NCRM Pedagogy of Methodological Learning study.
  • Dr Sophie Woodward (NCRM, University of Manchester), who teaches research design, qualitative methods and creative methods and who is developing pedagogic practice and resources on material methods.
  • Dr Nicole Brown (UCL), who teaches creative and arts-based methods, embodied inquiry, emotions in qualitative research and reflexivity. She is applying teaching strategies from Initial Teacher Education to the research methods arena and interested in experiential approaches for in-person and in online spaces and participatory and embodied approaches to teaching.
  • Dr David Higgins (University of Liverpool), who teaches ethnographic techniques, especially art-based and narrative forms of research, and who is developing dramaturgical storytelling within research methods education.
  • Dr Rebecca Johnson (University of Birmingham), who teaches mixed methods and who is developing an open space learning approach for threshold concepts in mixed methods research.
  • Professor Steve Cook (Swansea University), who teaches econometrics and who is developing accessible quantitative methods teaching, use of replication in delivery and assessment and focusing on online delivery.
  • Dr Yenn Lee (SOAS), who teache: research methodology and digital ethnography and who is focusing on developing supportive teaching during pandemic.
  • Dr Christina Silver (University of Surrey), who teaches qualitative methodology and Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis, and who is working on technology use and instructional design for integrated methods/digital tools training.
  • Dr Koen Bartels (University of Birmingham), who teaches research design, practice and ethics and who is working on experiential learning approaches.
  • Dr Jori Hall (University of Georgia, USA), whose methods teaching includes teaches culturally responsive qualitative inquiry and program evaluation, focus group methods, and values-engaged evaluation. She is developing teaching strategies (synchronous, asynchronous, avatar-based meetings) for online instruction of mixed methods and qualitative research design.
  • Dr Adam Rock (University of New England, Australia), who teaches quantitative analyses and experimental and quasi-experimental designs, and who is developing elearning strategies in these areas.
  • Dr Ben Kei Daniel (University of Otago, New Zealand), who teaches quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods and who is developing use of educational data science and learning analytics in research methods education
  • Dr Jennifer R. Wolgemuth (University of South Florida, USA), who teaches research design, advanced qualitative research and philosophies of inquiry. She is working on teaching research methodology as a philosophical practice including how research courses overtly or covertly convey and teach the varying onto-ethico-epistemological positions that orient inquiry.
  • Professor Jackie Carter (The University of Manchester), who teaches undergraduate quantitative methods as part of the Q-Step initiative. Jackie is developed experiential and workplace-based approaches to learning.
  • Dr Rossana Perez-Del-Aguila (London Metropolitan University), who teaches qualitative data analysis and research methodologies with children and young people. She has been developing resources in these areas and researching students’ perspectives on the value of social research and application of social research theory, concepts and methods.
  • Dr Rachel Shanks (University of Aberdeen), who teaches qualitative data analysis and who is working on using research methods training to provide authentic research experience for undergraduates.
  • Dr Rebecca O’Connell (University College London) who teaches ethnography, qualitative methods and qualitative data reuse and is currently developing capacity and resources for these.
  • Dr Sohel Ahmed (Teesside University) who teaches mixed-method research design to business students and is interested in exploring the potential of value co-creation.
  • Dr Adrian Millican (Durham University) who teaches statistics and quantitative methods with interests in embedding methods into discipline based modules, utilising online learning beyond the pandemic and utilising co-curriculum to boost engagement in statistics labs, plus addressing EDI issues related to teaching statistics.
  • Professor Michael Anthony Samuel (University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa), who teaches life history research, narrative inquiry and academic writing, and who has been developing pedagogical tools such as The Research Wheel used in South Africa and internationally.
  • Christian Dogaru (University of Suffolk) who teaches a wide portfolio of research methods modules across several disciplines and who has developed a Master of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities degree.
  • Michael Klein, (University of Strasbourg, France) who teaches qualitative research methods and who is developing ways of teaching interview and focus group methodology using a critical incident technique.
  • Menna Brown (Swansea University) who teaches qualitative methods. She has been evaluating student perceptions of remote, digital learning and the flipped learning approach.
  • Jackie Buck (University of East Anglia) who teaches applied health research within the NHS (including qualitative research, systematic reviews, evaluation) and who is interested in developing an evidence base, particularly for the teaching of research ethics.

Publications

You will soon be able to see the work of members of the pedagogy network together in one place in the Handbook of Teaching and Learning Social Research Methods (edited by Professor Nind, published by Edward Elgar). Intended to be of practical use to anyone engaged in research methods education, the handbook considers the challenge of teaching and learning social research methods and includes a mix of close-to-practice and wider research on the topic in three parts:

  1. Teaching and learning research methods in the classroom
  2. Teaching and learning research methods online
  3. Teaching and learning research methods in the field and other contexts

Work from the network and NCRM pedagogic research is also underpinning courses for research methods teachers and trainers on Teaching Research Methods in the Era of Covid-19.