ETEC 500 – Research Methodology
Introduction to Research
Research Methodology, also known as ETEC 500 is one of four core courses I was required take during my Master’s of Educational Technology journey at UBC.
Taking this course allowed me to reawaken my skills and curiosity for research. I enjoy studying and learning new concepts and what is current in the corporate world. Taking ETEC 500 allowed me to become a better educator-researcher. For the first assignment, I was able to learn about different types of research paradigms and methodologies. Our class was also tasked to put ourselves into the role of an educator and how evidenced-based research improves education. By method of data mining, it is possible to gain a set of data which can be analyzed to learn “specific teaching method is associated with better performance among” (Suter, 2012) learners from all diverse backgrounds.
This is the first course to teach me how to cite using APA style. For the first few weeks of the course, we used APA to cite references, bibliographies, videos, images, and other media using a variety of citation management tools. APA is also consistently used for other courses offered in the program. I was able to compile a research list that is true to the APA reference style.
In addition to learning how to cite my sources of research, I was introduced to The Canadian Course on Research Ethics (CORE). I was able to learn about the risk and benefits of conducting research and the important to create a safe and comfortable space for those who volunteers to participate in my research. I was able to gain a certificate after completing the course.
After going through the first couple of weeks, I was able to competently critique published research, develop skills to select relevant resources that support my ideas and research ideas.
Research Study Proposal
Using a variety of sources, I had the opportunity to explore topics and submit a proposal. During this time, I was working in the healthcare industry and was involved in onboarding new hires into the system. My research involved that topic and I was able to explore a lot of different articles that can support my research. The proposal below demonstrates my competency in developing a thorough and articulate research study while also collaborating and gaining feedback from my professor and my colleagues. It also encouraged the practice of 21 century skills including leadership, delegation, and learning through doing.
Learning Outcome
It had been some time since I conducted any research during, so it was a welcome refresher when I was taking ETEC 500. I learned about difference between qualitative and quantitative research methods, how to develop an inquiry and taking that idea to develop my own question. I was able to critically evaluate research papers and examine the validity of the papers and then creating my own list of reliable sources. I was able to write my own papers and have them reviewed by industry professionals who have been in the education and research space for many years. This was an amazing opportunity to learn in a world class university such as UBC and then applying them to real-life professional context such as my workplace in the healthcare industry. It was an eye opening experience and I look forward to see how I can continue to learn how I can integrate what I learned in my MET journey into my own professional space as well as develop my own curriculum.
References:
Suter, W. N., SAGE Research Methods Complete A-Z List, & SAGE Research Methods Core. (2012;2011;2013;). Introduction to educational research: A critical thinking approach (2nd;2;Second;2nd; ed.). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483384443