Research Applications in Education PG (11908.1)

Required texts

Readings are to be sourced individually by the students themselves as appropriate to their project topic. Assistance with this and recommendations and suggestions for readings will be provided during the workshops.
Depending on students' previous knowledge and research skills, the following textbooks are strongly recommended. Students are advised to read and/or review chapters in the books that are relevant to their needs:
Burke Johnson, R & Christensen, L. (2020). Educational Research Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches. (7th Edition). Sage.

Robson, C. & McCartan, K. (2016). Real World Research (4th ed.). Wiley.

Bitchener, J. (2010). Writing an applied linguistics thesis or dissertation. Palgrave.

Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. Oxford University Press.

Paltridge, B. & Phakiti, A. (2015). Research methods in applied linguistics. Bloomsbury.

Additional reading is provided on the Canvas reading list.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convenor.

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant Canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, a standard late penalty of 5% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day until the assignment is made accessible.

Special assessment requirements

A. Students must complete every assessment item in order to pass the unit. Normally an aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit.
B. Students should keep a copy of any assessment item that has been submitted.
C. Moderation is used in the TESOL courses to maintain agreed standards in the assessment of student work through a valid, consistent and transparent process, in line with the UC Assessment policy. Sample assignments at different grade levels will be moderated for each assessment item in each unit. All assignments that receive a FAIL grade will be moderated. 
D. Special consideration: In the case of illness, misadventure or unavoidable commitments, participants should contact the unit Convener as soon as possible.
E. If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the lecturer about the matter.
F. Feedback: In the context of assessment, feedback is information returned to students in a timely manner, on their progress in their course or unit.

G. Provision of valid documentation: Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation. Where plagiarism is suspected, the assignment will be referred to the Associate Dean Education who will determine penalties. These may include failing the assessment item or failing the unit.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Learner engagement

Students are expected to devote a total of 150 hours for the completion of this unit. The following breakdown is suggested: 

- Reading, preparing for and reviewing materials: approximately 50 hours

- Attendance of classes and engagement on Canvas: approximately 30 hours

- Background reading to the individual topic; research and assignment preparation (proportionate to weighting of assignments): approximately 70 hours

Participation requirements

Your engagement in asynchronous and synchronous activities, and reading material will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of engagement may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. Assessment items draw upon the learning completed through synchronous and asynchronous tasks. 

Required IT skills

Students are expected to have word processing and IT skills to allow them to fully engage in the unit through Canvas and to complete their assessment. This includes basic word processing skills, engagement in Canvas activities, posting messages, uploading video and audio files, uploading assignments, and using the library catalogue and library databases. Students should ensure they have access to a computer and a safe workspace to complete the online activities.

For some students, this unit involves online meetings in real time using the Virtual Room in your UCLearn teaching site. The Virtual Room allows you to communicate in real time with your lecturer and other students. To participate verbally, rather than just typing, you will need a microphone. For best audio quality we recommend a microphone and speaker headset. For more information and to test your computer, go to the Virtual Room in your UCLearn site and 'Join Course Room'. This will trigger a tutorial to help familiarise you with the functionality of the virtual room.

Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students in this unit, as this may result in incorrect references and reducing the quality of their research work. Further detail will be provided in the workshops.

In-unit costs

None. The recommended textbooks are available for borrowing through the UC library or purchased through the School Locker and other online providers.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

• Please respect the word limit as indicated in the unit outline/Canvas site.
• When typing assignments, use 1.5 or double spacing and font size 12.
• Use page numbering.
• Check your work carefully for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Appendices should be added at the end of your assignment and should be numbered and linked to the main text.
• References should be organised based on the latest APA referencing style (7th ed.); See the library guide  
• References should include only works which have been cited in the main text or appendices.
• There are there active researchers teaching the unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out.

• Semester 1, 2024, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (219404)
• Semester 1, 2023, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (215753)