Taking a personal development approach to the teaching of research methods

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Taking a personal development approach to the
teaching of research methods

• Elaine Clarke
• University of Westminster
• clarkee_at_westminster.ac.uk

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Aims

• To set forward the argument that to integrate a
  personal development planning approach with the
  teaching of research methods should result in a
  more fulfilling research experience, is likely to
  lead to better quality research and will enhance
  students employability generally.
• To discuss ways in which links between the two
  might be strengthened

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Structure

• Mapping of the common threads between the process
  of undertaking research and personal development
  planning
• Explore examples of where PDP activities fit
  within the research process
• Discuss how the links between the two might be
  strengthened
• Highlight the challenges

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Elements of PDP

• Personal audit
• Employability skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Motivation
• Self-managed learning
• Goal setting
• Reflective practice

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The research process and emotional intelligence
EQ IQ MQ Advancement (Dulewicz Higgs,
1998)
Data collection
Research design
Review of literature
Idea generation
Data analysis
Reflection
Findings Conclusions
EQ IQ MQ
EQ IQ MQ
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Enhancing PDP within research methods teaching
Discussion threads
Group problem-solving
Role play
Link ideas to future career / studies
Research skills audit
Reflective log / Research diary
Reflect on meetings with supervisor
Lifelines exercise
Presentations
USE SEMINARS, LEARNING SETS, VLEs
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Adding a research methods strand to a PDP process

• Skills audit to include research competencies,
  e.g. critical thinking, integrative thinking
• Build up levels of research competencies over the
  years of study
• Links to online exercises, resources
• e.g. Exercise to evaluate research ideas
• Resource bank
• Organisational discussion threads, rather than
  modular

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Challenges.

• Needs an ongoing champion
• Winning hearts and minds
• Logistics structures of programmes, courses,
  modes of delivery
• Maintaining momentum
• Differing capacities
• Resource implications?

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Taking a personal development approach to the
teaching of research methods

• Elaine Clarke
• University of Westminster
• clarkee_at_westminster.ac.uk

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In summary..

• Research methods teaching and personal
  development planning are natural allies.
• Tightening the links between them should lead to
  better research and more employable students.
• The way in which these links are tightened will,
  in theory, depend on structural and logistical
  issues.
• In reality, the challenges are more varied and
  possibly more deeply embedded.

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• Research competencies
• Problem identification
• Integrative thinking
• Information collection
• Data interpretation
• Academic written communication
• Research knowledge understanding
• Project design
• Research methodology
• Model building
• Model testing
• Data analysis techniques
• (Doctoral Programme
• Henley Management College)

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The end result.

• Students who are
• motivated, self-aware, focused,
  self-critical, deep learners, conscientious,
  sensitive to others, emotionally resilient..
• Students who can.
• take a long-term approach, self-manage,
  influence and persuade, integrate their learning,
  see the bigger picture, challenge themselves,
  make choices about the appropriate way to
  approach a problem ..

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Why link PDP with research methods in particular?

• Both process rather than content driven
• Link with dissertation
• gateway to the future
• students make choices and commit themselves to a
  course of action
• high degree of self-management and independence
• revealing much about themselves, their abilities
  and their motivations

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The research process
Data collection
Research design
Review of literature
Idea generation
Data analysis
Reflection
Findings Conclusions
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Emotional Intelligence

• Motivation
• Intuitiveness
• Emotional resilience
• Conscientiousness
• Self-awareness
• Inter-personal sensitivity
• Influence

• Drivers
• Constrainers
• Enablers
• Dulewicz Higgs (2004)

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In summary..

• Research methods teaching and personal
  development planning are natural allies.
• Tightening the links between them should lead to
  better research and more employable students.
• The way in which these links are tightened will,
  in theory, depend on structural and logistical
  issues.
• In reality, the challenges are more varied and
  possibly more deeply embedded.