Qualitative and Action-based Research and Development Methods (5 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

The student
- is familiar with development processes containing qualitative and action-based methods
- is able to choose appropriate methods and gather data for the study
- is able to analyse the gathered data
- is able to assess the criteria of credibility and trustworthyness of his/her study

Content (course unit)

Content
- different approaches and their backgrounds
- case study
- action research
- constructive research
- network research (online research)
- qualitative data and analysis
- content analysis
- trustworthy reporting

Assessment criteria, pass/fail (course unit)

Passed:
The student
- is able to apply a qualitative approach in all phases of the research process, i.e., the planning, implementation and evaluation phases
- is able to justify the decisions made during the research process, also from the ethical and credibility viewpoints.
- masters inductive qualitative content analysis in practice
- knows the approaches of action research and other developmental research methods
- is able to write a report according to the given guidelines and works constructively in a team.

Failed
The student
- does not fulfil the above-mentioned passing criteria
- does not participate in lectures or in team work

Location and time

Saturday morning 13.11.2021 at 8.30-11.45
Friday 3.12.2021 at 8.30-15.45
Thursday 16.12.2021 at 8.30-15.45
ATTENTION! Mandatory presence in all classes.

Evaluation methods and criteria

The assessment is based on active participation in classroom teaching and small group activities. The completion of individual tasks, peer review between groups and the students' self-assessment of their activities. Teachers' comment on the progress of the work and feedback and evaluation of the final report (pass/fail). Approved completion of the course requires participation in all classroom teaching and the return of the required assignments.

Assessment scale

Pass/Fail

Teaching methods

Lectures, exercise work in small groups, participation in an inductive content analysis workshop is obligatory, individual task: analysis of previous qualitative/action research.

Learning materials

Elo S. & Kyngäs H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62(1): 107-115.

Flick U. (2014). An introduction to qualitative research. Edition 5. SAGE.

Graneheim UH, Lindgren B-M & Lundman B. (2017). Methodological challenges in qualitative content analysis: A discussion paper. Nurse Education Today 56: 29-34.

Hsieh H-F, Shannon S (2005) Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research 9: 1277-1288.

Lindgren B-M, Lundman B & Graneheim UH. (2020). Abstraction and interpretation during the qualitative content analysis process. International Journal of Nursing Studies 108: 103632. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103632

Polit, D. & Beck, C. (2020). Resource manual for nursing research : generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. Philadelphia : Wolters Kluwer. Eleventh edition ISBN : 978-1-975112-26-4

Vaismoradi M, Turunen H, Bondas T. (2013). Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing and Health Sciences, 15: 398–405.


Current articles of methodology
Completed before the start of the course

Content scheduling

1. Classroom OR Zoom teaching (depending on Covid-19 situation, students will be informed well in advance of teaching)
Introduction lecture on different approaches. Starting the group work. Clarification of the topic and data collection (already existing data) between contact teaching days.

2. Classroom OR Zoom teaching (depending on Covid-19 situation, students will be informed well in advance of teaching)
Introduction lecture on the methods of analysis, content analysis workshop.
Individual task and working with a report between contact teaching days.

3. Classroom OR Zoom teaching (depending on Covid-19 situation, students will be informed well in advance of teaching)
Group presentations
Lecture on convincing reportage and evaluation of a study

Further information

Initially this course is planned to be carried out as classroom teaching, but if the Covid 19 -situation changes and classroom teaching is not allowed then the course will be implemented as Zoom teaching. This matter will be clarified during the autumn and students will be informed about it anyway.


Kaikki aikataulut ja sisällöt pysyvät samoina, ainoastaan työkieli muuttui englannista suomeksi.

Assessment criteria - pass/fail (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Approved performance requires participation in the classroom teaching, small group activities, reporting and self- and peer evaluations as well as completing the individual assignment. During the course the student has actively participated in the classroom teaching and promoted the achievement of small group goals through his/her activities. The individual task and the group report show that the basic principles of the qualitative approach are absorbed and the exercise of content analysis is managed. The group's report follows TAMK's reporting guidelines and the instructions given in the course.