Essentials of Research Methods in Education

Scott Buckler has been involved in education since the 1990s, fluctuating between primary teaching, secondary teaching (science, computing, psychology), and universities (education, sport, psychology). From teaching research methods across the expanse of education (from the primary years through to doctorates), Scott has been an advocate of high quality research, through facilitating an open mind while maintaining academic integrity. His research has encompassed many areas, often with the theme of personal and professional growth, through the lens of transpersonal psychology. His PhD thesis was interdisciplinary, combining anthropology and psychology to explore the way that the martial arts lead to personal transformation. Professionally, Scott’s research is predominantly in applied educational psychology, inclusive education, and research methods. Scott is a Chartered Teacher and Chartered Psychologist.Harriett Moore has a varied background within the field of both education and research.  She studied animal behaviour at University College Chester (a college of Liverpool University) where she engaged with a wide selection of research methodologies, from observational approaches to applied research in a range of contexts. Her skills have transferred effectively into analysing human behaviour.Harriett has been involved with education since the mid-2000s as a secondary teacher, IT Operations Manager, among other roles. Throughout her career, Harriett has engaged with applied research to help facilitate change and to inform a variety of audiences, continually challenging perspectives in the limitations of what people think is possible, and what can actually be achieved.Harriett currently manages the school’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and is a firm believer that education is much more than classroom based learning, rather requiring a “whole-person centred” approach. Her current research projects include teacher wellbeing, martial arts within the school setting, and student/staff perceptions on elearning.

• PART I Introduction to educational researchCh1 IntroductionCh2 Research perspectives and applied philosophyCh3 The importance of the sociocultural contextCh4 The research process from start to finishPART II Establishing and defining your research focusCh5 Identifying an appropriate research projectCh6 The importance of ethicsCh7 The literature reviewCh8 Different research designsPART III Data collection methods and analysisCh9 Quantitative data collection methodsCh10 Quantitative data analysis and presentation of findingsCh11 Qualitative data collection methodsCh12 Qualitative data analysis and presentation of findingsCh13 Mixed methodologies and mixed approachesPART IV Engaging with your own researchCh14 Conducting and completing your research projectCh15 Taking your research project further: presentation and publication