PHUV9360 Action Research: Epistemology, Methodology and Ethics in Action Research Projects Course description

Approved by the Doctoral Committee 24 May 2018. Minor changes approved 27.04.2020.

This PhD course is open for candidates at the PhD Program in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education, other PhD candidates and academic employees.

Language: English (and Norwegian, dependent on the language of participants).

This course is one of two PhD courses on Action Research. Course 2 builds on Course 1. In this second course, epistemological, methodological and ethical perspectives on action research will be presented, discussed and related to examples of research projects. Reflections on connections between epistemological conceptual frameworks and practical choices in educational action research are emphasized.

Completed Course 1, or that candidates / students can document competence equivalent to Course 1. In such cases, the student must apply for approval from the head of the program.

On completion of the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has in-depth knowledge of epistemological and methodological perspectives on Action Research projects
• has in-depth knowledge of the role of the researcher in action research projects

Skills

The candidate:

• has gained methodological competence in understanding and engaging in Action Research at a sufficiently high level to develop knowledge in his/her field of study.
• can give academically competent written presentations of a relevant topic within action research

General competence

The candidate:

• can identify and establish constructive connections between theories, empirical data, and practices based on developed methodological competence in Action Research
• has sufficient ethical competence to identify relevant ethical challenges in his/her research process.

Organised tuition is given in the form of lectures and seminars. Candidates are expected to actively participate in all the teaching activities. Candidates will receive academic supervision on writing essays.

Students are expected to read the syllabus before the course to be able to participate actively in discussions.

The candidate writes an individual essay of between 4000 - 6000 words. It can be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. The essay must be related to relevant themes in the course syllabus. The theme of the essay shall be approved by the course coordinator in advance. The essay must be submitted within six weeks after the course. 

New and postponed examination

If an essay cannot be passed, the candidate must submit one revised version within a given deadline.

The learning outcomes serve as criteria for assessments. The grades are "pass" or "fail".

The essay will be assessed by the course coordinator and a member of the academic staff involved in the PhD program.