UNIT 10: LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • To introduce participants to the issues surrounding carrying out community based research
  • To establish a methodology of approach to community based research
  • To introduce a range of research methods appropriate to community based research
Exercise
Number		 Exercises Handouts Approximate Timings
1 Introductory Exercise 30 mins
2 Review of Part 1 group project 30 mins
3 Definitions of community A 30 mins
4 A framework for approaching research B & C 30 mins
5 Different research meothds D 60 mins
6 Developing a research plan E 120 mins
7 Recap and summary Learning Log 15 mins
Total Time approx. 5 hours 15 mins

GENERAL

It is important to make sure that people are not over ambitious in the scale of the research they are going to undertake. Remind them to check that they have the time, resources and opportunity to complete within the requirements of the course.

Tutors should note that on completion of this unit group members should start to work on their research and have it complete for presentation in Unit 15. We would suggest that people should have around six weeks to carry out their research and present their findings. Depending on the frequency and pace of course delivery you can either schedule course delivery around that timeframe or complete up to the end of Unit 14 and use the time after that to concentrate exclusively on the research.
 

EXERCISE 1: INTRODUCTORY EXERCISE (15 minutes)

This exercise is to demonstrate how some research approaches can be disengaging and meaningless to those participating in it. It is a basis for discussing good and bad approaches to research.

EXERCISE 2: REVIEW OF THE GROUP PROJECT IN PART 1 (30 minutes)

This aims to review the group project in Part 1 and set the scene for the research to be carried out during Part 2.

EXERCISE 3: DEFINITIONS OF COMMUNITY (30 minutes)

To get group members to think about the definition of the word community and the problems it presents i.e. Communities of interest, geography and identity.

EXERCISE 4: A FRAMEWORK FOR APPROACHING RESEARCH (30 minutes)

This provides the framework of the research approach “action, reflection, cycle” and demonstrates that this is something that we are not only familiar with but something we do everyday.

EXERCISE 5: DIFFERENT RESEARCH METHODS (1 hour)

Here people should get an introduction to different research methods and where and how these might be used to best effect. You may wish to concentrate on only two or three of these and deal with them in some depth

EXERCISE 6: DEVELOPING A RESEARCH PLAN (2 hours)

This is about individuals taking some time to think about what their research question is going to be and have initial thoughts of how they are going to actually go about doing it. Subsequently people should break in to the smaller groups that are going to undertake the research. Here they should have time to work through the development of their research plan. Tutors may need to help either during the process or at the end to ensure the plan is workable and identify any pitfalls that are evident at this stage.

EXERCISE 7: RECAP AND SUMMARY (15 minutes)

This gives you a chance to recap on the main points and give out this unit’s Learning Log.