Master of Education (Educational Research, Evaluation and Assessment)
ObjectivesThis specialisation aims to: * examine and debate the implications of different philosophical approaches of educational research, assessment and evaluation; * understand the multidisciplinary, multivariate and multilevel perspectives of research, assessment and evaluation in education; * recognise the relationship of research, assessment and evaluation in education; * examine the research literature relating to learning, teaching and human development; * develop an increased ability to apply knowledge gained from research, assessment and evaluation in their practice as educators or in other professions; * provide assessment, curriculum, pedagogical and policy leadership in education; * evaluate curricula and educational services in regard to their capacity to provide appropriate programs to foster learning and development across the lifespan; and * examine and debate issues relating to the quest for knowledge and understanding relating to problems that arise in the fields of education. Learning outcomesThe specialisation seeks to provide students with the ability to: * critically discuss and evaluate current theory and research in selected areas of educational policy and practice; * examine recent writing in the field of education with an informed critical perspective; * translate knowledge gained from reading, discussion and writing into educational practices; * contribute to the informed construction of educational policy, whether local, national or global.
Entry requirementsDomestic StudentsApplicants must normally hold an approved 3 year degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field.Masters degrees are 72-unit courses but credit of up to 36 units may be granted for an approved 4 year degree and relevant work experience. Students who have completed the Graduate Certificate or equivalent receive some credit when progressing to Education Masters program.Accredited professional development pathways modules may also be recognised. Refer to Accreditation of Professional Development Pathways Modules at Flinders University for more details.
Academic titleMaster of Education (Educational Research, Evaluation and Assessment)
Course descriptionThe Master of Education (Educational Research, Evaluation and Assessment) is designed to develop expertise in educational research. The Masters provides for in-depth study of the scope of methodologies from quantitative and empirical methodologies to qualitative and deconstructive methodologies.
The program is intended for educators interested in developing research expertise and for those people working in the education system interested in researching educational issues.
Students will be introduced to the employment of statistical analysis in educational research covering techniques both for summarising and describing single distribution - and relations between and among variables - and also for making generalisations from samples to populations on the basis of statistical inference.
By the end of the program students will be able to elect or devise appropriate designs for surveys and/or experiments they may conduct as well as to analyse and interpret research findings reported in the literature. Linear regression, including multiple regression; canonical analysis; analysis of variance and covariance; cluster analysis; discriminant analysis; factor analysis; partial least squares path analysis; linear structural relations analysis; and hierarchical linear modelling; multi-level non-linear relations analysis; and the analysis of change are covered. In this program students will be exposed to data collection instruments (questionnaires and interview schedules, observation methods, online data collection); data processing and analysis (computer tools for analysis, content analysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis); writing research reports (style and form of research reports, developing research proposals, writing for publication); and evaluating research reports (developing framework for evaluation, applying the evaluation framework to journal literature, evaluating research proposals).
In the field of qualitative and deconstructive research students will address the assumptions and philosophies of social research. Questions of research design, data collection and analysis will be covered and students will complete their degree with a substantial understanding of the evolution of social research over the past two centuries.
The aim of the program is to educate educational researchers with a sound historical, philosophical and political basis for undertaking technical research procedures in the field of education.
Note: The Master of Education and related specialisations does not qualify graduates for Teacher registration.
The Master of Education is a 72-unit flexible coursework program that allows students to create individual programs to suit their interests and thus shape their own educational pathways.
Students can choose to apply for admission for either the generic MEd or the following optional specialisation.
THE MASTER OF EDUCATION AND RELATED SPECIALISATIONS DO NOT QUALIFY GRADUATES FOR TEACHER REGISTRATION.
PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2008]
To qualify for the Master of Education(Educational Research, Evaluation and Assessment) a student must complete 72 units, including approved credit, with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic with the following conditions:
* a student may be granted credit for 24 units of coursework;
* a student must complete 12 units of coursework from the topics listed below;
* a student may submit a 36-unit major research thesis for external examination;
* a student may submit a 24- or 18-unit minor research thesis for external examination;
* a student may submit a 12-unit Coursework Project;
* a student may complete up to 24 units of coursework from other Master of Education programs; and
* a student must complete the topic EDES9801 Approaches to Research.
The coursework topics with a research and evaluation orientation must be selected from the following:
EDES9003
Introduction to Educational Statistics
6
EDES9005
Multivariate and Multilevel Statistics for Educational Research