Curricula

Objective

Purpose of the course
The aim of the course is to understand the meaning of qualitative research and to be able to use qualitative research and its methods in development and research practices at workplaces.

Competences
Ethical competence
Learning and information management competence
Entrepreneurship, innovation and working community competence

Learning outcomes
Student has an overall picture of epistemological and ontological considerations of qualitative research and its methodology. Student can identify the applicability of various types of qualitative data and methods for solving different types of research questions. Student understands the strengths and the weaknesses of qualitative research and has an ability to conduct a qualitative research and assess it as well as its applicability to his/her own field of research and development work.

Content

Qualitative researches¿ information theoretic basis
Defining the research topic and the research problem and questions
Qualitative research process
The main data collection methods in qualitative research
Different types of literature review
The main methods of data analysis in qualitative research
The reliability and validity of qualitative research
Qualitative research ethical issues

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Sufficient 1
The student knows the theoretical basis of qualitative research as well as the strengths and weaknesses. He or she identifies different types of qualitative data and methods that are applicable to different types of research tasks solving. The student understands how to evaluate qualitative research. The student knows how qualitative research has been applied in research and development.

Satisfactory 2
The student applies the theoretical basis of qualitative research. The student is able to identify and select the various kinds of qualitative data and methods, which are applicable to different types of research tasks solving. The student can to apply qualitative research in his/her own field.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3
The student master the theoretical basics, strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. The student is able to analyze the suitability of different qualitative data and methods, in his/her own field research. The students can analyze the qualitative research and its suitability in his/her field of research and development.

Very good 4
The student is able to synthetize and summarize theoretical basics, strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. The student is able to create new knowledge by utilizing qualitative data and methods. The student is able to create new knowledge by utilizing qualitative research in his/her own field.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
The student is able to determine critically the reasons for the qualitative research information theoretical foundations and methods. The student evaluates strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. Student can evaluate a variety of qualitative data and methods for the purpose of different types of research tasks solving. Student evaluates critically qualitative research and its applicability in their own field of research and development.