Qualitative Research (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

In a qualitative course, you have four different assignments:
Task 1: individual task
- Select two (2) scientific articles in your field and make a written summary of them.
- Return the summary to an online learning environment.

Task 2: group work
-Get familiar the background material on research ethics
- Participate in discussions with your group on ethical issues in research,
-Make a summary with your group on an ethical issue and present it to everyone in a joint webinar

Task 3: group task
- Collect qualitative data, analyze it by using qualitative analysis methods and form the main results of the analysis.
- Produce a Power Point presentation of your research that will be presented to others
- Return your Power Point presentation to online learning environment.
- Participate in the peer review

Task 4: individual task
- Read the Power Point presentation of one group and give an oral peer review, in which you look at the different stages of the research process and possible development needs

Objective

The purpose of the course is that you know how to interpret and evaluate qualitative studies and know how to use qualitative research and its methods in the development and research activities of working life.

Competences
- Ethical competence; You know how to implement the principles of good scientific practice and promote their application in your work community
- Learning to learn; You know how to acquire, critically evaluate and produce information taking into account the perspectives of different fields.
- Proactive development; You know how to implement research, development and innovation projects and apply different research and development methods.

After completing the course, you will be able to interpret and explain the theoretical foundations and methods of qualitative research. You can critically evaluate qualitative research and its suitability for research and development work in your own field, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. You know how to plan and implement research or development work, applying different qualitative research and development methods.

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

Materials

The Sage handbook of qualitative research. 2017. Toim. N. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln. USA: Sage
TAI
Bryman, A. 2012. Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press cop.
TAI
Holloway, I. & Galvin, K. 2017. Qualitative Research in Nursing and Healthcare. 4th ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell
TAI
Klenke, K. 2016. Qualitative Research in the Study of Leadership. Great Britain: Emerald.

Creswell, J. & Poth, C.N. 2018. Qualitative inquiry & research design: choosing among five approaches. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Application of Content Analysis in Nursing Science Research. 2018 or 2020. Edit.. H. Kyngäs, K. Mikkonen & M. Kääriäinen, M. Cham: Springer.

Resnik D. B. 2011. What is Ethics in Research & Why is It Important? National institute of health science. Available at: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis.cfm

Silverman, D. 2014. Interpreting qualitative data. Methods for analysing talk, text and interaction. 5.painos. London:Sage.

Gerrish, K. & Lathlean, J. 2015. The Research process in Nursing. Wileys & Blackwell. Section 4 and chapter 34. Ebook

Teaching methods

The course is implemented as webinars, where during three (3) different webinars (3 hours / webinar) you get acquainted with qualitative research in your field, present the research data collection, analysis and results, and discuss ethical issues related to research in the group.
During the course, you will practice using mini-research to collect and analyze research material, and in a seminar conducted as a webinar, you will present the qualitative research you have done.

Exam schedules

Independent and group works, no exam

Student workload

Total 135 hours:
- Contact 21 hours
- Independent work 114 hours

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.

Further information

Task 1: pass / fail
Task 2: pass / fail
Task 3: number 1-5
Task 4: pass / fail