Qualitative Research (5cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

The course will be implemented 100% online. All webinars will be held in Helsinki time.

21.1 klo 15-16.30
4.2 klo 15-16.30
18.3 klo 15-16.30
4.3 klo 15-16.30
18.3 klo 15-16.30
1.4 klo 15-16.30

The two presentation webinars below are alternative options; a student can choose which one to attend:
29.4 klo 14-17
6.5 klo 14-17

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
Proactive development
Learning to learn

Learning outcomes
After completing the study level, you will have an overall picture of the theoretical foundations and methods of qualitative research.

You understand the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research.
You recognize the suitability of different qualitative materials and methods for solving different types of research tasks.
You understand the importance of research ethics in qualitative research.
You have the skills to conduct and evaluate qualitative research and its suitability for research and development work in your field.

Execution methods

Participation in Webinars
Assignments and reporting

Content

In the course, you will learn about qualitative researches¿ information theoretic basis qualitative research approaches, methods and qualitative research process the basics of selecting and narrowing down your research topic, and formulating your research task. You will also learn about methods related to data collection and analysis, ensuring the reliability of the research, as well as ethical principles and practices. You will get familiar with different types of literature review.

Items of Assessment:
Assignments (methodology, data collection and analysis)

Location and time

The course will be implemented 100% online. All webinars will be held in Helsinki time.

21.1 klo 15-16.30
4.2 klo 15-16.30
18.2 klo 15-16.30
4.3 klo 15-16.30
18.3 klo 15-16.30
1.4 klo 15-16.30

The below webinars are optional; a student can choose which one to attend:
29.4 klo 14-17
6.5 klo 14-17

Materials

Pope, C., Mays, N. (Eds). (2020). Qualitative Research in Health Care. John Wiley & Sons, 2020. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11,15.
Silverman, D. (2024). Interpreting Qualitative Research. Sage Publications, 7th ed.
The Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK. https://tenk.fi/en
Resnik, D. B. (2015). What is Ethics in Research & Why is It Important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important? (ucdavis.edu)
Kyngäs, H. (2020). Inductive Content Analysis. In: Kyngäs, H., Mikkonen, K., Kääriäinen, M. (eds) The Application of Content Analysis in Nursing Science Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30199-6_2
Kyngäs, H., Kaakinen, P. (2020). Deductive Content Analysis. In: Kyngäs, H., Mikkonen, K., Kääriäinen, M. (eds) The Application of Content Analysis in Nursing Science Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30199-6_3
Elo, S., & Kyngäs, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107-115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. (Eds). (2011). Handbook of qualitative research. (4th ed.). Sage. OR
Eriksson, P., & Kovalainen, A. (2008). Qualitative Methods in Business Research. Sage. OR
Bryman, A. (2012). Social research methods. Oxford University Press cop.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2005). The practice of nursing research. Conduct, Critique, and Utilization. (5th ed.). Elsevier/Saunders Cop. or the latest edition

Teaching methods

The course uses the following teaching methods:
- Online lectures, students' presentations in webinars
- Exercises, different types of learning tasks

Students will receive guidance from teachers concerning the course assignment. Students also get feedback on the course assignment from teachers.

Exam schedules

Timing of exams and re-exams will be announced on the first webinar of the course.
Timing of a course assignment and deadlines for 3 attempts will be informed on the first online webinar.

International connections

International literature will be used in the course.

Completion alternatives

Certification or accreditation is possible as described in the Jamk's Peppi guidelines.

Student workload

One credit point means an average of 27 hours of work. The load is distributed in different ways depending on the way the course is implemented.
-------------------
In this study period, time use and workload is distributed as follows:
Total load: 135 h
Webinars: 12 hours
Preparing for the exam: 62 hours
Course assignment: 61 hours

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

0 (Fail):
The student does not achieve the competence goals of the course

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.

Qualifications

Research and Development study course or equivalent competence.

Further information

Grading methods

The course will be graded 1-5. The grade will be based on 50 % exam and 50 % course assignment.
In addition, active participation in each webinar is required.

Assessment is competency-based and criterion-based, and student self-assessment plays an important role in that.

See also the course's grading scale.