Research and Development (5cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

Detailed and up-to-date information is available in the course workspace (Learning Environment).
Weekly lectures, workshops, and assignments.
Fall semester the course ends at the latest in the third week of December.
Spring semester the course ends at the latest at the end of May.
More details to be announced during the course.

Objective

Purpose of the course
The purpose of the course is to familiarise you with the basics of development and research activities and support the writing of the bachelor's thesis.

ILO 1
Proactive Development
Develop solutions to current and future business challenges using knowledge, critical reasoning, and analytical skills


Course learning outcomes:
As a student, you know the different stages of the development processes that support the thesis. You are able to acquire reliable and up-to-date information on working life. You are able to choose a suitable development method (data collection and analysis methods) for your thesis. You are familiar with Jamk's thesis process and are able to prepare a thesis topic proposal. You know the principles of responsible conduct of research and act in accordance with them.

Content

- Development process: goal definition, research question or development task, acquisition of working life information, methods of data collection and analysis, assessment of reliabilityi
- Generic structure of the thesis, evaluation criteria, Research ethics and good scientific or artistic practice
- Research-based development activities:- setting a development task, choosing development methods, collecting and analysing data, assessing the reliability of research-based development activities
- Preparation of a thesis topic proposal

Location and time

The primary mode of delivery is a combination of in-class activities on campus and online lectures. The lectures will be recorded to support op-portunities for 24/7 learning. The in-class activities deepen the learning in the forms of tutorials, individual and group work, reflection and guid-ance.
Detailed and up-to-date information is available in the course workspace (Learning Environment).

Materials

Textbook:
Research methods for Business Students; Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, Adrian Thornhill, additional virtual material available
Please Note ! Research methods for business students, 4th ed. 2006 / Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, Adrian Thornhill is now freely available to you via JAMK on-campus and Intranet Library
JAMK's thesis-related directions in the Study Guide
School-specific directions on the dedicated learning platform and
Elmo Student
Online study materials on Information retrieval

Stevens, J., & Crawford, S. 2014. Project reporting instructions. Adapted from Raportointiohje [Reporting instructions] by Liukko, S., & Perttula, S. 2013. JAMK University of Applied Sciences’ open learning materials. Ac-cessed on 12 March 2014. Retrieved from http - //oppimateriaalit.jamk.fi/project reporting instructions.

Teaching methods

The primary mode of delivery is a combination of in-class activities on campus and online lectures. The lectures will be recorded to support op-portunities for 24/7 learning. The in-class activities deepen the learning in the forms of tutorials, individual and group work, reflection and guid-ance.
Detailed and up-to-date information is available in the course workspace (Learning Environment).
Lectures, course project/group assignments, thesis proposal/individual assignment, exam test.

Employer connections

Thesis as part of double degree diploma and/or overseas internship.

Exam schedules

Detailed and up-to-date information is available in the course workspace (Learning Environment).
Exam is held online.
There is 1 retake possibility. Specific time and date are announced after the grading of the first attempt and are available in the course work-space.

International connections

The course is available for Double Degree students and Study Abroad students from JAMK's partner institutions around the world.

Completion alternatives

In general, as Research and Development course forms an integral part of the JAMK IB thesis track system and belongs to the critical path of the thesis process, there is no alternative way to complete the module other than through this implementation. Recognition of prior learning can be granted only in exceptional circumstances, and it is at the lecturer's dis-cretion to approve such arrangements. In practice, no recognition of prior learning has been issued to date by the lecturer in charge of this course.
More precise info about recognition of prior learning can be found at: JAMK Degree Regulations, section 17.

Student workload

Detailed and up-to-date information is available in the course workspace (Learning Environment).
Total 125-155 hours split among virtual study, assignments, and inde-pendent study.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Adequate 1
Familiar stages of the development process. You know how to acquire working life and research information concerning your own field. You know the key development methods. You know the principles of responsible conduct of research and act in accordance with them..

Satisfactory 2
You are able to acquire working life and research knowledge in your own field . You identify opportunities to apply development methods. You know the principles of responsible conduct of research for your thesis and act in accordance with them.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3
You are able to independently acquire and evaluate working life and research information concerning your own field. You are able to choose a development method suitable for your thesis and justify your choice. You know the principles of responsible conduct of research and act in accordance with them.

Very good 4
You are able to independently acquire working life and research information concerning your own field and evaluate it critically. You are able to choose a development method suitable for your thesis and justify your choice. You know the principles of responsible conduct of research and act in accordance with them.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
You are able to independently acquire and evaluate working life and research information concerning your own field. You are able to analyse the differences in development methods and justify the method choices you have made. You are able to evaluate development proposals and their implementation in working life You know the principles of responsible conduct of research and act in accordance with them.

Further information

Open UAS: 4 (included in the total capacity)
The assessment method for this course is designed with specific criteria crafted for each assignment/project and the overarching learning objec-tives. Peer evaluation is integrated into the learning process through in-teractive workshops. Detail and specific information regarding assess-ment can be accessed within the dedicated course workspace.