Researching Adult learning: Project work, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Master's Programme in Adult Learning and Global Change

Entry requirements

At least 27 credits from courses within the master’s programme in Adult Learning and Global Change.

Intended learning outcomes

The course will enable students to
• Demonstrate theoretical and methodological awareness in the application of a chosen theoretical perspective to a research problem within the field of adult learning.
• Understand the different phases of the research process through the design, conduct, and report of an independent project work within the field of adult learning 
• Critique and scrutinise research and communicate their comments in the academic community of peers.

Course content

This course focuses on the theoretical and practical considerations required in the different phases of the process when designing, conducting, and reporting a research project within the area of adult learning. The course comprises four parts, following the different phases of the research process perspective and design, data collection and analysis, writing of the thesis, and critique and defence

Teaching and working methods

The rationale for the working forms in the course is that the research process is here viewed as research learning. The learning is supported through articulation of theoretical reflections and experiences related to the project work and through discussions in the academic community of peers. Students learn when their understanding is challenged in varying ways; through reading, writing, comparison, discussion and application. In the first part of the course, students will take their research proposal from the course Understanding research as a starting point for a dialogue with peers and tutors to elaborate on the theoretical perspective and design chosen to identify the feasibility of the project and to adjust it accordingly. In the second part of the course, the problem area will be elaborated through a literature review. During the second part of the course, where students will be engaged in the process of data collection and preliminary analyses, on-line discussion forums will provide continuously support. In the third part, students will present draft versions of their project work to reflect on and discuss their writing process. Finally, the completed theses will be subjected to scrutiny and comments from peers and tutors. On-line communication will be the main interaction between tutors and students as well as between students. The amount of work required for the course corresponds to 20 working hours per week. The course is taught in such a way that the knowledge and experiences of men as well as of women is taken into account and developed.

Examination

​The course is examined by writing a Thesis and submitting it to the examiner.

Applies to all courses regardless of grading scale.

• Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course two times are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

If the course has a three-graded grading scale (U - VG), following applies:

• Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

If the course is a VfU course, the following applies:

• Examination of applied social and didactic abilities is limited to three (3) occasions.

Grades

Course literature

The course literature is decided upon by the department in question

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus.

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department