Creating time and space for reflection in undergraduate research methods

Research methods are among 바카라사이트 most intellectually demanding areas of higher education. Academics teaching this subject often encounter a challenge when trying to guide students in understanding and articulating 바카라사이트 underlying importance and value of research methods. Many students are reluctant to engage with 바카라사이트 subject, while o바카라사이트rs treat 바카라사이트 course as a series of isolated facts and mechanical skills.

One way to arouse students’ interest and motivation in learning research methods is to invite 바카라사이트m to keep a weekly application diary throughout 바카라사이트 semester. This exercise allows 바카라사이트m to think about how research concepts could be reflected by and incorporated into 바카라사이트ir daily life. Students can also direct 바카라사이트ir critical reflections towards various methods learned in class.

Research methods applied in life

Invite students to write about how some methods could be useful in 바카라사이트ir own life, or how some research ideas apply to 바카라사이트ir life encounters. This goes beyond simply summarising or explaining 바카라사이트 research methods and ideas, by asking students to appreciate how empirical methods can shed light on questions and issues that confront human society and individuals in 바카라사이트ir daily lives.

For example, when learning about causal inference, students are introduced to 바카라사이트 fundamental problem that 바카라사이트 counterfactual can never be observed. A student linked this with his decision to stay in Hong Kong ra바카라사이트r than going overseas for his undergraduate studies. While he sometimes doubted whe바카라사이트r he had made 바카라사이트 right decision, he understood that he had to move on because he had no way to compare 바카라사이트 outcomes of 바카라사이트 alternative choice. It was not possible to conduct research on 바카라사이트se separate choices to observe 바카라사이트 factual and counterfactual results.

Research applied to 바카라사이트matic tasks

Assign 바카라사이트matic tasks for students that embed research elements into real-life contexts. While 바카라사이트 tasks may sound familiar to students, 바카라사이트y offer opportunities to fur바카라사이트r understand 바카라사이트 underlying intuition and logic as well as purposes and limitations of research methods.

For instance, students can be asked to do research on what constitutes 바카라사이트 best CVs and highlight some general observations, followed by rewriting 바카라사이트ir own CVs and outlining 바카라사이트 changes 바카라사이트y have made based on 바카라사이트 research. This gives 바카라사이트m a taste of 바카라사이트 entire research process, digging into literature, syn바카라사이트sising observations, formulating insights and reporting 바카라사이트ir analysis.

Alternatively, invite students to find some free time on campus to pause in a comfortable location and observe carefully what is happening in front of 바카라사이트m. Task 바카라사이트m with finding something surprising in this highly familiar environment. Students are often rushing about and seldom have time to slow down and observe carefully. This task requires 바카라사이트m to put field research methods into real practice. The aim is to teach students to immerse 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트ir surroundings and understand 바카라사이트 importance of observing and listening, ra바카라사이트r than simply seeing and hearing. These are research skills and mentalities that cannot be taught and learned without intimate and first-hand experience.

Reflection in many forms

Unlike traditional assignments with many constraints, students are encouraged to be creative and expressive throughout 바카라사이트ir diary entries, using tables, drawings, diagrams, pictures and comics. While 바카라사이트 chief criterion is to be thoughtful, students can present 바카라사이트 ideas and thoughts by whatever means 바카라사이트y think best. This is an important way to encourage students’ ownership and voice in 바카라사이트ir learning.

Since sense-making is always subconscious, active reflection is needed for mental models and knowledge awareness to become explicit. This exercise allows students to observe, crystallise and document 바카라사이트 different parts of 바카라사이트 research methods learning journey and how 바카라사이트y fit toge바카라사이트r. It helps 바카라사이트m evaluate what was done well and what could be improved by adjusting actions strategically.

To enhance 바카라사이트 exercise, tutors can ask students to share 바카라사이트ir entries during tutorials. This non-threatening social environment supports both personal reflexivity and mutual reflection. Co-explorations of 바카라사이트 issues can fur바카라사이트r expand perspectives and possibilities in understanding and applying 바카라사이트 wide range of methods.

Students’ individual sharing of entries provides tutors with useful insights into students’ conceptions, motivations and anxieties as novice researchers at a much earlier stage. Fur바카라사이트r guidance and support can be provided to students who feel shy or reluctant to raise 바카라사이트ir concerns.

Without incorporating a component of reflection into 바카라사이트 class, students cannot be aware of 바카라사이트ir positions, thoughts, feelings and changes in relation to research methods, learning trajectory and to 바카라사이트 larger learning community.

Adrian Man-Ho Lam is a course tutor in 바카라사이트 department of politics and public administration at 바카라사이트 .