LEARNING OUTCOMES
After successfully completing the course, students will be familiar with the core methods of qualitative research today. They will be able to carry out basic research activities, such as organising, undertaking and analysing different types of interviews, and observing, intervening and participating in different social worlds as part of academic research. The course underscores the importance of selecting appropriate methods and media throughout the process of working with data, and of recognising the limitations but also the benefits of different methods in qualitative enquiry.
Students will be able to think critically but constructively about what 'data' is and how generating and analysing it are intertwined.
Students will gain confidence in carrying out data collection and analysis, and gain some experience of adjusting existing methods to their own research fields and topics.
Credits: 6
Schedule: 02.03.2022 - 19.05.2022
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Jenni Hokka, Eeva Berglund
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
The course has three components: seminars, independent research and presentations. Contact sessions will consist of introductory lectures and seminars, and presentations.
Seminars and lectures will address:
- The strengths and principles of qualitative research
- Observational techniques
- Different types of interviews
- Visual materials
- Online and offline data
- Ethnographic approaches and emerging inventive methodologies
Key qualitative methods of analysis, e.g. content analysis, semiotic analysis (textual and visual), discourse analysis, feminist and gender studies, technical aids for analysis.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Students are expected to attend at least 80% of the total number of classes. Active participation in class discussions and exercises and timely submission of assignments is also required. These will include reporting on individual and group exercises (e.g. interviews) and a final paper of c. 2 500 words.
Assessment is based on a criterion-referenced scale 0 5 for individual and pass-fail for group work.
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
Approximately 162h:
Lectures and seminars 26h, reading 36h, independent and group work 100h
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
These will be uploaded to MyCourses.
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
5 Gender Equality
10 Reduced Inequality
17 Partnerships for the Goals
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
The course runs over two contact teaching periods with independent work in between.
Language of Instructions: English. Note, students can work with data in any language.
Teaching Period:
2020-2021 Spring IV-V
2021-2022 Spring IV-V
Course Homepage: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/search.php?search=ARTS-L0111
Registration for Courses: Sisu replaces Oodi on 9 August, 2021. Priority order to courses is according to the order of priority decided by the Academic committee for School of Arts, Design and Architecture: https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/registering-to-courses-and-the-order-of-priority-in-aalto-arts
WebOodi
Minimun number of students 10, maximum 22.