Research Methodologies in Education

Code:

MED200

Acronym:

MIE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Research and Intervention Methodologies in Education / Educational Sciences

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/FICHA_DISCIPLINA.EDITAR?p_cad_codigo=MED200&p_periodo=2S&p_ano_lectivo=2009/2010
Responsible unit:	Education Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	Master Degree in Educational Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MCED	53	Official Curricular Structure	1	-	6	49	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

In this UC, there is a central concern en inform the basic choices underlying the research process, seeking to equip students with theoretical and methodological frames of reference, founders of research in Education, which enable a critical condition for methodological choices adjusted to the object of research. Thus, the learning objectives are


- deepen and broaden the reflection on the founding frames of reference of research in education;
- to provide structuring knowledge of the research procedure
- to allow theoretical and practical contact with specific research methods and techniques
- to inform the choices underlying the research process
- to stimulate critical activity for methodological choices adjusted to the research object
- to know how to develop an exploratory research work.

Learning outcomes and competences

The concern with training students to master various ways of conducting research in education is the basis of an approach that combines knowledge of research methodologies and their conceptual references with field experience and the design of a project based on that experience, comparing literature and practice. We assume here that learning how to do research is inseparable from the activity of experiencing, in a specific context, the challenges posed by the design and implementation of projects: from knowledge of the context to the identification of resources and perceived ‘problems’, from the definition of objectives to the selection of strategies, etc. Learning from confronting ‘situated problems’ is not only consistent with the ecological perspective on which this CU is based, but also has a high potential for learning knowledge and skills based on the ability to adapt theory (about research) to contextualised practice - as any project in the field of Education requires.





Learning Outcomes

distinction between research paradigms and scientific rationality;
differentiated knowledge of the diversity of methods and techniques;
understanding of research design;
production of written documents – methodological rationale and scientific writing.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

n.a.

Program

I - Approaches to knowledge and science
1.1. Research in and on education
The scientific object and paths of research in the scientific field of Education Sciences
Relevance and social impact of research in education

1.2. Rationalities in research: epistemological, ontological and axiological issues.
Positivist, interpretative and socio-critical paradigms
Representation, reflexivity, quality, accountability and reciprocity

1.3. Decolonisation of scientific paradigms and conventional science
Postcolonial, posthuman and indigenous perspectives in education.
Positionality and situated knowledge

II – Research Design
2.1. Research question, theory and methods
Experimental and quasi-experimental designs
Case studies
Comparative studies
Action (participatory) research

III Research plan
3.1. Literature review: some procedures
The role of theory in research

3.1. Data collection methods and techniques – articles and instruments
Quantitative methods
Naturalistic methods
Visual methods
Digital methods
Biographical methods
Interview methods
Participatory methods

3.2. Data analysis methods
Quantitative data analysis
Qualitative data analysis
Data interpretation processes

Mandatory literature

Wallerstein, Emmanuel (1996). Para abrir as ciências sociais. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Seale Clive 340; Researching society and culture. ISBN: 0-7619-5277-2
Saukko Paula; Doing research in cultural studies. ISBN: 0-7619-6505-X
Silva Augusto Santos 570; Metodologia das ciências sociais
Silverman David; Interpreting qualitative data. ISBN: 0-7619-6865-2
Santos Boaventura de Sousa; Um discurso sobre as ciências
Alvesson Mats; Reflexive methodology. ISBN: ISBN 0-8039-7707-7
Ramazanoglu Caroline; Feminist methodology. ISBN: ISBN 0-7619-5123-7
Vieira, Cristina; Temas, contextos e desafios da investigação qualitativa em educação. , Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra., 2022

Teaching methods and learning activities

Contact activities

Exhibition. Debates. Preparation of fieldwork, research design, instrument design and data analysis. Fieldwork supervision. Writing a Research Diary.

Independent work

Bibliographic research and reading of recommended works. Fieldwork. Writing a Research Diary.

Assessment:

Regular students who attend 75% of the scheduled classes.

1. Assessment is based on the writing of an individual research diary, as a support for reflection, but also as a practice of dense writing around the discussions and themes of the classes, making connections with the individual research problem to be developed and with the exploratory fieldwork to be carried out (100%).

 A Research Diary is a working tool for those engaged in research and includes reflections that may be methodological in nature, discussions on research topics, conceptual, theoretical and ethical reflections, assessments of books and texts that are being analysed and others that are encountered along the way to arriving at a research question and problem in education. The Research Diary is written at the same time as the classes. This component is individual and should include a reflection on what it means to investigate and how methodological choices are made around a problem. The aim is for students to be able to mobilise theoretical and practical knowledge around methodological procedures to be adopted in relation to a problem of their choice, developing investigative thinking. The journal is a methodological reflection on how to understand and develop a research or intervention problem in a more coherent and paradigmatically integrated way. The journal will also have a section reporting on the fieldwork to be carried out in order to arrive at a research problem or research question.

keywords

Social sciences

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	70,00
Trabalho de campo	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	40,00
Frequência das aulas	39,00
Trabalho de campo	20,00
Trabalho escrito	60,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	3,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

The student obtains the attendance to the curricular unit if, having been regularly enrolled, attends 75% of the classes foreseen. The attendance of 75% of the lessons is what allows the distributed evaluation without final examination.

Calculation formula of final grade

Distributed assessment (for students who have 75% class attendance)

The assessment is based on a research paper in poster format, which is the result of fieldwork/laboratory work carried out in a small group and includes its presentation - it is weighted at 40 per cent.
The writing of an individual Research Diary, with reflections on the lessons and the exploratory research work carried out - weighted at 60%.

Examinations or Special Assignments

N/A

Internship work/project

n.a

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students who, in situations and under conditions provided for by current legislation and regulations, do not attend the minimum number of classes required (75% of scheduled classes), should contact the course lecturer in September, preferably during the first class, to find out about the alternative assessment method.
In these cases, and for the normal and resit periods, the assessment will be as follows:
1 - Final in-person exam - weighted at 60%

2 - Written report on fieldwork to be carried out - a small research project with the aim of identifying a problem/research question. 40%


Students who are not covered by special statutes and who, for reasons beyond their control (need for a visa, entry into the 3rd phase of placement), have not been able to attend classes in sufficient numbers to complete the research diary or fieldwork, should contact the course coordinator in person.

For all special assessment periods planned or to be determined during the academic year by the competent bodies, and for all students covered by special statutes, the assessment will be:
Final written exam, in person - weighted at 100%

Classification improvement

Students can attempt to get a better mark, through an oral exame (100%)

Observations

 

Bibliografia Principal

Amado, João (2014) Manual de Investigação Qualitativa em Educação. Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra.

Alvesson Mats; Reflexive methodology. ISBN: ISBN 0-8039-7707-7

Bourdieu, Pierre (2001) A Miséria do Mundo. Petrópolis: Vozes, 1993

Correia José Alberto (1998) Para uma teoria crítica em educação. Porto: Porto Editora

Creswell, J. W. (2002) Research Design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mix-method approach. London: Sage.

Clough, Peter & Nutbrown, Cathy (2012) A Student’s Guide to Methodology. London: Sage

Dowling, Paul & Brown (2010) Doing research/Reading Research – re-interrogating education. London: Routledge

Durkheim, Émile (2001) As Regras do Método Sociológico, Porto:Rès Ed., 1895

Foucault, Michel (1978) Vigiar e Punir. Petrópolis: Vozes, 1975

Hadji, Charles & Baillé, Jacques (2001) Investigação e Educação – para uma ‘nova aliança’, Porto: Porto Editora

Harding, Sandra (1986) Whose Science? Whose Knowledge? NY:Cornell Univ Press

Pais, José Machado (2007) Sociologia da vida quotidiana. Lisboa: ICS

Pinto, José Madureira (2007) Indagação Científica, Aprendizagens Escolares. Porto: Afrontamento

Ramazanoglu Caroline; Feminist methodology. ISBN: ISBN 0-7619-5123-7

Santos, Boaventura de Sousa (2000) A Critica da Razão Indolente. Porto: Afrontamento

Saukko Paula; Doing research in cultural studies. ISBN: 0-7619-6505-X

Seale Clive 340; Researching society and culture. ISBN: 0-7619-5277-2

Silva Augusto Santos 570; Metodologia das ciências sociais

Silva, Augusto Santos  (1994) Entre a razão e o sentido. Porto: Afrontamento

Silverman David; Interpreting qualitative data. ISBN: 0-7619-6865-2

Santos Boaventura de Sousa; Um discurso sobre as ciências

Thomas, Gary (2011) How to do your Case Study. London: Sage

Torres, Leonor L. & Palhares, José A. (2014) Metodologia de Investigação em Ciências Sociais de Educação. Famalicão: Humus

Vieira, C. (2022). Temas, contextos e desafios da investigação qualitativa em educação. Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra.

Wallerstein, Emmanuel (1996). Para abrir as ciências sociais. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. 


Bibliografia Complementar 



Bardin, L. (2011). Análise de conteúdo (4^a). Edições 70.

Berger, Guy (1992). A investigação em educação: modelos sócio-epistemológicos e inserção institucional. Revista de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, 3-4, 23-36.

Menezes, I., Pais, S. C., Malafaia, C., & Ferreira, P. D. (2022). Métodos mistos : Da problematização ao que-fazer na investigação em Ciências Sociais e da Educação. In C. Vieira (Ed.), Temas, Contextos e Desafios da Investigação Qualitativa em Educação (pp. 0–2). Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14195/978-989-26-2235-4_4

Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Gorard, S. (2013) Research Design. Creating a robust approaches for the Social Sciences. London: Sage.

Muijs, D. (2004). Quantitative research. In Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS. Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203703588-9

Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (1998). Mixed methodology: combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Sage.

Turner, S. F., Cardinal, L. B., & Burton, R. M. (2017). Research design for mixed methods: A triangulation-based framework and roadmap. Organizational Research Methods, 20(2), 243–267. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428115610808

Vaughn, L. M., & Jacquez, F. (2020). Participatory research methods – Choice points in the research process. Journal of Participatory Research Methods, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.35844/001c.13244

White, P. (2009) Developing research questions: a guide for social scientists. London: Palgrave.