Postgraduate students learning about research

Abstract

Initial findings from a pedagogic initiative and research project show how two cohorts comprising 105 postgraduates undertaking social work or mental health educational programmes responded to learning about research methods in one UK university. Few studies have looked specifically at postgraduate students’ attitudes towards research / research methods. Previous research suggests students may express anxiety when learning about research, particularly quantitative methods. Using an existing validated rating scale with 5 subscales (Papanastasiou, 2005), we explored students’ attitudes before and after taking a research module and possible significance of gender, professional group and being college or employment based. Project data was used by students to complete a quantitative module assignment. Results showed these students had a ‘positive’ attitude towards research pre-module; this was generally maintained but did not increase post-module. Students were rated as having overall research ‘anxiety’ pre-module; this lessened post-module although the change was not statistically significant. A significant change (decrease) in ‘usefulness to career’ subscale was recorded post-module. We consider factors that could have impacted on these research findings such as reduced follow up sample sizes, but report how combining a pedagogic initiative with a research project offers opportunities to explore this complex area, with positive outcomes for student learning.