| Title: |
Qualitative Research Methods for Global Public Health (will not take place in 2021) |
| Keywords: |
Qualitative methods
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| Country: |
Norway
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| Institution: |
Norway - Centre for International Health, Universitetet i Bergen
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| Course coordinator: |
Karen Marie Moland
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| About duration and dates: |
Total number of weeks: Four weeks Running in February |
| Classification: |
advanced optional
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| Mode of delivery: |
Distance-based
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Course location:
Delivered online from Centre for International Health, University of Bergen |
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| ECTS credit points: |
5 ECTS credits
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SIT:
Total: 125 hours SIT
• Self-studies of web-based lectures (text reading, videos and small exercises/quizzes): 35 hours
• Participation in web-based discussions moderated by professor: 10 hours
Mini research exercise of 80 hours:
• Developing a group project proposal (15 hours)
• Conducting the research (10 hours)
• Developing a group mini research report (40 hours)
• Developing a written individual reflection report (15 hours) |
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| Language: |
English
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Description:
The course aims to prepare the students for the use of qualitative research in global public health.
On successful completion of the module, the student will be able to:
• Design and implement a qualitative research project in global public health using in-depth interview, focus group discussion and participant observation as data collection methods
• Apply the principles of qualitative data coding and analysis
• Appraise the strengths and limitations of qualitative research
• Assess ethical implications and practice ethical principles in qualitative health research
• Apply the principles for appraising the trustworthiness of quality research |
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Assessment Procedures:
Portfolio assessment with two group submissions (1 and 2) and one individual submission (3):
Group assignments (60% of the total grade)
1. A mini research project proposal of minimum 400, maximum 600 words submitted on the UiB learning platform (MittUiB).
Counts 20% of the total grade.
2. A mini research report – two steps
o Oral presentation on online platform (powerpoint or the like). Commented, not graded.
o Written report of minimum 1500, maximum 2500 words submitted on the UiB learning platform (MittUiB). Counts 40% of the total grade.
Individual assignment (40% of the total grade)
3. Each individual student delivers a home assignment on methodological challenges related to the group mini research - minimum 1000, maximum 2000 words. Submitted on the UiB learning platform (MittUiB)
ECTS Grading Scale: A-F (F = Fail)
If the group fails in one or both of the group-based parts, they will be allowed to resit for exam in the same semester.
If the individual student fails the individual exam, he/she can resit the exam in the same semester. If the student fails a second time, he/she will be advised to participate in the course one more time and sit a new exam afterwards. |
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Content:
The course gives an introduction to the knowledge tradition in which qualitative research is embedded and to the concepts that are integral to qualitative research. It gives an overview of qualitative research designs and presents various qualitative research methods and approaches. Coding and analysis of data obtained from qualitative research will be demonstrated and practiced in exercises. The course includes both didactic and practice sessions. Students will design a mini research project and will apply qualitative methods in a fieldwork research exercise.
The main topics covered:
• Theoretical foundation of qualitative research methodology
• Characteristics of qualitative research; its strengths and limitations
• Research designs / Strategies of inquiry
• Data collection methods: In-depth interview, Focus group discussion, and participant observation
• How to design a qualitative research project
• How to develop interview / topic guides
• How to analyse qualitative data
• How to report findings
• Confidentiality issues and informed consent
• Rigour and trustworthiness in qualitative research |
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Methods:
• Web-based lectures (reading web-based texts, videos, small exercises/quizzes)
• Participation in moderated discussion boards
• Students will be given questions for discussion, and a moderator/teacher will participate in each discussion for a limited period of time.
• Group proposal development exercise. Students will study in groups to develop a mini research project proposal.
Help and advice will be given to the groups of students from the professor during this process.
• Group mini research exercise: Students will study in groups to formulate, design, develop and carry out a small qualitative research project using one or more of the methods discussed in the course. Students will analyse the results together, and deliver presentations during the final session of the course
All course material is available on the University’s learning platform called “Mitt UiB”, which is based on a Canvas platform |
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Prerequisites:
Students admitted to a master’s degree programme may join this course
Proficiency in English at a level corresponding to TOEFL score of at least 550 points paper-based or 213 points computer-based, or an equivalent approved test. |
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Attendance:
A minimum of 20 students is needed to run the course, and a maximum of 50 students. |
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Selection:
Priority will be given to
Master students in Global Health enrolled at the University of Bergen and Master students from institutions within tropEd.
If needed, first come, first served |
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Scholarships:
None available from the University of Bergen |
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Major changes since initial accreditation:
1. Reduction of course weeks from 6 to 4, but the SIT 125 remains the same. The reasons for the change are:
a. The 6 weeks duration of the course was supposed to allow for part time students, but a consequence was that many students took other courses at the same time and not investing the required time in the course.
b. The 4 weeks duration makes it possible to take both the qualitative methods course (running in February) and the observational epidemiology course (running in March). This is a combination that many students want, particularly those who plan to do a mixed methods study.
2. Assessment procedures:
a. The weight of the different tasks making up the portfolio assessment has been changed. The weight of the project proposal has been reduced from 30% to 20% of the grade while the weight of the research report has been increased from 30% to 40% of the grade. The reason is that the research report is a bigger task than the project proposal.
b. The research report should be submitted as a full text written report. In the earlier version the groups could choose between handing in the report as a power point presentation or as a written report. The reasons for the change are that having two options created confusion and that the groups that handed in written reports received better grades.
3. Number of students enrolled:
Changed from minimum 5 and max 20 to minimum 20 and maximum 50. In the two previous courses the enrolment has been around 50. This means following up 10 groups which is feasible to organise. |
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Student evaluation:
The students find the mini research project a very useful and good exercise bringing them into all phases of the research process planning, doing and reporting their own research. The students appreciate the learning materials (videos and narrated power points) available on the learning platform, the discussion forum and the online meetings with the course facilitators. They complain that time is not sufficient, there should be less reading material and that qualitative analysis is complicated. They would like to have more online meetings with facilitators in the analysis process. |
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Lessons learned:
A 6 weeks course with 5 ECTS implies that students take at least one more course at the same time and divide their attention. We therefore believe that a 4 weeks course, which facilitates concentration on one course at the time, is more appropriate and efficient. |
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tropEd accreditation:
Initial accreditation Oct 2017. Re-accreditation as online course at Online GA Oct 2020. |
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| Email Address: |
Linda.Forshaw@uib.no |
| Date Of Record Creation: |
2013-06-28 04:33:11 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Of Record Release: |
2020-11-17 15:49:10 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Record Checked: |
2020-11-04 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Last Modified: |
2020-12-07 09:59:08 (W3C-DTF) |
