This module aims to:

Integrate students’ learning from the first three modules;

Enable students to construct a coherent research design;

Prepare students for their management of the thesis research project.

(LE1) A team player.
This skill will be developed through students working together to effectively meet the requirements of the group presentation. Students will also receive and give peer feedback as part of their teamwork and group presentation.

(LO1) Students will be able to explain the ethical implications of research with human participants.

(LO2) Students will be able to critically evaluate scholarly arguments.

(LO3) Students will be able to construct coherent research designs.

(LO4) Students will be able to explain how knowledge emerges through action inquiry.

(LO5) Students will be able to differentiate actionable knowledge from scientific knowledge.

(LO6) Students will be to justify their choice of research design.

(LRE1) Ethically aware.
This skill will be developed in classroom discussions of the practical implications of foundational research ethics principles.

(LRE2) An excellent verbal and written communicator.
Students will have opportunities to develop written and oral communication skills through group discussions, presentations and written assessments. In addition, this skill will be developed through an understanding of the constituent elements of strong arguments, and exercises in the deconstruction of the student's own arguments, as well as scholarly arguments within research papers.

(LRE3) Critical awareness.
This skill will be developed in classroom discussions related to the integration of learning from earlier modules for the purpose of constructing a coherent research design. In those classroom activities students will have the opportunity to both give peer feedback, and also work with feedback from peers and the tutor.

(LRE4) Organised and able to work under pressure.
This will be evident in the students’ independent management of their assignments and by meeting coursework deadlines.

(LRE5) IT literate.
The nature of the module in terms of online delivery will enable students to develop skills in using a virtual learning/communications environment.

(LRE6) Flexible and adaptable.
In working as a group, students will consider different perspectives and hence demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in the approach to evaluating ethical implications.

(LRE7) Internationally aware.
Students from diverse international backgrounds will have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with each other, enabling a rich understanding of global management practice and developing skills in cross cultural working.

(R1) Design thinking.
This skill will be developed in classrooms discussions comparing different research designs, and through student’s justification of their own research design. It will be further developed through the construction and critique of different research designs.

This module will be delivered over 18 weeks. Initial content will be introduced to students in the online classroom where peer discussion and structured activities will guide their learning. A compulsory 3-day face-to-face workshop held 2-3 weeks into the module will deepen this learning. This will be followed by further online learning over subsequent weeks. Throughout the module students will be expected to read all resources in the classroom as well as to engage in questioning and discussion with peers.

Method 1 - The module will primarily be delivered online through a series of e-lectures delivered through a variety of methods, covering key concepts and theories. These will be supported by a variety of online tasks, such as collaborative tasks and discussion boards, which will be used to develop and apply learning. Students will also be directed to key academic and practitioner readings to further develop their learning.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 180 hou rs

Description: The online workshops will equate to 10 hours/week over 18 weeks undertaken asynchronously.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Method 2 – Additionally, students will attend a compulsory 3-day workshop in Liverpool, held 2-3 weeks into the module. This will consist of tutor-led workshops, including lectures, discussions, and student presentations. The dates of the workshop will be confirmed at the start of the programme.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 30 hours

Description: The workshop in Liverpool will equate to 10 hours/day over 3 days undertaken synchronously.
Attendance Recorded: Yes.

Method 3 – In advance of the 3-day workshop in Liverpool, students will be expected to undertake pre-work. The will also conduct post-work after the workshop.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 10 hours

Description: The workshop pre- and post- work will equate to 5 hours/day over 2 day s undertaken asynchronously.
Attendance Recorded: No.

Method 4 – A scheduled synchronous seminar will be delivered, in which students will make their group presentations submitted for assessment 1 (if there are issues with time zones another seminar will be provided). Peer discussion and questions will be encouraged. This session will be recorded and moderated by the module instructor.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 2 hours

Description: The scheduled seminar will equate to 2 hours undertaken synchronously. The date and time of the seminar will be confirmed at the start of the module.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Method 5 – Students will also attend one scheduled synchronous session with the module instructor, where they will participate in a 15-minute Q&A session about their individual presentations submitted for assessment 3.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 0.25 hours

Descriptio n: The scheduled session will equate to 0.25 hours undertaken synchronously. The date and time of the session will be confirmed at the start of the module.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Method 6 - Self-directed learning hours: 227.75
Description: This will involve directed and independent reading and independent research.

Researching with integrity: This topic introduces students to the principles and practices of research ethics, and their implications for action research methodologies. The University of Liverpool institutional research ethics authorisation process (that the students will be required to complete before empirical work during the thesis project) will be explained.

Constructing research designs: This topic enables students to integrate their learning and skills from Modules 2 and 3 in order to generate a coherent action inquiry design. This will involve synthesising the activities that constitute a DBA research design: problematising research context; making use of research literature; generating evidence; taking action; evaluating impact. The action research methodology central to the Liverpool DBA will be discussed by extending ideas introduced in Module 1 concerning modes of action inquiry and actionable knowledge.

Explaining and justifying research designs: This topi c provides students with the conceptual means to explain why their action research design is capable of answering their research questions. This will involve revisiting and extending philosophies of social science introduced in Module 1. Action research designs will be discussed in relation other major methodologies of social research (ethnography, narrative research, case research, grounded theory, archival research, experimental designs and survey designs).