Research Methods in Mathematics and Science Education

The course is designed for students who intend to write a master's thesis in mathematics or science education. The course gives an introduction to the theory of science, discussing various research paradigms and how ontological and epistemological assumptions held by the researcher influences the employed research methods. Further, the course will give an introduction to research designs and research methods which are relevant in mathematics and science education. This entails discussing various methods for collecting and analyzing primarily qualitative data. The students carry out a small scale qualitative study that works as a pilot to the individual's master's project.

This course gives the student insight into different research traditions relevant for research in mathematics and science education. The student will develop knowledge about different research designs and different methods for collecting and analyzing data. This should enable the student to develop researchable questions and to make informed choices about collecting and analyzing data in order to design and carry out independent empirical investigations. The student should also develop knowledge about issues linked to validity and reliability as well as ethical aspects of research. This course, together with other courses and relevant theory, should enable the student to carry out a scientific inquiry and write a master's thesis.

The teaching is organized as lectures, seminars, and student presentations. The teaching in the course will to a large extent be linked to the student's own research questions and methods for the master's project. The course requires a high degree of student participation, and it is expected that all students contribute to discussions, presentations and other activities.