SP2007 Research Methods in Special Education 2

Faculty of Education
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Karel Pančocha, Ph.D., M.Sc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lenka Slepičková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Karel Pančocha, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Institute for Research in Inclusive Education – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Karel Pančocha, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Supplier department: Institute for Research in Inclusive Education – Faculty of Education
Prerequisites
SP2003
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 18 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course will cover basic concepts, procedures and strategies of empirical research with the emphasis on the specificity of research in special education. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct their diploma theses and essential for their orientation in academic papers and other resources in their field. The course addressses the logic of quantitative as well as qualitative research, including their application in particular research projects. Students will be trained to plan their own research, design their research problems, questions and hypothesis, operationalize variables, choose and conduct various strategies of data gathering. They will learn essential concepts such as representativity, reliability, validity etc.
Learning outcomes
Students will be trained to plan their own research for their diploma thesis, to design research problems and questions and choose and conduct various strategies of research and tools for data gathering suitable for their topic and research site. They will learn how to assess the quality of research in terms of its validity, reliability and represenativity, how to gather and analyse data and how to conduct a resarch that is ethically responsible. They will use the academic resources effectively.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction. Academic research. Science vs. Common sense. Science vs. Humanities. Corellation, causality, experimental design. The main differences between qualitative and quantitative research. 2. The logic of quantitative research. From theory to praxis. Hypothesis as an essential tool for quantitative data gathering. Population, sample, representativity. 3. Methods of data gathering in quantitative research. Questionnaire. How to design a good questionnaire? Validity and reliability of research. Response rate. 4. What is research problem? Research questions. How to choose your topic? How to design a good research question? The choice of research strategy. Logic of qualitative research. Induction and hypothesis generating. Main principles of qualitative research and its use, limits and comparison to quantitative research. Case study, ethnography, grounded theory. 5. How to gather data in qualitative research? Research interview and obeservation. 6. How to analyze qualitative data? The logic of induction.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • MAREŠ, Petr, Ladislav RABUŠIC and Petr SOUKUP. Analýza sociálněvědních dat (nejen) v SPSS (Data analysis in social sciences (using SPSS)). První. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2015, 508 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-6362-4. info
  • ŠVAŘÍČEK, Roman and Klára ŠEĎOVÁ. Kvalitativní výzkum v pedagogických vědách. Vydání druhé. Praha: Portál, 2014, 377 stran. ISBN 9788026206446. info
  • ŠEĎOVÁ, Klára and Roman ŠVAŘÍČEK. Jak psát kvalitativně orientované výzkumné studie. Kvalita v kvalitativním výzkumu (How to write qualitatively oriented research studies. Quality in qualitative research). Pedagogická orientace. Brno: Česká pedagogická společnost, 2013, vol. 23, No 4, p. 478-510. ISSN 1211-4669. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.5817/PedOr2013-4-478. Full text info
  • KAUFMANN, Jean-Claude. Chápající rozhovor. Translated by Marie Černá. Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 2010, 151 stran. ISBN 9788074190339. info
  • JANÍK, Tomáš. Akční výzkum jako cesta ke zkvalitňování pedagogické praxe (Action research as a way to improvement of educational practice). In MAŇÁK, Josef and Vlastimil ŠVEC. Cesty pedagogického výzkumu. Brno: Paido, 2004, p. 51-68. Pedagogický výzkum v teorii a praxi, svazek 1. ISBN 80-7315-078-6. info
  • DISMAN, Miroslav. Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost : příručka pro uživatele. Praha: Karolinum, 1993, 374 stran. ISBN 8070668229. info
Teaching methods
seminar, group work, reading
Assessment methods
The student is assessed based on their continuous work throughout the semester, specifically by reading four current research studies. The reading will be evaluated through an open book exam. During the exam period, knowledge will be tested by a written exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 2 bloky pro kombinované studium.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2025/SP2007