AC7024 - Dissertation Project

You will participate in this module as an active learner as there is a strong emphasis upon your own independent study. The module is built around a number of individual and group learning activities that will help you to explore the different aspects of undertaking your project. You will work with a named supervisor for the duration of your research project. This will involve you in 12 hours of one to one contact with this individual. The supervision work that you undertake will focus on your independent project and should follow the path of the study as it unfolds. This one to one support will enable you to explore areas of the work that are troublesome and the critical dialogue that it enables will help you to develop your understanding of the theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of your study process. In addition to supervision work, a series of seminars are provided within each of the chosen methods. During each seminar, individuals will share their project’s challenges and successes. The sharing of understandings and experiences will be an integral part of the way in which the module helps to socially construct individual’s perceptions of their work. Step-by-step dissertation writing and content guidelines, specific method support materials, the module handbook, electronic reading list and turnitin software will be available on the E Learning Portal to assist with your learning journey.

You will be supported through a series of group seminars relating to the specific method chosen for your independent study and individual supervision tutorials. These will provide opportunities for feedback on the development of your dissertation. The module team have a wide range of expertise to aid your learning and you will be allocated a supervisor. Supervisors help and support your learning, and will use a variety of approaches to help you conceptualise, focus, plan and implement your ideas, proposals, and plans. The module leader can be contacted to offer module guidance when necessary.
Formative assessment will offer the opportunity for critical feedback from peers and from academic staff, which can feed forward into the development of your final dissertation. You will also get verbal feedback and email communication on progress at and after individual supervision sessions. Seminars will provide you with opportunities to monitor your progress and to enable you to share your ideas within your peer group. You will also be encouraged to form collegiate team groups with peers outside of formal scheduled teaching, where issues and topics can be discussed together. The E learning portal is used to support you by providing a range of learning materials and resources including study guides, electronic reading lists and other web based sources. The University Library offers an extensive collection of material, both hard copy and electronic, access to international databases in addition to study space and IT equipment. Study skills help can be found on the Library’s Skills Plus site on the university library website.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Conceptualise a project topic and established its relevance to your practice area/field of expertise and define a project in terms of one of the two methods; systematic review or empirical research.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
2. Carry out an extended literature review to support and develop the project.

3. Depending upon the method chosen you will have developed and implemented a small-scale empirical study to explore a research question; systematically appraised evidence based published studies in order to answer your research questions(s).

4. Report the outcomes of the study in a written final dissertation report written in a journal submission format.

5. Prepare and deliver a critical oral presentation on the process of completing your research project.



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
6. Critically appraise your own project writing skills development, identifying your ongoing learning needs.

Formative:
Your knowledge and understanding, learning needs, and academic progress on the module will be monitored by the completion of a formative task (a written plan of your dissertation project). You will receive feedback from your dissertation supervisor on your plan. Additional formative feedback will come from the sharing of project work during seminar discussions.
(Covers all MLOs.)

Summative:
The summative assessment will consist of two parts:

Part 1) An 8000-word final dissertation report written in a journal submission format. 80% of the total mark for the module.

Part 2) An oral presentation which should critically reflect on the process of completing your research project. The presentation should critically discuss your data collection and data analysis process and any project challenges and successes. 20% of the total mark for the module. (Covers all MLOs)

Progression with 120 programme credits

None

This module focuses on you as an independent researcher and learner. It provides an opportunity to undertake an independent study on a project of your choice both in terms of the topic area and the methods used. There are two approaches you can choose from, a systematic review or an empirical project. You will be supported in the module by a named supervisor and through the provision of a series of research seminars.
The summative assessment will consist of two parts:
1) An 8000-word final dissertation report written in a journal submission format. 80% of the total mark for the module.
2) An oral presentation which should critically reflect on the process of completing your research project. The presentation should critically discuss your data collection and data analysis process and any project challenges and successes. 20% of the total mark for the module.

This module will uphold the ethos of adult education, you will be encouraged to operate in a collegial and collaborative manner and to share and deepen your research based understandings through critical dialogue with your supervisor and module peer group.