This book is for anyonewho wishes to improve university teaching and learning through systematic inquiry. It provides advice, but also a constructive critique of research methods and, in turn, the authors also make a contribution to the theories of research methodology.Topics covered include ontology, epistemology and engagement with academic literature, as well as research design approaches and methods of data collection. There is a keen focus on quality in both the analysis and e...

With new chapters and updated content throughout, this second edition of Higher Education Research Methodology is an essential guide to systematic inquiry into higher education. Providing practical and theoretical guidance for students, topics covered include ontology and epistemology, as well as research design approaches and methods of data collection.New to this edition are two brand new chapters on conceptual and theoretical frameworks, and research justification, as w...

Over the last decade, virtual communities have evolved from massive experimental, educational, technological, business, and social environments to experiential and practical environments, supplementing their geographical counterparts. The Handbook of Research on Methods and Techniques for Studying Virtual Communities: Paradigms and Phenomena satisfies the need for methodological consideration and tools for data collection, analysis and presentation in virtual communities. Chapters cover st...

This book contributes to the understanding of regional and global perspectives on the development and challenges the higher education sector in sub-Saharan Africa faces in the era of globalization. It focuses on the critical aspects of the higher education sector in the Global South, with a particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. It brings together empirical, theoretical and philosophical perspectives from researchers in some of the leading universities in sub-Saharan Africa. The book h...

"This book brings together researchers and educators to explore the future of teaching and learning in the era of AI. Comprising seven sections, the volume includes philosophical reflections, historical analyses, empirical studies, and practical case-based insights. It also highlights the design and experimentation of AI technologies through proof-of-concept projects. Collectively, these contributions provide theoretical depth, strategic guidance, and evidence-informed approaches for navig...

This is a concise introduction to the richness and scope of interviewing in social science research, teaching the craft of interview research with practical, hands-on guidance. Incorporating discussion of the wide variety of methods in interview-based research and the different approaches to reading the data, this book will help you to navigate the broad field of qualitative research with confidence and get out there and start collecting your data.

This book traces the historical development of major language teaching methods in terms of theoretical principles and classroom procedures, and provides a critical evaluation of each. Drawing from seminal, foundational texts and from critical commentaries made by various scholars, Kumaravadivelu examines the profession's current transition from method to postmethod and, in the process, elucidates the relationship between theory, research, and practice. The chief objective is to help reader...

Written for anyone beginning a research project, this introductory book takes you through the process of analysing your data from start to finish.The author sets out an easy-to-use model for coding data in order to break it down into parts, and then to reassemble it to create a meaningful picture of the phenomenon under study. Full of useful advice, the book guides the reader through the last difficult integrating phase of qualitative analysis including diagramming, memoing, thinki...

Based on the author′s own wealth of experience this timely, engaging book helps first-time researchers to discover the excitement of grounded theory.Fresh, innovative and clear this book traces the history and development of grounded theory method, and examines how the method is evolving for new contexts today. It sets out the principles involved in using grounded theory and explains the process and theory associated with coding in grounded theory.The book introduces us to ...

This vital student resource takes six different approaches to qualitative methods and discusses the techniques to use these in research.

Materials and Methods in ELT is an essential resource for teachers or for those engaged in taking professional courses relating to all aspects of English language teaching.Now available in its 3rd edition, this popular teachers’ guide offers a comprehensive and useful introduction to the principles and practice of teaching English as a foreign/second language. It examines the ideas behind current methodology and teaching materials, in addition to offering a practical guide...

CALL Research Perspectives creates a foundation for the study and practice of computer-assisted language learning and provides an overview of ways to conceptualize and to conduct research in CALL. Its core assumptions are that all approaches to research have a place, and that researchers, teachers, and students all have a role to play in the study of computer-enhanced language learning.This is not a how-to-do-research text. Written by top researchers in the field, it offer...