Class Research Methodologies in Cognitive Science and Education

This curricular unit aims to develop students' understanding of the basic principles and structuring concepts that underlie research methodologies and techniques in Cognitive Science and Education. The students will be able to develop the following competencies: 1) review texts that employ research approaches and methods epistemologically different; 2) prepare a research question and its research design; 3) recognize the diversity of research methods and techniques and relate them to the research questions in the field of learning in the school context; 4) engage critically in issues of ethics, validity, and reliability in relation to the research to be developed; 5) make decisions regarding research needs, namely in the scope of the development of a research project.

I. Science and Communication

Educational Sciences and scientific communication

Textual production of scientific writing

Scientific writing rules

II. Construction of scientific knowledge

From common sense to scientific knowledge - phases of a process

Typologies of research models

Quantitative/qualitative/mixed approaches

III. Research planning

Construction of a research problem in education: from theme to problem

Delimitation of the empirical field, strategy, and observation plan

Concepts, dimensions, and categories of analysis

Data collection instruments and empirical information

Analysis and systematization of data and empirical information

IV. Key elements of ethical research

The researcher's relationship with participants

The researcher's relationship with the knowledge

The researcher's relationship with the Society

The researcher's relationship with the community of researchers

The researcher's relationship with the research financing institutions

In the course of the curricular unit, the use of active teaching methodologies is favoured in order to provide significant learning in students: a) exposure and debates based on questions or guiding texts, b) individual and group analysis of guiding texts, c) writing of small scientific texts and their peer review and d) presentation and review of guiding texts.

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Brooks, R., Riele, K., & Maguire, M. (2014). Ethics and education research. SAGE. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473909762

Chevrier, J. (2003). A especificação da problemática. In B. Gauthier (dir), Investigação Social -da problemática à colheita de dados (3ª ed) (pp.65-98). Lusodidática

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education (8th Ed.). Routledge

Estrela, E., Soares, M. A., & Leitão, M. J. (2015). Saber escrever: uma tese e outros textos (11ª ed.). D. Quixote

Foddy, W. (1996). Como perguntar? Teoria e prática da construção de perguntas em entrevistas e questionários. Celta Editora

Santos, B. de S. (1988). Um discurso sobre as Ciências . Afrontamento

Tomasi, C., & Medeiros, J. B. (2008). Comunicação científica: normas técnicas para redacção científica (1ª ed.). Atlas

Coutinho, C. P. (2018). Metodologia de Investigação em Ciências Sociais e Humanas. Almedina