spring 2016
TLM-3080 Qualitative research methods in informatics - 5 ECTS

Application deadline

Singular Course Admission deadlines:

Applications from Nordic countries: 1 December for the spring semester and 1 June for the autumn semester.

Exchange students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.


Type of course

Theoretical and practical.

The course can be taken as a single course as long as the admission requirements for the Master Programme are satisfied.


Admission requirements

Bachelor Degree in Health related disciplines.

Code: 9371 (Singular Course - Master - for Nordic countries)


Course content

The course is a central part of the Master's Programme and introduces the students to telemedicine.

The course will cover the following topics:

1) Insight into conductive qualitative research on telemedicine.

2) Insight into analysing and producing quality research reports based on collected field data.

3) Conducting interviews and participant observations.

4) Strengths and weaknesses of qualitative case studies in telemedicine.

5) The role of researcher in qualitative research.

6) Concepts and theoretical approaches used in qualitative methods.

7) Conducting case studies in challenging contexts.


Objectives of the course

Learning Outcomes:

Following the course, the students should be able to:

1) Conduct qualitative research on telemedicine.

2) Analyse and produce quality research reports based on collected field data.

3) Be able to conduct interviews and participant observations.

4) Assess strengths and weaknesses of qualitative case studies in telemedicine.

5) Be able to critically assess the role of the researcher in qualitative research.

6) Evaluate different concepts and theoretical approaches used in qualitative methods.

7) Conduct case studies in challenging contexts.


Language of instruction and examination

All the courses, assignments and examinations are in English.

Teaching methods

The course consists of a combination of lectures, discussions, homework and practical exercises. In addition to physical attendance of lectures and seminars, part of the course is net-based, requiring active participation of students via Fronter. All assignments are submitted electronically in Fronter.

Assessment

2-weeks' take-home examination based on a specific assignment.

Norwegian grading system: A-E, with F as fail.

There will not be arranged a re-sit exam for this course.


Recommended reading/syllabus

Books:

Colin Robson (2002) Real world research

Randal, Harper, Rouncefield (2008): Fieldwork for design. Chapter 6

Articles:

Atkinson, P. (1995): Work Among Haematologists, in Medical Talk and Medical Work, pp. 1-20.

Forsythe, D.E. (1999): "It's Just a Matter of Common Sense": Ethnography as Invisible Work. Journal of CSCW, vol. 8, pp. 127-145

Klein, H. and Myers, M (1999): A set of principles for conducting and evaluating interpretive field studies in information systems. MIS Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 67-94

Walsham,Geoff (1995): Interpretive case studies in IS research: nature and method, European Journal of Information Systems, 4, pp. 74-81.

Flyvbjerg, B. (2006): Five Misunderstandings about case-study research, Qualitative Inquiry.

Stoop,A.P.; Berg,M. (2003): Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Patient Care Information System Evaluation: Guidance for the Organizational Decision Maker, Methods of Information in Medicine, 42, pp. 458-62

Popay, J and Williams, G. (1998): Qualitative research and evidence-based healthcare, Journal of the Royal society of medicine, SuppIement No. 3 5 Vol. 91.

Dourish, P. 2006. Implications for design. Proc.ACM Conf.HumanFactors in Computing. Systems CHI 2006, Montreal, Canada, 541-550.

Golden-Biddle, K. and Locke (1993): Appealing work: an investigation of how ethnographic texts convince. Organization science, vol. 4, no. 4. 595-616

Additional material may be distributed during lectures. 

Error rendering component

  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 5
  • Course code: TLM-3080
  • Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet