Teaching of Research Methods in Undergraduate Psychology Courses: A Survey of Provision in HE Institutions and Colleges in the UK

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that systematic observation is an important research method, and hence should be a core element in psychology curricula. UK higher education institutions (HEIs) were surveyed about their psychological research methods teaching, and in particular observational research methods. The survey indicated considerable variation across responding HEIs in equipment availability, class size, and preparation and contact time, though there was a degree of consensus in the use of SPSS, identified learning outcomes and assessment strategies. Considerable interest was expressed for the provision of self-contained, relatively short, sets of materials teaching key features of observational research methods, with a preference for the inclusion of developmental psychology video materials. The parallels with the concept of ‘learning object’ are discussed.