| Unit name | Research Methods, Futures Literacy and RI |
|---|---|
| Unit code | COMSM0161 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Richard Owen |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Computer Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
In this unit, students will develop expertise in challenge-led and problem-based research, futures literacy and responsible innovation as this relates to the broad topic of cybersecure everywhere. The unit will be structured in 2 phases with associated learning outcomes:
Phase 1 (Learning outcome 1: understand approaches relating to interdisciplinary, challenge / mission led and problem based learning and research).
Students will develop methodological expertise through a ‘challenge-led’ problem-based learning approach. They will be provided with relevant theoretical frameworks (e.g. problem - based learning) and associated methods e.g. action research methods. They will gain experience in research ethics and data management.
Phase 2 (Learning outcomes 2 and 3: gain experience in futures literacy and associated methods; gain experience in frameworks for responsible innovation.)
Acknowledging that the next frontier for cyber security is constantly evolving and changing, students will engage with concepts, theories and methods that allow them to analyse socio-digital futures, with a specific emphasis on Cyber Secure Everywhere. Students will also be introduced to the EPSRC ‘AREA Framework’. This has a strong emphasis on engendering capacities for anticipation, ethical reflection and engagement (with the general public and stakeholders), which is complementary to the challenge based approaches that students will be exposed to in Phase 1.
This unit is a fundamental element of our integrated challenge-led research model, combining skills for co-design and problem elicitation with stakeholders. This equips students with the necessary skills to participate in Sandpits, Placements and the RI Challenge in TB2.
In terms of the research methodologies element (phase 1), students will develop methodological expertise through a ‘challenge-led’ problem-based learning approach. This approach will incorporate critical reading of the existing literature, identification of research questions, and then the design, implementation, data collection and analysis of data (widely understood) in order to address these questions. Each challenge will be designed in such as way that students will gain experience in research ethics, data management, systematic reviews, survey methodology, qualitative methods (including interviews, focus groups and ethnographic approaches) and experimental design (both from a technical and social science perspective).
We will then (in phase 2) extend this methodological skills development in two aspects.
Firstly, acknowledging that the next frontier for cybersecurity is constantly evolving and changing, we will engage students with concepts, theories and methods that allow them to analyse socio-digital futures, with a specific emphasis on cybersecurity everywhere. Drawing on a framework for futures literacy pioneered at UNESCO and beyond, this equips students with methods to interrogate and use the future effectively and efficiently, encouraging imagination and fostering preparedness in the face of uncertainty and complexity. The unit will explore specific methods (e.g from scenarios to narrative approaches) to gain intelligence about socio-digital futures, the dynamics of change and their cybersecurity implications, working closely with the ESRC Centre for Sociodigital futures
Secondly, the unit will introduce students to a framework for responsible innovation (RI) - the so called ‘AREA Framework’ developed by Richard Owen and colleagues for EPSRC. This has a strong emphasis on engendering capacities for anticipation, ethical reflection and engagement (with publics and stakeholders).
After providing a rationale and framework for Responsible Innovation, students will explore each of the four dimensions of the AREA framework, with a deeper focus on the engagement dimension. Students will explore methods of engaged and co-produced research (e.g. participatory action research) that will equip them for participation in the subsequent sandpits and placements.
By embedding the methods teaching into wider futures literacy and RRI in this way, students can treat the research process in a holistic manner, giving them the the technical skills needed to conduct research, but also the skills and experience in doing so in an ethical, future -oriented and responsible way.
The unit will culminate in a mock Sandpit with invited members of the academic team in which the students will mobilise the learning from the unit, feeding into the assessment (see below) .
The taught programme will combine lectures with with an experiential and immersive approach, which experience has taught us is helpful to effectively engage students from across disciplines with concepts such as RI, futures and engaged research.
Student will develop a thorough understanding of
1. Students will develop in groups an initial research proposal around the challenge they have been set which demonstrates and mobilises the knowledge they have gained from the taught programme (Formative Assessment, 1500 words)
2. Students will bring this to the mock Sandpit where they will engage and work with 'stakeholders' from invited members of our academic team on their draft proposal. They will then, based on the feedback provided, revise, extend and further develop their proposal (Summative Assessment, 2000 words). Research proposals will be assessed against the 3 key learning outcomes for the unit.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. COMSM0161).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
