Assessment On Applied Research, Ethnographic Research, And Research Methods – Design And Conduct

Part A: Related to Topic 1

Assessment 1

Part A:

1. Applied research refers to research work and scientific study carried to resolve the practical problems that can impact the health and well being (Denscombe 2010).

2. The term research context refers to difference between the insights gained and actual the research. Context is the factor or data that can be measured through research and compared with new findings (Arghode 2012).

3. There is need to have very clear and concise research question to develop specific and arguable thesis. It helps better summaries the issue that will be investigated thorough research (Denscombe 2010).

4. A qualitative research deals with subjective data obtained from explorations of underlying reasons, motivations and opinions of a problem, when conducted with small sample population. A quantitative research deals with numeric data generated that quantifies the behaviors, opinions, and attitudes of larger sample population (Patton 2002).

5.

1. Action research is the process of conducting research to understand the problem and transform into action that brings change and improvement at the same time (Clarkson and Scurfield 2007).
2. In action research both the action and research fits together, through the cycle of “action review and action”. In this process both the outcomes that are research (say understanding) and action (say improvement) are achieved. Action means taking a step to research and check if the desired objective is achieved. If not an alternate process is researched, analysed and implemented (Clarkson and Scurfield 2007).
3. In the conventional research data is used to draw the conclusion, while the entire focus is laid on gaining advance knowledge in the field of interest. The findings from the research can generalise to other setting. On the contrary the focus of the action research is to make decisions while the focus is entirely laid on the change or improvement. Unlike the conventional research, action research hold limited generalisability. In the conventional research the hypothesis is formulated based on the general propositions of theory. On the other hand, in action research theory only has secondary role, and practice generates the research question. Unlike the conventional research the action research does not focus on statistical significance. In terms of sampling the action research is mainly between the students and researchers (Stringer 2013).
4. In the workplace I may consider action research to solve any pressing issue that needs to be resolved immediately. The research will help take an action that can improve the job or workplace environment.

6. The potential barriers include to conducting effective ethnographic research in specific workplace context includes problem with choosing a representative sample, requirement for huge amount of time to built rapport with the subjects. It is time consuming to observe the daily life of people at workplace and understand their traditions and culture.  Without close contact with the sample population it is difficult to obtain the reliable data. The sample population may not be representative of the broader aspects in other political agencies. The data may be affected by the personal preferences towards culture, bias towards the workplace setting and lastly the power difference between the researchers and the subjects (Koskinen 2014).

7. In qualitative study the validity refers to the appropriateness of the data, processes and tools as well as trustworthiness of findings considering the researcher perspective and philosophy.   Validity of the qualitative study is determined by the epistemology and ontology of the problem being investigated.  Validity in qualitative research is determined by the appropriateness of research question for the outcome, design for methodology, data analysis and sampling.   In quantitative study the validity refers to making sure of the instrument collects the data intended to measure. It means the validity is the degree to which a particular concept is measured accurately. For instance a survey questions designed to measure depression only if measures anxiety is termed as invalid (Arghode 2012).  

8. Not maintaining privacy may lead to ethical issues. Maintaing privacy is the part of the research ethics. In qualitative and quantitative studies human subjects are participants. Collection of data may include private details such as blood group, family background, culture, lifestyle, illness, and others. Misuse of such information is the breach of dignity of an individual. In conclusion maintaing privacy in research will prevent people to suffer from the data re-identification. It will prevent the commercialization of an individual’s personal data, or access of records by unauthorized people. It will allow members of research team to agree to proposed record-keeping method (Miller et al. 2012). 

Part B: Related to Topic 2

9. Code of conducts for research prevents bias and conflicts of interest. It will prevent the ethical issues related to the medical aspects of research. It will help in working in best interest of the patients, families, as well as health care providers. Code of conduct ensures safe use of resources and ethical decision making. It will help address any ethical dilemmas related to research and its applications. Code of conduct helps understand the values across other cultures.    The code of conduct like Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) helps conduct research with honesty and integrity (Resnik 2015).

Par B

10. It is important to conduct a literature review prior to conducting research because the analytical features may help a investigator to get new perspective of the pre-existing data, trace the major debates in the field, inform the readers about most relevant research.  Further, literature review helps trace the research gaps.  Conducting the literature review prior to the research helps get a research context and understand the research problem.  It will help identify the relationship between each work of research to others under considerations.   One can develop new ways to interpret the existing research and prevent duplication of effort.  It is beneficial in resolving conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.  Conducting the literature review prior to the research helps determine the way to fulfill additional research.  Most importunately it will help locate personal research in the context of existing literature (Grove 2011).

11.

Technique	Restrictions	Advantages
Questionnaires and surveys	Some types of have low response rates but are more easily collated than interview data. Questions need to be worded carefully to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.	1.      Questionnaires are cost effective 2.      Use of close ended questions allows gathering data in an practical manner 3.      Useful to gather vast amount of data in short span of time on any topic 4.      Easy to develop findings in less than 24 hours 5.      Questionnaires and survey ensure   scalability of results  by eliminating the barriers of geography 6.       Quantitative nature of data allows easy data analysis using statistical software 7.       It ensures the user anonymity while covering all aspects of topic
Case studies	Case studies can be difficult to generalise or make comparisons from.	1.      Allows intensive study of unit  deeply 2.      One can study without sampling. It means study the whole social unit considering the wide perspective 3.      Easy to consider different facts about study 4.      Ensures generalisability of the data 5.       Enhance the knowledge of the social phenomena 6.       The data collection methods is comprehensive
Focus groups	Difficult to ensure consistency if a number of researchers are involved. Difficult to record accurately — a skilled exercise. Participants may develop ‘group think’.	1.      Direct interaction with participants and group 2.       Collect data from non-verbal responses like facial expression 3.      Quick in getting information 4.       Easy understanding of data without statistical calculations
Interviews	Time consuming. Difficult to record and transcribe.	1.      Structured interview method allows reaching large number of people 2.      Decreases dependency on the electronic recording devices and clarify ambiguities 3.      Generate quantitative data and is flexible to apply in various processes 4.      Unstructured interview allows the respondents  to answer the question in own words 5.       Allows in-depth investigation of a problem and obtain high response rate
Observation	Time consuming. If more than one researcher is involved, difficult to ensure consistency.	1.      Access to people and situations that is impossible to reach with surveys and questionnaires 2.      Access people in real life situations 3.      In-depth understanding with strong validity
Statistical data	Often difficult to interpret. May require expert handling and analysis.	1.      Easy to interpret statistical significance of results, correlation between variables, and others  2.      Easy to control variables and detect outliers 3.      Make sound decisions and answer research questions 4.       Add to credibility and validity of the research

                                                                    (Source: Grove 2011; Arghode 2012; Yin 2017)

Part C: 

12. Triangulation is the method of data validation, by verifying from two or more sources.  It is the use of the several methods of data collection for studying same phenomena.  It is also known as methodological triangulation.  When more than one theory is used for interpreting phenomena it is known as theory triangulation.  It is effective method to ensure the credibility of the qualitative analyses. Similarly, data triangulations involve space, time, and people.  Triangulation gives a more balanced picture of the situation and complexity of the human behavior study (Hussein 2015). 

13. The factors need to consider when presenting a research report are –

• Considering the audience- it must be clear as to who would make decision as per the results obtained. There should not be too much jargons or technical report
• Clarity- the research report must stand by itself without needing any additional clarification or justifying the efforts involved in research methodology
• Understand the results- the readers are to be presented with observations, findings and summary. Data tabulations, equations and charts add to effectiveness and reliability
• Discussion- effective analysis and interpretation of the results is necessary to draw the overall conclusion. This factor determines if the research objectives are met
• Precision in conclusion- readers like to know the main conclusion of a research as well as direction for future work
• References- Use of up to date literature references ensures credibility to the research. Internal records which are not the archival records must be avoided. They are not considered appropriate for the scholarly work (Scott and Garner 2013).

Assessment 2

Report analysis

1. Report 1

• Report 2 is chosen.

1. This report aims to put forward the data found from the case study which looked into the matter of government-funded English as a provision for second language for the adult migrants in Australia. The rationale of the research was to go into the depths of the Australian migrant English and using it as second language learning strategies. The research was also conducted in order to understand the experiences of the migrants which focussed on the migrant’s opinions in facilitating the integration of second language programming. The motivation was work on the adult migrants to learn the language that is spoken in the host country. The research was done in order to illustrate the relationship that existed between the language policy-in-intention, the policy-in-implementation, and policy-in-experience. The longitudinal approach that was used by the authors helped in examining the migrants’ personal process of integration.
2. This study highlights the hypothesis that ‘language policies are not neutral statements but, rather, espouse particular values and goals’.
3. The intended and the potential audience of this research are the adult migrants of Australia and the stakeholders whose perceptions of the psychosocial function of English as a second language programs has an impact on the migrants’ articulation. The stakeholders include the students, teachers and the managers of the Jarrah language centre.
4. During the research some of the teachers and program managers of specific centres were investigated who are involved in teaching English as the second language. Therefore this is relevant to the stakeholders who are one of the audiences of this research, as they have an important influence on the ways the migrant experience the English language programs and the ways the government policies are designed to be transformed into practise.

This research can be used by the LLN practitioners and the managers in viewing English as second language programs to be valuable which will help in facilitating the migrant’s integration both psychologically and economically. 

1. The belief that has helped in framing the questions for the research reflects the view that in order to “better understand the broader social, cultural, and historical processes and contexts from which, and within which, language policies are produced and promulgated”. This view has helped in adopting the socio-cultural framework for conducting the research.
2. The authors conducted theoretical review on various terms and concepts which included government policies related to immigration and integration. It was also related to English proficiency and learning English as the second language. The concepts also included the perceptions of the stakeholders which included the students, the teachers and managers of the organization namely Jarrah language centre, of the psychological functions of the English language programmes and the impact of economy. This is in relation to the migrant’s articulation of their experiences and feelings.
3. In order to find out what has already been written newspaper articles, various television programmes, editorial letters, blogs and YouTube videos were examined. This helped in examining the political aspects and the opinion of the public that was related to immigration, integration, migration and also with the adult English as a second language learning strategy. Additionally the Jarrah Institute documents were analysed which included both historical and contemporary documents. Demographic data was collected from these documents which was related to the second language learners who had enrolled to learn English.
4. The major methods of data collected included document review, students and teachers survey and individual interviews. The research uses a qualitative case study methodology hence is well explained in terms of finding out the psychosocial and economic integration.
5. The document review was justified as it helped the authors to situate the sample population within the greater English language learner unit. The documents also helped in understanding the contemporary issues that has emerged in the public and political arenas that were pursued with the participants. This included the aspects of integration and Australian values being discussed with the migrants.

Part C: Related to Topic 3 and 4

The surveys were carried out in 100 different language centres that had migrants in the intermediate and advanced level of full-time English as a second language programme, along with their teachers. The surveys were useful since it was a representation of the Jarrah Language Centre’s migrant unit.

For the interviews purposeful sampling was used which helped in presenting unique attributes of the select learners and who represented a wide variety of the migrant unit in terms of age, gender, and native country.

1. The difficulties encountered were that most of the migrants belonged to non- English speaking backgrounds hence were unable to express their experiences and feelings properly. Therefore it was difficult for the authors to articulate the data. The sample population was also small which a limits the study. The authors also state that the findings of the research are not generalised.
2. The authors ensured that the research was reliable and valid since qualitative case study methodology was applied in carrying out the research. It was also mentioned by the authors that the findings of the study of this research could be related to the individuals even in settings other than the setting used for this particular research.
3. The content is organised into major segments of introduction. In report 1, the introduction contains the key findings of the report whereas in report 2, the introduction briefly introduces the topic and the aims of the study. In both the reports the next segment is methodology which contains the research settings and the methods. In report 1, the third, fourth and fifth segment deals with the background of the research illustrating the settings and describing the sample population. In case of report 2, the next segment is the findings which discusses the data that is found from the methods that were applied for data collection. Lastly both the reports end with conclusion and implications.

The difference is present because report 1 deals with the adult learning as a whole and not only a specific group like the migrants as seen in report 2. Therefore in report 1, more background of the research needs to be discussed.

Activity 1 Research Design

Part 1

A 1. International education has been expanding at a speedy rate in the past few years with educators identifying a wide range of problems faced by international students in different educational settings in the country. The experiences of the students are distinct as individuals from diverse background are consistently coming to Australia for their education. International students faced a number of challenges owing to social and cultural factors among others. Notably, language barriers are the most overwhelmingly dominant and common perceived challenge that gives rise to academic difficulties and psychological anxiety. The most common outcome of such language barrier is absenteeism and poor academic results (Muller 2011). The general aim of the research is to investigate the major communication issues faced by students who do not have English as their first language, and explore the communication strategies that are to be adopted for betterment. The purpose of the study is two-fold; to explore the experiences of communication difficulties faced by non-English speaking students, and to understand the perceived effectiveness of strategies for mitigating the challenges.

2. The role of the LLN (language, literacy and numeracy) specialist is to initiate the research within the educational setting. The LLN practitioner has the responsibility of working with learners for identifying the weaknesses and strengths of the individuals in relation to their academic progress. Further, the practitioner is supposed to assess the level of skill of the learners on a regular basis and work towards their academic improvement.

3. The audience of the research is the management body of ACTB who is entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the organization’s governance. Based on the findings of the research, the management body can consider bringing changes in the policies of the setting in terms of English language education. The research also holds much value for the wider international education community as policy reforms are also applicable for other similar educational settings with a considerable proportion of non-English speaking students.

ASSESSMENT 2- Analysing Research Reports

4. The study focuses on the challenges faced by international students in Australia pertaining to English communication. The research does not only look at the needs of the students to communicate fluently in English but also the mitigation strategies they perceive to be important for bringing positive changes. This would ensure that a richer understanding is received of the linguistic experiences of the students, and the support needs that are crucial.

5. The standard of education imparted in different educational settings in Australia is witnessing a rapid increase in the contemporary era. A large pool of studies carried out in Australia have indicated that students coming from foreign countries experience a wide range of challenges including alienation, cultural differences, social exclusion, racial discrimination and language barriers (Murray 2010). Adequate language proficiency for effective communication is a vital preparation for students who are to succeed in their academic career. Nevertheless, communication skills is a not only a major issue in this regard, but also a miscommunication. The reason is that different sound production gives rise to more comprehension problems. A number of studies have highlighted that linguistic problems leads to poor academic performance at all levels. In educational settings, students not only face issues in understanding lectures but also their peers. Moreover, students who are from English speaking backgrounds have a foreign sounding accent that is different from those who are not from English speaking backgrounds (Gribble 2014). As many studies have identified, the challenges faced by students in relation to English language are two-fold; the accent on the part of the educators, and the accent on the part of the other students. Societal attitudes upheld by individuals coming from the English speaking background play a major role in this area. This encompasses the undesirable beliefs and stereotypical views within the student community. Students who do not have English as their first language are under certain conditions considered as less trustworthy, less educated and incompetent as compared to those who have English as their first language (Marcellino 2015).

Language discrimination has been directly linked with underestimation of the academic ability of the learners. As a result of differential expectations showcased by educators, students from non-English speaking backgrounds might be receiving fewer opportunities to engage in learning activities (Pennycook 2017). Further, language barriers are crucial in formation of social relationships which is an elementary part of positive learning environment. Thus, it is understood that communication difficulties as a result of language has direct as well as indirect impact on the learning environment as a whole. In effect, much influence can be witnesses in terms of social harmony and learning experience.  

ASSESSMENT 3- Design and conduct applied research

Educational settings in the past have employed a number of communication strategies for resolving the communication issues of learners. The aim of such initiatives has been to bridge the gap between the communication goal and the linguistic knowledge. The focus has been on providing learners with supportive services that tend to address the needs of the learners. This has been guided by the need of ensuring academic improvement of the learners (Lefdahl-Davis and Perrone-McGovern2015). Students coming in to the country with minimal English competency suffer from de-motivation, frustration and anxiety for not being able to engage whole heartedly with the learning process. Initiatives have been proved to be fruitful to pave the path for chief support services for the students, including language training workshops (Park et al. 2017).

6. The findings of the research are to be interpreted in a careful manner since the study would focus on a particular group of international student at the institution. The generalizability of the findings of the study might be limited to the group. Due to constraint of time, the study would not be able to further report on variables such as cultural background, motivation level, attitude and personality in relation to studying at an international institution.

7. The research is to be conducted in six weeks time frame including thee data analysis and preparation of study report. 

8. Ethical principles are to be followed while conducting primary research with human participants outlined at the initial stages of planning of the project.  The underlying notion is to eliminate the risk of harm done to the research participants and to uphold the fundamental rights they have. The most crucial ethical consideration for the research is to receive informed consent of the study participants (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). The participants are explained the purpose of the research and what the study entails. The participants are given a clear idea of the potential benefits of the study. Voluntary consent of the participants is received to take part in the study, and they have the freedom to quit the study as per their convenience. While conducting research, ethics is also maintained through maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of the participants.  Privacy is maintained by controlling the sharing of beliefs and values of individuals with external sources. Confidentiality is maintained my recording all data in an anonymous manner and employing computerized data encryption (Lewis 2015).

9. Physical and human resources are needed for the research that plays an important role in enabling the desired outcomes of the study. Human resources pertain to researchers and participants contributing to the study.  Physical resources include existing literature on the concerned research topic and advanced technology for data analysis and data retrieving process. For accessing the rich pool of literature it is crucial to utilize electronic data bases storing ample research papers on the same topic.

B.10. The research would be a qualitative study for addressing the research questions. The methodology would focus on collecting data in a manner that can support extensive research process.  

11. Qualitative research would be primarily exploratory study approach in the present case. Such form of research is vital in gaining a deep understanding of social phenomena. It holds the potential to unearth underlying reasons, opinions and viewpoints of study participants. Further, qualitative research is useful for uncovering trends pertaining to experiences of individuals that dive deep into the research problem (Flick 2015). In the present, qualitative research would focus on understanding the experiences of learners facing linguistic barriers and their viewpoints.

12. For ensuring validity and reliability of the research, a number of strategies are to be adopted. Firstly, random sampling would be done for eliminating bias in sampling method. This form of sampling would enable researchers to prevent unconscious bias reflected in data collection. Random sampling allows the research to have its data analysis based on data collected with maximal accuracy. Further, random sampling permits an equal chance of selection for the participants. This in turn increases accuracy of the data collected (Panneerselvam 2014). Reliability of the study is also to be maintained by meticulous record keeping that promotes interpretation of data in transparent and consistent manner.

13. Data collection is to be done by conducting interviews with the research participants. It would be feasible and appropriate to conduct face-to-face interviews with the research participants for optimal data collection. Interviews are significant way for data collection when an issue is being investigated in-depth. Further, interviews are crucial for discovering how individuals act in a certain manner and think in a particular way (Flick 2015). Panneerselvam (2014) pointed out that interview inform key decision making process in different settings. Topics that are sensitive cannot be discussed in focus groups and hence the need of interviews. The key advantages of interview include provision for detailed questions to be asked, and high rate of response. Face-to-face interview would be apt since this allows accurate screening. Capturing verbal and nonverbal cues is also possible through this method (Neuman 2016). Keeping focus is easier for the research since one can have control over the entire data collection process.

In the present research, the interviews are to be carried out at any place as per the convenience of the learners. This might include the respective homes or accommodation places for the students if needed. It is to be kept in mind that a safe and comfortable environment is crucial for carrying out interviews. The interviews would be of one hour duration approximately. The interview would begin with the research introducing him to the participants.  The aims and purpose of the research are to be again explained to them to ensure positive responses. Effective communication is to be built up to support optimal data extraction. Throughout the study, the participants would be motivated and supported to answer the questions in a suitable manner (Panneerselvam 2014). The interviews are to be recorded in an audiotape. Further, notes are to be taken down wherever deemed fit.

14. The LLN specialist would undertake the research. His contribution to the research would be fundamental.

15.

Activity	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3-4	Week 5	Week 6
Preparation of data collection tool	·
Data collection		·
Data analysis			·
Report generation				·
Dissemination of findings					·

C .Thematic analysis of collected data would be undertaken for the data analysis process.  Such an analysis technique would be used for analyzing vast pool of information acquired through research. Thematic analysis would help in moving from the broad data reading towards discovery of patterns specific to the research questions. Emergence of themes helps in gaining insight of the knowledge gathered, and it is also highly inductive (Flick 2015).  

D .17. The management body of the institute would be the audience of the report generated from the research. The members of the body are to oversee the overall functioning of the institute. Further, they are the primary stakeholders in bringing about reforms in the setting in relation to practices.

18. The report to be presented to the body would focus on the background to the study, the key findings of the study and the implications for practice change.

19. The report would be sent to the head of the body through courier.

20. The data is to be shared in a systematic and organized manner in clearly articulated sections. A logical flow of information would be crucial.

Part 2

The research is to be conducted by engaging the key stakeholders of the workplace. The strategy would focus on informing the stakeholders about the study to be conducted. Permission of the governing educational body would be primitive in this regard. Access to student information would be received by contacting the registrar of the institution. The students would be contacted personally and invited for taking part in the study.

Activity 2 Develop a Research Question

Part 1

21. The research question relating to improvement of student support services in the organization is-

What are the perceived needs of students in relation to Language Training Workshops for English language in the setting?

The hypothesis for the research question would be as-

Students are in urgent need of advanced Language Training Workshops for English language in the setting. 

22. The research question relating to improvement of student course progress in the organization is-

What is the effectiveness of regular feedbacks for non-English speaking students in achieving course progress?

The hypothesis for the research question would be as-

Regular feedbacks are effective for non-English speaking students in achieving course progress.

Part 2

23. The questions would highlight the challenges faced by learners in terms of linguistic barriers that would guide development in policies for student support system and foster student career progress.

b. The questions would be of interest to education policy makers.

c. Primary data can be collected from the study participants for the research question.

d. Social science researchers would find the research question useful.

24.a) It is more appropriate to frame it as a question.

b. Others might think it is a likely hypothesis which can be researched.

Part 3

In education, there is major gap in research knowledge and present policies. The existing gaps are the focus of the present research whose implications are far-reaching for practitioners and policy makers. The given two questions were chosen to inform the decision making process of practitioners. Policy-makers and educational authorities might show interest to apply the findings that agree with and legitimate their preferred policies. The needs of the wider LLN field were considered as their future work would be guided by the findings of the study.  There was no influence of the policy makers on the research design.

Activity 3

Andrade, M.S., 2006. International students in English-speaking universities: Adjustment factors. Journal of Research in International education, 5(2), pp.131-154.

Gribble, C., 2014. Employment, work placements & work integrated learning of international students in Australia. International Education Association of Australia, Research Digest, 2.

Lefdahl-Davis, E.M. and Perrone-McGovern, K.M., 2015. The cultural adjustment of Saudi women international students: A qualitative examination. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(3), pp.406-434.

Lueg, K. and Lueg, R., 2015. Why do students choose English as a medium of instruction? A Bourdieusian perspective on the study strategies of non-native English speakers. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 14(1), pp.5-30.

Marcellino, M., 2015. English language teaching in Indonesia: A continuous challenge in education and cultural diversity. TEFLIN Journal, 19(1), pp.57-69.

Marginson, S., 2014. Student self-formation in international education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18(1), pp.6-22.

Muller, A., 2011. Addressing the English language needs of international nursing students. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 5(2), pp.A14-A22.

Murray, N., 2010. Conceptualising the English language needs of first year university students. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 1(1), p.55.

Park, E., Klieve, H., Tsurutani, C. and Harte, W., 2017. International students’ accented English—Communication difficulties and developed strategies. Cogent Education, 4(1), p.1314651.

Pennycook, A., 2017. The cultural politics of English as an international language. Taylor & Francis.

Wang, Q. and Hannes, K., 2014. Academic and socio-cultural adjustment among Asian international students in the Flemish community of Belgium: A photovoice project. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 39, pp.66-81.

Wu, H.P., Garza, E. and Guzman, N., 2015. International student’s challenge and adjustment to college. Education Research International, 2015. 

Activity 4:

Part 2: Design documents

2. To access attendance records written agreements must be entered into by the researchers with the organization. Additionally consent forms authorized by the organization must be presented containing the information of the research.
3. Consent cover letter authorized by the individuals participating in the survey a well as the organization where the survey is taking place mentioning the nature of the survey and the instructions from the researchers.
4. Letter informing the participants of the nature of the interview and consent forms of the individuals taking part in the interviews. A list of questionnaire is also required for communicating.
5. a) In order to design questionnaire the objective of the research has to rely upon to frame the questions that are needed to be asked for attaining the objectives. For this research the methodology chosen is thematic analysis hence the questionnaire will be prepared accordingly.

The cover letter must contain the purpose of the research and the information the questionnaire aims to collect. The cover letter must state that the participation in the research is voluntary and the participants can decline to answer any question according to their wish. The letter should also assure that there is no risk in participation and that the responses will remain confidential and anonymous. The instructions will include that if the participants agree to take part in the research then they should answer the questions on the questionnaire and complete it within the specified time. On completion the questionnaire should be returned to the investigators which should be enclosed in a business reply envelope.

A wide range of information should be collected using the questionnaire mainly focusing on the major themes of the questions framed. With more information it will become easier for the investigators to give comments on the findings obtained from the study.

The timeframe required for answering the questionnaire is given as three to four day within which the participants are required to answer and return the questionnaire as soon as possible. This timeframe includes the time period required to answer the questions along with the time required to distribute the questionnaires and returning of the questionnaires to the involved investigators. 

The sample population should be large enough of about 15 students in order to ensure credibility of the data as qualitative study is carried out.

Online surveys are less time consuming although some feel that paper based surveys are more reliable however are more time consuming. It is seen than in case of online surveys the respond rate is higher as compared to paper based surveys. The survey cost is also less in case of online surveys where there are pre-built themes, ready-made templates, and unlimited questions provide structure to your survey and the survey can be distributed through social media.

The questionnaire designed for survey generally contains closed ended questions since most of the times the open ended questions produce a diverse set of answers which becomes difficult to analyse.

Each question is necessary as one question is related to the other. Each question is unambiguous as double questions should never be asked in a questionnaire. Some questions may be offensive but it depends on the perception of the audience. In such cases the individuals are free to decline answering the question.

In this case the questionnaire will be analysed by structuring of comments. Each comment will relate to a specific question. For better analysis, the questions will be divided into themes and the every comment will be according to the chosen theme. Finally the information extracted for the comments is depicted pictorially by grouping the comments according to the specific group of questions they answer.

For maintaining privacy the anonymity of the participants and the responses should be maintained. It must also be mentioned that the participation in the survey is voluntary and that if the participants feel that some of the questions are unethical, those might be omitted. Additionally research works of others must be acknowledged properly in the study.

The cultural considerations include that no offensive or culturally judgemental statements should not be made which will impact the cultural beliefs of specific groups. The cultural considerations include the factors like age, sex, native background and origin. Care should be given so that the cultural sentiments of the individuals taking part in the research is not hampered.

In order to keep the data safe and secure, clear and accurate record of the research methodologies should be maintained. This should include all the approval granted required during and after the process of research. The research data must be kept in a retrievable form which included electronic data that is durable and indexed. A catalogue of the research data can also be maintained in order to maintain it in accessible form.

1. b) In order to receive permission for the survey request, some steps must be followed which includes: obtaining the permission from the Head of the requestor. Permission must be taken from the council of the respective organization. Next a survey form needs to be filled up which needs to be received by the office of Institutional Research & Assessment before a minimum of two weeks before administering the survey. The consent of the organisation where the research is going to be conducted must also be obtained before administering the survey.

Activity 5:

For the research a thematic survey was carried out where the major themes were related to course relevance and design, teaching and learning practises, improving assessment practices and improving the learning resources and materials.

The questionnaire was developed accordingly which consisted of the following questions:

Course content

1. Does the depth of the course content needs to be increased?
2. Is the requirements of the course been met?
3. Are the availability of the courses continuous?
4. Should extra components be added to the course content?
5. Is the course relevant to the industry?

Learning activities

1. Are appropriate practical learning tasks being implemented?
2. Is there a good balance of direct teaching and self-paced learning activities?
3. Is the class size appropriate?
4. Are proper basic skills training being provided?

Quality of learning equipment and resources

1. Are the facilities provided by the language training workshop adequate?
2. Is there a need to improve the clarity and layout of the materials provided?
3. Are different media aids provided?

Improving assessment processes

1. Is the rigour of the assessment adequate?
2. Is consistency and fairness maintained while the conducting of the assessments?
3. Are the number of assessments adequate?

Activity 6: 

Key Questions	Key Findings	Implications	Recommendations	Relevance	Reservations
Does the depth of the course content needs to be increased?	Students suggested that the depth of the English language course needs to be increased.	On increasing the depth of the language the advanced level of language can be achieved by those who are able to attain such standards.	Curriculum should be set in accordance to the advanced level of English language.	It can be relevant to other workshops as well.	For those students who belong to non-English speaking backgrounds such advanced levels might be difficult to attain.
Are appropriate practical learning tasks being implemented?	There is a lack of practical learning tasks.	Practical learning tasks should be implemented since it will help in achieving better performances.	Practical learning tasks such as related to industries can be implemented to face the realistic scenarios.	Relevant in case of all such training programmes.	No such reservations.
Is the class size appropriate?	The class size was appropriate according to the views of the students.	Adequate class size needs to be maintained for receiving proper learning resources and attention from the teachers.	No such recommendation as class size is appropriate.	It is relevant on other cases as well.	No such reservations.
Are the facilities provided by the language training workshop adequate?	The facilities provided are adequate	Provision of adequate facilities is required for proper perceiving of the training by the students as well as the teachers.	No such recommendation as facilities provided are adequate	It is relevant on other cases as well.	No such reservations.
Are the number of assessments adequate?	There is a requirement of more number of assessments	More number of assessments are needed to understand the level of the training being perceived by the students.	Along with written assessments, number of oral assessments should also be increased.	It is relevant on other cases as well.	This sometimes may have a negative impact on the students who are not doing well. More number of assessments may demotivate them.
Is consistency and fairness maintained while the conducting of the assessments?	Consistency and fairness is always maintained while the conducting of the assessments.	Fairness should always be maintained while assessing since it reflects the knowledge that is gained by the student.	Consistency should be maintained while assessing the tasks.	It is relevant on other cases as well.	No such reservations.