Conduct a research on childhood obesity in relation to qualitative research
Details of the assignment:
There is a requirement to participate in the online Discussion Forum on the Learning
Environment Online (LEO). The discussion will be open for 15 week days, and two weekends.
Over this period, you are required to contribute original postings of at least 1250 words in total
on at least three different dates. There is no penalty for contributing further and marks are
awarded for full engagement in the discussion.
The discussion forum is for you to discuss the concepts introduced in the unit with your peers
and the Lecturer-in-Charge (LIC). This needs to be a scholarly discussion with relevant
reference to the academic literature and must include responses to peers in addition to the
required postings. Additional informal postings can be made. The idea is to use the discussion
forum for a scholarly yet slightly informal exchange.
The topic for the discussion forum is:
Identify a topic that interests you in relation to qualitative research;
Explain why it is an important topic (significance of the issue);
Write a qualitative research aim for this topic and an associated research question.
Comment on and critique other students’ ideas.
The assignment task 1 requires that you keep copies of all your posts and submit three
postings that were made on three different dates, in one document, in the Assignment Task 1
drop box on LEO, by the due date, without alteration. While you will be marked on the
contribution to peer learning, including your responses to peers (see marking rubric), responses
are not to be included in your submission.
Discussion forum opens on Monday 2 March 2020 at 9am
Discussion forum closes on Friday 20 March 2020, at 10pm.
Due: Wednesday 25/03/20, 10pm
Weight: 25%
Word count: 1250 words +/- 10% (not including references)
Learning outcomes assessed: LO1, LO
## you are required to contribute original
postings of at least 1250 words in total on at least three different dates.
The topic for the discussion forum is:
• Identify a topic that interests you in relation to qualitative research;
• Explain why it is an important topic (significance of the issue);
• Write a qualitative research aim for this topic and an associated research
question.
• Comment on and critique other students’ ideas.
You will be marked on the contribution to peer learning, including your
responses to peers (see marking rubric) although responses are not to be
included in your submission.
### Instruction by teacher how to write PICO-Question for Qualitative Research-Task-1
It might be useful to start thinking about your research aim in terms of a PICO framework. It is very
simple but useful.
P = population
I = phenomenon of Interest (the 'I' is for 'intervention' in a quantitative research question)
C = Context ('Comparison' in a quantitative study)
O = Outcome
In terms of your proposed project for this unit an example qualitative research question could be
something like:
'What are the perceived benefits of participating in a Life! Program among a sample population of
older people who attend a local community centre in Melbourne' (or wherever)
P = sample of older people
I = participation in a Life! Program
C = community centre in Melbourne (or wherever)
O = perceived benefits
That research question could be explored by taking a phenomenological methodological approach
and either interviewing individuals from the sample population group or conducting focus groups with
the sample population group
Or your research question could be something like:
'Have young adults who enrolled in a Life! Program experienced a greater sense of wellbeing than
they experienced prior to enrolling into the program'. In this instance and even though this is a
qualitative study, you can use a comparator although you cannot measure 'experience'.
For example, the PICO would be:
P (population) = a sample of young adults who are enrolled in a Life! Program
I (Phenomenon of interest) = enrolment in a nutritional program
C (comparator) = not being enrolled in a nutritional program
O (outcome) = wellbeing (or another appropriate outcome)
As I noted, I may be way off the mark in terms of your intended research question but hopefully that
will give you an idea of how to frame your research question. If you include the PICO elements to
guide you, your research question should be appropriately focused.
