Students’ difficulties during research methods training acting as potential barriers to their development of scientific thinking

Students’ difficulties during research methods training acting as potential barriers to their development of scientific thinking

Students are likely to develop scientific thinking skills through participation in research methods training courses, so any difficulties experienced during these courses might then act as potential barriers to the development of these skills. This chapter begins by reviewing common difficulties experienced by students during this training, which are categorised into the following themes: Affective Issues with Research; Negative and Naïve Conceptions of Research; and Cognitive Complexity of Research. Some of the pedagogical approaches to dealing with students’ issues are briefly discussed before presenting a qualitative phenomenological investigation of the undergraduate experience of research methods training. This chapter ends by discussing practical implications of the investigation’s findings to aid research methods instructors in reducing the chances of barriers forming.