Course overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rapid adoption of remote research methods, where researchers gather data from participants at a distance.

This 1.5 day course will introduce you to a wide range of quantitative and qualitative remote research methods used in research on health. It also offers an opportunity to discuss your own projects with experienced researchers.

Course content

Topics you'll cover include: 

• remote surveys
• interviews and focus group
• remote ethnography
• remote creative methods
• the use of big data
• public and patient involvement (PPI)
• ethics, data protection, and practical considerations
• digital inequalities and working with marginalised groups

Teaching and structure

This online course will mix:

• live lectures
• pre-recorded lectures (available in advance), with live Q&As
• group work
• a live panel discussion.

There will also be breakout rooms to facilitate group learning, a participatory online Photovoice taster workshop, and a drop-in session for students to discuss their own research and/or ask questions to the tutors.

The course will be held from 9am-5pm on the first day and 10-12pm on the second day. It is run on consecutive days.

Who the course is for

The course is aimed at academics, postgraduate students, and professionals working in relevant ogranisations e.g. healthcare services and NGOs.

You should have professional work experience in a relevant area and/or an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, and have a good standard of English proficiency.

Course preparation and work

You'll be expected to watch a series of online lectures prior to attending (1.5 hours in total).

Between day 1 and day 2 of the course you'll be assigned a short photographic task which should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you should be able to: 

• describe the range of research methods that can be used remotely
• address key practical and ethical issues related to conducting research remotely
• outline strengths and limitations of a range of remote methods.

Cost

The standard cost of this course is £250. 

A reduced cost of £200 is available to students, who will be able to obtain this during the booking process. 

Course team

Emily Nicholls

Emily is a Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute for Global Health. She is a sociologist and qualitative researcher interested in HIV, health activism and clinical practice. She is currently working on a number of research projects at UCL, including on experiences of recently acquired HIV, patient generated data and digital health.

Shema Tariq

Shema is a Clinical Academic at UCL’s Institute for Global Health and Honorary Consultant in HIV and Sexual Health at Mortimer Market Centre. She has expertise in mixed-methods public health research, and leads a number of remote qualitative research projects. Her research focuses on HIV and women; HIV and digital health; and participatory research approaches in sexual health and HIV.

Course information last modified: 30 Nov 2022, 16:01