The NCRM quick start guide: Teaching social research methods asynchronously online – guiding principles

The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted a major shift from face-to-face to online teaching, including of research methods. Much of this is asynchronous. Asynchronous elements can include pre-recorded content, discussion boards, assessment activities and collaborative spaces, which can be combined in different ways, and with synchronous sessions. Teaching social science research methods online presents pedagogic opportunities and challenges that involve teachers adapting and transforming their teaching. The community of inquiry model provides a helpful tool to thinking about adapting and transforming the teaching of research methods to an asynchronous online learning space. This guide considers the three elements of the model and shares examples of how methods teachers adapt and transform their teaching to students in asynchronous online contexts. It supports the view that ‘There are many ways to get it right online’. The guide is based on NCRM research with online methods teachers and learners, involving interviews, observations and analysis of course documents.