By Valeria Sargsyan
Recognizing the need and demand in
Armenia for high quality social science research applying quantitative
methodology, CRRC-Armenia organized its first ever Summer School on Research Design and Methodology on July 21-25, in Tsaghkadzor. Timed to the Yerevan State University (YSU) 95-th anniversary, the Summer School covered variety of topics
including survey design, sampling, questionnaire development, fieldwork
implementation, and data analysis. Aimed at developing participants’ theoretical knowledge and
practical skills on different stages of quantitative cycle from hypothesis
development to quantitative analysis, it was purposely tailored for YSU
post-graduate students, junior researchers and faculty specializing in
quantitative research methodology.
The Summer School was warmly hosted by
the YSU recreation site stretched on the foot of Tsaghkunyants mount and
surrounded by ancient mountains and green hills that make one
admire and just enjoy the view. The event
brought together a group of interested social science researchers and
professionals, so that they could not only obtain knowledge and skills, but also have an
opportunity to gain new research connections, to have interesting conversations
and discussions, which would ultimately bring about higher quality research. The
participants enjoyed the excellent residential, dining, academic, and social
facilities of the hotel. All aspects of the program provided opportunity for knowledge
development and research experience through peer support, creative
problem-solving and practice.
CRRC-Armenia CEO Heghine Manasyan mentioned
in her opening speech that it was both an honor
and a privilege to stand before the Summer School participants that day and
welcomed them to that challenging initiative she hoped would be successful and
continuous. “Probably, you are sitting there feeling different emotions and
asking yourself whether you did the right choice and whether this worth the sacrifices you
have made to get there. Don’t doubt that, it is. In fact, I can assure each and
every one of you that you passed through the strong selection process and you
are here because you deserve to be and because you can bring something fresh
and innovating to the Armenian research and academic community”, she said. Later
on, CRRC-Armenia Research Director Artak Ayunts, in his turn, warmly greeted the
participants and continued with the lecture on Introduction to the Research
Design, enriched and elaborated further by Dr. Manasyan on Developing Research
Methodology.
The week-long summer school integrated
separate sessions focusing on the theoretical, empirical and case-based
solutions. During the succeeding week, the participants were lectured by the group
of experienced and acknowledged academicians and professionals, such as Dr. Artur
Mkrtchyan, YSU Sociology Faculty Dean, who talked about Hypothesis Development, Gayane
Ghukasyan, and Dr. Maria Zasvavskaya – both YSU professors (Sampling Design/Database
Quality Control). Later on, independent expert Arpine Porsughyan presented main
theoretical and practical propositions of survey questionnaire design, while а sociology
coryphaeus, director of
the “Sociometer” sociological center Aharon Adibekyan concentrated
on organizational moments of survey fieldwork. Finally, last day was wholly dedicated to
data analysis with SPSS program, including cluster and factor analysis brilliantly
elaborated by CRRC-Armenia’s devoted friend and bright professional Dr. Vahe
Mosvisyan.
Based on the feedback of attendees, the whole
course was valuable and informative on its every stage. The participants
admitted that “…this summer school provided a week to remember for everyone” (Gayane),
and “… the program was so intense we were not able to walk around, and we didn't know whether to complain or to be glad about that” (Arpine); however, they were very excited and “… looking forward to implement the invaluable knowledge and skills
received during the summer school” (Sona).
All in all, this Summer School tried to spread
on approaches that better reflect the research practice, using a combination of
theory and case study analysis, to clarify issues regarding applied research, and
to explore strengths and limitations of current research methods, making sure
that the outcomes are relevant in and for practice. With hope for continuation, it combined an interest in
describing and explaining and practicing using knowledge as a means, working
with practitioners and researchers to expand and promote traditional and new
ways of social science research.
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