Try posting also on a social sciences thread. You may get more answers.

Dear Feng,

You have raised many highly topically points above and there in a problem, each one could be a valid question topic in its own right! I also find it really interesting that you appear to keep the issue contained to social science, do you think natural sciences are more robust in these areas?

I would have consider the multinational cohorts attending p/g programmes to be beneficial precisely because they are able to bring their varied experiences to the discussions. Possibly the limitation then is the ability of the lecturer to allow these 'alternatives' to advance within a programme that has been developed with very clearly prescribed content, learning outcomes delivered against tight timescales? Hence, even if the lecturer were confident enough, a big if in itself, to allow discussions to advance in 'alternative' techniques/approaches, then I guess they're still trapped by needing to cover the course outcomes in the appropriate time? Also, throw in to the mix the pressures to publish and whether these 'alternative' approaches would be considered robust enough to a manuscript reviewer who may not have been exposed to these alternative issues - does that mean they reject the m/script and the approaches are lost with its rejection? Its interesting to see conservation, borne out of the natural sciences and the methodologies that accompany natural science, researchers are embracing more varied approaches to research methods, partly in response to the need to include all stakeholders, especially local people and that has driven the expansion of their research methodologies. Maybe there needs to be an overly powerful benefit before someone openly accepts an alternative methodology?

It was also interesting, having completed my MSc and PhD at UEA, to see the funding that is offered to bring overseas nationals in to the UK on either Master or PhD programmes with the intention(?) of them taking their 'new' learnings back to deliver in their home country institutions. Does this facilitate the spread of 'conventional' methods and relegate 'alternative', locally developed ones, or do they hybridise and develop in to new, combined methods approaches?

My apologies re the above not offering answers per se, but rather raise more questions! As I mentioned, this is a really big and highly topical subject area that requires much more discussion than can be offered here.

Very pertinent issue across the globe.

Yes, RM has great challenges and opportunities.

Major challenges includes to acquaint and supervised for RM including quantitative analysis in a group to the scholars with diversified subjects and background. This may be overcome by the practical exposure as well as data analysis with computers during the class. (We got success by this).

Opportunity includes integration of diversified subjects and concepts.

Do you see diversity of research understandings among the student intake as a challenge or an opportunity for teaching research methods? - what are the main challenges? - how do you take advantage of this diversity in your teaching practice?

How adaptable do you think you or your research techniques are to different cultural contexts?

I am responding to these two questions.  One of the biggest challenges is getting students to love research so that they can commit to the process of completing their own dissertations.  Making samples of good research available to the class and critiquing them together is helpful encourage them to take several mini-projects using different methodologies and choosing their own topics and present their work to the class.  I find that many students come alive when you give them the opportunity to speak.  Reading and writing is a challenge for  non native speakers of a language.  Support from a writing centre is key to their success.

My preference is for qualitative research methods and they work well in different contexts because they privilege respondents and their worldviews.  I learnt a valuable lesson.  I used a hermeneutical approach for my dissertation but as I worked I felt I had not answered some important questions.  Later as I reworked it for publication I realised that I had not captured the authentic voice of the young women I was studying.  The Editor I was working with told me it was essential to let the participants come alive, and once I focused on sharing their story, rather than completing a piece of research, the article took on a new meaning.  So for me its not just the research method that counts but also your own stance as a researcher, respect and willingness to enter into the participants' world.