R M Workshop

ICSSR Sponsored Seven Days’ National Workshop on Methodology of Social Science Research

19-25 June 2017

Introduction

Professional Social Work in India is in dearth of research based knowledge. There are ideal villages, social reformers, great social workers, social activists, social work practitioners and academicians in social work profession in India. Still their contribution towards to social work literature is negligible. The lack of social work literature in India is mainly due to the lack of knowledge and expertise of young professionals in social work research. One of the main reasons for the lack of professional status for social work in India is poor attention given to the production of research based knowledge and skill base. Even if there is a paper on research methodology at the Masters’ level, it is inadequate to introduce the interesting aspects of social work research to the social work students. The wide range of topics covered in the research paper within a short span of one semester creates fear and anxiety among the students’ community. Maharashtra state has 65 schools of social work and annually around 2500 social work professionals are graduated from these institutions. If many of them get an opportunity to undergo an advanced  certificate course on research methodology, so much research based knowledge base that are locally and culturally relevant will be created. A serious study of the research methodology is essential for scholars who aspire for M Phil and Ph D.

Presently social work educators are very much encouraged to complete their doctoral research to secure smooth career advancement. The certificate course on research methodology will equip them to undertake doctoral level research without any fear or anxiety.

CSRD Institute of Social Work and Research has completed 50 years of providing social work education to the nation. The Institute has become a research centre since 1991. Several scholars have completed their doctoral degree from this Institute. However, the proportion of researchers from this Institute is comparatively very low. The introduction of the advanced certificate course on research methodology would help increase the proportion of research scholars from this pioneer institute in rural development and extension.

Seven days’ research methodology workshop sponsored by ICSSR was conducted at on 19 to 25 July 2017 to give the social work educators as well as the student social workers ample space to learn the subject in depth. Altogether 16 research scholars registered and attended the workshop. Prof. Ravindra Jaybhay, Officer on Special Duty, Research, Savitribai Phule Pune University and Prof. Praveen Saptarshi, Professor Emiritus, Department of Environmental Science, SPPU attended the inaugural session of the workshop on 19^th June 2017.

b) Selection of the participants

Participants of the workshop were selected from among the research scholars who have registered for Ph D or M Phil or those who intend to do their Ph D. Participation of research scholars in social sciences was encouraged. Residential facility was provided to out of state participants. Attempt was made to include participants from different parts of the county.

c) The course content and the resource persons

Resource persons & topics covered

The session wise details of the 7 days’ research methodology workshop in brief