Research Accelerator Toolkit
Practical research methods training for AUT postgraduate researchers, taught by Dr Lyn Lavery.
Click here to request access →
Getting to grips with research methods for your postgraduate project can feel like a lot to take on alone. Research Accelerator Toolkit gives AUT research students access to 30 self-paced video courses covering the qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods skills you need.
Why not just search YouTube?
You could piece something together from a dozen different channels, but a lot of it won't be relevant to your project, some of it will disagree with itself, and none of it is built around a postgraduate research journey. The Toolkit is different:
- Courses are sequenced to build on each other, not a random search result
- You can ask a real question and get a personal answer, instead of digging through comments
- There's a monthly Live Q&A with Dr Lyn Lavery, so you can ask questions in real time
- It's made specifically for postgraduate researchers — not a general audience
This is part of your AUT enrolment. No application form — just a short eligibility check with the Graduate Research School.
How to get access
Send one email
Email the Graduate Research School with your name, student ID, faculty/school and supervisor.
[email protected]They confirm you're eligible
The Graduate Research School checks your student ID and gets back to you — usually within a couple of working days.
You get your personal sign-up link
Once you're confirmed, they'll email you a link to sign up for the Toolkit. Click it, create your account, and you're straight into the courses.
Already emailed and waiting to hear back? No need to do anything else — the Graduate Research School will come to you, usually within a couple of working days.
What's inside
You'll have access until 31 December, 2026 to 50+ hours of video training across four areas: qualitative research and NVivo, quantitative research and SPSS, mixed methods design, and practical research skills like Excel. Most courses come with a training manual and downloadable exercise files, and many also include a quiz to check your learning. You'll also get an invite to the monthly Live Q&A session, where you can bring your questions along in real time.
Meet Lyn
I'm Dr Lyn Lavery — researcher, facilitator, and the person you'll be hearing from inside Research Accelerator.
I've been teaching research methods and data analysis in New Zealand and Australian universities for over 25 years. My PhD is in educational psychology, specifically self-regulated learning — which means I spend a lot of time thinking about how people learn best, particularly in relation to research methods.
I'm an NVivo Platinum Certified Trainer and have previously trained for SPSS NZ, so I'm comfortable across qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods work. What I'm probably best known for though, is making complicated methods feel manageable, keeping things practical and having a bit of fun along the way.
When you join Research Accelerator, I'll be the one answering your questions, facilitating live sessions and of course, you'll hear my voice on the majority of the videos (alongside our wonderful team of guest presenters). I can't wait to see you there!
