identify a research problem and the questions which follow from this. This may involve a number of associated activities (e.g. observing practice, reading, surfing the internet, seeking other viewpoints).
This is where one’s mind suddenly goes blank. Now I know how my learners feel when I say ‘over to you’ and try to get them doing a task. Plenty of support needed first so using the points given in the course notes.
I am interested in online environments so would like to examine how teachers can harness the power of social media to encourage learners to interact and support each other’s learning through online forums. This is nothing new – plenty of research done around the topic. Would need to find a gap.
Establish/identify a context within which to undertake the enquiry (e.g. a sports club, a work canteen, an office).
I have just been asked to deliver a teacher training course to 14 teachers in Libya via Skype. I would like to support this with a wiki, blogs, an Edmodo forum and Twitter group. I plan to design a series of tasks requiring the learners to contribute to different forums. I will ask them to keep a learning journal in their blogs, which they will share in the wiki.
My research question might be something like:
To what extent can online learning journals support learning?
Or: what are the barriers to participation in online learning and how can they be overcome?
Learn what other people who have researched in a similar context have discovered about this question (if any) (i.e. undertake a literature search).
I took this idea from a colleague, who designed a distance learning course for English through a blog. Here is his example: http://tinyurl.com/narxwux
Literature might include Engestrom’s communities of practice and Fuller & Unwin (2003)’s work into knowledge use and creation in the workplace.
Establish a view of the problem drawing on relevant theories about learning and knowledge. (You have seen how other researchers have done this in articles you have already read; you will develop your own understanding in Part 2.)
Constructivism, communities of practice
Establish a research approach which aligns with the view of the problem.
Compare 2 populations; one studying without using social media, one with?
Decide where the data to address the research question lie.
Exam performance, evidence in online journals
Think about how you will gain access to these data – this will probably involve identifying various options and thinking what the implications of each might be (e.g. why talk to A, B and C rather than D, E and F?).
Learners will share a link to their blogs via a course forum. A questionnaire could also be used to establish frequency of use of/contribution to online forums.
Study and analyse the data; this may take a long time as you try out different options.
Derive findings from the data.
Research shows that multi-tasking in the online environment is detrimental to learning and adversely affects our ability to concentrate. However, sharing and synthesising information are the new skills needed in the online learning environment.
Share the findings with the appropriate people. Who will be interested in them? Do the findings generate new knowledge, inform practice, test or measure something? Remember it is possible that the purpose of the investigation was to increase your understanding of something within your own practice, thus the data may not be of interest to anyone else.
As this is a pilot scheme, I need to produce a report about what worked/didn’t work for future trainers to use.
Note down your initial ideas as to what the research process might involve in your workplace or a community in which you are involved.
Analysis of blog contributions/interaction between group members.
1.3 The research process
identify a research problem and the questions which follow from this. This may involve a number of associated activities (e.g. observing practice, reading, surfing the internet, seeking other viewpoints).
This is where one’s mind suddenly goes blank. Now I know how my learners feel when I say ‘over to you’ and try to get them doing a task. Plenty of support needed first so using the points given in the course notes.
I am interested in online environments so would like to examine how teachers can harness the power of social media to encourage learners to interact and support each other’s learning through online forums. This is nothing new – plenty of research done around the topic. Would need to find a gap.
Establish/identify a context within which to undertake the enquiry (e.g. a sports club, a work canteen, an office).
I have just been asked to deliver a teacher training course to 14 teachers in Libya via Skype. I would like to support this with a wiki, blogs, an Edmodo forum and Twitter group. I plan to design a series of tasks requiring the learners to contribute to different forums. I will ask them to keep a learning journal in their blogs, which they will share in the wiki.
My research question might be something like:
To what extent can online learning journals support learning?
Or: what are the barriers to participation in online learning and how can they be overcome?
Learn what other people who have researched in a similar context have discovered about this question (if any) (i.e. undertake a literature search).
I took this idea from a colleague, who designed a distance learning course for English through a blog. Here is his example: http://tinyurl.com/narxwux
Literature might include Engestrom’s communities of practice and Fuller & Unwin (2003)’s work into knowledge use and creation in the workplace.
Establish a view of the problem drawing on relevant theories about learning and knowledge. (You have seen how other researchers have done this in articles you have already read; you will develop your own understanding in Part 2.)
Constructivism, communities of practice
Establish a research approach which aligns with the view of the problem.
Compare 2 populations; one studying without using social media, one with?
Decide where the data to address the research question lie.
Exam performance, evidence in online journals
Think about how you will gain access to these data – this will probably involve identifying various options and thinking what the implications of each might be (e.g. why talk to A, B and C rather than D, E and F?).
Learners will share a link to their blogs via a course forum. A questionnaire could also be used to establish frequency of use of/contribution to online forums.
Study and analyse the data; this may take a long time as you try out different options.
Derive findings from the data.
Research shows that multi-tasking in the online environment is detrimental to learning and adversely affects our ability to concentrate. However, sharing and synthesising information are the new skills needed in the online learning environment.
Share the findings with the appropriate people. Who will be interested in them? Do the findings generate new knowledge, inform practice, test or measure something? Remember it is possible that the purpose of the investigation was to increase your understanding of something within your own practice, thus the data may not be of interest to anyone else.
As this is a pilot scheme, I need to produce a report about what worked/didn’t work for future trainers to use.
Note down your initial ideas as to what the research process might involve in your workplace or a community in which you are involved.
Analysis of blog contributions/interaction between group members.