You can find my research paper here :
http://www.yourbuyersinn.com/School/Final%20Paper%20-%20Charles%20Lee.pdf
Thanks for looking, and for your comments (and your help along the way !)
Have good holiday if I don't get another chance before then !
Charles Lee
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Assignment 7, Research Questions
While technology is an important element of instructional design, how can teachers be trained effectively in that technology ?
How far can technicological expertise take instructional design down the “road” in instructional design ?
How effective is self-perception in measuring technological competence ?
Each of these topics needs to be addressed and unfortunatley, there are few quantitative means of objectively assessing competence except through observed hands-on ‘microprojects’ as used in this study. Alternately, the onus is on the researcher to design and implement a rigorous system of narrative and perceptual ‘checks and balances’ to ensure the integrity of the results of their research.
Such questions might ask for detailed explanations of not only whether the particiapnts “felt” as though they had improved, but exactly what did they know now that they had not known before ?
What element of the training did they fel was responsible for that improved skill or knowledge ?
Only through diligently designed interrogatories such as as these will it be truly known, not only whwether the study was successful, but how the results could be applied to improve the instructional design process.
A properly design study will also lay the foundation for further study into the same or related areas.
Charles Lee
How far can technicological expertise take instructional design down the “road” in instructional design ?
How effective is self-perception in measuring technological competence ?
Each of these topics needs to be addressed and unfortunatley, there are few quantitative means of objectively assessing competence except through observed hands-on ‘microprojects’ as used in this study. Alternately, the onus is on the researcher to design and implement a rigorous system of narrative and perceptual ‘checks and balances’ to ensure the integrity of the results of their research.
Such questions might ask for detailed explanations of not only whether the particiapnts “felt” as though they had improved, but exactly what did they know now that they had not known before ?
What element of the training did they fel was responsible for that improved skill or knowledge ?
Only through diligently designed interrogatories such as as these will it be truly known, not only whwether the study was successful, but how the results could be applied to improve the instructional design process.
A properly design study will also lay the foundation for further study into the same or related areas.
Charles Lee
Assignment 6, Annotation
This is a qualitative study, 'ROADMAP TO MEASURING DISTANCE EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN COMPETENCIES' by Dooley, et al. in 2007, ’ assessed changes in competence in 12 areas of adult learning strategies, using open-ended narrative interviews that were analyzed using a ‘constant comparative method’ to document the distance learning process.
The authors developed this study to investigate the need for distance education teachers to be effectively trained in the technology needed to implement their online courses seamlessly. Dooley, Lindner, et al., take it one step further to determine how well those teachers can use the necessary technology (Irani & Telg, 2001; Telg, 1995), because many instructional designers who are well versed in the technologies used in education, are not as well versed in the application of that technologies to the educational process.
Notwithstanding their skills in the technical field of the devices themselves, they “do not have the theoretical knowledge as it relates to distance education,” and many of them admitted that they learned the academic application “while on the job” (Telg, 1995).
The authors enlisted six universities to collaborate with them in a “train-the-trainer” approach to “Effective Distance Education Instructional Design” in 12 different areas including adult learning, teaching at a distance, instructional design, course development, delivery strategies for distance teaching, instructional technology resources, advanced interaction methods, accessibility, planning and conducting evaluation, evaluation analysis and reporting, administrative issues, and training and support.
The research was conducted monthly, over a period of nine months to provide a variety of related tasks to train the universities’ own faculty members. The efficacy of that training was measured using short ‘hands on’ exercises designed to test competency after three weeks of content delivery and a microproject in each of the 12 areas.
One of the aspects they were studying was the ability to measure self-assessed perceived growth as a result of competency-based training programs, which they viewed as a major issue. This study assessed the participants in their natural settings, trainers training trainers in actual learning environments, and naturally followed a qualitative paradigm, which Antonacoupolou, Kellie, and Smith each observed in separate studies in 1999.
I found this to be an extremely relevant article, especially in view of the problem of teachers of non-technical topics having to learn technology in order to teach their subject effectively. It is therefore extremely important that the trainers not only know their technology, but also how to effectively implement that technology transparently, so that it does not become “yet another job to do” for the already overworked teachers who need to use it.
Charles Lee
Bibliography
Antonacopoulou, E. P. (1999). Training does not imply learning: The individual’s perspective. Roadmap to Measuring Distance Education Instructional Design Competencies 159 International Journal of Training and Development, 3(1), 14-33.
Dooley, Kim E.; Lindner, James R.; Telg, Ricky W.; Irani, Tracy; Moore, Lori; Lundy, Lisa (2007). ROADMAP TO MEASURING DISTANCE EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN COMPETENCIES. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, Vol. 8 Issue 2, p151-159, 9p
Irani, T., & Telg, R W. (2001). Planning for the new wave: Assessing current faculty distance education training and development needs. Journal of Applied Communications, 85(4), 7-18.
Kellie, D. (1999). The Australian way: Competency-based training in the corporate sector. International Journal of Training and Development, 3(2), 118-131.
Smith, E. (1999). Ten years of competency-based training: The experience of accredited training providers in Australia. International Journal of Training and Development, 3(2), 106-117.
Telg, R. W. (1996b). Skills and knowledge needed by television production specialists in distance education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 44(3), 73-82.
The authors developed this study to investigate the need for distance education teachers to be effectively trained in the technology needed to implement their online courses seamlessly. Dooley, Lindner, et al., take it one step further to determine how well those teachers can use the necessary technology (Irani & Telg, 2001; Telg, 1995), because many instructional designers who are well versed in the technologies used in education, are not as well versed in the application of that technologies to the educational process.
Notwithstanding their skills in the technical field of the devices themselves, they “do not have the theoretical knowledge as it relates to distance education,” and many of them admitted that they learned the academic application “while on the job” (Telg, 1995).
The authors enlisted six universities to collaborate with them in a “train-the-trainer” approach to “Effective Distance Education Instructional Design” in 12 different areas including adult learning, teaching at a distance, instructional design, course development, delivery strategies for distance teaching, instructional technology resources, advanced interaction methods, accessibility, planning and conducting evaluation, evaluation analysis and reporting, administrative issues, and training and support.
The research was conducted monthly, over a period of nine months to provide a variety of related tasks to train the universities’ own faculty members. The efficacy of that training was measured using short ‘hands on’ exercises designed to test competency after three weeks of content delivery and a microproject in each of the 12 areas.
One of the aspects they were studying was the ability to measure self-assessed perceived growth as a result of competency-based training programs, which they viewed as a major issue. This study assessed the participants in their natural settings, trainers training trainers in actual learning environments, and naturally followed a qualitative paradigm, which Antonacoupolou, Kellie, and Smith each observed in separate studies in 1999.
I found this to be an extremely relevant article, especially in view of the problem of teachers of non-technical topics having to learn technology in order to teach their subject effectively. It is therefore extremely important that the trainers not only know their technology, but also how to effectively implement that technology transparently, so that it does not become “yet another job to do” for the already overworked teachers who need to use it.
Charles Lee
Bibliography
Antonacopoulou, E. P. (1999). Training does not imply learning: The individual’s perspective. Roadmap to Measuring Distance Education Instructional Design Competencies 159 International Journal of Training and Development, 3(1), 14-33.
Dooley, Kim E.; Lindner, James R.; Telg, Ricky W.; Irani, Tracy; Moore, Lori; Lundy, Lisa (2007). ROADMAP TO MEASURING DISTANCE EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN COMPETENCIES. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, Vol. 8 Issue 2, p151-159, 9p
Irani, T., & Telg, R W. (2001). Planning for the new wave: Assessing current faculty distance education training and development needs. Journal of Applied Communications, 85(4), 7-18.
Kellie, D. (1999). The Australian way: Competency-based training in the corporate sector. International Journal of Training and Development, 3(2), 118-131.
Smith, E. (1999). Ten years of competency-based training: The experience of accredited training providers in Australia. International Journal of Training and Development, 3(2), 106-117.
Telg, R. W. (1996b). Skills and knowledge needed by television production specialists in distance education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 44(3), 73-82.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Assignment 8, Literature Review
Introduction
This collaborative research project was designed to study the prevailing attitudes of both students and teachers regarding the use of new technologies in education. The purpose was to determine whether the new technology was a benefit, as hoped, or a hindrance, as some myths contend regarding the misuse or even abuse of technology. Different articles that were reviewed focused on different aspects of the multiple relationships between these novel devices, the teachers and the students. One of the objectives was to discover how to utilize the new ‘portable’ technology with which younger students are so adept, and incorporate it into the Instructional Design process.
In order to accomplish this lofty goal, it is necessary to understand its place in education since there is a wide gap between the competencies off the teachers and the students, and the balance of that bias is in favor of the students. First, we need to determine if the benefits truly outweigh the costs.
Considering that students, especially younger students who have grown with these devices, are at an advantage, while the teachers have to catch up with their students. The fact that these devices are already widely used by many students nearly eliminates the necessity of teaching tem to use. These studies, while varying widely in their specific subject matter, all have one goal in common: to understand the reality that confronts us as educators.
The problem is that the teachers do not know how to use it nearly as well. This leaves much room for the technology to be abused. This is the focus of the study myths regarding negative aspects of podcasting by Luanne and Martin in 2007.
However, if we can dispel these myths, and understand it better, we can use the students’ greater knowledge to everyone’s advantage. Like gravity, we don’t have to understand it to use it ! Students may not truly understand the device the devices that they use, but they know how to use them, and we can use that to our mutual advantage.
Andragogy vs. Pedagogy – Adults and Children Share the Stage
These studies focused primarily on older students at colleges and universities, as well as professionals in corporate settings, and fewer studies involving children at middle school ages were studied, at least in the articles reviewed. However, this does not seem to pose as great a problem as earlier studies that had assumed a dichotomy, incorrectly, that (only) young people knew about the Internet and that older people were resistant.
This was shown to be less of a problem than self perceived efficacy, in light of at least one study by Yixin Zhang (2005) that looked specifically for statistically significant differences regarding among gender, age, and education levels and levels of Internet anxiety and usefulness. According to the results of Zhang’s study, citing a prior study by Bandura in 1977, “Self-efficacy theory suggests that those who feel their capabilities inferior to the task they are confronting would cease their effort prematurely, while those who have stronger self-efficacy are willing to persist in coping with difficulty and achieving their goals.”
Another study that may help support the competence–balancing factor in favor of the older student is that by Neuhauser, who found “no statistically significant differences between online and face-to-face classes with respect to sex, age, or ethnicity.” In a study of 216 Doctoral students who were given seven years to get familiar with the technologies involved.
The current set of articles under study in this project seem to show a correlation between competency and age that may help to offset the apparent competence of younger students, as indicated in a study by J. Richardson in 2006. Richardson’s findings concluded that there was a “bi-directional causal relationship between variations in students’ perceptions of their academic achievement and variations in their study behavior.” This may be the real reason for younger students’ efficacy, that they simply practice more, an aspect that deserves further study.
New Devices in Instructional Media – The Tables are Turned
In a study by S. Witte in 2007, it was discovered that a students who showed little interest in writing projects in class, became prolific when using blogs, despite setbacks resulting from restrictions on blog usage that was imposed by the school administration.
Weller, Pegler and Mason (2005) assert that blogs are the fastest growing technology, in their study of several different types of blogs, audio conferencing, and the “Rotisserie” blog, developed at Harvard University that is used to ensure participation (using a series of ‘rounds’ during which participants must respond.) This study reviewed the perceptions of the 55 participants, only 3 of whom found the technology frustrating, difficult, unreliable and time-consuming.
Fozdar and Kumar initiated another study in India in 2007, due to the great distances that impede education there, where most households, if they have Internet access at all, have dialup connections at speeds typically in the 28 kbs range. Therefore, there has been an explosion of cell phone usage, ranking India 5th in the world in terms of mobile phone ownership. This new medium has a great potential for distributed “open distance learning” (OSL), which can take full advantage of Rogers’ tents ‘knowledge’ and ‘persuasion’ since there are familiar already with the ubiquitous devices. Their data indicated a preference for the flexibility of the widely available mobile learning devices, the cost of learning would be low compared with the cost of face-to-face classes in such an open country. The only drawback, which I believe will be son overcome with advancing technology, is the need to keep learning packets small, and primarily used for dissemination of feedback, schedules, grades, and important dates, whereas larger textual material was considered undesirable.
Some of the devices that were investigated were software, such as phone conferencing, cell phones, iPods and MP3 players to play instructors’ lecture, which some students thought as funny to hear to their teacher on their music player, and therefore relegated such downloads to their home computers, so as not to “mix business with pleasure” (Luanne and Martin, 2007), and tablet PCs, as described in a survey by Wang, Gould and Fulton in 2007, transmitting content to students’ tablet PC “to switch students focus from copying notes ... to learning content [instead] and to increase collaboration.”
Software investigated was Instant Messaging (IM) and various versions of web logs (blogs). Chat rooms, listservs, email and of course, the Internet.
Social Presence – Strangers in a Strange Land
The study by S. Glogoff in 2005 dealt with the aspect of anonymity that is inherent in online learning that allows students to be more open in sharing ideas and thoughts that they may otherwise be reluctant to share, and accept feedback more effectively. Glogoff also discusses the advantages of using Instant Messaging (IM) to create bonds with students with appropriate feedback to enhance the understanding specific to the student.
Glogoff also emphasizes the importance of collaborative, interactive learning where students are free to comment on ach others’ work through blogs, although concerned with the plight of the non-participant, which anonymity may also foster. However, overall, Glogoff found that students seemed to push harder in hybrid classes than in purely online classes, supporting web-enhanced classes.
Bibliography:
Bandura, A., 1977. Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review 84, pp. 191–215.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Mobile learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance 8, Learning ,http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/345/927
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivity, student-centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6. http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=126
Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into Students’ Digital DNA: Five Myths Prohibiting Proper Podcasting Pedagogy in the New Classroom Domain. Vol.3, No 3. http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no3/mehl.htm
Neuhauser, C. (2002).Learning style and effectiveness of online and face to face instruction. American Journal of Distance Education. 16, No. 2, 99-113.
Richardson, J.(2006). Investigating the relationship between variations in students' perceptions of their academic environment and variations in study behavior in distance education. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 867-893
Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technologies on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.
Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school writing: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96.
Zhang, Yixin (January 2005). Age, gender, and Internet attitudes among employees in the business world. Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 21, Issue 1, Pages 1-10
http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.lib.csusb.edu/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VDC-4BVPRK4-2&_user=521812&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2005&_alid=646969629&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5979&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=1&_acct=C000059573&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=521812&md5=b42c03e065eaf3c81f36b30aceef2b83
This collaborative research project was designed to study the prevailing attitudes of both students and teachers regarding the use of new technologies in education. The purpose was to determine whether the new technology was a benefit, as hoped, or a hindrance, as some myths contend regarding the misuse or even abuse of technology. Different articles that were reviewed focused on different aspects of the multiple relationships between these novel devices, the teachers and the students. One of the objectives was to discover how to utilize the new ‘portable’ technology with which younger students are so adept, and incorporate it into the Instructional Design process.
In order to accomplish this lofty goal, it is necessary to understand its place in education since there is a wide gap between the competencies off the teachers and the students, and the balance of that bias is in favor of the students. First, we need to determine if the benefits truly outweigh the costs.
Considering that students, especially younger students who have grown with these devices, are at an advantage, while the teachers have to catch up with their students. The fact that these devices are already widely used by many students nearly eliminates the necessity of teaching tem to use. These studies, while varying widely in their specific subject matter, all have one goal in common: to understand the reality that confronts us as educators.
The problem is that the teachers do not know how to use it nearly as well. This leaves much room for the technology to be abused. This is the focus of the study myths regarding negative aspects of podcasting by Luanne and Martin in 2007.
However, if we can dispel these myths, and understand it better, we can use the students’ greater knowledge to everyone’s advantage. Like gravity, we don’t have to understand it to use it ! Students may not truly understand the device the devices that they use, but they know how to use them, and we can use that to our mutual advantage.
Andragogy vs. Pedagogy – Adults and Children Share the Stage
These studies focused primarily on older students at colleges and universities, as well as professionals in corporate settings, and fewer studies involving children at middle school ages were studied, at least in the articles reviewed. However, this does not seem to pose as great a problem as earlier studies that had assumed a dichotomy, incorrectly, that (only) young people knew about the Internet and that older people were resistant.
This was shown to be less of a problem than self perceived efficacy, in light of at least one study by Yixin Zhang (2005) that looked specifically for statistically significant differences regarding among gender, age, and education levels and levels of Internet anxiety and usefulness. According to the results of Zhang’s study, citing a prior study by Bandura in 1977, “Self-efficacy theory suggests that those who feel their capabilities inferior to the task they are confronting would cease their effort prematurely, while those who have stronger self-efficacy are willing to persist in coping with difficulty and achieving their goals.”
Another study that may help support the competence–balancing factor in favor of the older student is that by Neuhauser, who found “no statistically significant differences between online and face-to-face classes with respect to sex, age, or ethnicity.” In a study of 216 Doctoral students who were given seven years to get familiar with the technologies involved.
The current set of articles under study in this project seem to show a correlation between competency and age that may help to offset the apparent competence of younger students, as indicated in a study by J. Richardson in 2006. Richardson’s findings concluded that there was a “bi-directional causal relationship between variations in students’ perceptions of their academic achievement and variations in their study behavior.” This may be the real reason for younger students’ efficacy, that they simply practice more, an aspect that deserves further study.
New Devices in Instructional Media – The Tables are Turned
In a study by S. Witte in 2007, it was discovered that a students who showed little interest in writing projects in class, became prolific when using blogs, despite setbacks resulting from restrictions on blog usage that was imposed by the school administration.
Weller, Pegler and Mason (2005) assert that blogs are the fastest growing technology, in their study of several different types of blogs, audio conferencing, and the “Rotisserie” blog, developed at Harvard University that is used to ensure participation (using a series of ‘rounds’ during which participants must respond.) This study reviewed the perceptions of the 55 participants, only 3 of whom found the technology frustrating, difficult, unreliable and time-consuming.
Fozdar and Kumar initiated another study in India in 2007, due to the great distances that impede education there, where most households, if they have Internet access at all, have dialup connections at speeds typically in the 28 kbs range. Therefore, there has been an explosion of cell phone usage, ranking India 5th in the world in terms of mobile phone ownership. This new medium has a great potential for distributed “open distance learning” (OSL), which can take full advantage of Rogers’ tents ‘knowledge’ and ‘persuasion’ since there are familiar already with the ubiquitous devices. Their data indicated a preference for the flexibility of the widely available mobile learning devices, the cost of learning would be low compared with the cost of face-to-face classes in such an open country. The only drawback, which I believe will be son overcome with advancing technology, is the need to keep learning packets small, and primarily used for dissemination of feedback, schedules, grades, and important dates, whereas larger textual material was considered undesirable.
Some of the devices that were investigated were software, such as phone conferencing, cell phones, iPods and MP3 players to play instructors’ lecture, which some students thought as funny to hear to their teacher on their music player, and therefore relegated such downloads to their home computers, so as not to “mix business with pleasure” (Luanne and Martin, 2007), and tablet PCs, as described in a survey by Wang, Gould and Fulton in 2007, transmitting content to students’ tablet PC “to switch students focus from copying notes ... to learning content [instead] and to increase collaboration.”
Software investigated was Instant Messaging (IM) and various versions of web logs (blogs). Chat rooms, listservs, email and of course, the Internet.
Social Presence – Strangers in a Strange Land
The study by S. Glogoff in 2005 dealt with the aspect of anonymity that is inherent in online learning that allows students to be more open in sharing ideas and thoughts that they may otherwise be reluctant to share, and accept feedback more effectively. Glogoff also discusses the advantages of using Instant Messaging (IM) to create bonds with students with appropriate feedback to enhance the understanding specific to the student.
Glogoff also emphasizes the importance of collaborative, interactive learning where students are free to comment on ach others’ work through blogs, although concerned with the plight of the non-participant, which anonymity may also foster. However, overall, Glogoff found that students seemed to push harder in hybrid classes than in purely online classes, supporting web-enhanced classes.
Bibliography:
Bandura, A., 1977. Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review 84, pp. 191–215.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Mobile learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance 8, Learning ,http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/345/927
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivity, student-centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6. http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=126
Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into Students’ Digital DNA: Five Myths Prohibiting Proper Podcasting Pedagogy in the New Classroom Domain. Vol.3, No 3. http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no3/mehl.htm
Neuhauser, C. (2002).Learning style and effectiveness of online and face to face instruction. American Journal of Distance Education. 16, No. 2, 99-113.
Richardson, J.(2006). Investigating the relationship between variations in students' perceptions of their academic environment and variations in study behavior in distance education. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 867-893
Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technologies on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.
Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school writing: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96.
Zhang, Yixin (January 2005). Age, gender, and Internet attitudes among employees in the business world. Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 21, Issue 1, Pages 1-10
http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.lib.csusb.edu/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VDC-4BVPRK4-2&_user=521812&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2005&_alid=646969629&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5979&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=1&_acct=C000059573&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=521812&md5=b42c03e065eaf3c81f36b30aceef2b83
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Assignment 10, Method Section
ETEC-543 Research Project Method
This study was devised by the instructor of our ETEC-543 in “Instructional Technology” at Cal State San Bernardino, which itself was designed to familiarize post-graduate students with the ways and means of doing research, educational or otherwise.
The instructor, Dr. Brian Newberry, designed a research project that would develop the investigative prowess of his students in a “meta-research” project. During this project, each student researched all of the other students’ reports on their sources to synthesize a summary of all of those articles.
The method is itself was comprised of the instruments and the implementation of the survey distribution to the participants.
Participants
The participants included one quasi-random group of students in the ETEC-543 class, which, by having those students elicit the responses of their contacts, which was also likely to be quasi-random, was further randomized to a more acceptable level.
I feel that the andragogical aspect may not have been fully developed, since the sample excluded many of those in the age group needed to be studied, as well as those more resistant to learning than those found in this class, or among their friends and contacts.
Although I feel that all ages were fairly well represented, it might not be sufficient to draw pedagogical and andragogical distinctions without the inclusion of much younger student, i.e. : K-12, M-12 or at least High School ?
Method
This was a quantitative study with regard to surveying the kinds of technology participants may own, or to which they may have access. The ease of access, frequency of use of that technology, their perceptions of the benefits they derived as a result, and other subjective (i.e.; ‘qualitative’) elements, were quantified through use of a Likert scale or similar instrument. This would make it easier to analyze the results mathematically for statistically significant averages and variances, in a spreadsheet or database, which may otherwise be too subjective to analyze accurately.
Instruments
The study was initially implemented online by the instructor, plus using survey questions developed by the students, and then having those students administer the questionnaires to their subjects through a variety of means, from personally presenting the questions, or by phone (‘old school’ methods), or by email (which is probably no longer considered a ‘new technology’ !), or using a ‘new technology’ of their own that we are studying, such as blogs or text messages. (Hence my use of the term “meta-research.”)
Implementation
Subjects were given a survey to distribute online, and were to inform those participants that it would take 15 minutes of their time to complete.
The results would also aggregated to produce summarized results, and that the specific personal data would be 'lost' in th eprocess, and would therefore preserve their anonymity.
Students were then used to analyze each others’ findings to synthesize the categories of andragogy, social presence, and the specific ‘new technologies’ that were found to be used by the participants.
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