Research and scholarly opportunities Terry Anderson, PhD Canada Research Chair in Distance Education

The Context of Education Technology Implementation Disruptive (Christensen, 2008) simpler, often not wanted by main stream customers Rapid gains in functionality Cheaper Adaptive Moving from peripheral to mainstream (blended and online for full time students)

Disruptive (Christensen, 2008) simpler, often not wanted by main stream customers

Rapid gains in functionality

Cheaper

Adaptive

Moving from peripheral to mainstream (blended and online for full time students)

Much that is Unknown – Much more that needs to be Known Photo from Hubble Telescope

Research Paradigms Quantitative ~ discovery of the laws that govern behavior, What Works?? Qualitative ~ understandings from multiple perspectives Critical ~ E xpose the power relationships Design-based ~ interventions, interactions and their effects in multiple, authentic contexts

Quantitative ~ discovery of the laws that govern behavior, What Works??

Qualitative ~ understandings from multiple perspectives

Critical ~ E xpose the power relationships

Design-based ~ interventions, interactions and their effects in multiple, authentic contexts

Design-based Research’s Pragamatic, American lineage “New conceptions…offer precise and definite modes of thinking only when new meanings have become embodied in concrete life experiences and thus sustained by them” “Consider the history of any significant invention or discovery and you will find a period when there was enough knowledge to make a new mode of action or observation possible, but no definite information or instruction as to how to make it actual” John Dewey, Education as Engineering, 1922

“New conceptions…offer precise and definite modes of thinking only when new meanings have become embodied in concrete life experiences and thus sustained by them”

“Consider the history of any significant invention or discovery and you will find a period when there was enough knowledge to make a new mode of action or observation possible, but no definite information or instruction as to how to make it actual”

John Dewey, Education as Engineering, 1922

4th Paradigm Design-Based Research Related to engineering and architectural research Focuses on the design, construction, implementation and adoption of a learning initiative in an authentic context Closest educators have to a “home grown” research methodology

Related to engineering and architectural research

Focuses on the design, construction, implementation and adoption of a learning initiative in an authentic context

Closest educators have to a “home grown” research methodology

Amiel, T., & Reeves, T. C. (2008).

Design-Based Research Studies iterative, process focused, interventionist, collaborative, multileveled, utility oriented, theory driven and generative (Shavelson et al, 2003)

iterative,

process focused,

interventionist,

collaborative,

multileveled,

utility oriented,

theory driven and generative

(Shavelson et al, 2003)

Integrative Learning Design (Bannan-Ritland, 2003)

DBR is Emergent ‘Innovation is not restricted to the prior design of an artifact, but continues as artifacts are implemented and used” Implementations are “inevitably unfinished” (Stewart and Williams (2005) intertwined goals designing learning environments developing theories of learning (DBRC, 2003)

‘Innovation is not restricted to the prior design of an artifact, but continues as artifacts are implemented and used”

Implementations are “inevitably unfinished” (Stewart and Williams (2005)

intertwined goals

designing learning environments

developing theories of learning (DBRC, 2003)

Open Researchers Create: A new type of education work maximizing: Social learning Media richness Participatory and connectivist pedagogies Ubiquity and persistence Open data collection and research process Creating connections

A new type of education work maximizing:

Social learning

Media richness

Participatory and connectivist pedagogies

Ubiquity and persistence

Open data collection and research process

Creating connections

Open Researchers Publish in Open Access Journals Open Access Journals have increased citation ratings: Work in progress with Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Ferne University, Germany Analysis of Google citations for 12 Distance Education Journals (using Harzing’s Publish or Perish tool) 6 open access, (including IRRODL) 6 commercially published Early results show roughly equal citations/paper, but recent gains in citations by open access journals

Open Access Journals have increased citation ratings:

Work in progress with Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Ferne University, Germany

Analysis of Google citations for 12 Distance Education Journals (using Harzing’s Publish or Perish tool)

6 open access, (including IRRODL) 6 commercially published

Early results show roughly equal citations/paper, but recent gains in citations by open access journals

Open Access Books Upcoming Emerging Technologies in DE edited by George Veletsiano

"He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” Chinese Proverb Terry Anderson [email_address] http://cde.athabascau.ca/faculty/terrya.php Blog: terrya.edublogs.org Your comments and questions most welcomed!

Terry Anderson [email_address]

http://cde.athabascau.ca/faculty/terrya.php

Blog: terrya.edublogs.org

10 Most Common Mistakes in Research Articles Katrina Meyer University of Memphis

10 Most Common Mistakes Wrong journal Read your journals Know their preferences on topics, method, style, tone Poor comprehension of literature Incomplete, out-of-date Lacks analysis Research questions not tied to lit review Research may not be necessary Comparison studies Satisfaction studies No or poor link to theory

Wrong journal

Read your journals

Know their preferences on topics, method, style, tone

Poor comprehension of literature

Incomplete, out-of-date

Lacks analysis

Research questions not tied to lit review

Research may not be necessary

Comparison studies

Satisfaction studies

No or poor link to theory

10 Most Common Mistakes Wrong research method Incomplete methods section Didn’t follow a research method Too vague or too ad hoc Method lacks credibility Reliability/validity Sample/population Counter evidence Conclusions not tied to results Hypothesizing beyond what is reasonable Poor or incomplete writing

Wrong research method

Incomplete methods section

Didn’t follow a research method

Too vague or too ad hoc

Method lacks credibility

Reliability/validity

Sample/population

Counter evidence

Conclusions not tied to results

Hypothesizing beyond what is reasonable

Poor or incomplete writing

Advice Mechanisms/processes of learning online Application of pre-Internet theories Cost-effectiveness of online learning Intended/unintended consequences 1/3 Literature, 1/3 Methodology, 1/3 Results/Discussion Attention to careful design Focus on measurements of learning Every word, phrase, sentence ought to add to the article

Mechanisms/processes of learning online

Application of pre-Internet theories

Cost-effectiveness of online learning

Intended/unintended consequences

1/3 Literature, 1/3 Methodology, 1/3 Results/Discussion

Attention to careful design

Focus on measurements of learning

Every word, phrase, sentence ought to add to the article