The document summarizes and critiques two doctoral dissertations and introduces a potential future dissertation. Dissertation A, by Dr. Negin Mirriahi, used a case study methodology to examine factors influencing technology adoption among foreign language instructors. Dissertation B, by Dr. Joyce Helmer, employed critical ethnography to examine Indigenous Teaching Circles and their online applications. Both dissertations are described in terms of their research problems, purposes, questions, methodologies, limitations, and delimitations. The document concludes by introducing a potential future dissertation by Rita Zuba Prokopetz focusing on students' reflection processes when completing eportfolios in online courses.

1. Summary and Critique: Two Doctoral Dissertations
Prepared for: Dr. Debra Hoven – EDDE 805
Prepared by: Rita Zuba Prokopetz
Assignment 1 – September 19, 2017
Two dissertations
Dissertation “A”
Dr Negin Mirriahi:
https://dt.athabascau.ca/jspui/handle/10791/1/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Mirriahi%2C+Negin
Dissertation “B”
Dr Joyce Helmer:
https://dt.athabascau.ca/jspui/handle/10791/1/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Helmer%2C+Joyce+M.
Images: Courtesy of ClipArt
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2. Research Problem
“…describe your problem in terms so enticing as to make the reviewer eager
to examine the rest of your proposal” (Krathwohl & Smith, 2005, p. 45).
Dissertation “A” (09/2012)
Factors Influencing Technology Adoption: A Case
Study of Foreign Language Instructors
o Not stated in the Table of Contents
“While previous research has shown that
foreign language instruction…has historically
used educational technology…, studies on
technology adoption from the perspective
of…instructors in higher education
institutions have been limited” (pp. 6-7).
“Discovering…influential factors can
help…administrators in higher education to
implement…strategies for…technology
adoption” (p.6).
Dissertation “B” (02/2012)
The Hollow Bone Hunter’s Search for Sacred Space in
Cyberspace: A Two World Story
o Not stated in the Table of Contents
“I began to envisage the possibilities of online
Teaching Circles for learners who study at a
Distance who may be separated from their
cultural teachers” (p. 18).
“…a worthy search for possible enhanced
educational delivery to Indigenous
communities” (p. 37).
“Rather than calling this passage the “problem,” it might be clearer if I call it the ‘need for the study’
or ‘creating a rationale for the need for the study’” (Creswell, 2013, p. 130).
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3. Purpose of the Study
Dissertation “A”
o Stated in the Table of Contents under the
“Research Purpose and Questions”
section (pp. 4-8)
“…exploring the role, if any, that professional
social networks or conversations amongst
instructors has on the technology adoption
decisions of foreign language instructors…”
(p. 7).
Dissertation “B”
o Not stated in the Table of Contents, but
included as part of the “Abstract” section
(pp. v-ix).
“…to examine Indigenous Teaching Circles and
their applicability I began to envisage the
possibilities of online Teaching Circles for
learners who study at a distance who may be
separated from their cultural teachers” (p. 18).
“Rather than calling this passage the “problem,” it might be clearer if I call it
the ‘need for the study’ or ‘creating a rationale for the need for the study’
(Creswell, 2013, p. 130).
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4. Research Questions
Dissertation “A”
Mixed method - qualitative and quantitative
o State in the Table of Contents under
“Research Setting” (in the Introduction,
pp. 7-8), and under “Research Purpose
and Questions” (in Chapter Three, pp.
47-48).
“…review indicated…research is required to
identify the factors that influence foreign
language instructors to adopt
technology…Hence, the design of this study
addressed the factors that influence foreign
language instructors to adopt technology ”
(p. 47).
Participants: Foreign Language Instructors
Questions (4) ”explored using a combination
of observational data collection, pre-
interview questionnaires, interviews” (p. 48).
Dissertation “B”
Qualitative method
o Not stated in the Table of Contents, but
introduced as a subtopic in Chapter Three
(p. 70), and mentioned in Chapter Six (p.
170)
“I have to decide on the participants and
determine what questions to ask and how I
will get my answers” (p. 70).
“…I also posed four questions (see Appendix
A) that focused on…” (p. 170).
Participants: Elder Knowledge Keepers (p. 93)
Questions (20) used to guide the study: Listed
in Appendix A (pp. 220-221).
Interview questionnaire guide with questions
(14) used to develop the questions for the
study (pp. 222-223).
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5. Methodology
Dissertation “A”
o Chapter Three: Methods (pp. 47 – 71)
“…a case study was chosen as the most
appropriate research method because this
study explored the factors that influence the
behavior of a specific group of individuals
within a very specific uncontrolled context”
(p. 53).
“…study used a mixed-methodological
approach, …a combination of observational
data collection, pre-interview
questionnaires, and interviews with
instructors…to identify and explore…factors
that influence instructors…” (p. 53)
Dissertation “B”
o Chapter Three: Circumnavigating the
Landscape (pp. 70 – 101)
“…the research methodology for the study
must be premised on the internalization of
issues specific to Indigenous people and also
be based upon ethical Indigenous research
values” (p. 70).
“…qualitative study, using critical ethnography
with the research providing an in-depth
examination…qualitative research is value-
based” (p. 88).
“The writer should show that the design and methods are the result of a series of
decisions she has made based on knowledge gained from the methodological literature
and previous work” (Marshall, & Rossman, 2016 p. 7)
“…convince the reader that the research holds potential significance and relevance, that the design of the study is
sound, and that the researcher is capable of conducting the study successfully” (Marshall, & Rossman, 2016 p. 8)
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6. Limitations
“Limitations are factors, usually beyond the researcher’s control, that may affect the
results of the study or how the results are interpreted” (Baron, 2008, p. 4).
Dissertation “A”
o Chapter One: Introduction, subsection
1.4 (p. 11)
Accuracy of study results:
“…some limitations cannot be controlled
…The primary limitation refers to the
accuracy of the study results since these
depended on instructors’ own perspectives”
(p. 11).
“…participants responses were based on
their memory of events …there may be some
error in comments” (p. 11).
Dissertation “B”
o Chapter Three: Circumnavigating the
Landscape (pp. 70 – 101)
“…the research methodology for the study
must be premised on the internalization of
issues specific to Indigenous people and also
be based upon ethical Indigenous research
values” (p. 70).
“…qualitative study, using critical ethnography
with the research providing an in-depth
examination…qualitative research is value-
based” (p. 88).
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7. Delimitations
“Delimitations encompass “factors the researcher controls,” and differ from limitations
of “factors over which the researcher has little control” (Baron, 2008, p. 6).
Dissertation “A”
o Chapter One: Introduction, subsection
1.4 (p. 11)
Small sample size, one institution, and
exclusion of other instructors:
“…sample was drawn from foreign language
instructors in one post-secondary
institution” (p. 11)
Dissertation “B”
o Not stated in the Table of Contents, and
not clearly stated in the dissertation (pp.
115-116).
Data analysis procedures:
“Once all the information was collected it
became a challenge to make sense of it. The
data set, or the total amount of information
collected in this study was not large enough to
warrant the use of computer analysis
software…chose to manually work with the
data instead” (p. 116).
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8. Final Thoughts
Dissertation “A”
Dr Negin Mirriahi
o Investigation of factors that
influence the use of educational
technology in f2f classes
o Case study
o Foreign language instructors
o Public post-secondary institution
o Initial observation, pre-interview
questionnaires, in-depth
conversations or interviews
Dissertation “B”
Dr Joyce Helmer
o Examination of the Indigenous
Teaching circle as a method of
instruction
o Critical ethnography
o Elder Knowledge Keepers
o Aboriginal territory
o Multiple visits to allow for
deeper reflection, open-ended
questions, notes identifying
points of clarification
Dissertation “C”
Soon to be: Dr Zuba Prokopetz
o Examination of the process of
reflection of master’s students
completing an eportfolio
o Online ethnography
o Students in a master’s program
o Online courses
o Observations, interviews, field notes,
visits to class site and to eportfolio
pages
“The brief dissertation stories…, as diverse as they are, have one thing in common.
They are authentic. They are, in essence, spiritual undertakings and reflections
that honor the centrality of the researcher’s voice, experience, creativity, and
authority” (Jacobs, 2008, Introduction).
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9. References
Images: courtesy of ClipArt
Baron, M. A. (2008). Guidelines for writing research proposals and dissertations.
University of North Dakota. Retrieved from http://www.vcsresearch.info/pdf/dissertation_guidelines.pdf
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Helmer, J. M. (2012). The Hollow Bone Hunter’s search for sacred space in cyberspace: A two world story. (Doctoral
dissertation). Retrieved from
https://dt.athabascau.ca/jspui/handle/10791/1/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Helmer%2C+Joyce+M
Jacobs, D. (2008). The authentic dissertation: Alternative ways of knowing, research and representation. New York, NY:
Routlege.
Krathwohl, D., & Smith, N. (2005). How to prepare a dissertation proposal: Suggestions for students in education and the
social and behavioral sciences. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2016). Designing qualitative research (6th ed.). Library of Congress. Sage.
Mirriahi, N. (2012). Factors influcencing technology adoption: A case study of foreign language instructors. (Doctoral
dissertation). Retrieved from
https://dt.athabascau.ca/jspui/handle/10791/1/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Mirriahi%2C+Negin
Seale, C. (2012). Researching society and culture. London, UK: Sage Publications.
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10. Summary and Critique: Doctoral Dissertations
and Introduction of a future one by RZP
Prepared for: Dr. Debra Hoven – EDDE 805
Prepared by: Rita Zuba Prokopetz
Assignment 1 – September 19, 2017
Dissertations “A” / ”B” / “C”
Dissertation “A”
Dr Negin Mirriahi:
https://dt.athabascau.ca/jspui/handle/10791/1/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Mirriahi%2C+Negin
Dissertation “B”
Dr Joyce Helmer:
https://dt.athabascau.ca/jspui/handle/10791/1/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Helmer%2C+Joyce+M
Dissertation “C”
(Future) Dr Rita Zuba Prokopetz:
Link TBA.
Images: Courtesy of ClipArt
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