Transcript Document 7316860

Distributed Research
in Distributed Education
Sólveig Jakobsdóttir, associate professor
KHÍ/Iceland University of Educaton
Power of Onlline Learning, 10th Sloan-C International
Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks
November 2004 , Orlando FL
Focus
• What is distributed...:
•
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learning/education, cognition, research..?
Why do “distributed research”?
The tools
Examples
Considerations
What...?
Distributed learning – Bates 1996
• “A distributed learning environment is a learner-centred
approach to education, which integrates a number of
technologies to enable opportunities for activities and
interaction in both asynchronous and real-time modes. The
model is based on blending a choice of appropriate
technologies with aspects of campus-based delivery, open
learning systems and distance education. The approach
gives instructors the flexibility to customize learning
environments to meet the needs of diverse student
populations, while providing both high quality and costeffective learning.” (Bates, 1996)
Distributed learning – Dede 2000
• “However, sophisticated computers and
telecommunications do have unique
capabilities for enhancing learning,
especially through a new model of
education called “distributed learning” in
which classrooms, workplaces, homes, and
community settings are linked for
educational activities.” (Dede, 2000)
What is “distributed
learning/education”?
• Describes a blend of campus-based or on-site learning and
distance learning or net-based learning (The Educational
gateway http://menntagatt.is, 2001). Not exactly a new
phenomenon, e.g. if one look at how people study at
different places over a longer period of time. But
increasingly, with the help of the Net, people can study at
many places during the same or shorter periods.
• One can look at distributed learning from
• a learner’s perspective (study at different places with different
individuals, resources) or from
• School/teacher’s perspective whose students are from all over
Distributed cognition – UF 2002
• “The Theory of Distributed Cognition is closely
related to Social Constructivism in the argument it
makes that cognition is not within the individual
but rather it is distributed over other people and
tools. The use of telecommunications technologies
in education has to rely highly on distributed
cognition. Major researchers in the field are Pea,
Salomon, Perkins, Cole, G. Hutchins, and
Norman.” (University of Florida, College of
Education, Educational Technology, 2002)
Distributed research – Fitz-Gibbon
et al.
• Carol Taylor Fitz-Gibbon introduced the concept
about a decade ago (?) and has promoted the idea
of distributed research to improve education, as
have her colleagues at the Durham Curriculum,
Evaluation, and Management (CEM) Centre
(Tymms & Coe, 2003). They use the concept to
describe research involving high collaboration
with schools and teachers or practioners, and with
an aim to improve educational systems within and
encourage experimentation, rather than to just
passively research them from the outside
“Distributed research”?
• One could think about “distributed research” in
the way that students or individuals who are
distributed over different areas participate
together in a one or more part of the research
process, e.g., in data gathering in order to gather a
lot of data in as short a time as possible.
Collaborative or communication projects in
schools and/or between (research) institues and
others are often based on that idea.
Why....?
Why doing “distributed”research?
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If we look at typical research process we could
e.g. divide it into:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Preparation work, e.g., with literature research
Writing, planning, applications
Data gathering
Data analysis
Writing and publication
The potential of collaboration between very
many may be most effective at stage 1 and 3.
Why doing “distributed”research
with students?
• Students experience parts of researchers’ roles, learn by an
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apprenticeship model, can get them to think, look closer
more critically at different types of phenomenon.
Can bring valuable experience/insights to the research
process.
When students are also practicing teachers they can
provide important links with educational workplaces and
MUCH higher response rates (often a problem in online
surveys, see e.g. Witmer et al., 1999)
More likely that the results will have value – be utilized?
Locate and read more literature - researcher & student(s)?
More data from wider area, within shorter periods with
very little cost.
Why....?
Pop.: 290.000
majority in Reykjavik
(capital area)
100.000 km2
(about half size of
Minnesota)
http://www.south.is/icemap.html; birt með leyfi frá Landmælingum
Íslands
Iceland, summer 04
Iceland, Dec 03
Why....?
100.000 km2
(about half size of
Minnesota)
schools part. 1998
schools part. 2002
http://www.south.is/icemap.html; Landmælingar Íslands (birt með leyfi)
How...?
The tools...?
• Data gathering: online surveys (e.g., with
Frontpage)
• Data gathering+publishing : Connection with
databases (e.g., Frontpage+Access)
--------------------------• “Regular” webs – general information to groups
• “Privat” information – e-mail or closed webs
Examples
How? Example 1 - School computer
culture, gender differences
• Studies Nov. 1998 and
1998
2002
Schools
10
14
Grad.
Stud.
10
17
2002 (two week period):
• Instrument:
http://soljak.khi.is/tolvumenning
• Data mostly quantitative
but also qualitative (openended questions). Saved
in a text document on the
server, copied into Excel
and SPSS for analysis.
• Response rate about or
above 90% (everyone
present at time of study –
with very few exceptions)
Particip. 750
1400
Example of results
from studies – computer skills by gender
1998
2002
15
Mean Fj. 14 færniatriða
15
10
5
10
5
Kyn
Kyn
Stúlkur
0
5.b.
Piltar
6.b.
7.b.
8.b.
Bekkur/ár
9.b.
10.b.
Frhsk.
Stúlkur
0
5.b.
Piltar
6.b.
7.b.
8.b.
Bekkur/ár
9.b.
10.b.
Frhsk.
How? Example 2 – Internet use
of Icleandic children/adolescents
• Qualitative study 2001-3.
• See, e.g., paper presented at
BERA 2003. Available on
project web:
http://soljak.khi.is/netnot
• 66 students gathered data, did
preliminary data analysis, and
discussed results.
• Six students worked further on
the project: did literature
research, web design, further
data analysis, and made
conference presentation.
Year S’s
2001 15
Obs. “ValP’s id”
58
81%
2002 22
102
77%
2003 29
117
86%
Total 66
277
82%
Example of data in bank
15 year old girl being observed for 18 minutes in her home
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…Turns on the computer opens Internet Explorer and links [to the Net] with a
modem. Sits in a desk chair and sits steady and relaxed. A little impatient
while she waits to be linked to the Net. As soon as she is connected she goes
to leit.is [Icelandic search engine] and types in a search word the researcher
misses. The search does not produce any results, goes to google.com and
types again in the word and now the researcher sees the word “líkmaur”
[Icelandic, literally corpse ant] no results. Next the user types in the word “lík”
(body/corpse) og which produces lots of pages. Flips through some, now goes
all of a sudden over to MSN and greets someone there. Gets an immediate
reply and writes a few sentences. Writes fast and seems to use proper
keyboarding. Again returned to the search and stretches for a dictionary,
leaves through and then types in “Corps” [uses English]. Mutters, this does
clearly not exist. Who is on MSN asks the researcher. X she replies (friend of
her brother, lives in England). Again in the search, suddenly laughs and
sneaks a look to the researcher. Obviously something funny that she had read.
Goes very fast between MSN and IE [Internet explorer], all of a sudden a third
person has joined MSN, some girl, I notice the user uses shortened forms of
writing such as “u?” instead of “en þú?” [bu you]. Turns the browser all of a
sudden of and says, cannot find anything about this. What were you looking
for? Asks the researcher curious. The teacher asked us to check whether
“corpse ants” existed because of some horrible story she had heard.
How? Example 3 – Internet use
of Icleandic teachers
• Quantitative study spring 2004.
• 66 students gathered data, did
preliminary data analysis, and
discussed results.
Schools
• Six students worked further on
the project: did literature
research, web design, further Grad.
data analysis, and made
Stud.
conference presentation.
• 61% response rate overall, Particip.
(between 38-100%, in 75% of
cases over 61%)
2004
15+1 area
16
303
Example of results
from studies – computer skills by gender
Tölvupóstur sjálf
(ur)
100
Vefur sjálf(ur)
Tölvup. m. nem.
Vefur m. nem.
% sem notar mikið, dag-vikulega
80
60
87,32%
40
70,18%
66,3%
20
28,07%
25,61%
18,29%
16,3%
8,7%
0
3,51%
1997, m. kynn.
3,66%
1997, síma
Tími
2004, NKN
Examples
• In the examples results and writings about
the studies have (or will be) presented to
new cohorts of students in a graduate
program on ICT in education as major
pieces of research within Iceland relevant
to their studies.
How? Example – Concepts, reading
materials on ICT
• Also one can create and gather materials in a
similar way, e.g. About important readings and
concepts. Examples include:
• http://soljak.khi.is/efnisbanki (bank og references
with annotated bibliography)
• http://soljak.khi.is/leshringur (reading circle, bank
of references and critique)
• http://soljak.khi.is/tolvuppbankar/hugtakasafn.asp
(bank of concepts)
For consideration
• Pedagogy, teaching methods: online
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communities - students participate in
gathering new information – inquiry-based?
Personal protection – research ethics?
Organization?
Technical issues/problems?
The quality of data?
Information overflow?
Finally..
• When carefully contructed and planned there should be
several benefits for both teacher educators and their
students/teachers. The latter can, e.g., gain an important
experience and contribute by helping to answer questions,
solve problems, raise some new questions, and feel apart
of a community learning and finding out things together.
They can also get ideas for new R&D projects or working
with their own students.
• “All the little things add up” and
• “Many hands make light work“
References
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Bates, A. W. (1996). The impact of technological change on open and distance learning. Sótt 10.3.2004 af
http://bates.cstudies.ubc.ca/papers/brisbane.html
Dede, Chris. (2000). A new century demands new ways of learning. Í David T. Gordon (Ritstj.), The digital
classroom: How technology is changing the way we teach and learn.Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Letter.
Fitz-Gibbon, Carol Taylor. (1995). Measuring value added in schools: distributed research. Education and Training
Statistics, 184-207
Fitz-Gibbon, Carol Taylor. (1999). Quality, science and soros’s reflexivity concept: a value-added approach. af
http://www.oki.hu/article.php?kod=quality-11-Taylor.html
Fitz-Gibbon, Carol Taylor. (2003). Quality and development: the need for competence in social science. af
http://www.km.bayern.de/km/bms/load/fitz_gibbon.pdf
Fitz-Gibbon, Carol Taylor og Tymms, Peter. (2002). Technical and ethical Issues in indicator systems:
doing things right and doing wrong things. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 10(6) af
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n6/
Rogers, Patricia L. (2001). Traditions to Transformations: The Forced Evolution of Higher Education. Educational
Technology Review, 9(1), http://www.aace.org/pubs/etr/issue1/rogers.cfm.
Tymms, Peter, & Coe, Robert. (2003). Celebration of the success of distributed research with schools: the CEM
Centre, Durham. British Educational Research Journal, 29(5), 639-653.
University of Florida - College of Education. (2002, 3.9.2002). Major theories in educational technology. af
http://www.coe.ufl.edu/courses/edtech/Discipline/theories.html
Witmer, Diane F., Colman, Robert W. og Katzman, Sandra Lee. (1999). From paper-and pencil to screen-andkeyboard. Í Steve Jones (Ritstj.), Doing Internet research: Critical issues and methods for examining the Net (bls.
145-161). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
From Iceland to Florida with love
(direct flights to Orlando via Icelandair)