PhD Research Update was presented by Deb Baff (Lancaster) as part of the Researcher Presentations at the GO-GN mini-seminar on 31 March 2020. A recording of the session is available: https://www.youtube.com/user/GOGNOER/playlists

1. Debbie Baff @debbaff
PhD Research
Update
Debbie Baff
GOGN Online Seminar
31 March 2020

2. Debbie Baff @debbaff
My Story
➔ 25 years + in Higher Education
➔ Part Time Distance Student Self
Funded
➔ Modular Programme
➔ Part I Five Modules
➔ Part II Research Proposal and
Thesis
➔ Started in 2017 - Completed all
modules - Now in Part II
PhD Student
E-Research in Technology
Enhanced Learning
Lancaster University

3. Debbie Baff @debbaff
EDS821 Research Methods in Education and
Social Science
Exploring the potential for open digital badges within Swansea University
EDS822 The Development of Professional
Practice
Exploring conceptions of the development of a Technology Enhanced
Learning Community of Practice (TELCoP) at Swansea University through
phenomenography
EDS823 Researching Technology Enhanced /
Networked Learning, Teaching and
Assessment
The collective variation in academic staff experience of using online
collaborative technologies and understanding of networked learning
practices within a research-led institution in the UK
EDS825 Interculturality and Globalisation in
Technology Enhanced Learning
How are online spaces shaped by culture ? An evaluation and analysis of
the Swansea Academy of Learning and Teaching Website and Community
Blog
EDS824 Groups and Communities: Researching
the Design of Technology Enhanced /
Networked Learning Communities
The variation range in staff conceptions of the use of webinar
technologies in a ‘traditional’ university in the UK
Modules Completed (25,000 Words)

4. Debbie Baff @debbaff
2019 ...
GOGN Seminar in Galway
We had a great time. I talked about submitting
my research proposal in May 2019.
I wanted to look at why and how people get
involved with online communities, why they
engage and why they remain engaged.
Unfortunately I had to intercalate (suspend)
my studies due to several house moves .. ( a
long boring story..)
I also left my job as a Senior
Academic Developer
So I said goodbye for a while ...

5. Debbie Baff @debbaff
2020
PHD Rebooted
I started a new job in September last year
working for the Association for Learning
Technology as Membership and Professional
Development Manager which I absolutely love
!
Now that I have been in the role for over six
months I am restarting my PhD and revisiting
my topic.
So it’s time to say hello again !
Membership and
Professional
Development Manager
for ALT

6. Debbie Baff @debbaff
So now I would like to look
at Informal Online
Professional Learning
Networks (PLN’s) and open
pedagogical practice ...

7. Debbie Baff @debbaff
and explore the benefits
(including aspects like
emotional support ) that
educators gain from
involvement with their PLN

8. Debbie Baff @debbaff
Support in the Literature for this Research
➔ Further research needed to identify
factors that encourage participation
in informal networks and
communities (Macia and Garcia
2016)
➔ More research needed to unpack
emotional and affective
characteristics of online
professional learning communities
(Lantz-Andersson 2018)
➔ ‘Exploring relationships between
the use of PLN for professional
learning and open pedagogical
practice may reveal conceptual
insights and promote innovative
pedagogy’ (Oddone 2019, p314)

9. Debbie Baff @debbaff
Possible Research Questions
1. What are the factors that encourage participation in
Open and Online informal professional learning
networks and communities
2. What are the emotional and affective characteristics of
online professional learning networks ?
3. What is the relationship between the use of PLN’s and
open pedagogical practice ?

10. Debbie Baff @debbaff
Research Plan
➔ Lived Experiences
➔ Qualitative Methodology
➔ Online Video Interviews
➔ Perhaps Slow Tweet Chat
➔ Identify Participants via my PLN
➔ Covid 19 Impact ?

11. Debbie Baff @debbaff
Impact of COVID19 ?
Is this more crucial now than ever in
the light of COVID19 ?
Further study is needed ‘to develop
a new approach and to determine
the effects of new pedagogical
methods with respect to social
learning around extreme natural
events ‘ (Kidman and Chang 2020,
p110)

12. Debbie Baff @debbaff
Milestones
2021
May 2020
Submit Research Proposal
for ethics approval
July 2020
Start Data Collection
December 2020
Aim to have completed data
analysis
January 2021
Write up
2020

13. Debbie Baff @debbaff
I’d like some help please ?
Practical Advice ?Does this sound
like a useful piece
of research?
Any tips on where
to go next ?

14. Debbie Baff @debbaff
References
Macià, M. and García, I., 2016. Informal online communities and networks as a
source of teacher professional development: A review. Teaching and teacher
education, 55, pp.291-307.
Lantz-Andersson, A., Lundin, M. and Selwyn, N., 2018. Twenty years of online
teacher communities: A systematic review of formally-organized and
informally-developed professional learning groups. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 75, pp.302-315.
Oddone, K., 2019. Teachers' experience of professional learning through personal
learning networks (Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology).

15. Debbie Baff @debbaff
Thank you
Wish me luck !
Debbie Baff
@debbaff
https://debbaff.wordpress.com/