This document discusses research methodology in technology-enhanced learning (TEL). It covers several key areas: the TEL landscape and emerging technologies; methodological issues in TEL research including choice of research methods; theoretical perspectives like activity theory and actor network theory; and methodologies like design-based research and learning analytics. The document emphasizes that TEL research requires varied, flexible approaches to address its heterogeneous nature and ensure impact on both policy and practice.
1. Research Methodology
in TEL
Gráinne Conole,
University of Leicester
12th June 2012
UNISA, Pretoria
2. The TEL landscape
Emergent technologies
and affordances
Theory and methodology
E-pedagogies, strategies
and learning design
Resources, OER and
Pedagogical Patterns
Evaluations Jameson and De Freitas, 2012 Interventions
3.
4. Contemporary perspectives
in e-learning
Methodological Current research &
issues development
Mapping the field
Historical
Discourses &
perspective & policy
tensions
timeline
5. Emergence of a research field
1. Pre-subject area – no
perceived interest
2. Beginnings – questions
arise
3. Emergence – more
researchers
4. Diversification – different
schools
5. Establishment – defined
community and alignment
with other fields
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/3399204993/
6. E-learning as a field
Between stages 3 and 4
Influx of researchers into the area
Growth of new units and research
centres
Specialised journals
Dedicated conferences
Community for fostering debate
7. Structures & processes Changing roles
Staff development Strategy & policy
E-literacies Organisational Mobile & ubiquitous
technologies
issues
New pedagogies
Learning design The Grid:
E-Science
Pedagogical Underpinning
Experiences aspects technologies
& perceptions Personalised
& adaptive
Case studies
of innovation Standards
Models of practice
Infrastructures
The e-learning landscape
8. Contextual factors
Funding and policy drivers
Cultural dimensions
Subject-specific aspects
Current hot topics
Accessibility
Widening participation
Lifelong learning
E-business
Plagiarism, digital rights, IPR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/psd/2731067095/
9. Underpinning technologies
New and emerging technologies
mobile and ubiquitous
intelligent agents
Understanding the media
multiple forms of representation
different characteristics of media
Distributed electronic environment
standards and interoperability
infrastructure and architectures
Access to information
structuring and distributing information
integrating different portals, gateways and
resources
exploiting the different communication
mechanisms
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephanridgway/2942306223/
10. Pedagogical aspects
Student and staff experiences
Best methods of
representing information
Designing and accessing resources
encouraging communication&collaboration
integrating with other learning and teaching methods
Development issues
new forms of literacy
mechanisms for skills updating and development
Understanding the affordances of technologies
Exploring the potential for new forms of pedagogy
11. Organisational issues
Developing models for
mapping institutional structures
supporting institutional processes
sharing knowledge
distributing information
supporting change
engaging different stakeholders
Awareness of external factors
Understanding changing roles&
identities
Linking strategy and practice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldworldworld/4169533699/
12. Common characteristics
Change
Political dimension
Interdisciplinary
Access and inclusion
Convergence&interoperabilit
y
Interactivity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexlc13/3563736956/
13. Themes
The good& the bad of ICT
Speed of change
New collaborations and
discourses
User focussed
Changing practice
Wider impact
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76269968@N04/6851364201/
14. Theme I
ICT: the good and bad
Institutional vs. loosely
coupled systems
Affordances of
technologies
Appropriateness, fit for
purpose
Ownership vs. open
source
Simplifying the complex
Balance of content&
activity
15. Theme II
Speed of change
Web 2.0, Web3.0
Immense amounts of
information
New tools and resources
The Web for nomads
Predicting the
unpredictable
A world beyond the Web
16. Theme III
Supporting new
collaborations& discourses
New distributed and self-
sustaining Communities of
Practice
Interacting with the media
Tailored and contextualised
Making sense of it all - new
forms of digital literacy& the
power of narrative
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fernand0/3368971634/
17. Theme IV
Understanding users
Adaptive and personalised
Ethnographic approach to users
Semantic web of meaning
Supporting the whole learning
cycle
The perpetual beta
Developing for the unknowable
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/3448804778/
18. Theme V
Changing practice
Reflective /practitioner
Changing roles
Passive to interactive
technologies
New organisational
structures& processes
How do you motivate people
to do this?
New methodologies for design
and evaluation
http://www.flickr.com/photos/centralasian/5234238544/
19. Theme VI
Wider impact
New models for society
Blurring of boundaries
Distributed cognition
‘Compelling’ experiences
A changing world
Technology is here and will
continue to have an impact
20. Discipline issues
Variety of feeder disciplines
education research, cognitive
psychology, instructional design,
computer science, business&
management, philosophy,
semiotics, critical discourse analysis
Benefits
wealth of methods& approaches
different perspectives
Drawbacks
no shared language and
understanding
lack of cohesion to the area
http://www.flickr.com/photos/argos_t/3381333665/
21. Choice of research methods
Tension between
Focus on evaluation or research
Quantitative vs. qualitative
approaches
Choice of methodologies
Has an impact on outcomes
Tends to be based on previous
experience, favoured methods
Approaches
Exploring individual case studies
Developing generic models
Undertaking systematic reviews
Applying specific theoretical
perspectives
Active involvement and action
research
Accounting for context - Activity
theory, Actor Network http://www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/5857443389/
Theory
22. Methodological issues
Tensions
between policy makers&
practitioners
stakeholders with conflicting agendas
efficiency gains/effectiveness vs
improving learning
Research vs. roll out to policy &
practice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caseorganic/4068771695/
23. Methodological issues
Lack of rigor/ Tension between
anecdotal, quantitative and
Academic credibility qualitative
Feeder disciplines
Wealth of methods
No shared language
Methodological New theoretical
innovations? frameworks
24. Practice
Informs
Developmen
Resources
t
Consolidates Improves
Develops Enhances
Theory Research Learning
Shapes Builds
Policy Guides Networks
Strategy
25. Methodologies
• Activity Theory
• Actor Network Theory
• Design-Based Research
• Learning Analytics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcoutas/4996881007/
27. Theoretical perspectives
• Activity theory
– Takes account of context
– Subject and object focus
– Mediating Artefacts
• Actor Network Theory
– Actants and non-actants
– Networked perspective
• Design-Based Research
– Agile
– Problem, solutions, development
and evaluation
28. Actor Network Theory (ANT)
• Humans and tool equal
• Good for describing networks
29. Design-Based Research
A systematic, but flexible methodology aimed to
improve educational practice through iterative
analysis, design, development and implementation,
based on collaboration between researchers and
practitioners in real-world settings, and leading to
contextually-sensitive design principles and theories.
Wang and Hannafin, 2005
30. Benefits
• Means of dealing
with real learning
contexts
• Iterative: design,
implementation,
evaluation, refine
• Gives rich insights
into complex
dynamics
31. Facets
• Make assumptions and theoretical bases explicit
• Collect multiple types of data
• Conduct ongoing data analysis
• Invite multiple voices to critique
• Have multiple accountability structures
• Engage in dialectic among theory, design and
extant literature
Barab, 2006
32. DBR and Learning Design
• Builds on theory & prior • Builds on ID, OER, Ped
research Patterns research etc.
• Pragmatic • Practical tools & resources
• Collaborative • Work with practitioners
• Contextual • Real, authentic contexts
• Integrative • Mixed-method approach
• Iterative – problem, • Problem, implementation,
solution, evaluation evaluation and refinement
• Adaptive and flexible • Agile, based on practice
• Generalisation • Coherent LD framework
33. Problem and solution
• Teachers want
– Examples of good
practice
– Others to talk to
• Solution
– Social networking site
– Best of web 2.0
– Iterative design and http://cloudworks.ac.uk
evaluation
37. Problem and solution
• Teachers want
– Design guidance
– Means to share and
discuss designs
• Solution
– Design representations
– Based on empirical
evidence and theory
38. Learning Analytics
Measurement, collection, analysis
and reporting of data about
learners and their contexts, for the
purposes of understanding and
optimising learning and the
environments in which it occurs
US Department of Education
39. • We leave trails
everywhere we go
and that data is
valuable
• (George Siemens)
45. Other approaches
• Cultural research –
narrative and gender
• Post-cognitivist turn
• Phenomonology
• Critical and historical
research
46. What is needed in a world of
new and proliferating e-
learning practices are
research approaches that are
multiple and varied and that
recognise their heterogeneity
explicitly. (Friesen, 2009)
From Web pages and
forums to complex online
interactions
Are we up for the challenge???
47. Conclusion
• Exciting and important time
for TEL research
• Multiple theoretical research
perspectives and
methodologies emerging
• What are the key research
questions we need to
address?
• How do we ensure impact on
policy and practice?