Starting to think about the second assignment

What is a theoretical framework, where do you get one, and how does it affect the research and the researcher?

Theoretical positions can be considered as paradigms which help researchers, research writers and research readers to make sense of the data which they are studying. However, the post-modern viewpoint would suggest that such over arching paradigms could be abandoned and the researcher would then develop her/his own theoretical framework.

• 
  The researcher starts with some preconceptions – which could be termed bias but Glaser (2002) asserts that this is not so because these notions are acknowledged and described.[1]
  
• These preconceptions determine the researcher’s personal ontology (what s/he perceives as truth).
• 
  This ontology, in turn, determines the researcher’s proposed defined epistemology (what s/he perceives as knowledge) of a certain situation or context which is under examination.[2]
  
• Thus, the researcher will develop a set of research questions aimed at interrogating the proposed epistemology.
  
• The ontological perspective and the epistemological stance will determine the methodology of the investigation (including the methods of data collection and analysis)[3]. The methodology is validated by these perspectival linkages – the sources of knowledge in the domain chosen by the researcher.
  

The whole process described above defines the personal theoretical framework for the particular researcher in the particular context. The exact moment that the framework is defined varies according to the research approach being used. Framework does not equal methodology. Frameworks in qualitative or mixed methods research can be based upon a mixture of small, medium or grand theories (personal, interpretive or paradigmatic).

The theoretical framework defined by the researcher is unique, a perception of reality expressed through the data (including literature search) accumulated, analysed and (most importantly) interpreted with clear and thorough descriptions of the context.[4]

Footnotes
[1] It is important to remember Glaser’s points (2002) about the partiality of the researcher. The perspectives of the researcher (in conceptualising the grounded theory) do not affect the way in which the reader acquires it; therefore no bias can reasonably be claimed. We must show a commitment to realism and we cannot be completely objective so partiality is not a failing.

[2] Although Anfara and Mertz (2006: xiv) present a linear relationship from concepts/events to constructs (“clusters of thoughts”) to propositions (or “expressions of relationships among several constructs”) to theory ( “a ‘set’ of propositions”), the process is probably nested or looped, since the researcher may move backwards and forwards between concepts, constructs and propositions before any kind of substantive theory emerges. Even then, the emerging theory may drive the analysis back to the very beginning and start off a new loop.

[3] Pole and Lampard (2002: 132-133) state that it is too simple to view the researcher’s epistemological stance as the main determining factor in choosing a methodology for a particular study. If one’s epistemological stance is related to a personal view of knowledge, then I agree with them. For me, the purpose of research is to extend one’s own view of knowledge – its nature, sources and limits. On the other hand, one’s ontological position may well have a great bearing on the chosen methodology, since it is related to a particular domain of study which has been chosen by the researcher, rather than by the other participants.
Footnotes 2,3 and 4 from my EdD thesis

[4] Silver (1983), cited by Anfara and Mertz (2006: xiv), sees theory as “a unique way perceiving reality, an expression of someone’s profound insight into an aspect of nature”.

References

• Anfara, V. A., Jr., and Mertz, N. T. (2006) (eds.) Theoretical Frameworks in Qualitative Research. California, USA: Sage
  
• Glaser, B. G. (2002, September). ‘Constructivist Grounded Theory?’ Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research. 3, 3 http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/3-02/3-02glaser-e.htm (accessed 20.02.2004 and 05.03.2004) 24 paragraphs
  
• Pole, C. and Lampard, R. (2002) Practical Social Investigation: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Social Research. (2002) Essex, England: Pearson
  

more twittering and networking

This is a nice link about why teachers should use twitter and this is a nice one about social networking - I haven't really tried it yet though .....

social science as an art form?

Just got some cheesy film on in back ground - I have no idea what it is

BUT

they were just at an art gallery and came up with this: "Impressionism – not how you see the world but how the artist sees it" - if I ever work out how to cite this film, I will!

Just made me think: is writing up research impressionism then?

activity 6.7 ethics in online research

I am way behind with all the reading and am trying desperately to catch up.

Here's my latest contribution.

Activity 6.7
In TMA01, I outlined three research questions. One of these is, “Is it possible to use wiki technology as a means of data collection as part of a mixed methods approach?” This activity considers what information a relevant ethics committee might require (brief synopsis).

Madge cites Eysenbach and Till (2001), providing the following checklist:-

Intrusiveness.
My wiki was started with the express intention of using data for research purposes. Nonetheless, it will be importantto remind all participants of this fact from time to time and to make sure that they give their consent for their contributions to be used. The nature of the wiki means that the full history of each page is available so that I can track contributors as needed.
Perceived privacy.
The wiki is a private site – only those invited by me can participate. We are all members of a closed community.
Vulnerability.
The site should not have any vulnerable members in terms of internet use. Some members do also make use of public social networking media but these are not linked to the wiki being examined.
Potential harm.
Although I do not believe that my intrusion as a researcher has any potential to harm participants in relationship to their vulnerability, it is important to consider issues around power relationships – they may respond in certain ways because I am the Deputy Head teacher at the school.
Informed consent.
Informed consent will be obtained through the use of permission requests to each participant whose contribution is used.
Confidentiality.
No participant will be named in my research. However, if it should be published at some later stage, I would have to be very careful that the school’s identity does not reveal any individual identity. Thus, gender, age, ethnicity, curriculum area will be anonymised where quotations are made, although this data will be analysed separately.
Intellectual property rights.
Where contributors actively desire their work to receive acclaim, this can be built into the final report.

Madge[1] also considers the issue of critical online reflexivity. She cites Hine (2005, 9): “New technologies might…provide an opportunity for interrogating and understanding our methodological commitments. In the moments of innovation and anxiety which surround the research methods there are opportunities for reflexivity. Seizing these moments for reflexivity depends, however, on not taking the radical capacities of the new technologies for granted, nor treating them as poor substitutes for a face-to-face gold standard”.

This issue of reflexivity, of considering the impact the researcher has on the site of the research, is important. In doing so, any possible bias is removed as the researcher makes it clear what her/his preconceptions are and how they have affected the design and analysis of the study, along with the inferences drawn.

[1] Madge, C. Exploring Online Research Methods http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/ethics/ethprint.htm

words and pictures

I like this quotation

“It just so happens that I'm a great believer in the rather unfashionable position that words give us "filters" or "lenses" that help us see more in the world, because they provide us with memorable labels that we can use as the basis for making distinctions about things. In a similar way, I believe that for every little bit more I learn about a subject, I can appreciate a little bit more the distinctions that are made within that subject. The same holds true for skills-based activities: it wasn’t until I learned how to juggle that I really started to appreciate the skill of a good juggler!” Tony Hirst 2009 from the OU platform


and this video from Howard Rheingold

Teacher = exemplar learner

Last July, we had our usual end of term barbecue and leaving speeches. I was slightly teary eyed when a retiring colleague described me in her speech as 'the most innovative Maths teacher I have ever known'. Now that's quite an accolade.

I think it's all tied up with my experiences with the Open University and - more recently - using some web 2.0 stuff. I was never a great student up until maybe I was about 30 years old (that's just part of why I admire these clever young people we find on twitter etc.). Then I suddenly got the bug. I also think that it's when I became (I hope) a better teacher.

Nowadays, I firmly believe that the good teacher is one who demonstrates and communicates (exudes?) a passion and desire for learning.

I try to learn something every day (today I learned what leetspeak is!).

A bit of an odd blog post, this one. It's just that H809 has really opened up a whole new world for me of blogs and twitter and delicious. It's all out there.

stigmergic collaboration

I was going to wait until the weekend but started reading Mark Elliott's thesis this evening (see comment from Mark on my last post for the url). Just read the intro and done a bit of skimming but it definitely warrants a proper read - which will take longer of course.

I feel as though I am behind the times in so many ways - only just getting into so much web 2.0 stuff. Now I discover that there is this idea (coined by Elliott) of stigmergic collaboration. Essentially, as he proposes it (if I'm getting it), we follow a 'trail' and in so doing we add to that trail and build up a collaborative ontology.

Funny really, because it was following a twitter trail that led me to Elliott's writing in the first place.

How does this fit in with me trying to use my staff Continuing Professional Development wiki to a) stimulate collaborative and reflective CPD/practitioners and b) use the wiki as a mixed methods research tool?

a) The build up was slow because high school teachers do not regard themselves as academics/researchers (by and large) but as we get going (through various means of motivation on my part), we are getting discussion and reflection. At the moment most of the contributions are defining the terrain and drawing a topological map (perhaps) but gradually we are starting to add the detail and find that we can use the map in a stigmergic way.

b) I need to read more of Elliott's thesis to see how he used a mass collaboration wiki - be back soon........

delicious and twitter links

I am resolutely not joining FaceBook, Bebo or any of those - anyway my son has forbidden me to do so!

However, I am beginning to see some real benefits in twitter - for example, I decided to 'follow' Howard Rheingold as I have read some of his papers before. By clicking on one of his posts (twitters?) I followed a trail to this: about mass collaboration on a wiki - by Mark Elliott.

The other thing I got from following these links was Rheingold's delicious bookmarks on the topic of co-operation. In turn, this got me started on Delicious. Finally (!) I have a way of sharing all the stuff I find with my colleagues and I guess I could organise them for my school job, my OU job, my study etc etc. My school colleagues do get fed up with me constantly jamming up their e-mail in boxes with my interesting stuff so now I just need to send them a link to my Delicious page every so often.

Needs a bit of refinement but I have made a start. Who knew that studying H809 would have so many spin offs in every area of my life ...... muses, gardening, comedy, sci fi ....

The sun is out so must finish off that greenhouse today if at all possible!

twitter

Signed up for a twitter account yesterday evening. Not quite got the hang of it yet but am working on it. It seems a good way to stay up with the thoughts of some of the gurus. I suppose I shall now have to learn how to access the internet from my mobile phone. At this rate I'll be in the twenty first century before you know it!

Also just discovered teacher tube. My Y11 GCSE class are desperate to have me upload my Pythagoras and trigonometry raps! We'll see...... hmm

Been quiet for a couple of weeks now (work and family pressures). Will try to catch up with H809 readings and postings here.

Have watched another Wesch video (could be addicted) - showing just three tags are all it needs ....

thinking some more about stimulating the collaborative aspect of the wiki

The Year 11 wiki with its 40 words activity is up and running. I decided it was important to set a time limit but I am hoping that 6 weeks is not too long - in other words will they leave it all till the last week?

I am also starting glossary pages on my MA students' wiki and the school staff wiki that I intend to use as my research focus for H809.

The latter of these cannot really be an 'assignment' as such but I am hoping that it will encourage people to add small items to the wiki if they have previously been too shy to add what they might see as major items. In other words, I am hoping it will get them hooked!

I am very keen that they use all forms of information to upload and not just text - video, audio, diagrams and so on.

I am also starting to think that busy classroom practitioners are more likely to watch short video bursts than to read several pages of research so I have started a video page - I might add this to the MA students' wiki as well.

Here goes ....

having watched 'a portal to media literacy'

Having watched the Wesch video last evening, I spent some time today planning a project for my Year 11 Maths GCSE class - who already have their own private wiki. I have put up forty words/phrases for their revision and they have to add text, diagrams, video, power point - anything they like by way of building a glossary. They have to cite the source as it's never too early to get into good practice for that. I've given them six weeks. I'll let you know how it goes.

portal to media literacy

I have just spent an hour watching this video from Michael Wesch. Fantastic.