Dear blog,
Just met with my boss Peter today and here are some notes from our meeting.
First of all, we decided to push back the decision of who to award the contract to to June 25th, 2010. I informed Peter that Wagner James Au may have some recommendations of other designers that he knows of that would build and design for our island for the price that we wanted. Peter also wanted me to email the bids from the previous designers we are looking at plus the links to designers' portfolios. I also have to give Peter the name of one of the designer's businesses to see if we are able to send a PO to her without it raising any concerns to the people in charge of the grant.
On a side note, I also have to get Peter the number of attendees for the two COE recruitment events we held inworld. Peter also mentioned that he needed help on 2 workshops at Punahou, July 9th, 8 AM-9:20, 10:30-12noon where we will teach high school teachers about Second Life.
After discussing the development of the SL island, I talked about my article for AECT with Peter. I basically want to use the CAL model of Adult Learning Theory for my paper. However, I need to find out how to overlap it with Sherry Turkle's theory. Is there any overlap? Read Turkle and integrate the two and see if I can salvage my questions.
Also, I'll probably focus my research on just students who are taking classes in regards to the identity (characteristics part) and then focus on faculty for the learning part. In other words, do faculty take these characteristics into consideration when designing instruction for virtual environments. Also are there any instruments used to test CAL model? Surveys, etc... I need to look at the Personal and Situation characteristics of the SL student user. I need to ask Faculty what characteristics affect their desgin for instruction in SL? Is there a correlation between personal characteristics and situational characteristics? And how does the CAL model affect the design for learning within the MUVE?
I need to then review this then with Ellen and see if I have to redo the comps or not. If I have to do my comps again, I might consider designed based research instead. Possibly 2 iterations if I do it.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
CAL model
Dear blog,
I met with one of my advisers yesterday and I would have to say that it went quite well. When I talked to him, I stated that I wanted to use K.P. Cross' Characteristics of Adult Learners (CAL) model as a theoretical framework. He said that the model is relatively new and he was not sure that it had been used in much research. However, if I am able to demonstrate that other researchers have extensively used it since it's creation in 1981. Then, I could possibly use it for my study. My adviser suggested that I use the "Social Science Citation Index" from 1982 and ask Susan Johnson, the education librarian at Hamilton.
If I do not find a lot of research regarding that model, he suggested using a similar model by Albert Bandura that goes a little like this environment --> behavior --> personality, but in a triangle looking format instead.
He also suggested that I look at the bigger picture of my study (what I am trying to find out --> how to effectively design a Second Life learning environment where University of Hawaii students and faculty can learn in) and how it connects to my dissertation (how the identity of UH students and faculty affect their learning).
Furthermore, he suggested that I mention the limitations of my study in regards to the type of education and economic status of the population I am look at.
I did change one my research questions as well. This time, #1 is "What do the affordances in Second Life provide to MUVE users?" I believe. I need to double check on that.
Finally, he states that I need to create a hypothesis in a sense. In other words, I predict that UH MUVE users are mainly local from various ethnic backgrounds within Hawaii, are both male and female, and are diverse regarding their ages from 18-50. Also that there is a 50/50 split of faculty verses students who use Second Life from UH. However, I am not sure of that, and I would like to test that out.
That's it from yesterday. I didn't work on my dissertation today, but I will tomorrow.
Aloha,
Rebecca
I met with one of my advisers yesterday and I would have to say that it went quite well. When I talked to him, I stated that I wanted to use K.P. Cross' Characteristics of Adult Learners (CAL) model as a theoretical framework. He said that the model is relatively new and he was not sure that it had been used in much research. However, if I am able to demonstrate that other researchers have extensively used it since it's creation in 1981. Then, I could possibly use it for my study. My adviser suggested that I use the "Social Science Citation Index" from 1982 and ask Susan Johnson, the education librarian at Hamilton.
If I do not find a lot of research regarding that model, he suggested using a similar model by Albert Bandura that goes a little like this environment --> behavior --> personality, but in a triangle looking format instead.
He also suggested that I look at the bigger picture of my study (what I am trying to find out --> how to effectively design a Second Life learning environment where University of Hawaii students and faculty can learn in) and how it connects to my dissertation (how the identity of UH students and faculty affect their learning).
Furthermore, he suggested that I mention the limitations of my study in regards to the type of education and economic status of the population I am look at.
I did change one my research questions as well. This time, #1 is "What do the affordances in Second Life provide to MUVE users?" I believe. I need to double check on that.
Finally, he states that I need to create a hypothesis in a sense. In other words, I predict that UH MUVE users are mainly local from various ethnic backgrounds within Hawaii, are both male and female, and are diverse regarding their ages from 18-50. Also that there is a 50/50 split of faculty verses students who use Second Life from UH. However, I am not sure of that, and I would like to test that out.
That's it from yesterday. I didn't work on my dissertation today, but I will tomorrow.
Aloha,
Rebecca
Friday, May 7, 2010
What I need to do for the summer
- I need to Google "Online learning and virtual identity"
- Look at the 605 list Peter gave me regarding which journal I should publish in.
- Choose journal I want to publish in.
- Consider IEEE transactions
- Come up with a theoretical framework (paragraph what the theory is about how the theory is linked with the research questions (what is, what should be, how to propose to bridge the gap and the reserach questions).
- See how the journals are theoretically driven
- Consider how much time do I spend on my dissertation? spend about a consistent amount of time on the dissertation, e.go, Monday-Friday 2 hours a day on dissertation --> Goals, or 4 hours a day - dissertation and 4 hours a day - GA job
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Second Life island timeline
Dear blog,
I apologize for not writing for awhile. Don't know where the time flies. Anyway, here's what I need to do for my GA job.
Aloha,
Rebecca
I apologize for not writing for awhile. Don't know where the time flies. Anyway, here's what I need to do for my GA job.
- May 10th -Create a proposal for the new COE island and send it to Peter.
- May 17th - Finalize proposal (with island sketches, explanation, and timeline) and send it out to the 3 potential builders. Ask for quote by June 1st.
- June 5 - Award contract to chosen builder.
- Mid June to mid July - Builder works on College of Education island
- End of August - Get approval from SL COE advisory board
- September - Debut the new College of Education island.
Aloha,
Rebecca
Monday, April 12, 2010
Notes from today
Hi blog,
Today I met with the head of my committee who gave me some great advice on updating my methodology. Here's a few things I need to do.
Today I met with the head of my committee who gave me some great advice on updating my methodology. Here's a few things I need to do.
- Instead of using the words "The researcher," change it to "I"
- Do not use the phrases "I believe" or "I think." If I am not sure about a particular statement I make, back it up with "so and so answers this by" etc... (use references and citations). Or say "this method has been used by others such as..."
- For my lit review say in the beginning "This lit review is about (in general). The next three sections are...
- For my research design, I need to talk more about what a digital ethnography (field notes) is and that it will be in Second Life accompanied by interviews and surveys of the actual people. (Research methodology)
- Theoretical framework: Talk about identity also in the literature review. I need to put in a diagram showing the framework (or create one and include it in the methodology).
- I need to include a section on "role of the researcher" after the "Participants and Sites" section.
- State I am using the constant comparative method for data analysis. My coding will be based on concepts from the framework. (note: I asked Peter what method he called his and he said there wasn't a name for it, just basic plain organizing LOL).
- State whether I will be coding throughout the research process or if I will code that in the end. If I code throughout then the framework could change. Look at Chris' dissertation.
- Fill out course sheet of what I took and when. Email Ellen, if I can't find the course sheet.
- I need to fix the normal text in my proposal. Go to Normal --> Modify style --> Format --> Paragraph --> Double (line spacing) --> First line (line and page breaks) make sure it is check marked. Click ok
- Then change "Heading 1" by going to "Modify style," paragraph, special:none, spacing: Before "0" and After "0". Line and page breaks, make sure "Keep with next" is checked. Make it bold.
- Format document Header is 1"
- Go to Insert --> Header --> Footer/alignment footer # left. I think...
- Use Adobe Acrobat to skip pages and put the abstract and signature document in the dissertation. Signature page is actually hard copy and separate from the PDF.
- For the Chapter headings, use Shift + return when separating Chapter III and METHODOLOGY onto separate lines.
- Do video for Peter.
- Consider qualitative research course during the summer 6 weeks total.
- Work on PowerPoint for tomorrow, possibly do it in Second Life
- I want to defend in May
Friday, March 26, 2010
Notes from today's meeting with Peter (Starbucks)
GA Job work
- Might have to follow up with Margit/Deborah (training). Wait for Peter's response
Follow up with Ari on our workshop on the SL workshop on the 8th…- Reminder in April: COEDSA (9th), CESA (14th)
- Have a table out in the College of Ed: week of the 21st (11:30 AM) ( 27th evening 3:30-4:00. Prepare - Flyers for the table/banner/improve signage
Advisory board meeting: April 7 (10-11)- Revise map - Replace pictures with Second Life screenshots/hut structure for the classrooms. Screenshots of Mark's group's hale. Spoke wheel path around the island. This should be done before I leave.
- King Kamehameha land markers for navigation/teleport signs/outrigger (similar to RL in Hawaii)
Write up -Propose a code of conduct for the island, privileges of where they can build. This should be done before I leave. Email Peter revisions and suggested privileges.Before I leave - Prep work April 8th, temporary router set up with Malia's group (8th) for trainingAfter Ari emails the announcement, forward the email announcement regarding training to COEDSA, Siobhan (email PeterEmail Yoko about announcement as well.
- Conference proceedings (6-7 pages); separate from journals
- Journal articles 10-15 journal article (look at which one I want to submit to
- I need to review academic journals in the edtech field. 3 most recent issues of a journal to get a feel, qualititatve/quanititaivte, k-12 or higher education, in other words, what's their theme/preference?
Give Peter a 690 update on April 7th (this means work on it before I leave!!!)
Monday, March 22, 2010
ETEC 750 Reading - Book Club
Dear blog,
Last week for the Book Club, we read Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology by Allan Collins and Richard Halverson. The book took a positive look at technology through recent education history in America to what it currently is right now. It does address some of the criticisms of technology today, but overall keeps the view of technology in the book to a positive.
Although some of the aspects of the book I did not exactly agree with, I did like the upbeat tone of the book. Many of the higher education writings about technology today focus too much on the negative deterministic driving of technology in our society and not so much on how technology can move us in a positive direction. Another aspect of the book that I did enjoy was the history of technology in our current education system. I am a big history fan, so that part made my day. I learned a lot about the start of our current education system and how it slowly came from parents being the main stakeholders in their children's education to the government creating public schools to ensure that the country's citizens were educated enough to vote.
Overall, though, I believe the two parts of the book that will help me the most with my current research is the section on "Interaction" (pg. 18) and "Games and Simulation" (pg.20). The authors state "Enthusiasts believe that by providing even more sophisticated dynamic interaction, computer-based learning environments are likely to make education much more engaging." This helps with my argument about the future of distance education using more immersive technologies to help their students learn. Also, the authors say "Enthusiasts argue that simulation is the key to letting learners explore new situations." Both need for immersion and simulation is recommended by distance educators, and virtual environments (which I am researching) helps with that. I believe that the use of technology in distance education does affect their learning to a point. I plan to write more about that later.
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading most of the book and found it helpful as well as informative. I plan re-visit the book sometime again and look over the arguments that the authors make. In the end, I found it quite interesting.
Last week for the Book Club, we read Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology by Allan Collins and Richard Halverson. The book took a positive look at technology through recent education history in America to what it currently is right now. It does address some of the criticisms of technology today, but overall keeps the view of technology in the book to a positive.
Although some of the aspects of the book I did not exactly agree with, I did like the upbeat tone of the book. Many of the higher education writings about technology today focus too much on the negative deterministic driving of technology in our society and not so much on how technology can move us in a positive direction. Another aspect of the book that I did enjoy was the history of technology in our current education system. I am a big history fan, so that part made my day. I learned a lot about the start of our current education system and how it slowly came from parents being the main stakeholders in their children's education to the government creating public schools to ensure that the country's citizens were educated enough to vote.
Overall, though, I believe the two parts of the book that will help me the most with my current research is the section on "Interaction" (pg. 18) and "Games and Simulation" (pg.20). The authors state "Enthusiasts believe that by providing even more sophisticated dynamic interaction, computer-based learning environments are likely to make education much more engaging." This helps with my argument about the future of distance education using more immersive technologies to help their students learn. Also, the authors say "Enthusiasts argue that simulation is the key to letting learners explore new situations." Both need for immersion and simulation is recommended by distance educators, and virtual environments (which I am researching) helps with that. I believe that the use of technology in distance education does affect their learning to a point. I plan to write more about that later.
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading most of the book and found it helpful as well as informative. I plan re-visit the book sometime again and look over the arguments that the authors make. In the end, I found it quite interesting.
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