EDIT 6900: Research Methods in Instructional Technology UGA, Instructional Technology Spring, 2010 If you can hear audio, click If you cannot hear audio, click If you have a question, click Lloyd Rieber Co-Instructor Greg Francom Graduate Assistant TJ Kopcha Co-Instructor

To avoid chaos, if you have a question or comment, click on the “Raise Hand”, but don’t send/speak your message until prompted by me.

Three Topics for Today Lessons from the “LSAT Logic in Everyday Life” Podcast The Research Problem –RDA: Identifying a researchable question –First draft is due by the end of the evening Brief Breakout Room Discussion to Share RDA ideas

RDA Timeline Submit or update first draft - TODAY Alert your buddy you are ready for feedback - TODAY Give your buddy feedback – by FRIDAY Submit or update final draft – by MONDAY Alert the instructor you are ready to be graded – by MONDAY

Course Project: Will you do this individually or with a partner? Date to decide by: February 9

Literature Searching Workshop February 17, 2010, 5:00 pm Michael Law, UGA Gwinnett Librarian

“Cocoa Nuts”

Let’s choose the person to briefly summarize this week’s podcast…

“Cocoa Nuts” Take away points Effect of cocoa flavanols on brain function –Increased blood flow to the brain Research sponsored by Mars, Inc. Kuna Indian tribe: differences between islanders and those who moved to mainland Many rival hypotheses –Stress of living on mainland? Pollution? Temptation to overstep the data in the conclusions and implications

The Problem The Heart of the Research Process

Practical Application: Identifying and Describing the Research Problem  Look around you.  Read the literature.  Attend professional conferences.  Seek the advice of experts.  Choose a topic that intrigues and motivates you.  Choose a topic that others will find interesting and worthy of attention. Guidelines: Finding a Legitimate Problem

Seymour Papert & Logo

Seymour Papert in Mindstorms (1980, p. 176)… “If computers and programming become a part of the daily life of children, the conservation-combinatorial gap will surely close and could conceivably be reversed: Children may learn to be systematic before they learn to be qualitative!”

Finding Research Projects  Heart of every research project is the problem.  The problem should be worth the time and energy of researchers.  Basic research: projects that can advance humans’ knowledge (or theories) about a particular topic  Applied research: projects that can inform human decision making about practical problems

A Word about Writing & Editing “Say precisely what you mean.” (p. 48)

Ockam’s Razor "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.“ aka “Law of Parsimony”

First Graded Research Design Activity! Topic: Identifying a Researchable Question

RDA Timeline Submit or update first draft - TODAY Alert your buddy you are ready for feedback - TODAY Give your buddy feedback – by FRIDAY Submit or update final draft – by MONDAY Alert the instructor you are ready to be graded – by MONDAY

Examples ed to You Eunjung Oh Group Learning in Online Learning Environments Greg Clinton The Role of Creativity in Design Michele Estes Faculty Adoption of Innovative Teaching Strategy

The purpose of this study will be to investigate ways to promote reflection within an educational simulation based on a discovery-based design.

Notice that when you are proposing something, you use the future tense. Later, when you have actually done the research, you will change to past tense.

Physics is cool and not meant just for the academic elite! Computer simulations make complex systems accessible for students of varying ages and abilities. Simulations based on discovery learning are great, but they often do not promote student reflection of key ideas. Given the power and promise of simulations, we need to improve their design.

University undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory computer education course.

The study will take place in a university computer laboratory.

1. Do brief scientific explanations (not full-blown instruction) promote reflection of the science principles modeled in the simulation? 2. Does graphical feedback within the simulation lead to greater understanding of physics? 3. What is the effect of the simulation and explanations on student’s implicit and explicit understanding of physics?

Questions? Go ahead and enter question in message field, or… Click and wait for my prompt to speak.

RDA Example: Identifying a Researchable Question Greg Francom

RDA Example: Identifying a Researchable Question Dr. TJ Kopcha

Break-Out Room Discussion Dr. Kopcha

To do list Follow the Course Learning Plan!