tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372403822024-03-13T18:07:46.283+00:00H809 blogPractice-based research in educational technologyJames Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-78205623085061090922013-07-18T17:00:00.000+00:002013-07-18T17:00:16.666+00:00From strength to strengthThis particular blog is now closed, but H809 <i>Practice-based research in educational technology</i> continues to go from strength to strength. For full details of the course, please see <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h809.htm" target="_blank">this page on The Open University website</a>.<br />
<br />
If you have questions, please contact H809's new chair, <a href="http://iet.open.ac.uk/people/a.c.jones" target="_blank">Dr Ann Jones</a>.<br />
<br />
Good luck to all those who dare to engage critically in educational research!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zP2A5aCbbpw/ST7xYRi2GEI/AAAAAAAAADk/WhQq_FhS35g/s1600/Image16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zP2A5aCbbpw/ST7xYRi2GEI/AAAAAAAAADk/WhQq_FhS35g/s1600/Image16.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-59219292051182192712012-01-29T18:37:00.000+00:002012-01-29T18:37:02.741+00:00What do students think of H809?We've been comparing the last few years of pass rates and survey feedback on H809 with other postgraduate courses, and have found some interesting things.<br />
<br />
Firstly many students tell us that they expected the module to be particularly difficult. And it has to be said that although the workload per week is (since 2009) no more than average, it <em>is</em> challenging work: H809 involves critiquing published empirical research in detail. So that's why we recommend you take it only once you've got at least some experience of reading and understanding academic literature.<br />
<br />
But it turns out that H809's completion rates and pass rates are as good as (and often better than!) other postgraduate courses.<br />
<br />
It also turns out that - and we've probably been a bit shy in trumpeting this - satisfaction scores in relation to the teaching materials and the quality of the study experience are high. Even more humbling: we also get high scores in relation to the items “I enjoyed studying this module” and “I would recommend this module to other students".<br />
<br />
So maybe we need to revise the title and the <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h809.htm" target="_blank">module description</a> to stop the module appearing quite so daunting...?<br />
<br />
Of course it's not perfect by any means: many students would like as much forum discussion in the second half of the module as the first. That's something we're working on. Some students would also like all the research papers studied to be of the highest quality. However I should probably admit that we include some papers that, ahem, allow the forum discussions to appreciate certain limitations that can be found in published research... In any case, we tend to replace 10-15% of the readings each year, to keep the module up-to-date, so truly hated papers don't tend to last long.<br />
<br />
Many students are surprised how relevant H809 is to their own professional context, perhaps expecting a dry exposition of theories of measurement and philosophical angst about the validity of qualitative research (although we do have theories and angst, if that's your thing!). A few students have found that not all the research papers focus on topics that were directly relevant to their own particular educational contexts. This is perhaps understandable given the diverse range of jobs our students have; and in any case some papers are included to introduce innovative research methods that aren't yet widespread. In any case, over 90% of students who expressed a view last year indicated that they would be able to apply what they had learned on H809 to their own professional context. Nevertheless, we're adding a new survey activity that we think will be of direct use in very many educational settings.<br />
<br />
We'll see if this year's improvements work for those who are starting the next presentation in a few days' time.<br />
<br />
By the way, when we're planning the annual improvements to the module, we look back over not just the survey results and pass rates, but also the feedback that individual H809 alumni have sent me personally over the years. We don't always act on such feedback: what one may hate, another may love. But this kind of feedback is often particularly helpful in being specific about where we can make improvements.<br />
<br />
So if you've not previously completed a survey or sent me feedback, please feel free to say in the comments below what you thought of the module, mentioning which year you did H809. (NB you can say nice things too!)<br />James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-49770999609609681922011-08-29T09:05:00.003+00:002011-08-29T09:05:00.427+00:00A couple of European conferencesI'm about to set off in the direction of the leading European educational research conference <a href="http://www.earli2011.org/">EARLI</a>, which is about to start in Exeter. I say "set off", but it's not too many paces away... Exeter is a wonderful city, by the way!<br />
<br />
I've not come across too many conferences to which I want to return, but the biennial EARLI conference is an exception. It's too large, really, (5 days of 23 parallel sessions?! 4 parallel keynotes at a time?! A 2000 page book of abstracts?!); its submission deadlines are ridiculously long (10 months in advance, this year); and technology is not as strong a focus for EARLI as it is for several other European conferences. But in my experience the papers at EARLI tend to be of a higher quality and the discussions more thoughtful than elsewhere.<br />
<br />
It may be a bit late now for you to get to the 2011 conference, but luckily this year the keynotes are being webcast, and anyone can join in the discussions. Here is the link to the <a href="http://elac.ex.ac.uk/earli">EARLI Virtual Conference</a>.<br />
<br />
You might also be interested in its sister conference EAPRIL, which is the "European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning". I've not attended EAPRIL, so I can't vouch for it, but it looks very relevant to those who are interested in practice-based research.<br />
<br />
The 2011 EAPRIL conference is in Nijmegen, in the Netherlands, 23-25 November. There's still time to submit a paper: the deadline is 14 September. Details at <a href="http://www.eapril.org/EAPRIL2011">http://www.eapril.org/EAPRIL2011</a>James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-14469657628656276182011-01-19T17:44:00.000+00:002011-01-19T17:44:25.778+00:002 days left to sign up for H809's 2011 presentationI've always thought "presentation" was a peculiar word to use to talk about the running of an Open University course over a defined period of time. Unlike conventional universities we don't have "terms" or "semesters". And, if we want to distinguish the time periods when the course is running, we can't always use "years" either, since many course run more than once a year. Moreover, our students have great freedom over which courses they take and when; and so could never be fitted into neat "annual cohorts".<br />
<br />
So we refer to "presentations". Which conjures up images either of a PowerPoint sales pitch or of the handing over of some kind of trophy. Neither of which images seems to fit with the active, personal and dynamic peer-to-peer, tutorial and assessment interactions that I associate with an OU course.<br />
<br />
But I digress. (And I should now be referring to OU "modules" rather than OU "courses", it seems. Naughty James.)<br />
<br />
H809's <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h809.htm">next presentation</a> starts on Saturday 5 February 2011. <b>The closing date for registration is in two days time, on 21 January. </b>H809 only runs once a year, so this is your final chance for 2011!<br />
<br />
This deadline is slightly earlier than usual, because we've found in the past that when students register later than this, course login details and tutor group allocations aren't always sorted out in time, which can end up being disorienting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Comments from last year's students</b></span> <br />
<br />
If you're still undecided here, here are some comments from last year's students:<br />
<br />
“The library was fantastic, and through the course I learnt a lot about searching, including citation searching & RefWorks.”<br />
<br />
“H809 was a very interesting course for me. Most of the things we learned regarding new technologies and cutting edge research methods were new and unknown for me. That’s why I feel that I learned a lot of things from the course.”<br />
<br />
“The course’s requirements were clear and comprehensive. [The assignments] were strongly related to the things we were taught.”<br />
<br />
“This course gave me a real jump start in being much more aware of technology, its impact and possible applications in education.”<br />
<br />
“Developing the theoretical skills [enabled] me to apply them to a real research proposal”<br />
<br />
“The subject matter... [was] fascinating and [I] was quite disappointed when it came to an end.”<br />
<br />
“Coming from a background in psychology I was concerned whether I would manage to do this course, but I enjoyed it more than I thought and got a lot from it including more confidence in my research capabilities.”<br />
<br />
“I was able to put my research skills into practice and further develop my knowledge of Educational Technology.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reading List</b></span><br />
<br />
I thought it might be useful to post this year's reading list:<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Block 1</b></span><br />
This block gives a flavour of the nature of the field, and provides a common grounding: a shared set of five main readings. These readings are intended to provide an introduction to common approaches and techniques that are often assumed to form a background to discussion of new methods. ... Which is why they tend to be older than the other readings!<br />
<ol><li>Hiltz, S.R. and Meinke, R. (1989) ‘Teaching sociology in a virtual classroom’, <i>Teaching Sociology</i>, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 431–46<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Wegerif, R. and Mercer, N. (1997) ‘Using computer-based text analysis to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods in research on collaborative learning’, <i>Language and Education, </i>vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 271–86<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Laurillard, D. (1994) ‘How can learning technologies improve learning?’, <i>Law Technology Journal</i>, vol. 3, no. 2<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Oliver, M., Roberts, G., Beetham, H., Ingraham, B. and Dyke, M. (2007) ‘Knowledge, society and perspectives on learning technology’ in Conole, G. and Oliver, M. (eds) <i>Contemporary Perspectives on E-learning Research</i>, London, RoutledgeFalmer<br />
</li>
<li> Roschelle, J. (1992) ‘Learning by collaborating: convergent conceptual change’, <i>Journal of the Learning Sciences</i>, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 235–76</li>
</ol><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Block 2</b></span><br />
Much of the focus of this block is on theoretical perspectives often met in research on educational technology, and it also considers the audiences for research and ethical aspects of research.<br />
<ol start="6"><li>Conole, G., Dyke, M., Oliver, M. and Seale, J. (2004) ‘Mapping pedagogy and tools for effective learning design’, <i>Computers & Education</i>, vol. 43, nos. 1–2, pp. 17–33<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Jones, A. and Preece, J. (2006) ‘Online communities for teachers and lifelong learners: a framework for comparing similarities and identifying differences in communities of practice and communities of interest’, <i>International Journal of Learning Technology</i>, vol. 2, no. 2–3, pp. 112–37<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Tolmie, A. (2001) ‘Examining learning in relation to the contexts of use of ICT’, <i>Journal of Computer Assisted Learning</i>, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 235–41<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Crook, C. and Dymott, R. (2005) ‘ICT and the literacy practices of student writing’ in Monteith, M. (ed.) <i>Teaching Secondary School Literacies with ICT</i>, Maidenhead, Open University Press<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>To be confirmed. Last year's reading is being replaced: Jonassen, D. and Rohrer-Murphy, L. (1999) ‘Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments’, <i>Educational Technology Research and Development</i>, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 61–79 </li>
</ol><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Block 3</b></span><br />
The final block is all about cutting-edge research methods and cutting-edge research.<br />
<br />
<ol start="11"><li>Bos, N., Olson, J., Gergle, D., Olson, G. and Wright, Z. (2002) ‘Effects of four computer-mediated communications channels on trust development’ in <i>Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems: Changing Our World, Changing Ourselves, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2002</i>, New York, NY, ACM<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Ardalan,A., Ardalan, R., Coppage, S., and Crouch, W. (2007) 'A comparison of student feedback obtained through paper-based and web-based surveys of faculty teaching' <i>British Journal of Educational Technology</i>, vol. 38, no. 6, pp. 1085-1101<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Davies, J. and Graff, M. (2005) ‘Performance in e-learning: online participation and student grades’, <i>British Journal of Educational Technology</i>, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 657–63<br />
<br />
</li>
<li> Cox, R. (2007) ‘Technology-enhanced research: educational ICT systems as research instruments’, <i><span class="Emphasis">Technology, Pedagogy and Education</span></i>, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 337–56<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Hammersley, M. (2006) ‘Ethnography: problems and prospects’, <i>Ethnography and Education</i>, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 3–14<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Gillen, J. (2009) "Literacy practices in Schome Park: a virtual literacy ethnography", <i>Journal of Research in Reading</i>, vol. 32, no. 1, pp 57–74<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Lindroth, T. & Bergquist, M. (2010) "Laptopers in an educational practice: Promoting the personal learning situation", <i>Computers & Education</i>, Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 311-320</li>
</ol><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Last minute questions?</span></b><br />
<br />
Feel free to contact me on <a href="http://twitter.com/jamesaczel">Twitter</a> or via <a href="mailto:j.c.aczel@open.ac.uk">email</a>.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-9451093643503319002010-12-08T10:10:00.000+00:002010-12-08T10:10:36.006+00:00openED course goes liveJust a quick note to highlight the start of the academic modules for the new (and free!) openED 2.0 course on <a href="http://www.open-ed.eu/">Business and management competencies in a Web 2.0 world</a>.<br />
<br />
Details of what openED is about are <a href="http://h809.blogspot.com/2010/01/exciting-new-research-project.html">here</a>. This is Round 1, and is very much work-in-progress. The idea is that - like wikis - the design of openED is open to change by volunteers. So it is hoped Rounds 2, 3 and beyond will show some improvements generated by people outside the initial course team.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-61434425077929190892010-01-26T19:29:00.000+00:002010-01-26T19:29:13.463+00:00Exciting new research projectWe've been lucky enough to win some EU funding for a project related to H809. openED 2.0 "Designing for participatory learning in open educational environments" starts from noticing that the Web 2.0 world shows that great things are possible when openness is a guiding philosophy. We want to find out to what extent open online collaboration can foster open online informal learning communities.<br />
<br />
Building on the design and materials of H809, the project team aims to collaboratively generate a series of free and open pilot modules. That's "open" not just meaning "public", but also meaning "modifiable by others".<br />
<br />
The Open University will be making the initial materials available and developing one of the pilots, but the pilots aren't "OU courses". The focus for the pilots will be more related to business and management than H809, and there won't be any accredited assessment or personal tutoring. If you want that, you'll need to pay to do H809!<br />
<br />
In studying how the pilots develop, we're hoping to explore a number of research questions:<br />
<ul><li>How do materials generated by such open initiatives and the designing communities develop over time? What pedagogical exchanges occur? What are the drivers of change?<br />
</li>
<li>What learning takes place? What are the drivers of learning? To what extent is the resulting learning determined by the designers, by the learning community or by the individual learner?<br />
</li>
<li>What issues arise associated with cross-cultural and multilingual settings?<br />
</li>
<li>How are differences between formal and informal education exhibited?<br />
</li>
<li>What are the factors affecting the speed, effectiveness and sustainability of such initiatives?<br />
</li>
</ul>The Open University is one of six project partners. The other five are SPI, Portugal; IBM, Belgium; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; the Hellenic Management Association, Greece; and the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, Fribourg. Here are some <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/andreasmeiszner/opened-20-designing-for-participatory-learning-in-open-educational-environments">introductory slides</a>.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-55866214147470458962009-11-02T23:37:00.001+00:002009-11-03T00:11:00.753+00:00End of the second presentation<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/1424757767/" title="Leo Reynolds photostream on Flickr"> <img alt="Photo of H809 written on a boat by Leo Reynolds" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/Su9w0jVBZCI/AAAAAAAAAHo/hZsFeFMlvJo/s320/boat2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
The second presentation of H809 is over, and we're hard at work on updates to the course for next year.<br />
<br />
There was a good haul of distinctions in 2009, and average results were up slightly. Well done to all H809'ers on these great results.<br />
<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/Su90e3W3v4I/AAAAAAAAAHw/HXvNRkRozTw/s320/48px-Face-smile.png" /> <br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Survey </span></b><br />
<br />
The course team has been through the outcomes of the student end-of-course survey in some detail now. Thanks to all those who gave us feedback. Here are some highlights...<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Workload</b>: It looks like the changes to the materials and assessments made for this presentation have turned out well. In particular, the level of student workload now seems just about right. This is great news, and suggests that in updating the course for 2010 there should be no net increase or decrease in the amount of reading and assessment required.<br />
<br />
<b>Podcasts</b>: The survey also found that the podcasts were a hit once again, and so I'm going to record a couple more to keep them refreshed.<br />
<br />
<b>Wiki</b>: The wiki was a big success, unlike last year: I suspect the difference was that my seeding the wiki with slightly rubbish content at the start helped to give more people the confidence to edit pages. For next year, we might be trying a public wiki for the glossary as part of the openEd project (see below).<br />
<br />
<b>Blogging</b>: There was about the same level of blogging as last year: <a href="http://joiacovides.blogspot.com/">Jo Iacovides</a> is currently writing a report on our experiment of having a course blogger. Many thanks to Jo for her work in this role.<br />
<br />
<b>Topics</b>: Some good ideas for new topics were suggested. In particular, more about research into social networking would be appreciated, so we'll consider possible readings on this topic for 2010. <br />
<br />
<b>TMAs</b>: Late return of some assignments was an issue for some students this year, and we will need to seriously consider for 2011 whether - because it's a 20 week course - we need to move from three TMAs to two TMAs in order to allow sufficient time for feedback to be acted on.<br />
<br />
<b>Forums</b>: There was less interaction in the forums than last year, so we'll need to have a think about what we can do about that for 2010.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Research</b></span><br />
</div><br />
In other news, we've been lucky enough to win some funding from the EU Lifelong Learning Programme to support a three year project to make an 'open' version of the H809 materials that other project partners will be translating and reversioning. More on this news soon...<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Au revoir</span></span></b> <br />
<br />
Finally, let me wish everyone who did H809 this year all the best for the future. Do let me know if it ends up helping you give a conference presentation, publish a journal paper, embark on a PhD, or simply develop your research interests. <br />
<br />
Feel free to <a href="http://twitter.com/jamesaczel">follow me on Twitter</a> if you'd like to keep in touch. I promise a follow back if you mention H809! And well done once again on your result.<br />
<br />
JamesJames Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-31274554057658866902009-07-25T19:12:00.003+00:002009-07-25T19:45:32.567+00:00Highlights from the 2009 H809 blogsOnce the course is in presentation, my habit has been to setup a blog aggregator here, so that H809 bloggers' voices take centre-stage. I then have to remove to aggregator at the end of the course, because those blogs might well be used for future courses or for professional reflections, or discontinued. So this post is to highlight some posts from the 2009 blogs that I found particularly valuable:<br /><br /><ul><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://h809-jm.blogspot.com/2009/05/virtual-learning.html">Virtual Learning</a> on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Janshs blog</span></li></ul>In which Jan reflects on the role of the tutor in virtual learning communities, noting the importance of trust and relationships. "When teaching algebra, I often take a rather Zen approach, asking students to imagine that they are the letter x. I am beginning to feel that the same is true of web 2.0..."<br /><br /><ul><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://joiacovides.blogspot.com/2009/04/h809-week-7-roundup.html">Week 7 roundup</a> on Jo Iacovides' <span style="font-style: italic;">Digital games and learning</span> blog</li></ul>Which considers how learning theories might relate to researching game-based learning.<br /><br /><ul><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://h809-jm.blogspot.com/2009/05/resistance-is-futile.html">resistance is futile</a> also on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Janshs blog</span></li></ul>About the idea of wikis as stigmergic collaboration, and noting some interesting undercurrents of social norms in relation to editing etiquette.<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Juliette Culver</span> on <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.jvvw.com/?p=403">Ethnography</a></li></ul>Which considers, among other matters, where one should choose to locate one's research: "Do you take a very local micro-ethnographic approach or try to look at things more holistically taking wider society into account?" Some great visitor comments there too.<br /><br /><ul><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://practicebasedresearch.blogspot.com/2009/06/activity-theory-rules-day.html">Activity theory rules the day</a> on Sonja Tack's <span style="font-style: italic;">Practice-based research in educational technology </span>blog</li></ul>Which concludes with "Trying to take a social constructivist approach in an exam-based culture is like trying to walk across a ceiling. "<br /><br /><ul><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.virtuallyscholastic.com/2009/06/my-affair-with-online-learning/">My affair with online learning</a> on Katherine Pisana's <span style="font-style: italic;">Virtually Scholastic</span> blog</li></ul>Which notes that lifelong learning can sometimes feel like a love-hate relationship. "But as with all relationships, they’re only as good as you make them!"<br /><br />Thanks to all H809 bloggers for their thoughtful and interesting posts.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-38071973979946258692009-07-25T19:02:00.003+00:002009-07-25T19:04:01.652+00:00Well done to 2009 H809'ersI've posted this message in the forums:<br /><blockquote>Well done on getting to the end of the course!<br /><br />Through the forums, blogs and assignments I've been finding it really interesting discovering your various research interests, in many countries and in diverse settings.<br /><br />Many thanks if you completed the end-of-course survey. We'll be updating the course for next year's presentation, and I'm sure this survey (once analysed!) will be of great help. We'll be refreshing the readings, and we'll also be giving some thought about why the level of participation in forums was lower than last year, and what we might be able to do about it.<br /><br />It's been a bitter-sweet presentation for us. It's been wonderful seeing so many H809'ers progress in their thinking. But those of us working in the Institute of Educational Technology felt the death of Professor Robin Mason very sharply. Her <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jul/06/obituary-robin-mason">obituary in the Guardian</a> newspaper sums up her huge contribution to the OU and the wider online education world.<br /><br />Whether you're going on to further postgraduate studies or applying new ideas to your practice, all best wishes for the future. In time, I hope to read more of your work in leading research journals!<br /><br />Results are expected towards the end of September. The course website and forums are available until 19 December.<br /><br />James<br /><br />Dr James Aczel<br />H809 Course Team Chair<br /></blockquote>James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-17138085180800945482009-06-08T17:46:00.002+00:002009-06-08T17:57:14.872+00:00BERA/SAGE Practitioner Research Awards 2009The British Educational Research Association (BERA) has some awards open to practitioners who have used research to develop their practice in the UK within the past three years.<br /><br />One category of award is for those working in 16+ settings, including higher education. The other is for those working with under-16s, including schools, early years and social care or health settings.<br /><br />The research is not restricted to any particular methodology, and entries can be submitted by an individual, a team, or by a researcher on behalf of an organization or institution. Entrants do not have to be members of BERA.<br /><br />The deadline is 17th July 2009.<br /><br />The BERA website has <a href="http://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/category/development/awards/">full details</a>.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-18676448965871605482009-05-18T17:49:00.002+00:002009-05-18T18:03:49.129+00:00Being "nice" about editing<a href="http://h809-jm.blogspot.com/2009/05/resistance-is-futile.html">Janshs</a> has an interesting post on wikis as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigmergic">stigmergic</a> collaboration. I think she's noticed some interesting undercurrents of social norms in relation to editing etiquette:<br /><br /><blockquote>With my GCSE students' wiki, a turning point seems to have been an idea which I adapted from Mike Wesch of putting 40 words and phrases on the wiki and giving the students a period of time to write something for each one. This was so much better than just asking them to use their wiki pages as a blog. By focusing their activity on a specific concept, they began to edit and comment upon, as well as add to each other's work. Of course, this is also what happens on the H809 student forums to a great extent. I think the nub of the difference is that we rarely actually edit each other's text. perhaps, as adults, this feels too discourteous? The truth is though, that my teenage students did this in a sensitive and supportive manner - for example, "I like that idea for solving a problem and this is another method that I sometimes use".<br /></blockquote><br />Last year's H809 wiki started completely blank... And pretty much stayed that way. This year I seeded it with some deliberately haphazard initial content, and there's been much more activity, leading to a valuable resource in progress.<br /><br />Could be a random variation, of course, as happens from cohort to cohort (much less forum discussion this year, for example, but about the same amount of blogging). However, as per Janshs' observations, the "leavings" have typically been polite additions rather than edits that might be seen as a rude slight on a peer's contribution.<br /><br />Now if the wiki content is carried over to next year's presentation, will that cohort feel less nevous about editing what would be seen as "old" text? Or would the distinction be quickly lost?<br /><br />Visible attribution to a particular cohort might help initially, but perhaps following the threads of changes might become increasingly tedious as edits grew, and so the nervousness might continue. Opening up the wiki to the world (probably a GOOD THING anyway, so long as it didn't inhibit those new to wikis from contributing) would decrease the chances of it being a peer that one's edits offend, but make it more likely that the edits would be seen by an original contributer.<br /><br />A wiki that consists only of additions and not revisions would be missing the chance to improve readability when accuaracy, coverage and detail are improved. At the same time, losing the norm of respect for peers would also be undesirable. So does a wiki made by such a community need additional etiquette compared with, say, Wikipedia?<br /><br />And if so, this wouldn't be the only community with such a tension between a desire to improve a shared resource and a desire not to offend. How might one delineate such communities? Hmm... lots to think about...James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-22871808030106878922009-02-11T17:02:00.003+00:002009-02-11T18:00:25.006+00:00And we're underway!The first week of the course is an 'interesting' time. Some participants are newcomers to online learning; while some teach online extensively as part of their jobs. Some are newcomers to The Open University and its own particular (baffling? <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lovable</span>?!) terminologies, technologies and processes; while others are old hands and have already completed postgraduate or undergraduate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OU</span> degrees.<br /><br />Some are whizzing ahead through the Block 1 materials, knowing they've got to get ahead because of a holiday or job deadline in a month or two. Others are waiting impatiently for their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">login</span> and password to arrive so that they can make a start. Some know a huge amount about the subject area already, others are self-declared novices.<br /><br />This year there's been an unexpected last-minute rush of registrations that meant we looked, at one point, like needing an extra tutor. We normally try to keep the size of online tutor groups around 12-15. We're possibly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ok</span>, after all, but it was looking dicey for a while: a late-arriving student or two is manageable; a late-arriving tutor is much tougher for all concerned.<br /><br />But the first week is also exciting, because we get to meet all sorts of new people, brought together for diverse reasons but with the common goal of making sense of this area of study. And I'm constantly impressed by how so many - old-timers and newcomers alike - go out of their way to help others to get going.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-52460868377231701082009-01-23T12:43:00.002+00:002009-01-23T14:33:47.425+00:00Who takes H809?Looking back at last year's cohort, there's a real mix of people from a variety of interesting backgrounds:<br /><ul><li>In terms of jobs, there are university professors, school teachers, college tutors, e-learning developers, headteachers, publishers, librarians, company directors, project managers, educational consultants... Several people also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">work as OU</span> Associate Lecturers.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Specialist subjects include languages, science, mathematics, medicine, social care, teacher training, drama, music...</li></ul><ul><li>In terms of location, many are from the UK, but there are also quite a few from across Europe, including Spain, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland (very well represented), Cyprus, Finland...</li></ul><blockquote>BTW The cost of the course is the same for North America, Australia, India, and Russia as it is in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">continental</span> Europe, so I hope we get more of a contingent from these regions this year. We know from the Google Analytics statistics on this blog that the interest is there. Beyond that, we do understand that the course fee is often the stumbling block in some parts of the world. My personal hope is that governments will come to see the value of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">equipping</span> education professionals with up-to-date research and evaluation skills.</blockquote><ul><li>Motivations for taking the course: about 60% indicate they're taking H809 to benefit their career, and about 40% to improve themselves. About two-thirds are aiming for a Masters degree in Education or considering a PhD (or other research degree). Some want to get formal accreditation for research and evaluation; some want to get into action research; and others simply want to hone their skills in evaluating new technologies for learning.</li></ul><ul><li>It was important to many that the course is fully online, that it explores the use of research tools, that the feedback from their tutor is of a high quality, and that they are able to apply what they've learned to their own professional context.</li></ul>The Open University website has <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01wH809">full details of the course</a>. The official closing date for registration is 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> February, but it can take a few days to get sorted, so register as soon as possible to avoid a late start. Any queries: please feel free to <a href="mailto:j.c.aczel@open.ac.uk">email me</a> directly.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-27900520473094271432009-01-19T00:25:00.002+00:002009-01-19T01:34:04.824+00:00Course BloggerA bit of an innovation for us this year on H809: We're experimenting with having a "Course Blogger".<br /><br />Blogs are an increasingly important medium of academic discourse in the field of educational technology (see <a href="http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2008/12/blogging-isnt-about-fame.html">Martin Weller's view</a>, for example) . And H809 is a course for those who want to learn about research in educational technology. So we encourage course participants to keep a personal reflective blog, as a way of exploring the potential of the blogging medium. And this year, we've decided to create a formal Course Blogger role.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What will our Course Blogger do?</span><br /><br />Well, overall the aim is to maximise the value of the online experience for those taking the course.<br /><br />This can include:<br /><ul><li>Synthesising, analysing and building on questions, points of interest, resources, links and references raised during the discussions within individual tutor groups and elsewhere on the web.</li></ul><ul><li>Commenting on the substance of course participants' blog posts: providing an incentive for newbie bloggers to get the posts out.Blogging about their own research, giving course participants an idea of how research happens in practice, an example of academic blogging, and insights into a particular topic.</li></ul><ul><li>Helping out with online discussions and activities.</li></ul><ul><li>Identifying and archiving stuff that might be useful for the course in subsequent years.</li></ul><ul><li>Oh, and of course reflecting on what a Course Blogger should do...<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Will it work?</span><br /><br />Not sure: it's an experiment, so the worst that can happen is that we get interesting recommendations for how <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> to do it in the future. But we'd be interested to hear of similar endeavours and how they fared.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-2672136474712508962009-01-16T14:45:00.013+00:002009-01-16T18:55:56.334+00:00Highlights from BETT 09I spent yesterday in London at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">BETT</span> Show, billed as the world's largest educational technology event. It was certainly extremely busy, in terms of both exhibitors and visitors. Goodness knows how busy it will be on Saturday, when teachers who weren't able to spare a weekday from school will attend...<br /><br />It was impossible to see everything in one day. So here are my inevitably selective personal highlights:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Collaborative interactive Tables</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXCst7eyRuI/AAAAAAAAADs/DcE60VkNEKQ/s1600-h/IMAGE_685.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXCst7eyRuI/AAAAAAAAADs/DcE60VkNEKQ/s200/IMAGE_685.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291919467221239522" border="0" /></a>The photo shows my research student Jo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Iacovides</span> making music with the just-launched <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_surface">Microsoft Surface</a>. It's multi-touch, orientation-aware and web-connected. It can play video, interact with physical <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">artefacts</span>, and simulate physics beautifully. Some lovely ripple effects on the opening screen. Everything is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">resizable</span>, and navigating maps is much more intuitive than with mouse or keyboard. "Like a massive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ipod</span>" says Jo. Microsoft has finally made something stylish.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXDCtRVEo9I/AAAAAAAAAEc/VjEOE9eNFbo/s1600-h/IMAGE_689.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXDCtRVEo9I/AAAAAAAAAEc/VjEOE9eNFbo/s200/IMAGE_689.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291943645162021842" border="0" /></a>We also looked at <a href="http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Products/SMART+Table/default.htm">Smart Table</a>, which looks similar to Microsoft Surface, but the applications so far are more focused on the primary school than on the wow factor. Like Microsoft Surface, Smart Table is multi-touch, Windows-based and relies on upward-pointing cameras embedded in the table, so it's not just an interactive whiteboard placed horizontally.<br /><br />Neither product is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">available</span> to buy yet. Smart Table is expected to be available in about six months at £5,500. Microsoft Surface is currently in excess of $10,000 and won't be available in a consumer version for about a year. But the potential for the hospitality, entertainment and military sectors will bring the price down quickly. Robust open source alternatives will follow.<br /><br />The challenge now for collaborative interactive tables is killer educational applications.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Netbooks</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXCyMiwE_DI/AAAAAAAAAD0/oadHdzQ3cbs/s1600-h/IMAG0679.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXCyMiwE_DI/AAAAAAAAAD0/oadHdzQ3cbs/s200/IMAG0679.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291925490716965938" border="0" /></a>Jo: "want one".<br /><br />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netbook"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">netbook</span> form-factor</a>, originally introduced by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Asus</span>, is much more education-friendly than traditional laptops. A selection of new models were displayed on the "Wall of Cool", which was an actually plausible claim.<br /><br />Intel chose <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">BETT</span> for the launch of its new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classmate_PC">Classmate</a>, which can operate as a tablet PC. I shared many of the reservations about the development assumptions underlying both this and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_Per_Child">One Laptop Per Child</a> initiative; but I admire the diverse educational usability advances that Intel and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">OLPC</span> have achieved in recent years.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2Do It Yourself</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXC4T6YQD5I/AAAAAAAAAEM/DAVC1fmcYRs/s1600-h/IMAGE_688.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXC4T6YQD5I/AAAAAAAAAEM/DAVC1fmcYRs/s200/IMAGE_688.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291932214388330386" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2simpleshop.com/2diy/">2simple</a> were demoing software that enables children (and teachers!) to make flash games. It looked good, although couldn't get a proper understanding of its potential because Jo and I kept being accosted by a steady succession of slightly over-enthusiastic<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">salesfolk</span> from the company!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">CapturaTalk</span> v2</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXC5vvGKz4I/AAAAAAAAAEU/jvijvDjeebo/s1600-h/capturatalk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 105px; height: 78px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXC5vvGKz4I/AAAAAAAAAEU/jvijvDjeebo/s200/capturatalk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291933791907663746" border="0" /></a>I was seriously impressed by this software for Windows Mobiles from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Iansyst</span>. You take a photo of some text, and <a href="http://www.capturatalk.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">CapturaTalk</span></a> converts it into speech. Brilliant. I'm going to download the demo to check it out properly, but as a regular screen-reader user myself, I'm very excited by this product.<br /><br />In the past I've tried several text-to-speech products for my mobile, and of course I use both Optical Character Recognition and speech-output packages on my PC. To go directly from printed text to speech on-the-move would be terrific. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">CapturaTalk</span> also reads from Word Mobile, emails and Pocket Internet Explorer.<br /><br />The main limitations at the moment are the price (£350), the small range of supported mobiles, and the fact that the Windows Mobile touch-screen platform is lousy for many varieties of visual impairment. But it looks good for me!<br /><br /><br /><b>Mantra <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Lingua</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">RecorderPen</span></b><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXDIrVr6SXI/AAAAAAAAAEk/r3uKyFgMRmU/s1600-h/IMAGE_694.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXDIrVr6SXI/AAAAAAAAAEk/r3uKyFgMRmU/s200/IMAGE_694.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291950209041582450" border="0" /></a><br />Like similar products, this device reads <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">hotspots</span> in specially-formatted books; but the interesting thing about the <a href="http://www.mantralingua.com/product.php?productid=16135&cat=0&page=1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">RecorderPen</span></a> is that it allows children to record their own narrations to those books. Lots of potential for language learning. And by using special stickers, children can give voices to physical objects. Lots of potential for the creation of educational games.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">MirandaNet</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXDPZo656WI/AAAAAAAAAE0/045207age20/s1600-h/mir_fellow.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 73px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SXDPZo656WI/AAAAAAAAAE0/045207age20/s200/mir_fellow.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291957601548495202" border="0" /></a>All the expected professional associations, government agencies and interest groups were represented at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">BETT</span>, but I want to single out <a href="http://www.mirandanet.ac.uk/home.php"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">MirandaNet</span></a> for mention. Not just because it's an international organisation promoting the use of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">ICT</span> in education (it's one of many). And not just because they seem like a decent bunch of people promoting practice-based research in educational technology (although that's a pretty good reason, given that <a href="http://h809.blogspot.com/2008/11/h809-for-2009.html">H809</a> can directly help with that agenda). No, it's because amidst all the hustle, bustle and noise of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">BETT</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">MirandaNet</span> were managing to record a number of podcast discussions. A lot more interesting than the usual glossy leaflets and free pens!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Kudlian</span> I Can Animate</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxaTzRXuQC-l1QhbneAIMGqF7lNPS5VJWBsG0xS_iwj62HQSCRVCg4eX9UEJew9j0accX4jO5BaNP4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.kudlian.net/products/icananimate/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Kudlian</span></a> were demoing this good value, easy-to-use animation kit. I can imagine a good many future film directors getting a start with this!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SRSIoEAe4NI/AAAAAAAAADU/aqEwvVgU5is/s1600-h/H809+for+2009+v5.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 85px; height: 126px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SRSIoEAe4NI/AAAAAAAAADU/aqEwvVgU5is/s200/H809+for+2009+v5.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265984086154862802" border="0" /></a>Finally, I want to repeat a thought I raised <a href="http://h809.blogspot.com/2007/05/e-learning-publications-and-conferences.html">a while back</a>. Worldwide there's a lot going on relating to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">ICT</span> in education: products, publications, conferences, seminars, companies, agencies, associations, and so on. They are often a rich source of enthusiasm, case studies, and issues.<br /><br />But teachers who want to pursue their interests more deeply might want to take a step back and ask questions such as...<br /><ul><li>How strong is the evidence for claims?</li><li>Are alternative explanations possible?</li><li>How could the claims be tested more strongly?</li><li>How can we use theory to help us do things better?</li></ul>This is where the international accredited online course H809 can help. If you're interested in taking things further, you've got until the end of January to <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01H809">register</a>.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-28598951658201394782009-01-12T17:41:00.002+00:002009-01-12T19:32:59.986+00:00Action research as professional developmentWhat makes effective professional development for teachers?<br /><br />Last year, many of the participants on our course '<span style="font-style: italic;">Practice-based research in educational technology</span>' were using it as a way in to action research. And I think they did so not necessarily because they wanted to end up as educational researchers (although some will), but because they see action research as able to play a key role in their own professional development.<br /><br />That teachers can be researchers was not always accepted. I remember years ago, as an eager PhD student, being told quite firmly by an eminent professor of education (who didn't know I'd been a schoolteacher) that he didn't object to teachers trying out new strategies and reflecting on them, but that teachers shouldn't be reading the research literature and they certainly shouldn't attempt to do anything called "research".<br /><br />Luckily times have moved on, and professionals working in schools and universities in many countries are increasingly being actively encouraged to get involved in research as a way of developing practice and moving careers onward.<br /><br />For example, huge numbers of teachers attend the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (<a href="http://www.aera.net/Default.aspx?id=5348">AERA</a>). And in the UK, support for teacher research is evident at the Training and Development Agency for Schools (<a href="http://www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/continuingprofessionaldevelopment/epd/epd_methods/classroom_based_research.aspx">TDA</a>) and in the government sponsored <a href="http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ntrp/ourwork/insideinformation/">National Teacher Research Panel</a>. There is now also a Special Interest Group in the British Educational Research Association devoted to promoting <a href="http://www.bera.ac.uk/practitioner/">Practitioner Research</a>.<br /><br />I'd be interested to hear of the situation in other countries. I hope the view that teachers can't be also be researchers is dying out everywhere.<br /><br />P.S. Only a couple of weeks to go before registration closes for the 2009 presentation of our course. <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01H809">Full details here</a>.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-76599311434385222952008-12-09T10:00:00.000+00:002008-12-09T22:55:58.494+00:00H809 for 2009<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Advert alert!</span> If you've just arrived at this blog, you'll want to know what the course is all about. <span style="font-style: italic;">Apologies to existing readers: you already know what's in this post</span>.<span style="font-style: italic;"> But tell your friends!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SRSIoEAe4NI/AAAAAAAAADU/aqEwvVgU5is/s1600-h/H809+for+2009+v5.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 85px; height: 126px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SRSIoEAe4NI/AAAAAAAAADU/aqEwvVgU5is/s200/H809+for+2009+v5.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265984086154862802" border="0" /></a><br />What do we really know about technology enhanced learning? There's lots of hype about Second Life, interactive whiteboards, games, video-conferencing, e-portfolios, integrated learning systems, mobile devices… But just how valuable <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> the latest technologies for education? What usefully engages the Facebook generation in learning? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Where’s the evidence?</span><br /><br />There's an online postgraduate course that aims to help: <span style="font-style: italic;">Practice-based research in educational technology</span> (H809). It's run by <a href="http://www.open.ac.uk/">The Open University</a>, one of the world's leading distance learning universities.<br /><br />We can't provide all the answers, especially as new technologies and initiatives are burgeoning all the time. But we <span style="font-style: italic;">can</span> point to what is already known. And we can equip you with the skills to be able to critically evaluate new research that might apply to your own practice.<br /><br />H809 is all about locating, understanding and evaluating original empirical research into technology enhanced learning. We plan to update the readings regularly, to keep at the cutting-edge. The course draws attention to the latest methods of data collection and analysis. It considers the links between research, policy and practice. And at the end of the course, there's an opportunity to apply what you've learned to a topic of your choice in the field of technology enhanced learning.<br /><br />All the materials and discussions are online, making the course accessible from anywhere in the world, with the bonus of being part of a lively international community able to learn from one another’s experiences in different cultural contexts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/ST7xYRi2GEI/AAAAAAAAADk/M0j09OP8NsU/s1600-h/Image16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 130px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/ST7xYRi2GEI/AAAAAAAAADk/M0j09OP8NsU/s200/Image16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277921212653508674" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01H809">Registration is now open</a> for February 2009. The course lasts 20 weeks part-time. It's suitable for teachers, lecturers and other education professionals. You should have some experience of reading and understanding academic literature.<br /><br />H809 can contribute to a number of Masters degrees, including the OU's <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01F01">Masters in Education</a> and its <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01F10">MA in Online and Distance Education</a>. It can also be a stepping-stone to a PhD or EdD.<br /><br />Feel free to <a href="mailto:j.c.aczel@open.ac.uk">contact me</a> if you've got a query.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-48820740334708157062008-11-07T19:08:00.005+00:002008-11-07T20:32:17.557+00:00Reflections on the first presentation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/grantmac/292262245/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ALnWKEVBbl0/SRSdzpLKcEI/AAAAAAAAADc/7f2zQZRKGng/s200/thinks.jpg" alt="'quiet I'm thinking' by Grant MacDonald" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266007374854516802" border="0" /></a>On balance, the first presentation of the course went really well. We had a bunch of great students from a diverse range of countries and occupations, some terrific tutors, and better-than-average course results.<br /><br />There were hiccups, of course. Firstly, I was off sick for many months, which meant that the course team had to collectively pick up the many crucial tasks of the course chair. My deep thanks to them.<br /><br />Secondly we had some really bad luck that led to unfortunate chopping and changing of tutor groups for some students. My apologies to them. But everyone pulled together, ably supported by our experienced tutors, and some really interesting projects were produced.<br /><br />We've also learned a great deal from our students, through the forums, blogs and the end-of-course survey. And thanks to them we've been able to cut down substantially on the reading required, we've made the assessment more straightforward, and we're re-balancing how the various online discussion tools are used. The 2009 cohort will see the direct benefits of this excellent feedback.<br /><br />I know it's probably really bad form in a blog to blow your own trumpet too much, but when you're creating an innovative course like H809, you never quite know how it's going to work out. And we know, in any case, that research courses are <span style="font-style: italic;">hard work</span> for students. So we were delighted that so many of our students had such positive experiences...<br /><blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote>"What I really needed was THIS course. A very innovative course in methods and contents, truly inspiring, full of ideas, new solutions, readings from all over the field and the world, and so on. I am very happy indeed that this course was opened!"<br /><br />"... a key ingredient, having started the course feeling like others apprehensive and intimidated, way out of my comfort zone, what has enabled me to face my fears much better is the positive and supportive environment that is evident in this course."<br /><br />"I enjoyed it very much. It's a great course, great staff and great students, too."<br /></blockquote></span>James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-31563459644640140962008-10-01T22:27:00.000+00:002008-11-07T20:33:06.805+00:00Some H809 posts from 2008<h4><a href="http://blogs.open.ac.uk/H809/jk4848/014051.html">Actor Network Theory and Learning Contexts</a></h4>This <a href="http://www.igi-global.com/downloads/excerpts/Figueiredo01.pdf"> text </a> divides approaches to context into positivist and constructivist. It was suggested today (by its author) in the <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/actor-network-theory"> Yahoo group for discussion of Actor Network Theory. </a><p> </p>The text references Charlie Chaplin and Leonardo Da Vinci (not to mention Aristotle, Hegel and Wittgenstein) so I suppose that <b> just about wraps it up for reality.</b><br /><p>It proposes ANT as a way of interpreting, designing, and managing learning contexts. </p><i>John Kuti, 1 April 2008</i><br /><br /><hr /><br /><h4><a href="http://blogs.open.ac.uk/H809/br36/014157.html">Reconsidering Tolmie and Crook & Dymott</a></h4>It was a pleasure reading Laurillard after Tolmie. Studies like Tolmie’s and Roschelle’s leave me wondering why would anyone bother. Looking at what Laurillard et al call the micro-level interactions, but without a broader frame to place it in, seemed of limited use. On reflection, though, I realised that as a teacher I do sometimes interrogate learning events at such a level if they don’t seem to be working. The wider view isn’t always necessary. What Laurillard et al offer, though, is the wider picture into which the micro-level works, including the students’ personal filters.<br /><br />Jonassen and Rohrer-Murphy also address questions raised by the Crook and Dymott study. When thinking about how I would assess the students’ writing I would want to know first why they were doing it. Did they feel it relevant for them; did they have any interest in it; how did they understand the instructor's purpose and could they negotiate it in some way to meet their own purposes. What’s the point of writing without a purpose? And perhaps this might inform the use of the technology. These issues weren’t problematic for Crook and Dymott, but could be part of the analysis done with an Activity Theory approach.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Barbara Roberts, 8 April 2008</span><br /><br /><hr /><br /><h4><a href="http://rosemaryh809.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/thoughts-on-reading-19-egan-et-al-2006/">Thoughts on Reading 19 Egan et al (2006)</a></h4>This was an interesting paper - not least because it indicates a context where an online research methodology could actually be more valid (giving direct access to the responses of survivors of TBI) than face to face interview methods - removing some of the barriers this group encounters as a result of cognitive-linguistic impairments when interviewed in face to face situations. The ‘richness’ of responses form the participants who had the time to reflect using this asynchronous method, was an unexpected outcome of the research.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rosemary, 11 May 2008</span><br /><br /><hr /><br /><h4><a href="http://epg29.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/amazing-free-web-things-part-127-wordle/">Amazing Free Web Things Part 127: Wordle</a></h4><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2698519411_297136cc7b_m.jpg" alt="" /><div class="snap_preview"><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eguinan/2698519411/"></a><p></p><a href="http://wordle.net/">Wordle</a> allows you to create a very gorgeous word cloud from pasted text, blogs, feeds or <a href="http://del.icio.us/eguinan">del.ici.ous</a> users’ stuff.<br /><p>To hail Wordle, and to mark the submission of the H809 ECA, I fed my 4,000 word opus (minus bibliography) into Wordle and this very groovy cloud came out.</p>Nice (if unsurprising) to see that ’students’, ‘technology’ and ‘learning’ were the most prominent words.<br /><p>Now, what’s next….?</p><i>eguinan, 24 Jul 2008</i><br /><hr /><br /><h4><a href="http://h809ch.blogspot.com/2008/09/hurrah.html">Hurrah!</a></h4>The final posting in this Blog is to say that my result is in and I have passed the course!!!!!<br /><br />So - what do I do now?<br />I guess I'll have to make sure I archive this off somewhere so that I have a copy and then look for another course to do... I think it's going to be H807 - Postgrad: 'Innovations in elearning'<br /><br />I would definitely recommend this Open University course (H809). Check out the course link on the main OU student website. Lots of intensive hard work, but it is well worth it. Great course team, excellent resources and the most helpful and knowledgeable Tutor (Dr. Rhona Sharpe).<i><br /><br />Col, 19 September 2008</i><br /><br /></div></div>James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-30690454118520721052008-01-11T14:13:00.000+00:002008-01-12T14:33:06.805+00:0020 days left to sign up!We've been delighted with the registrations for the course.<br /><br />Those who've not studied with The Open University before might not realize that we recruit as many tutors as needed to keep the tutor groups small and friendly. And in our global online courses we often have student registrations close to the start date, so we're never 100% sure of the exact number of tutors we'll need until the course is underway. We've therefore got a talented pool of tutors on stand-by, ready and eager to guide course participants to a critical understanding of research in educational technology.<br /><br />If you've been mulling over signing up for the course, you've got until 31st January to register. Here are the <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01H809">details</a>. If you've got questions, there's <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/about/p4.shtml">help with registration here</a>.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-41536026878018923602007-11-02T11:31:00.000+00:002007-11-07T11:54:45.487+00:00Open journalsWell everything was going swimmingly with Block 2: A great selection of readings relating to theory, with carefully crafted materials and integrated online activities to support them. But then... one of the readings on Activity Theory turned out not to be available through the (very expensive) journal subscriptions we already have. Recent issues of the journal yes, but not the particular issue with that reading in it.<br /><br />Our Rights department dutifully trotted off to ask the publisher how much it would cost us to include this paper in the course, and they came back with a figure of £1,791 (about €2600 or US$3700)<br /><br />Hmm... that's more than our rights budget for the whole course, so no thank you. Less law-abiding organisations would simply scan or photocopy the paper for their students. But we don't do that. So we've gone back to ask the publisher (who shall be nameless at this stage) to reconsider, otherwise we shall have to replace the paper and rewrite Week 9 of the course.<br /><br />In the long-run of course, this kind of behaviour is likely to increase the attractiveness of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_access_journal">open access journals</a>, or some variant. At the same time, the OU already makes as many of its researchers' publications as it can freely <a href="http://oro.open.ac.uk/">available online</a>. But the general public might not be aware that often academics have to sign away the copyright of their own work to the publishers of the journal in which it's published. And so academics might be unable to make their work freely available, even after some years have elapsed.<br /><br />We'll see what happens...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update 7 Nov</span>: A happy resolution. A current subscription covering that particular journal issue has now been found.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-50942441190281869722007-10-11T18:07:00.000+00:002007-10-11T18:20:46.002+00:00New linksI've updated the links on this page. One of the additions is to a set of slides showing the various pathways to a Masters degree involving H809. Of course it can be taken as a standalone course, but we get asked about pathways quite a bit, so I hope this helps.<br /><br />Another new link is to <a href="http://www.e4innovation.com/">Gráinne Conole's new blog</a>. Gráinne is a member of the H809 Course Team and always makes terrific contributions to our discussions. So I think her blog is well worth a look.James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-36627489690817716942007-09-17T23:50:00.000+00:002007-09-18T00:24:36.693+00:00Conference newsI know I said there were too many relevant conferences worldwide to be posting them all here, but there are a few coming up that might be of interest.<br /><ul><li>Next month is <a href="http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/default.htm">E-Learn 2007</a> in Quebec, Canada.</li><li>In November is the 2007 <a href="http://www.earli-pbpr.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_name=home">European Practice-Based and Practitioner Research </a>conference on learning and instruction in Maastricht in The Netherlands.<br /></li><li>A few days later is the annual conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education (<a href="http://www.aare.edu.au/conf2007/index.htm">AARE 2007</a>), in Fremantle, Western Australia.</li><li>In December is the annual conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (<a href="http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/index.htm">ascilite 2007</a>) in Singapore.</li></ul>Finally, the conference is not until March, but I couldn't resist linking to the "<a href="http://www.braingiants.com/ciae/">Computer and Internet Applications in Education</a>" Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Did someone mutter the word "usability"? My screen-reader sees nothing...James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-62954659797239640382007-09-15T16:20:00.000+00:002007-09-15T17:12:14.210+00:00A busy summerProduction of the course is now well advanced. Personally, I've been on my holidays, and then the conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (<a href="http://earli2007.hu/nq/home/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">EARLI</span></a>), held this year in Budapest.<br /><br />But while I've been away the rest of the course team have been busy finalising the Block 2 materials and firming up Block 3. We're also busy planning the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">podcasts</span>, about which I'll say more in a future post.<br /><br />We've now had useful feedback from our Critical Readers: these are the folks outside the course team who go through the materials and online activities in detail and suggest improvements. Our Critical Readers seem genuinely as excited by the course as we are, which is great!<br /><br />We've had a gratifying number of applications from people wanting to be tutors on the course (see the <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/employment/associate-lecturers/courses/H809.shtm">advert</a>). We'll be shortlisting soon. We'll continue to accept applications even after the first tutors are appointed, because we won't know until February how many students we'll have and so how many tutors are needed.<br /><br />Now that students are registering on the course, the February start date suddenly seems very close!James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37240382.post-13156339982282783522007-07-27T19:36:00.001+00:002007-07-27T19:50:56.461+00:00Block 1 readingsAs promised, some early readings. And they are not just "early" in the course. Several are early in the sense of being older in the field. That's because they're part of the "scene-setting" that goes on in Block 1 ("Contextualising the field"). The cutting-edge stuff comes later!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Further caveats</span>: Firstly, most of the readings are not freely available online. H809 students will get access through OU subscriptions. Secondly, you haven't got the course materials or tutorial activities that "scaffold" the readings. Again, H809 students get these during the course.<br /><br /><ol><li>Hiltz, S. R. and Meinke, R. (1989) ‘Teaching Sociology in a Virtual Classroom’, <span style="font-style: italic;">Teaching Sociology</span>, vol. 17, no. 4. pp. 431-446.<br /><br /></li><li>Wegerif, R. and Mercer, N. (1997) ‘Using computer-based text analysis to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods in research on collaborative learning’, <span style="font-style: italic;">Language and Education</span>, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 271-286<br /><br /></li><li>OECD (2005) <span style="font-style: italic;">E-learning in Tertiary Education: Where do we stand?</span>, Paris, OECD<br /><br /></li><li>Laurillard, D. (1994) ‘How Can Learning Technologies Improve Learning?’ <span style="font-style: italic;">Law Technology Journal</span>, vol. 3, no. 2<br /><br /></li><li>Oliver, M., Roberts, G., Beetham, H., Ingraham, B. and Dyke, M. (2007) ‘Knowledge, society and perspectives on learning technology’, in G. Conole and M. Oliver (eds) <span style="font-style: italic;">Contemporary Perspectives on E-learning Research</span>, London, RoutledgeFalmer<br /><br /></li><li>Hewer, S. and Mogey, N. (eds) (1997) <span style="font-style: italic;">LTDI Case Studies</span>, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, ISBN: 0 9528731 3 3; also <a href="http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ltdi/">available online</a> (Accessed 22 June 2007)<br /><br /></li><li>Roschelle, J. (1992) ‘Learning by Collaborating: Convergent Conceptual Change’, <span style="font-style: italic;">Journal of the Learning Sciences</span>, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 235-276<br /><br /></li></ol>James Aczelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03702965482465891614noreply@blogger.com