Adapting ethnographic action research to research online learning

Adapting ethnographic action research to study responses to educational technologies

Florence Dujardin(Sheffield Hallam University)

LCSS 2013 PhD conference – April 2013

Overview

• Online learning context• Initial research design • Adapting a methodology from Development

studies

Online MA programme in Professional Communication

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=bogHSK087wAq_M&tbnid=jYRY3AqgWtyEJM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://footage.shutterstock.com/clip-2612693-stock-footage-young-woman-using-tablet-computer-on-subway-train.html&ei=CUdwUbTuManH0QW2tgE&bvm=bv.45373924,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNHLVsJefmlwXklxmFhCIHaUHYxCAQ&ust=1366399098146466

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=QSAQMNxcx5ZL2M&tbnid=SP0ogViItv-PCM:&ved=0CAgQjRwwADj5AQ&url=http://www.icaphila.org/miranda/category/curating-and-curators/&ei=PUlwUf6-Iei70QWZu4HoBw&psig=AFQjCNGoR1tUJQiVr5XMXSjlIgaye_SNLQ&ust=1366399677588024

A digital immigrant?(Prensky 2001)

Or... a potential digital resident?(White & LeCornu 2011)

Second-order digital divide

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=bogHSK087wAq_M&tbnid=jYRY3AqgWtyEJM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://footage.shutterstock.com/clip-2612693-stock-footage-young-woman-using-tablet-computer-on-subway-train.html&ei=CUdwUbTuManH0QW2tgE&bvm=bv.45373924,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNHLVsJefmlwXklxmFhCIHaUHYxCAQ&ust=1366399098146466

Initial research design

Action research

Reading

Social bookmarking

Reflection

Collective blogging

Feedback

Screencasting

Multiple case studies

WeaknessContext of culture

Context ofsituation

Practice /Media

Higher Education

Tutor-reader

student-writer

home

community/ieswork

Adapted from Lillis (2001)

Key features of EAR

Social mapping

Socio-cultural animation

Communicative ecology

Context of culture

• Local practices situated in the wider context of culture

• ‘entanglements’ of social practice and technology

• Does new media challenge anything?

Why borrow EAR?

Original design

• Focus on local practices / media

• Technologically deterministic?

• Difficult to discuss the context of culture

• Emancipatory intention hidden

Ethnographic action research

Conclusion

• A productive and flexible methodology for researching educational technology issues

• Well adapted to look at technology use in context, including in entirely online context

• Potential for connections with wider issues (second-order digital divide, pedagogy, andICT use in HE)