Tag: Summary

INF533- Module 1: Reflections & Tasks

Module 1: Reflections & Tasks

This module introduces the pros and cons for digital and physically printed literacy utilising some excellent videos and articles.

In particular, I was drawn to the article ‘What is a book in the digital age’ by Her comparison of eBooks and pBooks (printed books) in modern day, contains both pros and cons for each print-type, rather than just spruiking the benefits of eBooks, as is common in so many articles. She also takes the time to explain why young adults and children may not feel the same nostalgia for print books as their older counterparts- largely (though it sounds obvious once it’s written down) because they have not had the same enriched experiences as the older generations with print. Many young people have grown up with immediate and constant access to digital technology and so have not developed a fondness or even a relationship with printed media. Some academics initially coined the term ‘digital natives’ for these generations of digitally plugged-in children, but have since withdrawn and arguably disproved this notion throughout various studies.

I adored the animation ‘How fiction can change reality’ and its reminder to respect the classics but always try something new. Personally, there are few ‘classics’ that I have read as I find them clunky and old-world in a way that I can’t connect to. My dad and I had a conversation about Tom Sawyer and he was shocked that I hadn’t ever read it in school- it was a staple during his education- and that I had no interest in picking it or Moby Dick up. He was also forced to read Sense and Sensibilities at school, a classic that he despised for various reasons. It wasn’t until we unravelled that he had no connection or interest in the period, characters or plot, that he was able to understand my lack of interest in a story like Tom Sawyer. I understand that the classics hold important lessons, but so do modern texts which have, more often than not, admittedly borrowed from classics, but wrap the lesson in a more relatable setting.

Lamb (2011) discusses the modern definition of ‘reading’ and ‘books’ and all those terms can encompass. I believe that reading can include graphics, audio embellishment and interactivity on a digital scale. All of these things, though not necessarily part of a traditional ‘book’ or ‘reading’ experience, help construct a story, enrich world building and contribute to ongoing literacy skills. I am a big fan of the graphic novel and its ability to engage reluctant readers. Admittedly, Lamb (2011) acknowledges the potential difficulties in utilising these mediums (resource availability, cost, skill requirements, technical difficulties and transfer of skills) but is clear in her support engaging with these different styles of reading may be the key to nurturing life-long readers into the future

Joe Sabia: The technology of storytelling is a brilliant example of how storytelling has evolved and is continuing to do so!

Module 1.2 Task

Discussion Forum: Evaluating digitally reproduced stories

After completing the above readings, consider Walsh’s chapter, and share your knowledge, understanding and experiences with digital narratives in the subject forum. What are the key points of synergy that you have encountered? What are the differences?

Add your comments in the Subject Forum.

I have seen digital narratives utilised, largely in a K-2 setting, as a whole class study and as part of small group rotations. Prior to independent work, all students should be introduced to the traditional concepts of reading to provide them with a supportive launch pad into literacy (Walsh, 2013). With a focus on picture books and early readers, I have noticed the necessity for the inclusion of audio help or a read-to button, which helps students identify new words, how they are pronounced and, sometimes what they mean. Additionally, there are options to change text style, size and colour to cater to individual needs and to change the voices, volume and reading speed. However, these programs do not offer decoding strategies for students to build on.

Throughout the use of digital literature, it remains the duty of the educator to ensure the quality of the text, as in traditional resourcing. This includes ensuring the language used is related directly to the visuals and the pronunciations must be in a relatively local dialect to be useful eg Australian English versus the UK or US English. Additionally, all content must, in some way, relate to syllabus and curriculum documentation so students are working towards an achievable goal while enjoying, engaging and interacting with quality texts (Walsh, 2013).

Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment (Ch. 13). In L. McDonald (Ed.), A literature companion for teachers. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).  https://doms.csu.edu.au/csu/file/863c5c8d-9f3f-439f-a7e3-2c2c67ddbfa8/1/ALiteratureCompanionforTeachers.pdf

Module 1.3 Task

Discussion Forum: Trends in digital literature

Undertake some reading and research to find further evidence and/or information about the developments and new directions in digital literature. What issues have emerged for you?

Share your ideas in the forum, and add links to the Knowledge Networks diigo space. Be sure to add INF533 as one of the tags.

I found a brilliant TED talk I found via Diigo: The essential elements of digital literacies: Doug Belshaw at TEDxWarwick – YouTube

The concept of ‘digital literacies’ as plural, rather than a sequenced model targeting one type of literacy, seemed strange to me at first, possibly because I have worked in education systems that spruik the one ‘digital literacy plan’ (to rule them all!). When I understood that there are different types of literate eg social, civic, critical etc, as discussed in the video, it made more sense, as did the ‘remixing’ Belshaw (TEDx Talks, 2012) describes. Additionally, I enjoyed the idea of finding a common ground between ‘important issues’ and ‘areas of interest’ to develop digital literacies- any teacher knows that planning around student interests usually gains the most engagement, as people want to enjoy what they are learning about.

A common concern I found throughout the literature, was the suspicion that rural schools will encounter difficulties in adapting to these new types of literature (Herold, 2015; Salemink, Strijker & Bosworth, 2015). These concerns arose primarily due to isolation, lack of resources and lack of technical support and staff specialising in ICT and digital literature. Additionally, ongoing support and training for staff will be necessary to maintain useful programs that are relevant to student learning and the curriculum.

References

TEDx Talks (2012, March 22). The essential elements of digital literacies: Doug Belshaw at TEDxWarwick [Video] Youtube.

Herold, B. (2015, July 29). Freedom to experiment presents challenges for school innovation networks. Education week, 34(37), 10-11.

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67371172&site=ehost-live

Salemink, K., Strijker, D. & Bosworth, G. (2015, September 26). Rural development in the digital age: A systematic literature review on unequal ICT availability, adoption, and use in rural areas. Journal of Rural Studies, 54, 360-371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2015.09.001

INF506- Assessment 3: Evaluation & Reflection

Evaluative Statement

Your evaluation of the use of social networking/media in the professional environment will demonstrate your understanding of the concepts studied this session. You should give a concise overview of the challenges and opportunities as well as the issues that may be encountered by an information professional working in this environment.

Word count: 772

Technology has become a normalised part of society (Dijck, 2018) and although some reports suggest that SM growth seems to have plateaued in developed countries (Pouschter, Bishop & Chwe, 2018), there is no denying that SM platforms continue to impact day-to-day life. With the development of Web 2.0 and social media (SM) platforms, allowing for multi-way communication (Schwerdtfeger, 2013), professionals continue to network by sharing content, collaborating and creating a community. It is imperative that all information professionals, therefore, understand and are aware of a variety of SM platforms, uses, programs and practices, as well as the ethical, social, cultural and technical aspects of the SM environment. I will be evaluating the usefulness and challenges of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, specifically, as Assessment 2 provided me the opportunity to utilise these in a professional sense.

The development of SM as a driving force behind commerce, communication and even education is predicted to continue to influence determination of organisation success in the future (Chen, 2019; Barnhart, 2020). Capitalising on the SM phenomenon, organisations have invested resources into developing successful SM marketing strategies and user-friendly applications, allowing for ease of user access (Adner & Kapoor, 2016) in an effort to develop connections with communities and improve audience awareness (Barnhart, 2020). By developing SM strategies and policies (Hebblewhite, 2017) and opening lines of immediate communication with their audiences (Chen, 2019) organisations have cultivated communities of ‘influencers’ who can share posts about their products and services (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2019).

The ongoing development of SM commerce has opened paths for new and developing job opportunities in fields that did not exist before, such as application developers, social influencers, social media managers (Nisar, Prabhakar & Strakova, 2019) and policy makers (Hibblewhite, 2017). Additionally, the development of analytical tools on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have allowed organisations to collect information and track and manage performance improvements (Barnhart, 2020; Nisar et.al., 2019) and successfully connect and maintain relationships with audiences (Chen, 2019, King, 2015). Use of this tool can allow organisations to adjust their profiles to suit their branding, allowing for a cohesive ‘voice’ across all SM platforms and helping develop relationships with their targeted community (Bunker, 2017).

As the sheer amount of content posted each day continues to increase, particularly in relation to visual images on Instagram, concerns have arisen in areas such as intellectual policy and copyright licensing, resulting in the redevelopment of Creative Commons licensing to protect creators, companies and institutions online (CCA, 2013). Privacy and the disclosure of personal information has also been reviewed recently with an increased demand for notification of the use of ‘cookies’ on websites and a push to privatise the gathered information (Shankland, 2020), which is currently used to tailor advertising on most SM platforms. For example, Instagram has a disclosure policy identifying exactly what their cookies are and what they are used for. Organisations must be aware of the risks involved in not being complaint with both copyright and privacy regulations, as they are held to account by law (Big Commerce Essentials, n.d.) and ensure that all staff members are aware of procedures, limitations and policies in place to protect against accidental breach of law.

While SM has developed to easily disseminate information, the development of SM policies is vital to avoid posting incorrect information that could, potentially, lead to reputation damage, legal liability or even a loss in profits (Hebblewhite, 2017). There is an increasing awareness of ‘fake news’ in SM with academic studies invested in uncovering how to ‘undo’ fake news cognitively (De Keersmaecker & Roets, 2017) and libraries investigating how to educate their students on spotting false information (Holmes, 2018). With 28% of 18-24 year old’s using SM as their only source of news (Social Media College, 2018), it is important organisations create genuine and informed posts in order to develop trust in the community and positive relationships (King, 2015).

Although there are undoubtable risks involved in using social media for business, there is no question that it is a useful tool, coupled with inclusive, aware policy, that can help boost business sales, market awareness and act as a networking platform to connect with audience and community. With 17.9 billion people purchasing goods via e-commerce (We Are Social Ltd., 2019) last year, it is reasonable to suggest that SM, with its ongoing development of analytic tools, business accounts and tailored advertising, will play a key role in the continued growth of e-commerce in the future. As such, it is important that information professionals be aware of both the challenges and opportunities involved with SM platforms in order to best manage their organisations SM presence.

 

 

 

Reflective Statement

Your personal reflection will document your development as a social networker as a result of studying INF506, and the implications for your development as an information professional.

Word count: 773

Critical reflection is recommended to assimilate new information and improve professional practice (Attard & Armour, 2006) and throughout INF506, I have had the opportunity to reflect on my understanding of social media (SM), networking and how these can be used in a professional sense. I have immerses myself in multiple SM platforms, theories and tools and have been able to link them to an educational context. On reflection, I would like to adapt my broad strokes definition of ‘social networking’ in Assessment 1 to:

‘Active engagement with Web 2.0 and social media platforms to form professional contacts, share information and develop resources.’

My expectations for this course included developing expertise in mainstream SM platforms and encountering new platforms, both of which were achieved throughout the learning modules, readings and assessments. I now know what other schools are using and which platforms work best for them as a result of discussions on the INF506 Facebook page and peer blogs on CSU Thinkspace. I have come to realise that not all SM platforms work for every organisation and trial and error is completely acceptable. Reflection on these discussions has helped begin my SM strategy planning for my school library.

I was confident in navigating Facebook and Instagram at the beginning of this course, however, I was completely unprepared for the detailed analytics involved with business accounts. Utilising Facebook for communication in the INF506 group and sharing resources was an excellent way to further familiarise myself with the platform and gather develop relationships with peers. I have learned that Facebook can be utilised for professional development, education and communication, which can then be documented to record staff and student progress. Additionally, the analytics allow monitoring of individuals access and contributions to the profile, which would be useful in determining student engagement and involvement.

I found it much easier to develop content on Instagram than any other platform as I am a highly visual person. I feel that targeting a visual audience will result in greater involvement, without relying on large amounts of text or links to follow.  Instagram would be best used in an educational library environment to share new and notable books, highlight authors and promote library events to students and parents. Again, involvement with this profile could be tracked using their provided analytics.

I also developed a Twitter account for the same assessment but remain sceptical of its value in education as the statistics say most users are outside of my target demographic (We Are Social Ltd., 2019; Social Media College, 2018) and, although images and short clips can be uploaded, I did not like the layout or the fact that most posts required a link to other platforms for more information.

Developing the idea of a brand across multiple platforms throughout Assessment 2 allowed me to understand how successful SM organisations connect with audiences and develop communities (King, 2018; Bunker, 2017) that result in increased positive market exposure. The idea that each platform can present the same information in different ways was intriguing to me and I realised that, of the three platforms I had chosen to use, none were identical in their layout or purpose. All three reached different audiences who were interested in different forms of media. I was intrigued to learn that each post needed to be tailored to each specific platform to achieve maximum exposure and spent some time on discovering the best scaffold for each profile.

Finally, the most important thing I learned throughout INF506 was that the development of SM policy is vital in establishing any SM strategy. Hebblewhite (2017) discusses some of the areas of risk for organisations who do not establish policy early on, including staffing organisation, over-saturation and privacy and copyright regulations. It is clear that any omissions or accidental breaches of copyright or privacy legislation is taken very seriously, with further pushes to privatise ‘cookies’ that can tailor advertising experiences to the individual (Shankland, 2020). In an educational environment, privacy of information means the use of any SM platform must be considered carefully and policy must be developed to protect and monitor staff, students and the education organisation. It is not enough to understand privacy in a generic sense, staff in all organisations involved with SM must be aware of documents such as Creative Commons and what it means for their development of posts and interactions online.

INF506 was an eye-opening subject that has helped me to better understand social media and its uses. It is my responsibility, now, to pass this understanding, as it continues to develop, onto fellow staff members and continue my own journey to become an informed information professional.

References

Adner, R., & Kapoor, R. (2016). Right tech, wrong time. Harvard Business Review, 94(11), 60-67.

Attard, K. & Armour, K. (2006). Reflecting on reflection: a case study of one teacher’s early-career professional learning. Physical education and sport pedagogy, 11(3), 209-229 DOI: 10.1080/17408980600986264

Barnhart, B. (2020, January 06). The most important social media trends to know for 2020 [blog post]. Retrieved from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-trends/

Big Commerce Essentials. (n.d.). What are online business laws? Available from https://www.bigcommerce.com.au/ecommerce-answers/what-are-online-business-laws/

Bunker, L. (2017). Picking a platform and finding a voice. In S. W. H. Young & D. Rossmann (Eds.), Using Social Media to Build Library Communities : A LITA Guide. Blue Ridge Summit, UNITED STATES: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

CCA- Creative Commons, Australia. (2013). About the licenses. Available from https://creativecommons.org.au/learn/licences/

Chen, J. (2019, January 18). 7 social media trends to watch in 2019 [blog post]. Available from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-trends/

De keersmaecker, J., & Roets, A. (2017). ‘Fake news’: Incorrect, but hard to correct. The role of cognitive ability on the impact of false information on social impressions. Intelligence, 65(1), 107-110. doi: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.10.005

Di Gangi, P. M., Johnston, A. C., Worrell, J. L., & Thompson, S. C. (2018). What could possibly go wrong? A multi-panel Delphi study of organizational social media risk. Information Systems Frontiers, 20(5), 1097-1116. doi: 10.1007/s10796-016-9714-2

Hebblewhite, N. (2017). Implementing an effective social media policy. Governance Directions, 69(3), 167-169.

Influencer Marketing Hub (2019, February 01) What is an influencer? [blog post] Retrieved from https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-an-influencer/

Holmes, R. (2018, April 10). How libraries are reinventing themselves to fight fake news. [blog post] Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanholmes/2018/04/10/how-libraries-are-reinventing-themselves-to-fight-fake-news/#751cbde8fd16

King, D. L. (2015). Analytics, goals, and strategy for social media. Library Technology Reports, 51(1), 26-32.

King, D.L. (2018). Innovation & Education: Central role of libraries in our digital communities. Retrieved from https://www.davidleeking.com/innovation-education-central-role-of-libraries-in-our-digital-communities-cildc/

Nisar, T. M., Prabhakar, G., & Strakova, L. (2019). Social media information benefits, knowledge management and smart organizations. Journal of Business Research, 94, 264-272. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.05.005

Poushter, J., Bishop, C. & Chwe, H. (2018, June 19). Social media use continues to rise in developing countries but plateaus across developed ones. Pew Research Center.  Available from https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2018/06/19/social-media-use-continues-to-rise-in-developing-countries-but-plateaus-across-developed-ones/

Schwerdtfeger, P. (2013, March 17). What is Web 2.0? What is social media? What comes next?  Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iStkxcK6_vY&feature=youtu.be

Shankland, S. (2020, January 14). Google Chrome’s privacy changes will hit the web later this year. CNET. Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/news/google-chromes-privacy-changes-will-hit-the-web-later-this-year/

Social Media College. (2018, May 30). Social media revolution, 2018. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qpcdywb6Hw&feature=emb_title

Van Dijck, J. (2018). Introduction. In J. Van Dijck (Ed.), The Platform Society.  Retrieved from Oxford Scolarship Online.

We Are Social Ltd. (2019) Digital in 2019 Australia. Available from https://wearesocial.com/au/digital-2019-australia?mc_cid=2627112634&mc_eid=632bbf90f7

 

INF506 Module 2- OLJ Task 2: The influence of technology on society

OLJ Task 2: The influence of technology on society

“…summarise in 400 words what you know and think about the influence of technology on society in general and specifically on organisations. What are some of the main points organisations have to consider that they may not have had to consider in the past?”

Word count: 347

I believe technology has had a great impact on society and the running and actions of organisations. It is difficult to move anywhere in the modern world without encountering some form of developed technology, whether it be in the form of mobile phones, laptop computers, electronic cash registers or moving billboard advertisements. Developing technology continues to mould the shape of our social and business ecosystems.

First, with the development of technology, organisations have gained immediate and impactful access to individuals via television advertising and the internet. A focus on product and company ‘branding’ (Harper, 2015) or how organisations are ‘seen’ has developed to saturate social media and television advertising and production. This will have increased sales, demand for product and transactions, as well as providing immediate avenues for review and feedback on products/services. Additionally, technology has allowed for the development of global connections and ‘interorganisational partnerships’ (Rathi, Given & Forcier, 2014) that were previously impossible due to time and distance.

Technology and the laws that have come to support its prolific use and development, provides the public with easy access to company policies and decisions in organisations. As such, all organisations are being ethically monitored, challenged and held accountable for their impact on the environment and the social ecosystems in which they operate (Livermore, 2012) in real time.

Organisations now need to consider all of these aspects, plus the development of staff specialist knowledge to best access and utilise these technological resources. It has been found that while the purchase of new technology is carefully considered, the training needed by staff to understand this technology is often underestimated (Gaimon, Ozkan & Napoleon, 2011).

Some organisations are a direct result of developments in technology (the internet led to Facebook, Instagram & Google) and have continued to value and promote technology innovation within their workplace, establishing tech-friendly office spaces, work environments and mentalities (Waber, Magnolfi & Lindsay, 2014). These, and other organisations, must consider what it means to maintain relevance in a constantly changing ecosystem (Adner & Kapoor, 2016) and how to compete with new technologies as they develop.

References

Adner & Kapoor. (2016). Right tech, wrong time. Harvard Business Review, Nov 2016, (94) 11. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_37900_1&content_id=_3129974_1&mode=reset

Gaimon, C., Ozkan, G. & Napoleon, K. (2011). Dynamic resource capabilities: managing workforce knowledge with a technology upgrade. Organization Science, 2011 (22) 6.

Harper, F. (2015). Success in programming how to gain recognition, power, and influence through personal branding. 1st Edition. Berkley, CA. ISBN: 1-4842-0001-2

Livermore, C. R. (2012). E-Politics and Organizational Implications of the Internet: Power, Influence, and Social Change. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0966-2

Rathi, D, Given, L. M. & Forcier, E. (2 Sept. 2014) Interorganisational partnerships and knowledge sharing: the perspective of non-profit organisations (NPOs). Journal of knowledge management. ISSN: 1367-3270

Waber, Magnolfi & Lindsay. (2014). Workspaces that move people. Harvard Business Review, Oct 2014. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/10/workspaces-that-move-people

INF506 Assessment item 1: OLJ creation and first entry

INF506 Assessment item 1: OLJ creation

1. Define what social networking means to you in a professional sense

The online Cambridge Dictionary (2019) provides two definitions for ‘social networking’

“1) The use of websites and other internet services to communicate with other people and make friends

2) The activity of sharing information and communicating with groups of people using the internet, especially through websites that are specially designed for this purpose”

When I think of ‘social networking’, I automatically have an image in mind of a physical conference with numerous professionals in suits with pens, perhaps a more traditional view.

Combining these ideas, taking into account the age of technology in which we live today, I would have to say that professional social networking is:

The act of communicating with others by engaging in internet-based environments, to form professional contacts, using these links to share information, ask questions and develop programs and abilities. Social networking also provides the opportunity for engaging new audiences, advertising and developing products and promoting events.

As time goes on, I am sure I will adapt my definition as my understanding expands.

2. List what social networking technologies and sites you already use (for personal, work and study purposes)

Currently, I use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Weebly in my personal life. I also use Yammer, Interact2, SkoolBag, ClassCover and Seek.com professionally. I have a Twitter account but have not used it regularly for some time.

3. Describe what you expect to learn from completing INF506

I would expect to come across some new social media platforms and perhaps gain some specialist experience in the more mainstream platforms while developing ideas on how to integrate them into the school environment. I would like to find out how other schools are using social media to engage the community and which platforms they prefer. I would also like to come up with a plan to employ in my school environment in the coming year.

 Reference List

Social networking (2019) In Cambridge Dictionary: English Dictionary. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/social-networking

 

EER500 Week 10

Finally had time to sit down and pick through some EER500 readings in prep for the last assignment.

I think this assignment is too big for my brain. Lucky there is this handy blog here to hold my musings as they progress.

Chapter 9: structured interviewing

My intention in Assessment 3- Research Proposal is to utilise some form of interview process, although I am currently torn between structured or semi-structured interviews and am considering doing a variation of both in my proposed project. I think is important to use this tool as it is the most commonly used method of data collection in social research for a reason.

After reading this chapter, I can say that there is a place for both forms of interview and find myself leaning towards a mixed methodology approach as I would like to marry together both qualitative and quantitative data in my investigation regarding ‘the perceived impact of students with emotional behaviour disorder and trauma backgrounds on the self-efficacy and workload of New South Wales mainstream primary school teachers‘.

By choosing this topic (pending approval from the almighty!) I will be looking at two areas of percieved impact of EBD and trauma students on:

1)the self-efficacy levels of their teachers

2) and the workload adopted by their teachers as a result of supporting these students

This will then link back around to the impact on teacher self-efficacy.

I am thinking, by utilising, initially, a structured interview, with the inclusion of questions involving the Likert scale (do you think your EBD and/or trauma student has impacted your self-efficacy and workload: Strongly agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree, Strongly Disagree), I will be able to take a broad look at the mind-set and feelings of teachers supporting these students. From there, utilising semi-structured interviews with open ended questions might provide more detail on specific outstanding data from the initial survey.

One of my concerns is that the nature of this topic might embarrass some staff members or lead to unintentional social desirability bias- few people want to admit if or when they are struggling with something and this is a topic that can potentially be affected by social pressure to be ‘just fine’. In some ways, establishing a face-to-face interview may entice staff to be open with the interviewer and establish rapport, however, as Bryman (2012) warns, it may also lead to interviewer attributes impacting respondents’ replies. As a result it could be worthwhile utilising telephone or computer technology to assist in research.

 

Chapter 10: Self-completion Questionnaires

In an effort to the remove potential bias related to face-to-face and voice-contact interviews, I would consider using self-completion questionnaires to survey teachers of EBD and trauma students as participants are sometimes more likely to give honest feedback, particularly when said questionnaires are anonymous. A slight problem is that these questionnaires need to be simple, short and to the point without room for variance in answers. That said, they could still be useful in the initial stages of research.

I am considering the use of self-completing questionnaires to determine the context of each teacher eg How many st in your school/class? Age/Year/Gender, How many EBD/trauma students in your school/class? Ethnic backgrounds consisting of; Aboriginal, Anglo-saxon etc etc.
Additionally, I would consider investigating how much formal training staff have been given to support EBD/trauma students using bracket ranges to help understand the additional time spent training for these students (adding to workload) and the comparison between trained and untrained teachers and their perceived self-efficacy.

I liked the concept of diaries as recording tools and, although I admit, as a teacher, I would have to really focus to use them, I could see the tool being useful in tracking effects on things such as confidence, optimism and believing in your own ability to achieve. I would use this to track the teachers perceived self-efficacy through the day and maybe even offer space for reflection at the end. I am unsure whether I would specifically ID the presence of EBD or trauma children or ask staff to briefly tick-box who was in the room at the time of recording eg whole class, small group of students, EBD/trauma student/s, other staff etc.

References

Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (4th Edition).
Available from https://www.researchgate.net

 

With that overloading my brain, I will take a break and find myself some food!

Good luck fellow students, last assessment for this course- we are nearly there!

😉

 

EER500 Week 1, Chapter 1 & 2 Review

EER500

Week 1 Readings: Chapter 1 & 2, Social research methods. Bryman A. (2016)

Diving back into the readings for university was a lot more full on than I remember from my Undergraduate degree. My plan moving forward is to take it slow, pick and choose my targets and use this blog and my notes as a reflective workspace.

I have decided to pick 2 or 3 Review Questions from the prescribed texts to answer at the end of each chapter to confirm my understanding of concepts and to practice my APA referencing skills prior to any assessments due.

 

Chapter 1

This chapter was a juicy introduction to social research, painted in broad strokes; what is it? why is it done? how?

My main take away notes are:

  • social research is messy with many obstacles and does not operate in a vaccum; be patient!
  • being aware of previous research conducted in the area of your research project/paper is imperative. It will save you time and build upon your knowledge to give you a better chance at avoiding obstacles, mis-speaking and theorising more specifically.
  • there are a variety of different research methods- it would be wise to broaden your understandings of them to potentially discover a previously unchecked cache of information.
  • changing your research questions partway through is ok, so long as you are creating valuable, meaningful questions that helps direct your research.

1. Why is a literature review important when conducting research?

The concept of a literature review, while new to me, stood out as common sense when conducting a research project. Bryman(2016) explains that conducting a literature review prevents you from being ‘accused of not doing your homework and therefore naiively going over old ground’. Basically, taking the time to read key papers and authors* will save you time going over something already explained to death and potentially provide a new starting point from which you can engage in the subject. This will allow you to build on a concept rather than revise it. It also provides the opportunity to broaden your knowledge of the subject, determine any opposing theories or arguments and examine any clashing evidence critically. Including all of these things in a research project would provide a substanatial basis for your working theories and concepts.

*Granted, it is important to engage critically with previous publications and determine how relevant they are to your specific area of research- what methods have the author/s employed? are they discussing the exact same concept or have you only been able to find papers vaguely related? are they supporting your concepts or arguing against them? (good to know so you might argue against their case in your later writing using research to compare and contrast the two persepctives) is their case supported by evidence or purely opinion? what evidence from their work could be used to support your work (relevance)?

2. If research does not always go according to plan, why should we bother with methodological principles at all?

Bryman(2016) uses the example of research conducted on construction projects and what can waylay their successful completion. He says that, although numerous potential problems were uncovered, it was never once considered that ‘the principles of construction and construction management should eb abandoned’. He explains that, should this happen, project managers would not know where to go next. Similarly, throwing out the time tested methodological principles of research would leave researchers at a loss as to where to start. By utilising methodological practices as a skeleton plan, retaining flexibility, rather than rigidity, researchers have been able to adapt to the unpredictability of their findings as discussed in the Student Experience (Bryman, 2016, p. 11) where Hannah Creane explained that, through research and reflection, she altered her original research questions to become more precise and sophisticated. By maintaining flexibility, Hannah was able to zero-in more specifically on her area of interest and direct her questioning to better gather data while still following the general methodological practices laid out in the textbook.

In short, methodological principles give us a starting scaffold to work from.

 

Chapter 2

1. Outline, using examples of your own, the difference between grand and middle-range theory.

Middle-range theory example: I related most to these as they are specific questions or areas of investigation and usually relate to the real world. Eg In this generation, how many times will the average person change careers based on trends of previous generations? (Any guesses?!)

Grand theory* example: I find it difficult to name a specific grand theory of my own as it is a new concept to me- I knew these ‘big ideas’ had names, I’ve just never seen them before. The best I can do is say that grand theories are more generalised and certainly abstract in comparison to middle-range theories. They are based more in structured theorietical research (though that is not the rule) and seperate from the physical, social world.

*Not entirely sure why but I love the name ‘grand theory’, make sit seem a little more important and epic.

 2. What are some of the main influences on social research?

Bryman (2016) explains in Figure 2.3 (p. 39) that there are 5 main influences on social research.

1) Theory: Is it a middle-range or grand theory? Is your data supporting your concepts and theory? Consume previous research on the topic to prevent redesigning the wheel.

2) Values: the bias/mindset/core values/connections/sympathies of the researcher or the research method. Bryman (2016) says that all research methods are formed with some kind of social and/or political influence, it is inescapable. My thougths are, considering humans are emotional beings with established values and impressions, it would be difficult to establish a method without bias, however hard someone has tried.

3)Practical considerations: Deehan (2019) explains that time and money are two things that run inevitably short. Planning for practical, affordable research (both in time and cost) is important so that projects aren’t left half done.

4) Epistomology: ‘the question of what is (or what should be) regarded as acceptable knoweldge in a discipline’ Bryman (2019).
Basically, what is or isn’t proven and supported knowledge.

5) Ontology: ‘the nature of social entities’ Deehan (2019). The study of whether social entities exist independently of our understanding of them or they are created by them, constantly adapting. Do social structures happen without our input or are we creating social structures by functioning?

 

Reference List

Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (4th Edition).
Available from https://www.researchgate.net

Deehan, J. (2019 07 17). EER500 (201960) – Week 1 Lecture.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmyCLyRnCqQ