Clarity and alignment in research reports

I don't know about you but I seem to be reading Master and Ph.D. theses and dissertations that are not as precise, concise or crystal clear in what the research was all about.

Two theses I read recently needed to be aligned in terms of what was said in the abstract, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and the rest. For example, in the abstract, the research was about x but in Chapter 1 it was about x1, a slightly different version of what was studied.

Please remember that it's all about being consistent in stating what the research is all about, not being creative about how it's said in different parts of the report.

Still, I look forward to reading other theses and dissertations. If at all, it's a clear indication that one usually has to go through a learning process while writing up a research report the first time. All the best to all of you first timers. There's still hope.

Case Study Research

I was reading a thesis the last few days. It was a case study.

Just in case any of you want to do the same, it helps if you know what a case study is, how to design one, and so on. Robert K. Yin, Ph.D. has written a few books on case studies. Based on what I read at the amazon.com web site, the following seems to be worth reading, "The Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Third Edition, Applied Social Research Methods Series, Vol 5" by Sage Publications.

It's a 2002 publication but still relevant.

Curtis Bonk

If you're interested in instructional technology or eLearning, one outstanding personality is Curtis Bonk, a professor at Indiana University. He was recently chair of the eLearn2008 conference and managed it so well that it attracted over 1100 participants from 65 countries!

What I admire most in him is his energy, enthusiasm and passion for learning! And to think that he started out his career as an accountant! Check out his blog at http://travelinedman.blogspot.com/

George Siemens

I don't know if you're familiar with Siemen's connectivist learning but having met him at the recent eLearn conference in Las Vegas, I appreciate his thinking and work more. Many believe connectivism is a theory of learning for the digital age....you may or may not agree. Nevertheless, I personally believe he will be one to watch and his ideas will make a very huge impact on where we go in terms of learning.

He has blogs, wikis, online forums you can follow. If you're interested in learning and technology trends, visit elearnspace, everything elearning at http://www.elearnspace.org/

SEAAIR 2008, 4-6 November, Surabaya

We had the 8th annual SEAAIR conference in Surabaya last week.

It was a spectacular conference! Hosted by STIE, Perbanas, I thought the range of papers and quality of research done has vastly improved since the first conference in Kuching in 2001. This indicates the maturity of research and the researchers.

I thought I'd share with you a picture I took during our post-conference tour of Mount Bromo, taken at sunrise. Mount Bromo is an active volcano and the five hour journey from Surabaya by bus, van and jeep was, simply put, worth it!

eLearn 2008

I cannot think of a better conference that has lots to offer the educator who is interested in keeping abreast with the latest and finding success stories to bring home.

Whether you're attending the eLearn conference or not, follow the blog as the events unfold. It's a five-day conference, packed with a variety of sessions and brings together an interesting group of speakers, many of them known in the field. Visit:

http://blogs.aace.org/elearn/

Research on mLearning

My current research project is on mLearning and for those of you who are keen on moving ahead with mobile technologies for learning, a good place to start is by reading the resources at:

http://www.m-learning.org/knowledge-centre/m-learning-research.htm

Challenges for Educational Research

This book is a good read for those who want to update themselves of some of the latest challenges in educational research. Check it out at:

http://books.google.com.my/books?id=EE8A7OCFJhsC

Seven Trends to Watch in Digital Learning

To those of you who are into eLearning, here's something to read:

http://www.imsglobal.org/articles/7trendsindigitallearning.html

E-Learning Conferences

If you're interested, view the eLearning conferences around the world (partial list):

http://www.conferencealerts.com/elearning.htm

Most viewed abstracts in Ed/ITLib

For a quick read on what attracts most visitors at Ed/ITLib, view http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Info.MostViewed.

Have a good read. Perhaps even more ideas on what to research!

The elements of a proposal

If you're writing or about to write a research proposal, the following is another useful set of guidelines:

http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/proposal.html

Top 100 tools for e-learning

Interesting list if you're into technology!

http://c4lpt.co.uk/recommended/top100.html

10 Most Viewed Articles for August 2008

I received this today via email from the EdITLib Digital Library. Ideas for further research perhaps?

1. Classroom Management Issues in ICT-Mediated Learning Environments: Back to the Basics
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=5867

2. Creating a Conducive Learning Environment for the Effective Integration of ICT: Classroom...
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=14519

3. Managing Teachers' Barriers to ICT Integration in Singapore Schools
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=5339

4. Technology, Transfer and Teaching: The Impact of a Single Technology Course on Preservice...
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=26064

5. Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of a Blended Learning Approach for ICT Teacher Training
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=24384

6. Audio Use in E-Learning: What, Why, When, and How?
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=24297

7. The Practitioner's Model: Designing a Professional Development Program for Online Teaching
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=24411

8. Understanding the Factors Limiting the Acceptability of Online Courses and Degrees
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=24314

9. University Student Online Plagiarism
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=24455

10. Pedagogical Characteristics of Online and Face-to-Face Classes
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=24201

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

The EdITLib Digital Library is a valuable online resource of peer-reviewed and published international journal articles and proceedings papers on the latest research, developments, and applications related to all aspects of Educational Technology and E-Learning.

Research Overview

I believe two of the best references that beginners will find useful are:

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/contents.php, and

the Companion Website for Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications for students who purchased the book but the web links, tools and relevant resources made available at the site can prove useful. Try it and see.

http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_airasian_edresearch_8/38/9865/2525549.cw/-/t/index.html

Getting started in research

For a very quick overview on things to consider when starting your research, go to:

http://www.aect.org/intranet/publications/research/index.html

Doctoral Research in Educational Technology

For those of you who are interested in looking at past research in the field of educational technology, a directory of dissertations completed between 1977 and 2006 can be found at:

http://www.cortland.edu/education/dissdir/dissdir4.htm

Survey Research: A Quick Overview

Surveys are fun and provide useful information.

However, you will first need to determine whether surveys will be the best methodology for your research. Next, understand how best to design and conduct surveys if you want good response rates of 70 percent and above.

Perhaps, to get a good introduction to survey methodology and design is the following:
http://www.sysurvey.com/tips/introduction_to_survey.htm

A list of steps in survey design is available at:
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~kate/qmcweb/q1.htm

Another good reference is at:
http://www.statpac.com/surveys/

Finally, a very good reference can be found at:
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/survey.php

Understanding Statistics

Many students have a poor or average understanding of statistics yet require it when they do quantitative research. If you're a novice and want an understanding of statistics, try reading:

http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/stats/index.cfm

When you're more comfortable or would like a total reference on statistics, I'd like to recommend that you try StatSoft which is at:

http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/stathome.html

Help with writing

Have you heard of the book titled, The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr? It served me well when I was a student. I think it's a valuable reference for anyone who wants to improve their English writing skills and should serve you as a valuable companion when writing your thesis.

Check it out at:

http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Writing the Research Proposal

Writing the research proposal is the first stage of the research process. You would have reviewed all relevant literature and will need to identify the research problem, research questions and design the research methodology. These are some of the more important parts of the proposal. For a more complete explanation of what goes into the proposal, visit some of the resources in the Web site below:

http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/~tcwritingcenter/Forms_of_Writing/ResearchProposal.htm

Quantitative vs Qualitative Research

As you know, there are two main types of research: quantitative and qualitative.

What is the difference between the two? In brief, quantitative research deals with numerical data that you will analyse. On the other hand, qualitative research is about your observations of behaviour, processes and the like; and these are described in great detail.

Which one would you choose for your research? My strong recommendation is to consider doing qualitative research only if you have the writing prowess. Otherwise, avoid it and do a quantitative research supported by some qualitative data that you collect from interviews or open-ended questions.

To help you decide, perhaps an understanding of these two types of research will help. Visit:

http://wilderdom.com/research/QualitativeVersusQuantitativeResearch.html

http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/research/Qualitative/qualquan.htm

A good explanation that appeared on UTube can be viewed below:

Finding a research topic

If you're like most students, finding a research topic that's exciting and at the same time feasible, worthwhile and significant is not easy. Sometimes it takes months. And, by the time you've decided, you've lost the momentum.

Perhaps one way to overcome this is to think of an area of interest, look for related research and narrow down to one that is both exciting and worthwhile doing. However, please consider the feasibility of getting the research done. This means that you have sufficient resources, the time, the respondents and that most, if not all, requirements for your research is within your control.

In addition, consider the assumptions and limitations that you will need to state and acknowledge. After all, you're not trying to solve the world's problems. You simply need to investigate a specific problem and ensure that your findings are both reliable and valid and will contribute to the field.

To help you get started, visit the following Web site:
http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/PORT/topics/identifying_topics.html

More help with APA

Another useful guide to the APA style when writing your thesis or dissertation.....check it out. Click on the title above.

Knowledge Maps: ICTs in Education

If you're keen to investigate the impact of ICT in education, perhaps reading the publication prepared by infoDev will be worth it. See if you can find some ideas for your research. It's not the only useful resource...but I think this will serve as a good starting point as you try to look for ideas.

Visit: http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.8.html

Searching for Malaysian Theses Online

Did you know that you can search for past theses written in local HEIs by using MYTO? Chieck it out at the MyUniNet protal at:
http://perpun.net.my/portal/index.php

An OWL for researchers?

OWL? It stands for Online Writing Lab. If you're just getting started in the graduate programme, please visit The OWL at Purdue at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/.

In particular, go through the APA Formatting and Style Guide as you will need to know how to write in APA style. OUM adopts the APA Manual of Style (5th Edition)for all research papers, project reports, theses and dissertations.

What this means is that you need to apply a system of citing and making references to materials you've used. Very often, students do not realise how important it is to use a comma, colon or semi-colon correctly or that making a reference to a particular document must be done in a certain way. If you don't apply the APA style correctly, your final research report will not be accepted until all corrections are made. Hence, you might as well learn how to apply the APA formatting early, and quickly learn and apply APA correctly from the start.

Alternatively, you may visit the official Web site at http://apastyle.apa.org/.

Or, if you like, you may purchase the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 5th edition (Paperback) by American Psychological Association online. It's available at Amazon for US99.99.

What is research?

I don't know about you but I think research means different things to different people. Visit: http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_leedy_practical_8/0,9599,1569572-,00.html

Ask a mother who's looking for a good school or tuition centre for her child and and she means asking around for recommendations and the reasons behind them. Ask a friend who's interested to purchase a new car and it means going to the various auto showrooms and test driving the cars. Ask an academic, and it is likely to mean selecting the most suitable research method or combination of strategies, plans, and activiities for conducting a study.

I thought that for the fun of it, provide you with several quotes on research. See if you learn anything. Here goes:

“Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.” - Werner von Braun

Isn't this what we feel some if not most of the time? There are times when we feel so lost that we don't even know who to ask what. It's exasperating.

Next . . .


"Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing.” - E. L. Doctorow (American author and editor)

I know enough people who say they're writing, but . . . well, just think about it. You must write, write, write and re-write if you have to until you've exhausted all resources.

Next . . .

“When you take stuff from one writer it's plagiarism; but when you take it from many writers, it's research.” - Wilson Mizner(Playwright, 1876-1933)

Now I know you don't plan to plagiarise. But doing it could affect all your beautiful plans to graduate. We recently caught one student plagiarising work of another researcher. This is not the thing to do. So be very careful. Quote and cite whenever you are using someone else's idea, suggestion, findings, observation, etc. It's good to quote. It means you've done your research. However, don't just quote anyone or anything. The source must be a credible source. Quoting from a Wiki for example is still not regarded as the best thing to do in your thesis. Quoting from interviews with experts or respondents, for example is fine. So, find out more about this.

Well, I don't want to bore you with more quotes except for one more.

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." - Vincent Van Gogh

Hence, remember, you've got to take little steps, one at a time. Map out your activities, contact your supervisor and get him/her to help you. The end result is worth it. You've just got to decide on how to finish the race.

On that note, I rest my case.

Introduction . . . research is not easy

After three long but engaging hours of f2f discussions with three of my supervisees in Tawau, I am convinced that all the email and telephone calls cannot replace a good 2-3 hour face-to-face session. These meetings between "supervisor" and "supervisee" are necessary for that much needed discussion on what to do or what not to do, what is acceptable and what is not and so on. I suppose meeting in person means being able to sit across each other, observe the body language, probe, prompt and guide....after all, the research is all about something that has to be scientifically carried out. Not easy, but not impossible. And yes... research is a scientific investigation, quantitatively or qualitatively.

I felt more satisfied after each of the interactions I had with our MEd researchers. I could see where they were struggling and why. I can now understand why it took them so long to submit anything written to me. After all, completing the research to fulfill the requirements of the Masters or PhD programme is not easy. This is their first real research. The learning curve is quite steep. Taking just one research course is not enough. You have to read more on your own.

I would have felt just as "lost" had I been in their shoes. In addition to that, being an ODL learner is not easy. Doing research almost 2,ooo miles away from your supervisor is one of the greatest challenges one will face! I'm not sure if I would be able to cope with it myself. Hence, I admire all those who are trying their best to complete their research. Really!

The last stage of completing the requirements for a Masters or Ph.D. degree is always the most challenging. That's why we have ABD (All But Dissertation) students at one point or another.

I remember, even though this was more than 20 years ago when I was at the dissertation stage, I felt quite alone and at times "betrayed" when my supervisors did not seem to be able to give me the support I needed or who only gave me so much time. However, I was quick to realise that "it was up to me to complete the job." No one else will and no one else can. It is your own battle. Either fight or lose it.

Hence, my advice to all my supervisees out there . . . it is up to you. If finishing your Masters or Ph.D. is important to you, focus, focus, focus. Set deadlines and put time aside. Organise yourself. Manage your time. Get rid of all the distractions. Read, read and read all you can about what you want to investigate. Aim to be the one person who knows everything about the problem being investigated....exhaust your reading. There's never too much to read. You need to be able to depend on yourself. You can receive guidance from your supervisor, moral support from friends and family, but only you alone can determine your own success.

Anyway, after having sat down with LKC and LSH for almost four hours straight and for almost two hours with RS, I could not help feeling happy for them to see them feeling more assured and surer of how to move on in their research. They each said that a lot of issues were ironed out.

So imagine my delight knowing that they now can "see the light at the end of the tunnel," so to speak. I wish each of them the best. They've invested their time and several thousand dollars to seek a graduate education. I don't want to see these go to waste!