Quentin's e-Portfolio
ETEC 500: Research Methodology
Having heard from others in the program about the importance of taking ETEC 500 as early as possible, I took this course in my second term. Looking back, I am glad that I did as it was a critical part of the foundation needed for success in the rest of the program.
ETEC 500 provided me with a solid understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods. This course also provided me with a good understanding of APA formatting which was helpful for the rest of the program. Moreover, the course also provided me with the skills needed to sift through various research articles and learn how to read them effectively and efficiently.
Artifact 1: Article Critique
Recipes can be found in both metric and imperial measurements. So, when cooking you need to know what you are reading in order to have the appropriate measurements in place. Similarly, the article critiques challenged me in ensuring that I really understood the differences between the different research methodologies. They also challenged me in being able to critically read research and not simply accept research articles as the final word. By carefully reading through the whole research and understanding the different methodologies, I was able to more effectively assess the articles I would use not only in this course but in other courses as well. This is an essential skill as I continue to ensure that I use the most pertinent and effective research practices in my own classroom.
Specifically, the methodological critique forced me to effectively compare and contrast a quantitative and qualitative study. The critiques helped me solidify my own understanding of these different methodologies. Moreover, I was able to rationalize how I could use these approaches in my own classroom to do action research which would benefit my own students. As my critique indicates, I have a more informed perspective of both methods. I now know what measurements to use and how to convert recipes if necessary.
Artifact 2: Research Proposal
When you understanding of the basics of cooking, it is time to dive in and actually cook! This was the same in this course. Once I had a solid understanding of research practices and how to maximize my reading of research articles, I began to think of an effective and relevant topic for my own research proposal. The MET program was beginning to push my own thoughts of collaborative learning and my school was beginning to make more extensive use of Google Apps for Education (GAFE).
So, I decided to look at the literature and the possibility of doing research linking these two ideas. My research proposal was titled Improving Student Collaboration Using Google Docs. The rationale of my proposal was as follows: “This research proposal seeks to fill a void in the research literature regarding the use of Google Docs (GD), and, more specifically, the benefits of using GD to promote effective and engaging collaboration in secondary classrooms. This proposal outlines the specificity of the intended research, examines the pertinent literature, outlines the proposed research methodology including a schedule of activities, and discusses the significance and possible implications of this research” (Flokstra, 2013, p.3)
The research proposal was divided into two main sections namely the literature review and the research methodology. The challenge in this project was narrowing down my focus to a few key questions and using those to guide my reading of the literature. The questions I focused on were as follows:
a. To what extent does Google Docs foster meaningful collaboration?
b. What are the benefits to using Google Docs in secondary classrooms?
c. To what extent are students engaged in their projects when using Google Docs?
These questions clarified the areas in the current literature for my review and also provided me with the focus for my own methodology. The second part of the paper was far more challenging. I needed to consider whether to use quantitative or qualitative methods or a mix of both methods. For the purposes of my proposal, I decided to use both methods situated within a case study of my own students.
The qualitative data included Likert-type surveys followed up with a random sample of participants for an interview. The quantitative data was slotted to be from transcribing and coding audio-recorded conversations of my sample groups along with coding of online discussions. This meant that I needed to create a set of surveys. I also adapted a coding system for transcribing conversations. Moreover, I needed to create an observation checklist and interview questions. Overall, I felt that this was a rigorous exercise which taught me necessary skills for doing my own case studies as well as the depth needed for effective research. Moreover, this project reinforced for me the overall benefits of using Google Docs with my own students and aided me in making them an effective collaborative tool for my students. I have also been able to encourage my colleagues at my school to also make effective use of this tool. When others can benefit from your recipes, success has been found!
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