For my topic, I am still staying with whether being in a combined team of professionals from different professional backgrounds affects how we interact with digital technologies. My current view is that the scope of my research question is too wide, in terms of the attitudes towards the balance of f2f and digital, and that I will need to stick to the changes in use for the most part and only use a few examples of digital technologies to examine and illustrate findings and conclusions. For this essay I will probably just use Yammer as an example, though I have three other areas in mind as well. Also, because the essay question quite specifically requires practical implications for learners and teachers, I need to build in something that says that I have teachers and learners, even if they are both internal and external. The Yammer example probably works best for that requirement.
Here is the essay question:
The aim of this essay is to demonstrate your knowledge on a model(s) of change to answer a key question related to your own personal change context in order to demonstrate your ability to apply theory to inform practice.
Prepare an academic essay of 2000 - 3500 words reviewing a change model(s) and applying the literature to your own personal context with reference to an imminent or recent change with digital technology in education. Your essay should reference practical implications for learners and teachers, i.e. the personal or internal "classroom" context.
My goal for writing tbis essay is to gain insight into the ways that technology innovations are interacted with, and affect the team of which I am a part. I hope to learn more about how using a model can help me study, interpret and comprehend the changes that happen. It would also be good if the use of a model pointed me toward ways of improving our current practice. I want to deliver a coherent essay within the word limit and observing the points in the rubric.
The information to be included relates to the three questions provided for us in the key points on the assignment webpage. It says:
Change with digital technology involves three key questions:
- What is the change (technology innovation)?
- Why is the change important / necessary?
- How does the change impact on teachers and learners drawing on the published literature on change models to understand the implications of change with digital technology?
Essay Structure
Abstract - will probably draft this first, as it gives me the chance to summarise for myself what I think I am doing, and then finalise it after completion of the rest of the essay.
Introduction - explain the context and the changes, first to the team and then the technological change.
Model - talk about CBAM
Model 2 - talk about Diffusion of Innovation (and maybe also LAT and TAM briefly to mention why I wont use them in this essay)
Application of the models - talk about the two models in terms of the team
Practical Implications - talk about the way the technology has been applied
Conclusion - not far enough through yet to know what my conclusions will be, but I anticipate that at least one will be around the spread along the continuum of Rogers' diffusion model.
As mentioned, I will concentrate on the changes in the use of and the attitudes to use of digital technology and what that means for the adoption of it in the personal context of the LTaR team.
Music listened to while creating this blog post: Jack Johnson In Between Deams
Lyn,
ReplyDeleteAn well founded essay outline which is on target and in focus. I'm looking forward to reading your essay. Be aware of the no significant difference phenomenon (http://www.nosignificantdifference.org) - that is a collection of research findings which correctly justify that there is no significant difference in learning outcomes when comparing f--t-f with technology mediated learning. So the key issue for your research will be how perceived differences (i.e not objectively justified research) may impact on the adoption.
Hi Lyndsay
ReplyDeleteAm I right in thinking you prefer to be called Lyn?? Your topic is interesting as I see some parallels. I wonder if, as academic staff embedding teaching into online courses in a range of programmes, we may have to change our own teaching practices to suit the needs and expectations of those course tutors and students. It'll be interesting to note your reflections on the influence of other professionals. We have also begun using Yammer this year. After an enthusiastic start, the CE herself demanded that specific guidelines be put in place around its use, which has knocked a lot of the 'social' out of this social media. It'll be interesting to hear what you identify as individual concerns and strategies around adoption.
Kevin