Outputs from the Analysis Phase

All of the outputs from the Analysis Phase (Chapters 3, 4 and first half of Chapter 5) are taken as inputs into the Design Phase (Chapter 6).

Colpaert’s analysis model (described in detail in Chapter 2) is based on three components: Interdisciplinary expertise, knowledge of the design space and identification of the target. I briefly recap and summarise the contributions, covered in the previous chapters, to each of these in the sections below.

5.10.1 Interdisciplinary Expertise

Interdisciplinary expertise was first introduced in Section 2.4.1. It captures what researchers should know about the relevant disciplines that are involved in the design and development of a software tool. In this project, these include an overview of special education in Ireland, dyslexia, pedagogy, CALL, CAL, relevant research projects, online curriculum-focused websites and government ICT policy in Ireland. Reviewing special education in Ireland showed the difficulties students with literacy and learning difficulties face in accessing resources that they need and gave a

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background to the environment this this research is being carried out in. The findings on specific learning difficulties and related characteristics highlighted the various needs of students in an inclusive classroom and helped to outline ‘personas’ which are described in the Design Chapter (Chapter 6). The findings on online curriculum- focused websites highlighted how many resources are available for mainstream and learning support teachers and students. Key research projects in the field were reviewed. Their methodologies, gaps in software and findings were taken on board when designing my own materials. The findings from the ICT policy section helped me to understand the possible limitations of integrating ICT into a post-primary school system that has limited resources. The full outputs of the literature review are presented in Section 3.11 (Main Findings).

5.10.2 Knowledge of the Design Space

Knowledge of the design space refers to how developers can understand the various components that are involved in the design and development of learning resources. How can developers form accurate ideas about the learner, the teacher, other actors, the available infrastructure, pedagogical traditions, teaching method, textbooks, learning situation, and the sociocultural background? A specific problem for courseware engineering, is that courseware developers have rarely used courseware personally while developers of office-like programs are often advanced users.

Levy (1999) advises that a researcher should define the design space and not just the principles that a developer should follow. This is not in opposition to the ADDIE model, however complementary as it clearly defines the design context in a particular project.

The pilot study that I carried out when I was a learning support teacher (2002-3) gave me insight into the Design Space of this research project. I gained invaluable knowledge about the ICT infrastructure in schools, teaching methods in learning support and research teaching and experience of working with students with literacy and learning difficulties.

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The Initial ICT questionnaires (Chapter 4) highlighted the three main tool types being used by mainstream and learning support teachers and students in post-primary schools today.

The Initial ICT deployment (Chapter 5) gave me insight into how teachers and students were using the ICTS available to them and identify the gaps in the ICTs. It gave me insight into the learning situation and how not every students use ICTs in the same way. Colpaert says as design space broadens from the specific (e.g. learning support students within a class) to the more general (e.g. all students in a class), it becomes harder to understand and cater to user requirements.

5.10.3 Identification of the Target

Identification of the target asks what can be feasibly changed by using the system and whether the resources exist to implement these changes.

The Initial ICT Integration (Chapter 5, Sections 5.2 - 5.8) showed that most teachers are open to ICT and using internet resources. However, it was clear that the learning support teachers were more engaged with the project. They were motivated to be involved to design specific materials and create a database of learning resources suitable for their dyslexic students.

There were some Internet problems with sites crashing during the Initial ICT Integration. It was difficult to know just how much the teachers were really going to use the materials in the curriculum as it stands. The syllabus is still text focused as are the exams at the end. With the announcement in 2012 that the Junior Certificate Programme is changing to a continuous assessment model, this may be more suitable to dyslexic students.

The outputs are represented on Colpaert’s General, Local, Differential, Targeted (GLDT) grid. The GLDT Grid was introduced in Chapter 2 and is reproduced below in Table 5.22.

The GLDT grid summarises all the findings from the Analysis Phase for input into the Design Phase. The input for this research project’s GLDT grid comes from the following:

135  Pilot study (Chapter 3)

 Literature review (Chapter 3)  ICT surveys (Chapter 4)

 Initial ICT deployment (Chapter 5, Sections 5.2 - 5.8)  Survey and focus group results (first half of Chapter 5)

The GLDT grid is a living document. A living document or dynamic document is a document which may be continually edited and updated. When the Analysis Phase is completed, each cell in the GLDT grid will be completed (see Table 5.30).

General Local Differential Targeted

Learner Teacher Pedagogy Technology Content Other actors

Table 5.22: Colpaert's GLDT Grid (reproduced from Table 2.1)

Colpaert’s guidance questions (see Chapter 2) to help the researcher fill out the GLDT grid are used here. The relevant questions are printed here in bold face in the sections below.

5.11 GLTD Grid Mapped to this Project