The phases of the research process - Enabling e-learning professional development through a ble

Chapter 2 Literature

3.2 The phases of the research process

The intervention in this research involved a phased approach to “incrementally increase our understanding of a particular designed intervention in a particular context over time” (Hoadley, 2005, p.46). The phases of the intervention were implemented in widening stages, to facilitate a gradual increase in the tutors’ skills and encourage tutors to engage more in the practice of implementing e-learning for their clients. The final iteration of the online environment in this intervention was constructed in a way which provided the levels of access to the resources, members, and ongoing activity which were needed for a newcomer to this practice to learn from practitioners with more expertise, and become a full member of the community of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1999).

This phased intervention implementation for the ALEC fits within the “generic model for conducting design research in education” developed by McKenney and Reeves (2012). Their model (see Figure 1) displays the implementation and spread of an innovation, as well as the three core phases of design research: Analysis / Exploration, Design / Construction and Evaluation / Reflection. This leads to both theoretical understanding and a maturing intervention. Within this flexible process, iterative cycles take place at micro level for their three core phases, meso level for a combination of micro- cycles, and macro level for the whole research (McKenney & Reeves, 2012) (see Figure 2).

The original design of this present research was developed in a similar pattern, following the phases of Bannan-Ritland’s (2003) Integrative Learning Design Framework: Informed Exploration,

Enactment, Evaluation - local impact, and Evaluation - broader impact, and Publication. Exploration comprises clearly identifying the problem, reviewing the literature, and focussing on the

requirements of a specific context. Enactment includes the design and implementation of the intervention, and improvements developed during this process. Evaluation of the intervention for Bannan-Ritland took place in two stages. Only the first of these, which considered the local context, was undertaken in this research. The final stage, which required an evaluation of the impact of the intervention beyond the local context, was outside the scope of this study.

The overview of this present research (see Figure 3) shows the macro-cycle of the whole research with its three phases of Exploration, Enactment and Evaluation, and indicates the four meso-cycles, two of which take place within the Enactment phase. These meso-cycles incorporate micro cycles of Analysis / Exploration, Design / Construction or Evaluation / Reflection. An overview of the activities and methods used in each meso-cycle is included for clarity (see Figure 4) and the methods

themselves are discussed in more detail in section 3.5. The cycles which are most difficult to

illustrate are the multitude of still smaller iterative cycles of design, implementation, evaluation and redesign which take place for changes and adjustments implemented throughout the research, mostly during the Design / Construction micro-cycles. “The partnerships and iteration typical of design-based research … result in increasing alignment of theory, design, practice, and measurement over time” (Design-Based Research Collective, 2003, p.7), and these smaller iterative cycles underpin

the collaboration of researcher and practitioners in the development of the intervention at the centre of this research.

Figure 1: Generic model for conducting design research in education.

Figure 2: Micro-, meso-, and macro-cycles in educational design research.

Phase One: Exploration •Activities

•Evaluation of the existing environment

•Initial design of environment focused on facilitating resource sharing and communication

•Methods: •Design narrative

•Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews

•Analysis of activity logs,

statistics and artefacts from the Moodle environment

Phase Two: Enactment- cycle one •Activities

•Redesign and further

development of the intervention •Design of environment enhanced

to enable participation beyond resource sharing and

communication •Methods

•Design narrative

•Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews

•Analysis of activity logs,

statistics and artefacts from the Moodle environment

Phase Two: Enactment- cycle two •Activities

•Redesign and further

development of the intervention •Extension of the intervention to

allow some tutors to create and use online classrooms for their clients

•Methods

•Design narrative

•Semi-structured individual interviews

•Analysis of activity logs,

statistics and artefacts from the Moodle environment

•Online survey

Phase Three: Evaluation •Activities

•Refinement of the intervention •Continued implementation of the

refined intervention with both community focussed and

teaching focussed areas available for all tutors

•Methods

•Design narrative

•Semi-structured individual interviews

•Analysis of activity logs,

statistics and artefacts from the Moodle environment

•Online surveys

Figure 4: Timeline, main activities and methods used for each meso-cycle of the research process

3.2.1 Phase One: Exploration - Analysis and initial design

The research began in this Exploration phase with a broad initial literature review, comprising the major areas of professional development for educators and communities of practice. During this phase of the research the theoretical framework for this study was first established, drawing on theories in which communities educated their own members and encouraged them to master the community’s practice. Lave and Wenger’s analytical perspective of legitimate peripheral

participation was chosen as a lens through which to view the community and the learning which took place within the developing intervention.

A detailed formative evaluation of the existing environment was undertaken, with data being gathered from both the environment and the participants. This data was then drawn together thematically and analysed to produce categories. All this information, detailed in section 4.1, was interrogated alongside the developer’s design narrative and information gathered from the review of the literature. It was then synthesised to provide indications of the ways in which the online environment had provided solutions to the initial problem. As well as contributing to the findings of this research, the data was used to further refine and develop the online environment for the ALEC community of practice. Information provided by this first phase of the design-based research resulted in immediate improvement and expansion of the online environment.

3.2.2 Phase Two: Enactment - Redesign and further

development

This second phase of the research, Enactment, took place in two meso-cycles; the first meso-cycle focussed on enhancing the pre-existing online environment within which the ALEC community could operate as they became a blended community of online practice (BCoOP). The second meso-cycle focussed on extending the environment to include online classrooms for the tutors and their clients. These meso-cycles encompass the redesign and further development of the intervention through the micro-cycles of Analysis / Exploration, Design / Construction and Evaluation / Reflection and the smaller iterative cycles of design, enactment and evaluation, leading to refinements.

3.2.2.1 Meso-cycle One – The community spaces

Using the findings from the Phase One data, current theoretical understandings, and an update of the literature review, the online environment was enhanced to encourage further communication and resource sharing as well as the sharing of teaching practice. Observations were made and data was gathered to study the ways in which the enhanced environment had supported the

development of a BCoOP, and to distil design principles and guidelines. Observations, along with the developer’s design narrative; interviews with tutors, the office administrator and management; and analysis of the online logs, statistics and documentation produced were used to study the ALEC community interaction with the intervention, and its effectiveness in facilitating community participation in the online environment.

Meso-cycle one involved an update of the literature review and the narrowing of its scope to focus on the areas of online communities of practice for educators’ informal professional development and professional development for e-learning. The findings of Phase One were incorporated into the enhancements made at the beginning of this meso-cycle, and refined through micro-cycles. During

this cycle the intervention was studied for its ability to enhance the developing online practice of the participants, focussing on enabling productive communication and collaboration, as well as the use of the environment for tutor professional development. Throughout Phase Two meso-cycle one where information gathered, or feedback from community members, indicated possible

improvements to the online environment, changes were made and observed for indications of acceptance or adverse reactions by either individual members or the community as a whole. In addition to the data gathering methods in Phase One, this meso-cycle used a forum tool made available within the Moodle site to give tutors the ability to provide continual feedback on the environment as they used it, thus increasing the ability of the research to develop the intervention through the iterative cycles. Data was collected twice during this meso-cycle which overlapped successive meso-cycles. Formative collection and analysis of data took place at the end of June 2011, but this community focussed area of the online environment was kept under observation until data collection ceased in July 2012 (See Figure 4).

The findings from both Phase One and Phase Two meso-cycle one are recorded in detail in section 4.1. The formative and summative data gathered on this community focussed area of the online environment, the systematic documentation, and the artefacts produced during these meso-cycles of the research, were synthesised to form the design principles discussed in section 8.1 of this thesis. These design principles are encapsulated within a matrix of strategies for enabling and supporting the development of a blended community of online practice, which is the first instrument developed from the findings of this study.

3.2.2.2 Meso-cycle Two – The online classrooms

The second meso-cycle of this Enactment phase of the research extended the online environment to provide the ability for tutors to expand their use of e-learning. Following an update of the literature review, with a continued focus on the areas of online communities of practice for educators’ informal professional development and professional development for e-learning, the online environment was extended to include examples of online classrooms and resources to support the development of tutor created online classrooms. Details of these developments are recorded in section 5.1. Online classroom spaces were provided for three tutors to use with their clients and data was gathered on their first six months of developing and using the online classrooms. During this meso-cycle observations and regular contact with the tutors and management produced several iterative cycles which further refined the intervention. The collection of data for this meso-cycle began in May 2011 and overlapped cycle one until data collection ended in November 2011. Data gathered from cycle two and the updated literature review were used to identify further modifications which might increase the ability of the site to support professional development in e- learning for additional tutors in the next phase, Evaluation.

3.2.3 Phase Three: Evaluation

In Phase Three of the research, Evaluation, the opportunity to use the online environment for e- learning by developing an online classroom, was extended to the remainder of the ALEC tutors. Iterative cycles of design, enactment and evaluation were undertaken in this phase as each new tutor chose to undertake the development of an online classroom. These cycles also continued to

take place for the further development of the classroom focussed areas of the intervention as a whole. The collection of data for this meso-cycle began in November 2011 and ended in July 2012. The data gathered from Phase Three, and a further update of the literature review, were used to identify final modifications to the intervention. The findings of this phase relating to the newly engaged tutors are recorded in detail in sections 5.2 and 5.3. Summative data was gathered using similar methods as those already described, and retrospective analysis of all data gathered drew this phase of the research to a close.

The formative and summative data gathered on this online classroom focussed area of the

intervention, the systematic documentation, and the artefacts produced during last two meso-cycles of the research were synthesised to develop the second instrument developed from the findings of this study. This second instrument, a heuristic model to guide the investigation of the learning taking place within the online aspect of a blended community of online practice, is discussed in section 8.2.

3.2.4 Publication

The fourth and final phase, as described in Bannan-Ritland’s (2003) Integrative Learning Design Framework is that of Publication. Reeves, Herrington and Oliver (2005) have some sound advice on the dissemination of design-based research which includes the suggestion to “present in-progress reports of their design research initiatives at general international conferences” (p.109). Publication happened frequently throughout this research. The interim results, as they were produced, were disseminated through conferences. The completion of this doctoral thesis comprises the next publication opportunity, and it is hoped that there will be journal publications to follow. The development and use of the intervention by the community itself still continues and there may be future opportunities for both research and publication.

Existing publications are:

Tull, S. (2010). E-learning professional development within an online community of practice for adult educators. In N. Dabner, S. Bailey, J. Johnson & N. Davis (Eds.), Ulearn 10 - Research Stream, 2010 (pp. 66-70). Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Canterbury.

Tull, S. (2011a). Online community engagement through simplicity, relevance and connection. In G. Williams, P. Statham, N. Brown & B. Cleland (Eds.), Changing Demands, Changing Directions. Proceedings ascilite Hobart 2011, (pp. 1250-1254). Retrieved from http://www.leishman-associates.com.au/ascilite2011/downloads/papers/Tull-concise.pdf Tull, S. (2011b). Spirals of design:Design based research in e-learning professional

development. In J. Mackey, N. Dabner, J. Johnson & N. Davis (Eds.), Proceedings of ULearn 11 - Research Stream, Rotorua 2011 (pp. 77-85). Retrieved from http://events.core- ed.org/sites/events.core-ed.org/files/Ulearn11_Research_Proceedings_web.pdf Tull, S. (2012). A matrix for sustainable online community development. In. Future Challenges, Sustainable Futures Proceedings ascilite Wellington 2012, (pp. 936-938). Retrieved from

http://www.ascilite.org/conferences/Wellington12/2012/images/custom/tull%2c_susan_- _a_matrix.pdf

Tull, S. (2013, December). Examining blended community online – a model Electronic poster presented at Electric Dreams: 30th Annual Ascilite Conference, Sydney Retrieved from http://prezi.com/so39ovq3yl8w/examining-blended-community-online-a-model/

Tull, S. (2014). Investigating e-learning professional development within a blended community of online practice. In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational

Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications, 2014 (pp. 1939-1945). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/147740/

In document Enabling e-learning professional development through a blended community of online practice (Page 53-59)