Exploiting Rapid Change in Technology

Enhanced Learning

… for Post Graduate Education

DESIGNING RESEARCH: Part One with Exercise

The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. Steve Ballmer

More information

in… the book

More information on…

any of the DN Portals – Phase 1

Menu and Milestones

GOALS & Agenda

Tools to help

Exercise: Getting Your Design Solid

as Quickly as Possible

Overview of What is Needed

The Process

Overview of What is Needed

TOPICS:1. What is a dissertation or

thesis? Parts? Logic?2. What elements are

necessary in research design?

3. What if your degree is not a PhD or you won’t be doing a dissertation/thesis?

KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND YOU WILL GET THERE FASTER

People in phase one: research design, need to be prepared to visit the same material with new ideas, over and over. In fact that is the very fabric of academic life.

The Process: Iterative

The Process From Topic to Design

1. Literature2. Drives problem ideas3. Drives research ideas4. Checked against more literature – on the

research5. Drives methodological ideas6. Drive the literature7. Then you ground your ideas with a

theoretical underpinning 8. You present your design9. When it passes you are ready to start to write

Literature

Technology to help:1. Following a map through the maze2. Major and minor milestones3. Bibliographic software

REMEMBER YOU WANT TO WORK ON WHAT INTERESTS YOU –AT THE START THIS IS CRITICAL

Drives Problem IdeasREMEMBER YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING YOU CAN MEASURE

Technology to help:

1. Automation© on Problem

Drives Research IdeasFINDING YOUR TOPIC AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS OFTEN TAKES

MULTIPLE ITERATIONS

Technology to help:

1. Automation© on Topic2. Automation© on Research Questions

Checked against more literature –on the researchYOU ARE NOW BEGINNING TO LOOK FOR GAPS AS WELL AS HOW

OTHERS HAVE STUDIED SIMILAR / TANGENTIAL TOPICS

Technology to help:

1. Using a spreadsheet to keep track of literature

Drives methodological ideasREMEMBER THE METHODOLOGY IS DRIVEN BY:

WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW,

WHAT PARTS YOU CARE ABOUT,

HOW BIG YOUR SAMPLE WOULD BE

Technology to help:

1. Logic of Design Tool, first 3 sections

Drives the literatureNOW THE LITERATURE IS USED TO INFORM YOUR READER OF ALL THE

BITS AND PIECES THAT IMPACT YOUR METHODOLOGY SO THAT THEY

UNDERSTAND YOUR STUDY AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

Technology to help:

1. Logic of Design Tool – last segment

Then you sort your theoretical underpinning CRITICAL FOR PHDS – MAY NOT BE SO IMPORTANT FOR OTHERS

Technology to help:

1. Search 2. Milestone search3. Getting discouraged? Opt-in for 365s

You present your designINCLUDING ALL THESE PARTS

Tools to Help & CONTENT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

PLACES TO GO WHEN YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW YOUR QUESTIONS1. MILESTONES2. MAPS3. Phase One

menu

DO YOU KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK NEXT?

PLACES TO GO WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR QUESTIONS1. SEARCH2. Drop down

milestones in middle of control panel

PLACES TO GO WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE “Got it!”1. AUTOMATIONS2. Your advisor

STEP ONE:Know your milestones

Step Two: Follow the Map

TECHNOLOGY: 1) CONTENT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONSWHEN YOU KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS YOU WANT ANSWERED

PLACES TO SEARCH1. Milestone content2. Skill development content3. Motivational content4. Search

TECHNOLOGY:Helping you build skills

• Academic Writing

• Reading Academic Literature

• Critical Thinking/Analysis

• Organization

• Planning and Time Management

• Motivation

WHEN YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE DOING WHAT IS NEEDED

Automations© (Self Assessments)SPECIFIC TOOLS: For Specific Jobs

When you want to test yourself prior to

showing your work to others, OR you

need to understand academic

parameters, OR you want to boost

your self confidence – be on sure

ground before you move forward.

Automations© - left sidebar of your control panel

Exercise…

1. Decide where you are in the iterative process2. Go to that slide and play with the tools

described there.3. Email your results to alana@doctoralnet.com

or post them in skype @doctoralnet4. Go on to the next and repeat as time allows5. Come to next session on what makes designs

credible (or impressive)

What’s Up at DoctoralNet?

1. Webinars through December – Phase 1, 2, and 3, covered each month

2. Fridays – quick technology examples per topic:

Oct 7th 2. read literature & understand bias

Oct 14th 3. find your problem and statement & topic

Oct 21st 4. organize your literature review

Oct 28th 5. Increase your academic writing skills

Nov 4th 6. develop your writing plan

Nov 11th 7. what goes where tools

Nov 18th 8. keep your motivation up

Nov 25th 9. design and implementation of your data collection

3. Special pricing for year’s membership month of Oct. 50% off full year of

technology.