Mobile Media Technologies and their impact on academic collaboration
beyond the walls of the classroom
Douglas W. Conrad
C Y C L E O N E Data
The evidences for analysis of the action of this first cycle of my ARP are:
1. The Archivist - Twitter analytic tool
2. Professor interviews
1. Tweet data from Archivist-
Two courses involved in this action:
- RS020 1
- 9 tweet discussions with 31 following
- RS020 2
- 7 tweet discussions with 21 following
This screen shot is an example of the reports that will be generated for analysis for the next cycles
1. The Archivist - Twitter analytic tool
2. Professor interviews
1. Tweet data from Archivist-
Two courses involved in this action:
- RS020 1
- 9 tweet discussions with 31 following
- RS020 2
- 7 tweet discussions with 21 following
This screen shot is an example of the reports that will be generated for analysis for the next cycles
Data Collection:
I have looked at the use of this mobile media technology in light of the quality and quantity of the use by students and the professor.
For quantity, I used The Archivist, a web based app that charts the activity of any Twitter account or feed. This app shows the activity of individual students and shows what topics of discussion were most popular. While this does just tell one part of the story, it is important to show the level of adoption. For this intro to the action of this research I took one snapshot of the tweet activity of the students to test the analysis options of this tool. The data shows a small sample of users and the topics discussed. This tool appears to offer useful information about the quantity as well as the quality of the tweet conversations. This quantitative part of the data shows that adoption of this tool did not happen "organically" with this class as I had hoped. From what I have gathered in this cycle, I believe that students need some more guidance to effectively integrate a new tool into their academic experience. In cycle two, we will adjust the action and see what effect it will have on the quantity of tweets.
For quality of the use of this tool, I look to my journal logs and interviews. While I can view how the action is taking place, it will be important to gather the feedback from those directly involved in the use of this tool. For this cycle, the professor and class began with a week of activity and then the use dropped off. The action of this cycle began with the beginning of the semester and it was thought that we would see how with a little guidance, the students might "naturally"adopt this technology. The professor, along with the students, did not follow through on this project. When I realized this, it became clear that I needed to reflect and plan action for the next cycle. For this cycle, I was able to gather an intro and an exit interview with the professor and none from the students. In the next cycle, I will also have interviews with students involved in this ARP.
My journal documents the day to day reflections on the ebb and flow of this action research. The user interviews show some detail of the actual impact this action had on the individual and group student learning outcomes. In another form of research, there would be a control group - one that did not use the tool to compare to the group that did use the tool. Then there would be a standardized test that would again, help compare the two sets of data. All of this would be done from a "safe distance" as the researcher would not be connected personally with the research. In action research the researcher is in the middle and involved in the action. My reflections and insights from my journal logs are not those of an unassociated bystander watching from the control booth, but of one of the people involved with the other people involved in the action of the research.
Professor interviews
Professor intro interview - August 22.2012
I met with the professor in response to a couple of conversations we had over the summer. He had approached me to talk about what tool or technology might be integrated into his classes that would allow his students to wrestle with the course topics in their lives outside of the classroom. I offered to include him and his classes int the first cycle of my action research project using Twitter to discover the impact of mobile media technologies on academic collaboration beyond the walls of the classroom. We had both looked at previous research and reports from professors and courses that had employed Twitter for informal learning. We talked about the logistics of setting up his students with disposable Twitter accounts, setting up two class accounts and how to have the students follow the accounts. We agreed that I and my staff would come to his classes the first week and assist with the set up. I provided a how to email that the professor could send to his classes. We discussed his apprehensions about implementing a new tech tool and in general how he might utilize Twitter to encourage his students' discussions outside of class. We both left the conversation encouraged about the possibilities of this action.
Professor cycle one end interview - October 5, 2012
I met with the professor to discuss the progress or lack of it for this project. In my learning circle, I realized that I had reached the limit of the action for this cycle and needed to adjust the action of this research project. The professor and I talked about how we both thought the students would more naturally adopt this technology. He shared that since this was a new technology to him and not a habit for him, the busyness of his course work allowed his use of Twitter to wane and had not put enough time into directing his students use of this. While this is not how either of us envisioned the action taking place, we discussed what we had learned and what steps forward we could take, The professor suggested that we might have better traction with the students if he gave them clearer direction and expectations. I suggested that it might help also if the students were given a better sense of the context of this action research. We discussed the types of information that might help the students understand the scope of this action. We both left the meeting feeling positive about the next steps.
I have looked at the use of this mobile media technology in light of the quality and quantity of the use by students and the professor.
For quantity, I used The Archivist, a web based app that charts the activity of any Twitter account or feed. This app shows the activity of individual students and shows what topics of discussion were most popular. While this does just tell one part of the story, it is important to show the level of adoption. For this intro to the action of this research I took one snapshot of the tweet activity of the students to test the analysis options of this tool. The data shows a small sample of users and the topics discussed. This tool appears to offer useful information about the quantity as well as the quality of the tweet conversations. This quantitative part of the data shows that adoption of this tool did not happen "organically" with this class as I had hoped. From what I have gathered in this cycle, I believe that students need some more guidance to effectively integrate a new tool into their academic experience. In cycle two, we will adjust the action and see what effect it will have on the quantity of tweets.
For quality of the use of this tool, I look to my journal logs and interviews. While I can view how the action is taking place, it will be important to gather the feedback from those directly involved in the use of this tool. For this cycle, the professor and class began with a week of activity and then the use dropped off. The action of this cycle began with the beginning of the semester and it was thought that we would see how with a little guidance, the students might "naturally"adopt this technology. The professor, along with the students, did not follow through on this project. When I realized this, it became clear that I needed to reflect and plan action for the next cycle. For this cycle, I was able to gather an intro and an exit interview with the professor and none from the students. In the next cycle, I will also have interviews with students involved in this ARP.
My journal documents the day to day reflections on the ebb and flow of this action research. The user interviews show some detail of the actual impact this action had on the individual and group student learning outcomes. In another form of research, there would be a control group - one that did not use the tool to compare to the group that did use the tool. Then there would be a standardized test that would again, help compare the two sets of data. All of this would be done from a "safe distance" as the researcher would not be connected personally with the research. In action research the researcher is in the middle and involved in the action. My reflections and insights from my journal logs are not those of an unassociated bystander watching from the control booth, but of one of the people involved with the other people involved in the action of the research.
Professor interviews
Professor intro interview - August 22.2012
I met with the professor in response to a couple of conversations we had over the summer. He had approached me to talk about what tool or technology might be integrated into his classes that would allow his students to wrestle with the course topics in their lives outside of the classroom. I offered to include him and his classes int the first cycle of my action research project using Twitter to discover the impact of mobile media technologies on academic collaboration beyond the walls of the classroom. We had both looked at previous research and reports from professors and courses that had employed Twitter for informal learning. We talked about the logistics of setting up his students with disposable Twitter accounts, setting up two class accounts and how to have the students follow the accounts. We agreed that I and my staff would come to his classes the first week and assist with the set up. I provided a how to email that the professor could send to his classes. We discussed his apprehensions about implementing a new tech tool and in general how he might utilize Twitter to encourage his students' discussions outside of class. We both left the conversation encouraged about the possibilities of this action.
Professor cycle one end interview - October 5, 2012
I met with the professor to discuss the progress or lack of it for this project. In my learning circle, I realized that I had reached the limit of the action for this cycle and needed to adjust the action of this research project. The professor and I talked about how we both thought the students would more naturally adopt this technology. He shared that since this was a new technology to him and not a habit for him, the busyness of his course work allowed his use of Twitter to wane and had not put enough time into directing his students use of this. While this is not how either of us envisioned the action taking place, we discussed what we had learned and what steps forward we could take, The professor suggested that we might have better traction with the students if he gave them clearer direction and expectations. I suggested that it might help also if the students were given a better sense of the context of this action research. We discussed the types of information that might help the students understand the scope of this action. We both left the meeting feeling positive about the next steps.