Blog Post #3 - Research Gap in Methods of Online Learning
Blog Post #3
I felt that the articles I found tended to make generalized statements about discussion posts or interactive quizzes, but didn't specify what about the discussion post or quiz made it effective and more engaging for students. The gap in my research is that specific forms of delivery are not compared and contrasted. There were a few sources that did give specific examples of modes to try, but there wasn't an experiment done to compare the effectiveness of one form to the other. I feel as though I only scratched the surface of my topic. It was difficult to know what to search to find sources that were primarily focused on the design and writing instead of the instructor's delivery. Since writing my literature review, I have done more searching and have found some sources that I think are more related to technical writing, though they also do not seem to be so specific about which forms of delivery are most effective.
You found the perfect research gap to explore, and you are able to venture off in several different ways. Just this could be a series of publishable research opportunities where you explore modes of learning experiences, formatting efficiency and engagement, and a heuristic of an optimal online learning environment. What I think would be an interesting challenge is how each class might interact with these variables, as no class is the same even in the same semester. I also think it would be interesting to see how it varies by subject matter, or if their majors influence what platform they like most, almost as a social aspect to it. I really hope this continues outside of this class.
ReplyDeleteHi, Brynn!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a "niche" and understated research area, but increasingly important to investigate now. Given the abundance of discussion posts and interactive quizzes and how everything — including pedagogy and student participation — is going digital nowadays, one would imagine that a host of researchers, firms, content creators, and marketing teams would scramble to study what's effective in a bid to optimize and improve upon these. A more "commercial" or "private-sector" motivation, sure, but one that'd make sense and has a growing demand and opportunities behind it.
Alas, it appears you've encountered no such thing. I've encountered some surprising research gaps myself (for context: I'm investigating the visual rhetoric of visual encyclopedias, especially the role and inclusion of technical drawings, diagrams, and illustrations), but since yours seems to be empirical research (given the emphasis on engagement with students and experimenting with what they're receptive to), the evidence you're searching for may be more difficult than mine. From what I understand, that seems to be one pitfall of empirical-research gaps: if there's little precedent for how to conduct observations or experiments in the real world, then designing methodology to match it is more often done from scratch and/or requires trial and error first.
Still, certain examples of the kinds of factors and variables that make a difference in how effective discussion posts and interactive quizzes are would be appreciated. Just riffing off the top of my head, I suspect website aesthetics, how questions are phrased, and other visual or content choices effect students' perception and performance, but I can't guess any further or narrow it down more granularity unless specifics are listed. If I were you, I'd keep an eye for these and note them in your methods and research proposal. After all, rhetoric is everything. 🤷 😎 ✍️
All the best,
Ethan
ENGL 6401-50
Hi Brynn,
ReplyDeleteI think your Lit. Review and blog #3 both suggest great possibilities for research on effective online pedagogies from a TWDR standpoint. After having read your sources from the previous writing assignment, I really like your idea of comparing/contrasting specific forms of delivery for online instructions. Your blog reflection seems to springboard a rhetorical exigency for this type of inquiry and am sure, once your research design/proposal has been set from a specific methodology (and if conducted after 6401), it would be a welcome addition to TWDR scholarship. I believe you've established a good opening/edge here to pursue your topic all the more. Am looking forward to chatting with you more about your plans.
Additional TIP: There is a published TWDR study from our textbook's 1st edition that you might want to check out -- though it's not really about online delivery, the method might be of interest(?). The title of the study is "HOw the Design of Headlines in Presentation Slides Affects Audience Retention" bu Michael Alley, et al. --> originally published in the journal _Technical Communcation_ in 2006 so feel free to search the full-text periodical via library.utahtech.edu.... OR maybe you can request it through Interlibrary Loan. Here's the textbook info just in case:
Title: A Research Primer for Technical Communication: Methods, Exemplars, and Analyses
Authors: Michael Hughes and George Hayhoe
Year: 2008
Publisher: Routledge
CHAPTER 8
Hang in there,
Dr. B