comps reading - Handbook of Research on Educational Communication and Technology Ch.39 Qualitative Research Issues and Methods

It's been a while since last post, the one on 24th Aug. For one reason, I was busy in using google site to build my resume, as mentioned earlier, though not much progression since then. On the other hand, I think I need to apologize for myself being procrastinated over and over again. It almost tool me one week to finish another comps reading: Handbook of Research on Educational Communication and Technology-Ch.39 Qualitative Research Issues and Methods: An Introduction for Educational Technologists. Though it is a big book and the chapter I read was really many pages long, yet I admit these are only excuese. It's really only a matter of being persistent and concentrated enough to determine if you can succeed.

Anywyay, here's the excerpt, three pages long in MS word. Though lengthy it is, I think this does provide a comprehensive overview for qualitative study in our field. With other revelant textbook handy, now I don't think I need to print the CH.39 out. In a way, I save some small money, which is always something I did as usual.

1. Borg and Gall (1989) name the two approaches (i.e. qualitative and quantitative) positivistic and naturalistic, comparing them on the dimensions of the vision of the nature of reality, the relationship of the researcher to the research subject, issues of generalizability, discussion of causality, and the role of values (P.1046).

2. Early research efforts often used qualitative methods to evaluate and describe the use of media in the classroom (P.1047).

3. Although not researchers per se, instructional systems designers have always used the qualitative methods of surveys, interviews, and observations during the front-end analysis and evaluation phases of development. […] Driscoll (1995) suggests that educational technologists select research paradigms based on what they perceive as the most critical questions. […..] Many teachers, trainers, administrators, managers, community members, and instructional leaders contend that the evolution of new technologies will continue to change the nature of teaching, training, instruction, and learning (Ambron & Hooper, 1990, 1998; Lambert & Sallis, 1987; Schwartz, 1987; Schwier, 1987; U.S. Congress, OTA, 1988). (P.1048)

4. Qualitative Research Methods:

(1) Grounded theory

(2) Participants Observation

(3) Nonparticipant observation

(4) Interviews—Goetz and LeCompte (1984) describe three techniques for structured interviews: confirmation instruments, participant-construct instrument, and projective devices (P.1057).

¨ Confirmation instruments verify the applicability of data gathered from key-informant interviews or observations across segments of the population being studied.

¨ Participant-construct instruments may be used to measure degrees of feelings that individuals have about phenomena or in having them classify events, situations techniques, or concepts from their perspectives.

¨ Projective devices such as photographs, drawings, other visuals, or other objects may be used to elicit individuals’ opinions or feelings, helping researchers clarify what is going on in the situation.

(5) Documents and artifacts analysis (P.1058)

¨ Goetz and LeCompte (1984, P.155) provide guidelines for artifact collection, identifying for activities in this type of method: locating artifacts, identifying the material, analyzing it, and evaluating it. They recommend that the more informed the researcher is about the subjects and setting, the more useful artifacts may be identified and the more easily access may be gained to those artifacts.

¨ The meaning of artifacts is often intensely personal and subjective, so that verification of findings through triangulation is recommended.

5. Overall approaches to analyze qualitative data—based on the philosophical approach underlying the study (P.1059). Miles and Huberman (1994) outline three overall approaches to analyzing qualitative data:

¨ An “interpretive” approach would be phenoniological in nature or based on social interactionism.

¨ A “collaborative social research” is often used by action researchers in partnership composed of members of many, and sometimes opposing, organizations.

¨ “Social anthropology” relies primarily on ethnography, providing detailed and rich descriptions across multiple data resources. Goetz and LeCompte (1994) call this “recursive approach.”

6. Miles and Huberman (1994, P.10) state that qualitative data analysis consists of “three concurrent flows of activity: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification.”

7. Researchers may derive patterns in ways Goetz and LeCompte call “analytical induction (P.179),” reviewing data for categories of phenomena, defining sets of relationships, developing hypothesis, collecting more data, and refining hypotheses accordingly. Those using a grounded-theory approach may employ “constant comparison.” […..] Field notes consist of observations and the researcher’s interpretations. Bogdan and Biklen (1984) call former content “the descriptive part (P.108)” and the latter “the reflective part (P.121).”

8. Coding data (P.1060):

(1) Miles and Huberman (1994) suggest that data can be coded descriptively or interpretively.

(2) Bogdan and Biklen (1992) recommend reading data over at least several times to begin to develop a coding scheme.

(3) Goetz and LeCompte describe coding to form a taxonomic analysis, a sort of outline of what is related to what, and in what ways.

9. Criteria for evaluating qualitative studies (P.1063)—validity can be created in three ways:

(1) multiple observers in teams can cross-check data and patterns continually

(2) the researcher can refine and test propositions and hypotheses throughout the study, in a grounded-theory approach

(3) the researcher can write using “verisimilitude” or “vraisemblance” (P.383), or writing that makes the world of the subjects real to the reader; the reader recognizes the authenticity of the results. (member check)

10. Lincoln and Guba (1985) agree with others that conventional criteria are inappropriate for qualitative studies and that alternate criteria do exist: a) credibility; b) transferability; c) dependability; and d) confirmability. Erlandson et al (1993) describe the following techniques for ensuring the quality of a qualitative study (P.1064):

(1) prolonged engagement

(2) persistent observation

(3) triangulation

(4) referential adequacy

(5) peer debriefing

(6) member checking

(7) reflexive journal

(8) thick description

(9) purposive sampling

(10) audit trail

using google site to build up my website for resume

This is it: Gaze Upon Ying-Chu Liao (Angela Liao). Still under construction. Don't know when to finish, what to include, and how to build. Everything to me is still in the phase of exploration, though I used to use google site creating my learning object.

When it comes to why to build this website, what I have is nothing but maybe merely a vague attempt that I want to include all my relevant experiences and qualifications and accomplishments to win some offer from some employers. To some extent, I think the attempt itself is crystal clear. The purpose is self-explanatory enough to understand.

What is tricky is that what job I want to seek when becoming the job-seeker. All too often I have been bombarded with this hard-to-answer question, and all too often my answer is "as long as there is an employer who can offer me the opportunity". Such answer is practical, yet it is impractical as well, for it would be difficult to find a job you really want if one doesn't know what he or she wants to do. As I'm not clear about what job I will be looking forward to after graduation, I cannot set a specific direction for my resume website. Without the direction, I think what I do now is merely to repeat what I present in my paper-based resume, in a more detailed manner. However, I know that mere repetition wouldn't do me good for my job-hunting. From the resume I must show something more than paper resume and relevant to the job I will be seeking then.

That to clarify the direction really matters.

comps reading - How People Learn – Chapter5. Mind and Brain

1.Summary research findings of this chapter:
(1)The functional organization of the brain and the mind depends on and benefits from positively from experiences.
(2)Development is not merely a biologically driven unfolding process, but also an active process that derives essential information from experiences.
(3)Research has shown that some experiences have the most powerful effects during specific sensitive periods, while others can affect the brain over a much longer time span.

2.Memory is neither a single entity nor a phenomenon that occurs in a single area of brain. There are two basic memory processes: 1) declarative memory; 2) procedural or non-declarative memory (P.124).

3.Research has indicated that the mind is not just a passive recorder of events, rather, it is actively at work both in “sorting” and in “recalling” information (P.124).

4.In an act of efficiency and “cognitive economy” (Gibson, 1969), the mind creates categories for processing information. Thus, it is a feature of learning that memory processes make relational links to other information (P.124).

5.Classes of words, pictures, and other categories of information that involve complex cognitive processing on a repeated basis activate the brain. Activation sets into motion the events that are encoded as part of long-term memory. Memory processes treat both true and false memory events similarly and, as shown by imaging technologies, activate the same brain regions, regardless of the validity of what is being remembered. Experience is important for the development of brain structures, and what is registered in the brain as memories of experiences can include one’s own mental activities (P.125).

6.One of the primary differences between the novice and the expert is the manner in which information is organized and utilized (P.125).

7.Development is not solely the unfolding of programmed patterns. One of the simplest rules is that practice increases learning; in the brain, there is a similar relationship between the amount of experience in a complex environment and the amount of structural change (P.125).

8.The learning of specific appears to alter the specific regions of the brain involved in the task. The brain is a dynamic organ, shaped to a great extent by experience—by what a living being does, and has done (P.126).

comps reading - How People Learn – Chapter4. How Children Learn

1.Theoretical framework of infants’ learning:
(1)Jean Piaget: the world of young infants is an egocentric fusion of the internal and external worlds and that the development of an accurate representation of physical reality depends on the gradual coordination of schemes of looking, listening, and touching.
(2)Vygotsky (1978): the active role of learner; zone of proximal development

2.Language acquisition cannot take place in the absence of shared social and situational contexts because the latter provide information about the meanings of words and sentences structures (Chapman, 1978). The child uses meaning as a clue to language rather than language as a clue to meaning (MacNamara, 1972).

3.Learning in children:
(1)Children have less memory capacity than adults.
(2)Children and adults have roughly the same mental capacity, but with development, children acquire knowledge and develop effective activities (i.e. strategies, e.g. rehearsal, elaboration, summarization, clustering).
(3)Metacognition

4.Three key finding concerning “Multiple strategies, strategies choices” emerging from studies: (P.98-100)
(1)discoveries are often made not in response to impasses or failures but rather in the context of successful performance
(2)short-lived transition strategies often precede more enduring approaches
(3)generalization of new approaches often occur very slowly, even when children can provide compelling rationales for their usefulness (Karmiloff-Smith, 1992; Kuhn, 1995; Siegler and Growley, 1991)

5.One of the applications of “multiple intelligences (proposed by Gardner, 1983, 1991: the existence of seven relatively autonomous intelligences: linguistic, logical, musical, special, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, (and intrapersonal, naturalistic 1997))” to education is the attempt to modify traditional curricula.

6.Children’s early understanding of the perceptual and physical world may jump-start the learning process, even making learning possible, but one should look with caution for ways in which early knowledge may impede later learning.

7.Children are both problem solvers and problem generators.

8.Children exhibit capacities that are shaped by environmental experiences and the individuals who care for them (e.g., caregivers, parents, playing the role of more capable facilitators, concept and application of “zone of proximal development”)

movie - Cape No.7

At last I watched Cape No.7, probably the best-selling Taiwanese film for the past several years, which made its box office record even outperform some Hollywood films then. More than two hours in length, it is worthwhile to spend such time watching the movie, with many diverse reasons and perspectives that we can justify ourselves, say, I am so proud that we can have such excellent a locally-produced "made-in-Taiwan" film. Though this may be merely a sense of vanity, yet the feeling is fantastic haha.

Before digging into the film, as usual, let's watch the trailer first:



I think there are some reasons that contribute Cape No. 7 a hit. First the cast is fresh to audience, with Taiwanese and Japanese singers and actors and actresses. Very often, especially maybe in Taiwanese dramas, we keep seeing similar faces, which keep us away from finding everything fresh and new. Secondly, Cape No.7 not only has beautiful actress and handsome actor, but also unsophiticated characters. Most of the lines expressed in the film are so familiar to Taiwanese people, and you should always know that language carries out emotions and feelings, moreover, even the sense of identity with something you are familiar with. In addition, this film reflected the theme of not only romance, but also persistence when pursuing dreams and the affection toward your homeland. The affection is sort of displayed by contrasting the Japanese event coordinator and the Pingtong people who seem to be constrained in this small village. Last but not the lease, this film employs lots of musical elements, and it is crystal clear that music is powerful in conveying emotions as well.

Apart from the content and the characters, I especially like the music, the two songs, in the film. Let's end up this posting with the two beautiful songs.





To sum up, thank you, Cape No.7.

movie - Angels and Demons

earching from the google picture, I discovered there are at least two versions of the posters. Both to me are impressive to me and may serve different functions. They are shown as follows. Honestly, I prefer the one with the winged angel, with its grayness displaying a spooky feeling.





Overall I would rate this movie as acceptable, and I'm not sure if this is because I read the novel before watching the movie. The movie itself is thrilling enough to make me a little bit suspensive, yet it is not so spectacular that drives me to recommend other to watch in the movie theater (anyway I myself did not go to theater watching it either...) I still like Tom Hanks, but not to the extent of being his crazy fan. It is always the case that when you watch a movie that you already read its novel before, more or less you will be affected when watching the movie, and very often the influence is disappointment. I would clarify, though, I was not disappointed at the movie. It's just ok to me, and I did not have much expectation laid on the movie before watching.

Let's take a look at the trailer:



After watching the movie, I really don't think the Church needs to worry about being demonized by the movie, for the upshot is more positive than I assumed: the newly-elected Pope is liberal, instead of cynical toward science. Though throughout the movie, the oppressed scientific organization Illuminati is repeated over and over again, trying to relate the oppression the past Church did with the science world. However, the result in the movie, as well as the novel, shows that the whole murder is nothing but something plotted perfectly by someone from Church, in order to call for people's attention on revive the spirit and orthodox of Church. The person plotting the whole murders died heroically, according to the Church official announcement. Yet the Church key figure, as well as the leading male and female characters, knew the person committed suicide after being revealed plotting the whole murders.

Back to reality, though studying Bible and attending church, yet I don't self-identify as a Christian. From Christianity perspective, I may be either a Buddhist or an atheist. I do recognize the existence of God, yet I'm not sure if the God I recognize is the same as the God in Christatianity or not. I also value the external life and truth the Christan God may grant to us, yet I'm not sure if that's something I am pursuing or want. To some extent, I am pro-postmodernist, and the only truth to me is everything changes as time goes by, more or less.

movie - 17 again

Last week was my movie week, which, I guess, was an attempt that I had for myself to fill in the emptiness caused by my getting rid of Ugly Betty from my daily life. So far I totally watched three movies: 17 Again, Angels and Demons, and Cape No.7. I plan to watch the fourth movie recently: Twilight. As you can see from the poster above, this posting will be reflection of "17 Again." But before that, maybe some entertainment is required, not only for physical pleasure, but also for memory refreshment. Here's the trailer:



At first glance, the movie seemed to share some commonalities with the movie Click, and it is the case in some aspects to me. At least, both dealt with the main character involving a journey related to time. While "17 again" goes back to the "glorious past," "Click" has more control for the time the main character wants to be: ether going to the past or flying to the future. The ultimate theme to me is a little bit similar as well. Though you have opportunities to either go back or toward your specific period of life time to change your previous bad decision or to avoid something bad from happening, yet there's trade-off of missing something. In a sense both main characters changed their life, yet what made their life changed is not the decision they change, but the different inspiration they acquired when faced with the changing moment in their life, caused by something mysterious.

While both movie are funny, I still like "Click" more than "17 Again," for I think "Click" is not only funnier but also touching. One thing that "17 Again" outperforms "Click", though, is that Zac Efron is really eye-catching. But he is not my cup of tea haha...