Technology‐enhanced research: educational ICT systems as research instruments

Abstract

Determining the potential of educational information and communications technology for enhancing teaching and learning is the subject of a great deal of research activity. This paper argues that the technologies employed to enhance learning can also be exploited for the enhancement of research. Recorded learner-system interactions, dynamically captured computer screen activity and visual attention tracking all provide sources of rich process data that can be triangulated with tradition learning outcome (product) data. Such multiple data source approaches can be used in various research design and methodological contexts-design experiments, microgenetic experiments, case studies and so on. Process-analytic methods can reveal the fine details of an individual's learning trajectory and permit the effects of short-timescale interventions upon longer term learning outcomes to be assessed. In this paper, three illustrations of technology-enhanced research (TER) are described. The first example (switchER) illustrates an iterative learner-centred design cycle. The second example (Hyperproof) illustrates how process data can elucidate individual differences in learning. The third example (PATSy, VL-PATSy) demonstrates how an established online e-learning system can be used as a tool for identifying students' clinical reasoning difficulties and how it can then be extended by having additional learning support resources added to it together with a context-sensitive, rule-based delivery system. The paper concludes with a discussion of broader TER issues such as the need to anticipate and plan for the analysis of large amounts of rich data. It concludes by suggesting some further ways in which TER might be exploited and provides links to some potentially useful TER tools and resources.

“…If we were cavemen we'd be fine”: Facebook as a catalyst for critical literacy learning by dyslexic sixth‐form students

“…Methods used in this study included participant observation, interviews, video, dynamic screen capture (Cox, ) and protocol analysis (Ericsson and Simon, ). This range of methods helped capture much of the depth and complexity of the students’ online and offline interactions with each other and with Facebook as they contributed to the group and co‐constructed their Facebook page.…”

ICTs in Speech and Language Therapy

“…ICT in speech therapy can be used as a real clinical tool for diagnosis and intervention and so far includes webbased content, simulations and microworlds, adaptive systems, intelligent tutoring systems, virtual reality, handheld and mobile devices, virtual learning environments as well as tele-health [3].…”

“…Moreover, they can be used as measurement instruments to promote research on the field of Speech Therapy [3,4].…”

Winking at Facebook: Capturing Digitally Mediated Classroom Learning

“…Beneito-Montagut's (2011), 'expanded ethnography' for online settings, in fact relies on participant-observation and interviews, as we would expect any ethnography to. In contrast, this study adopted multiple methods including participant-observation, semistructured interviews, whole-classroom video recordings, dynamic screen capture (Asselin & Moayeri, 2010;Cox, 2007), and protocol analysis (Ericsson & Simon, 1993). This combination of methods used gives a fuller, more multidimensional, emic account of events than Beneito-Montagut's.…”

“…I therefore obtained data using screen-capture software, recording the students' on-screen actions during two of the project sessions. Cox (2007) points out that recorded learnercomputer interactions (which might include switches between programmes, responses to presented problems and so on) can be readily captured and analysed to reveal the fine detail of an individual's learning trajectory, as well as differences between learners. These qualities made such data suitable for this study, where a high level of detail regarding individuals' learning was required.…”