Pilot Data Collection
2. An account of the data collection pilot,
Many teachers and TAs access educational resources in their own homes in the first instance. This forms part of their planning process. Ideally teachers might be able to do this during their PPA time in future but this is not the current situation in my school. I want to use observations as part of my data collection but I can't go round to people's houses and watch them as they access my sites. Using the internet is often quite a private thing and answering some questions or keeping a check list is less intrusive than watching someone.
I wanted to get rich qualitative data and I am aware that the physical environment is often an important component in qualitative studies, so I asked them to include any external distractions that occurred in the session. I also asked people to take a digital photograph of where the session took place. (Camera available to borrow if required).
I designed a log sheet and asked 6 of my colleagues to visit a page I had created as a portal to provide easy access to 3 resources. I asked them to fill the sheet in and return it to me within a two week period. In return for this I offered to do various jobs for them in my own time.
4 sheets were returned - 2 fully filled in and two partially. No photographs were returned.
2.1 Description of analysis of the results
I used a technique from grounded theory to analyse the log sheets. This meant I had to identify a category by looking at the first phrase and asking a series of questons about its meaning. I then assigned a code to this category. I then went through the rest of the data looking for other phrases that also fit this category. When that was saturated (no more to be found) I went back and identified the next category.
This results in with a series of categories, which can then be looked at them and inter-relationships between them noted.
I had an in depth discussion in my learning set with Andy Roberts, my peer review partner.
(See Appendix1)
This is quite significant and something I will use again.
The analysis produced various categories.I then reflected on these and divided them into those I had some control over and those beyond my control.
I decided to only use part of the grounded theory technique
I really ought to relate these categories to theory as well.
Still that is taking it a bit far for what was basically an initial investigation - I've got my data analysis started. What I'm going to do now is apply a reflection technique,
(from a posting to my AR2 learning Set)
2.12 Discussion of the results.
I decided I could justify giving the findings equal weight as even one instance highlights a theme for future investigation. I did think I might try to make a tag cloud to display them and that would show visually the relative number of instances. I decided this was something to investigate for the future.
Reflecting on the data showed me several aspects of the sites that I could work to improve. It also confirmed that adding aspects of the' read write web' might help to address some of these issues. For example moving the Practical Literacy site to a wiki would mean that staff could easily add their own experiences and explanations and the site could become a valuable growing resource for ideas rather than a snapshot. Moving the Classroom Displays Archive to a blog would mean that people no longer had to log on to Flickr to make comments and there would be no adverts.
2.2 An account of the pilot exhibition,
See Appendix 3 for link to presentation materials
2.21 The Presentation
The Year Three Classroom at 12.25........ I was very nervous and feeling sick.
At 12.30 9 people arrived, 4 who had filled in log sheets, 3 who had
not but who had expressed an interest. One person who used to be my workplace advocate.
People were given coffee and chocolate cake as they came in.
The atmosphere seemed friendly and relaxed.
People looked attentive and seemed interested.
Explaining the data analysis method using a borrowed laptop as my mac is not compatible.
Proof of audience - you can just see someone's feet at the edge of this photo.
"And this is what you should be seeing if the internet had not just cut out...."
Luckily I had almost finished and it was the last slide. People clapped and
someone asked a question about how the dragon display had been made.
I wrote in my on-line research journal:
Presenting my initial research findings to my co-workers today was really hard work.
They listened attentively, asked interesting questions, and were generally very kind to me.
Bribing them with chocolate cake helped!
(Acting to Improve 21/11/05)
2.23 Data Collection
Account of the data collection from the pilot exhibition
The pilot presentation finished at 12.40 and was followed by an attempt
at holding a structured focus group with 4 of the audience to obtain feed back.
My attempt at a focus group was dire from the point of view of getting any feedback on the research or the presentation of it. It was like herding cats trying to get them to give any sort of answers to my questions. Two of them....... wanted to know more about blogs and wikis, which I'd only mentioned in passing at the end. Funny I was quite positive about it at the time but listening to the recording again it's clear I have no worthwhile feedback at all. (posting to AR2)
Evaluation sheets were given out with pens. Second portions of cake were taken. I tried to get people to fill in the forms before they left the room to no avail.
More sheets were provided in the staff room next to the display boards which were prominently positioned.
Participants were asked to out the sheets in my pigeon hole as soon as possible and certainly before Friday. On Friday I put a banner over the board asking for sheets to be returned by Monday at the latest. I tried to make this sound urgent but friendly. I also asked several people personally for their sheets but was told they were too busy. Finally on Monday I asked if I could interview people but all politely refused. Several said they could not remember what it had all been about others said they were busy, which they certainly are as the school Christmas production was in rehearsal.
By the end of a week no formal feedback of any kind was received.
Informal Feedback
After 1 week
"When I was taking down the display boards one of my teaching colleagues saw that I was upset. She said I couldn't assume that and that she had her form in her bag and perhaps she could fill it in and let me have it in a day or two. I explained that I needed to know sooner than that as I had to write up my module. . She said it had all been 'very interesting' and I shouldn't feel bad because 'everyone is so busy and stressed'."
(from my private learning journal)
After 2 weeks
"I found myself sought out and included today in a discussion of a sort that in the past I would have expected to be only for members of the teaching staff.
Later on one of the teachers asked me if I agreed with her assessment of a situation relating to some research on behavioural issues I had done last year. She caught me before I left to say that she had taken the matter to the head and used my agreement and made reference to my research to 'back up the argument'.
Odd - there seems to be a change in attitude towards me. I'm not sure if this is connected to my pilot or not.."
8/12/05
Place - staff room
Time - 12.15
A senior member of staff who was at my pilot suggested I display a poster of the Classroom Displays Archive next to the new computer in the staff room. He said he had been looking for the url and could not remember it.
(from my private learning journal)
[Forward to Evaluation of pilots]
[Back to index]
2. An account of the data collection pilot,
Many teachers and TAs access educational resources in their own homes in the first instance. This forms part of their planning process. Ideally teachers might be able to do this during their PPA time in future but this is not the current situation in my school. I want to use observations as part of my data collection but I can't go round to people's houses and watch them as they access my sites. Using the internet is often quite a private thing and answering some questions or keeping a check list is less intrusive than watching someone.
I wanted to get rich qualitative data and I am aware that the physical environment is often an important component in qualitative studies, so I asked them to include any external distractions that occurred in the session. I also asked people to take a digital photograph of where the session took place. (Camera available to borrow if required).
I designed a log sheet and asked 6 of my colleagues to visit a page I had created as a portal to provide easy access to 3 resources. I asked them to fill the sheet in and return it to me within a two week period. In return for this I offered to do various jobs for them in my own time.
4 sheets were returned - 2 fully filled in and two partially. No photographs were returned.
2.1 Description of analysis of the results
I used a technique from grounded theory to analyse the log sheets. This meant I had to identify a category by looking at the first phrase and asking a series of questons about its meaning. I then assigned a code to this category. I then went through the rest of the data looking for other phrases that also fit this category. When that was saturated (no more to be found) I went back and identified the next category.
This results in with a series of categories, which can then be looked at them and inter-relationships between them noted.
I had an in depth discussion in my learning set with Andy Roberts, my peer review partner.
(See Appendix1)
This is quite significant and something I will use again.
The analysis produced various categories.I then reflected on these and divided them into those I had some control over and those beyond my control.
I decided to only use part of the grounded theory technique
I really ought to relate these categories to theory as well.
Still that is taking it a bit far for what was basically an initial investigation - I've got my data analysis started. What I'm going to do now is apply a reflection technique,
(from a posting to my AR2 learning Set)
2.12 Discussion of the results.
I decided I could justify giving the findings equal weight as even one instance highlights a theme for future investigation. I did think I might try to make a tag cloud to display them and that would show visually the relative number of instances. I decided this was something to investigate for the future.
Reflecting on the data showed me several aspects of the sites that I could work to improve. It also confirmed that adding aspects of the' read write web' might help to address some of these issues. For example moving the Practical Literacy site to a wiki would mean that staff could easily add their own experiences and explanations and the site could become a valuable growing resource for ideas rather than a snapshot. Moving the Classroom Displays Archive to a blog would mean that people no longer had to log on to Flickr to make comments and there would be no adverts.
2.2 An account of the pilot exhibition,
See Appendix 3 for link to presentation materials
2.21 The Presentation
The Year Three Classroom at 12.25........ I was very nervous and feeling sick.
At 12.30 9 people arrived, 4 who had filled in log sheets, 3 who had
not but who had expressed an interest. One person who used to be my workplace advocate.
People were given coffee and chocolate cake as they came in.
The atmosphere seemed friendly and relaxed.
People looked attentive and seemed interested.
Explaining the data analysis method using a borrowed laptop as my mac is not compatible.
Proof of audience - you can just see someone's feet at the edge of this photo.
"And this is what you should be seeing if the internet had not just cut out...."
Luckily I had almost finished and it was the last slide. People clapped and
someone asked a question about how the dragon display had been made.
I wrote in my on-line research journal:
Presenting my initial research findings to my co-workers today was really hard work.
They listened attentively, asked interesting questions, and were generally very kind to me.
Bribing them with chocolate cake helped!
(Acting to Improve 21/11/05)
2.23 Data Collection
Account of the data collection from the pilot exhibition
The pilot presentation finished at 12.40 and was followed by an attempt
at holding a structured focus group with 4 of the audience to obtain feed back.
My attempt at a focus group was dire from the point of view of getting any feedback on the research or the presentation of it. It was like herding cats trying to get them to give any sort of answers to my questions. Two of them....... wanted to know more about blogs and wikis, which I'd only mentioned in passing at the end. Funny I was quite positive about it at the time but listening to the recording again it's clear I have no worthwhile feedback at all. (posting to AR2)
Evaluation sheets were given out with pens. Second portions of cake were taken. I tried to get people to fill in the forms before they left the room to no avail.
More sheets were provided in the staff room next to the display boards which were prominently positioned.
Participants were asked to out the sheets in my pigeon hole as soon as possible and certainly before Friday. On Friday I put a banner over the board asking for sheets to be returned by Monday at the latest. I tried to make this sound urgent but friendly. I also asked several people personally for their sheets but was told they were too busy. Finally on Monday I asked if I could interview people but all politely refused. Several said they could not remember what it had all been about others said they were busy, which they certainly are as the school Christmas production was in rehearsal.
By the end of a week no formal feedback of any kind was received.
Informal Feedback
After 1 week
"When I was taking down the display boards one of my teaching colleagues saw that I was upset. She said I couldn't assume that and that she had her form in her bag and perhaps she could fill it in and let me have it in a day or two. I explained that I needed to know sooner than that as I had to write up my module. . She said it had all been 'very interesting' and I shouldn't feel bad because 'everyone is so busy and stressed'."
(from my private learning journal)
After 2 weeks
"I found myself sought out and included today in a discussion of a sort that in the past I would have expected to be only for members of the teaching staff.
Later on one of the teachers asked me if I agreed with her assessment of a situation relating to some research on behavioural issues I had done last year. She caught me before I left to say that she had taken the matter to the head and used my agreement and made reference to my research to 'back up the argument'.
Odd - there seems to be a change in attitude towards me. I'm not sure if this is connected to my pilot or not.."
8/12/05
Place - staff room
Time - 12.15
A senior member of staff who was at my pilot suggested I display a poster of the Classroom Displays Archive next to the new computer in the staff room. He said he had been looking for the url and could not remember it.
(from my private learning journal)
[Forward to Evaluation of pilots]
[Back to index]