First attempt at defining Research Purpose

Originally posted to eBridge, 5 March 2013

First attempt at defining Research Purpose:

The purpose of this evaluation study will be to understand the effect that online discussion has on the quality of learning for participants in workplace learning programs at my workplace. At this stage in the research, the online communities will be generally defined as any online discussion platform set up with the intention of supporting discourse amongst participants on a learning program.

I've deliberately re-written to avoid phrases such as ‘before, during, after’ and ‘training events’ (Shackleton-Jones, 2013) because I want to make sure that the capability of online learning is not limited to simply supporting traditional training events. Although it's likely to be viewed as a bolt-on by many for some time, I want to make sure that I establish effectiveness for the online component in its own right.

Research Problem

Online communities are becoming an area of increased interest in learning provision that is both affordable and available 'anytime, anywhere'. This interest has stemmed from growing demand for higher education, but there is also keen interest for workplace learning. There is a growing recognition that simply providing the technology and expecting both participation and effective learning outcomes is not enough. Investigations of the learning environment - both technological and human interaction within it - warrant study to ensure that both practitioners and participants use the medium effectively. This study will focus on the effects that online interactions have on learning for employees at an educational services provider, and whether the current provision of online learning tools could be said to constitute an online learning community in its own right, or simply an extension to face-to-face training programmes.

Worldview

My current worldview has lately been quite dramatically shaped by a model for social evolution put forward by Ronfeldt (1996, 2012a). He defines human organisation as being representable by four distinct forms: tribes, institutions, markets and networks (T - I - M - N). Within this framework, we can begin to understand the complexity of our society, and what possible avenues there may be for progress beyond our current state. In particular I'm interested in the possible implications for the future of our education systems (Hobson, 2012; Ronfeldt, 2012b) in the face of both technological evolution and the corresponding changes in our organisational behaviour. As Marshall McLuhan famously stated: 'We shape our tools, and then our tools shape us.' My intent is to explore how the network form can be utilised for a better education system, and how online communities might contribute towards realising this future.

References:

• Hobson, J. (2012). The problems with educating a quadriform society. Thinking and learning in the digital age [blog] 7 August. Available at: <http://jimmyhob.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-problems-with-educating-quadriform.html>
• Ke, F. and Hoadley, C. (2009). Evaluating Online Learning Communities. Educational Technology Research and Development, 57(4), pp.487-510.
• Ronfeldt, D. (1996). Tribes, Institutions, Markets, Networks – A Framework about Societal Evolution. Available at: <http://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P7967.html>[Accessed September 2012]
• Ronfeldt, D. (2012a). TIMN in 20 minutes: a video presentation. Visions from two theories [blog] 23 May. Available at: <http://twotheories.blogspot.co.uk/2012_05_01_archive.html> [Accessed March 2013]
• Ronfeldt, D. (2012b). Q’s & A’s about “TIMN in 20 minutes” (4th of 7): creation of a new sector? Visions from two theories [blog] 29 August. Available at: <http://twotheories.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/qs-as-about-timn-in-20-minutes-4th-of-7_29.html> [Accessed March 2013]
• Shackleton-Jones, N. (2013). Beyond 'Before, During, After'. Aconventional [blog] 3 March. Available at: <http://www.aconventional.com/2013/03/beyond-before-during-after.html> [Accessed March 2013]