To be handed in at course start please !!

Each student should should prepare 1-2 pages regarding his topics of interest. Your text should include the following items:

1. A "working title" of your research subject
2. Elaborate the title with a few sentences.
3. Present a provisional list of your theoretical and practical goals
4. Based on your goals, present a list of provisional research questions and/or working hypothesis
5. (Optional) additional informations, such as contacts taken, examples of interest, Weblinks, etc.

Remarks:

1. Students who hesitate among several subjects can present 2 or more different texts.
2. Please use HTML or XHTML. Keep this page's layout simple please (Use tags like h1, p, ul to structure your text. NO div, frames, table layouts etc. !)
3. Bring your text in electronic form (e.g. with a USB key) and use a meaningful filename in the following format: name-firstname-homework-1.html. This will allow us to keep track of your work.
4. Do not worry about the quality of your text at this stage. Its purpose is to open discussion. You will have plenty of time to work on it during this course. Anything you present at this stage is better than nothing !

Return date : Wednesday, March 23, 16:00 (at course start).

The purpose of this sessions is to get to know each other, to engage yourself formally in project planning, and to allow the teacher to make last-minute adjustments to the program.

The purpose of this session is to present an idea of what Theory of science means by "research" and how these principles will apply to a master thesis. You also should be able to understand the fundamental differences between major kinds research approaches, e.g. between

1. Theory-testing approaches (usually quantitative),
2. Theory-creating research (usually qualitative)
3. Design-science research (mixed approaches)

Course Materials:

• What is an academic piece of work ? ,  PDF file ,  Slides

In this (long) session we first will try to convey fundamental principles of empirical research. We then present some advice on how to choose a research subject and how to start doing a research plan. An important issue concerns analytical frameworks, dimensions of concepts, typologies and analysis grids and we will engage in some discussion.

Course Materials:

• Fundamental principles of empirical research ,  PDF file ,  Slides
• Finding a research subject in educational technology ,  PDF file ,  Slides

Reading Materials:

• What We Know about Research in Instructional Technology: Interviews with Research Leaders

We will look into different kinds of research designs that are typically done in educational technology. Here is incomplete list of various designs of which some can be combined:

1. Development of innovative instructional designs (either in real world settings or exploratory studies). All kinds of settings: Formal/informal, distance/blended/classroom, workplace e-learning, just-on-the-spot learning, ...
2. Technical development of a system or exploration of brand new technologies (and that explore/introduce new ideas profitable to education and learning)
3. Sociological studies (e.g. the introduction of ICT to school systems and/or organizations, study of certain population's attitudes and behaviors towards ICT or an ICT initiative, e.g. teachers).
4. Experimental designs that study how humans behave under certain conditions (e.g. "Under what conditions does a multimedia animation have a positive effect on learning ?").
5. Quasi-experimental studies that tests if one instructional design is better then an other.
6. Ethnographic or clinical studies studies of human subjects (e.g. usability studies of software, work place analysis to study informal learning, problem-solving behavior related to the use of ICT etc.)
7. Economic studies (e.g. Return on investment at the organizational or the national level)

Each participant should hopefully be able to identify with one or more of these fundamental orientations.

Course Materials:

• The research plan ,  PDF file ,  Slides
• Theory driven research designs ,  PDF file ,  Slides
• Theory finding research designs ,  PDF file ,  Slides
• Design oriented research designs ,  PDF file ,  Slides

Revise your text (or present a new subject). Your text should include the following items:

1. A "working title" of your research subject
2. Elaborate the title with a few sentences.
3. Present a provisional list of your academic goals (theoretical and applied)
4. Present a list of personal, social, practical goals that will NOT be part of your master thesis.
5. Present a list of provisional research questions and/or working hypothesis. Make sure that each goal is represented by at least a question.
6. For each research question, make a short statement on how you plan to answer it. Relate your answer to conceptual frameworks, analytical tools (models, schemas, grilles d'analyse), data gathering techniques and data analysis techniques, etc. when appropriate. Don't go too much into details, since you may have to revise your list of questions

Return Date: Monday 16:00

Revise your text and present it like a research plan for a Msc thesis. It should include the following items:

1. A "working title" of your research subject
2. Elaborate the title with a few sentences.
3. Present a list of your academic goals both theoretical and applied. ( Skip the list of personal, social, practical goals that will NOT be part of your master thesis).
4. Present a list of theories and/or theoretical frameworks that relate to your goals and to your research questions. This includes design methodologies for those who are concerned. Try to find a theoretical framework that can provide you with a central focus on how to look at things.
5. Present a list of provisional research questions and/or working hypothesis. Make sure that each goal is represented by at least one question and that your questions also relate to theory. If you can't find any theoretical grounding, say so. Note that you also will have to present formal hypothesis if your approach is theory-driven (e.g. experimental).
6. Present a short draft of your your research design. Make sure that it is "vertically integrated" and make sure to include all the requirement elements as best as you can on this short notice: E.g. make a explicit your approach (research type) and globally make sure that we understand how you are going to answer your questions (or test your hypothesis). Therefore, make the necessary methodological statements: present analytical grids; talk about sampling (selecting of cases and observations); present the experimental design (if you have one), for concepts in your questions that need empirical data-gathering define data-gathering and analysis techniques, etc.
7. Include a bibliography (sources you did use or that you plan to use)
8. Please make sure to include your first-name and name on the paper !

Return Date: Thursday 16:00

Course Materials:

• Quanitative data acquisition methods ,  PDF file ,  EN Slides
• Qualitative data acquisition methods ,  PDF file ,  Slides

Students ought to:

1. Identify concepts that need empirical data gathering
2. Identify principal types of instruments to be used (e.g. surveys, task observations)

Course Materials:

• Quantitative data analysis ,  PDF file ,  EN DRAFT Slides
• Qualitative data analysis ,  PDF file ,  Slides

Students ought to identify data analysis techniques to be acquired

Course Materials:

• The master thesis ,  PDF file ,  DRAFT Slides in french
• Planning ,  PDF file ,  DRAFT Slides in french
• Stress management and writer's block ,  PDF file ,  DRAFT Slides in french