My choice
For my fifth artefact I chose the third assignment coming up with invaluable tips and procedure to produce a thesis.
To do this assignment, I first had to come up with an idea to dig into the field. What was that theme which would most of all catch my interest and fire? While sitting down and thinking I went through the courses I have taken. Was there something I could go with? My favoured interest counted adult education. What hurdles count: work, age and time and money. However, presenting me as an example I figured that learning at an older age can be additionally harassing besides learning alone at home. Statistical data were on my mind, showing that people at 50 and above are facing difficulties with memorising, especially for exams. This under consideration of the brain should become the theme of a thesis. When I was told that there is a “white” spot in the science of education and neurobiology I decided to go for it and “my” thesis idea was born.
Several steps had to follow. Research questions needed to be asked as well as a research method had to be decided for. The first assignment in MDDE 703 had a focus on reviewing the literature, which is a part of a thesis, and also looking at other students “productions” to get an idea about the outlining, what is a usual order of subtitles, helpful for the own thesis structure. The second assignment in MDDE 703 had a focus on evaluation of a sample thesis and a sample research proposal.
Overview
Artefact # 5 – Research Proposal
Assignment 3 of MDDE 703 Research Proposal Writing
Overview
MDDE 703 Research Proposal Writing was the tenth course I took in the M.Ed. (Distance Education) program. The course is concerned with research proposal production. It deals with proposal writing for the thesis.
Competencies:
- 1.1. Recognize problems
- 1.3. Formulate questions
- 2.1. Critically analyze and discuss the implications of personal perspectives and epistemological orientations for the teaching-learning process
- 3.1. Use a variety of communication and document-sharing tools to create, reflect, and communicate with others
- 4.1. Write clearly and in a style appropriate to purpose (e.g. assignments, essays, published documents, and theses)
- 4.2. Construct coherent arguments and articulate ideas clearly to a range of audiences, formally and informally, through a variety of techniques and media
- 5.1. Frame effective and meaningful research questions
- 5.2. Identify, discuss and apply theoretical considerations to proposed research
- 5.4. Critically review literature both broadly and in-depth
Reflection
Reflection on a research proposal
This is the last of all assignments to conclude the master program and also the journey through distance education. Although this all-embracing artefact was hard to do, in itself it needed the knowledge of all classes and shows whether one has learned. As my favoured artefact it took the preferred idea about adult education from MDDE 601 forward into a thesis idea. MDDE 602 delivered statistics embedded in research methods to choose from and is described in artefact # 2. Learning theories were taught in MDDE 603 and the continuing class MDDE 604 was contributing instructional design tailored for distance education and study success. Program planning in MDDE 605 has shown how much people work on a course construction (up to 13 roles). Technology needed and functions and speed were dealt with in MDDE 620 while technology as part to allow for online teaching was well explained in MDDE 621.
Planning in the first place to go for the thesis route I took the classes MDDE 701, MDDE 702, and MDDE 703. Research methods, quantitative or qualitative, are depending on a thesis theme. Although I would prefer the quantitative methods, my chosen theme for a thesis called for a qualitative approach. Finally, MDDE 703 is the class for research proposal writing where artefact # 5 was taken from the third assignment.
After going through the taken classes, the first class’s assignments which also contain artefact # 1came up with the review about an article which was about workplace learning which contains adult education. This alone would be to general to make up for a thesis as a specialization was needed. As I started out studying after my fiftieth birthday and faced some tough difficulties I decided to go for this segment. At least an idea could advance the development of a proposal. Next a questionnaire needed to be prepared and the way of investigation would call for a suitable research method.
Research Proposal Evaluation Form from MDDE 703
Statement of purpose and research problem/question |
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1. Is there a clear statement of the purpose of the study? |
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2. Is there a clear and unambiguous statement of the research problem or question? |
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3. Have subsidiary questions been identified? |
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4. Are there alternative questions that might be considered? |
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5. Are the limitations of the proposal reported? |
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6. Are the delimitations of the proposal reported? |
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7. Are definitions of the terms provided? |
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Review of the literature |
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8. Does there appear to be current interest in this topic? |
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9. Is there a gap in knowledge or a controversy that this study could help to fill? |
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10. Is the focus on a sufficiently narrow topic to make for a manageable thesis? |
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11. Is there a body of substantive literature available that is relevant? to the topic? |
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12. Are the seminal articles that make up the foundation for the proposed study peer-reviewed articles? |
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13. Are the seminal articles that make up the foundation for the proposed study reports of research? |
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14. Is a summary provided? |
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Methodology |
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15. Is the research design clearly described? |
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16. Given the methodology, is the procedure for obtaining subjects or participants adequately described? |
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17. Are any types of instrumentation (e.g., standardized tests) going to be used? |
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18. Is there a plan for a pilot study? |
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19. Does it appear that the needed data are easily accessible? |
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20. Has a method for data collection been described? |
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21. For a quantitative study, are the descriptive statistics/statistical tests listed? |
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22. Are the proposed quantitative analyses appropriate to the kinds of data collected? |
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23. For qualitative studies, is there a full description of the type of study that is being considered? |
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24. For qualitative studies, is there a description of how the data will be analyzed? |
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25. For mixed methodological studies, is the relationship between the two designs, quantitative and qualitative, adequately described? |
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What have I learned about writing a research proposal
Writing the research proposal is a multi competencies paper. Everything learned before was needed. The thesis route offers four classes MDDE 701 to 704. It is possible to opt out at and after any class. But to write a research work it is essential to take as a preparation the classes MDDE 701 to 703. Even after opting out it will help to compose theses and also dissertations.
Following the thesis route one will have to cope with decision making (1.1) what research method to chose in which area, quantitative or qualitative. The class mentioned above (artefact # 2) contains a table with research methods to choose from. Styles may be mixed (several methods being used) but still quantitative excludes qualitative and vice versa. Findings may be verified by the other type asking additional information in another format but the method itself is one or the other.
A questionnaire needs to be produced, consisting of the right questions to be asked (1.3, 5.1). The questions concerning learning are of qualitative nature as learning cannot be measured. An amount of learning could be measured but the concern of this proposal is rather about the ability, still to learn in an older age and with how much effort.
Offering classes for students 50+ has its challenges. How would people in general learn easily and especially when they are older (2.1)? Instructional design is the miracle formula to support learning. “Multimedia learning refers to learning from words and pictures.” (Mayer, 2009, p. 3). Impressingly, Mayer demonstrates ways for instruction to take place using multi-media and method features that work in some methods but not in others and vice versa. He keeps samples and explanations in readiness in his book. Technology in our age is a foundation to teach/learn at a distance. Bates (2005, pp. 53-63) looks at it using criteria like learning theories, content and skills, and inter-action among students - instructor, and students - students. The proposal contains a literature overview; the above mentioned authors are examples of it.
Communication, how to show documents to students while using tools like Skype, Mikogo, or Adobe Connect to talk to students or a workgroup (3.1) is essential for effective teaching and learning.
As the proposal addresses a thesis, the outlining above helps to focus on an order of the paper (4.1, 4.2) which follows a standard. The outline of a quantitative research looks different from the outline of a qualitative research. In this case the proposal goes for a narrative or case study, depending on the number of participants.
One important step in the proposal is the overview of the literature (5.2, 5.4) to find out what is already in place and also what could support the own thesis. The table above addresses considerations about the thesis as well as an order of topics to think of.
Finally, the methodology questions in the table help to focus on the whole process of producing a thesis or dissertation. So the proposal consists of a framework containing subtitles a) design, b) procedures, c) data collection, and d) analysis.
References
Bates, A. W. (Tony) (2005). Technology, e-learning and distance education (2nd ed.). London and New York: Routledge.
Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (Second edition). Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi, Mexico City: Cambridge University Press.