A500.8.3.RB_PALUGODCAROLYN

I am a creative person by nature.  The most effective mode of learning for me must include lots of visual aids.  For one, I have a slight reading disability and therefore it takes me twice as long to read a paragraph from a textbook then the average person.  I’ve always learned best through live lecture, videos and mostly interactive forms of instruction.  Text on paper seems too abstract sometimes and I find myself reading things over and over again but never actually grasping the meaning.  Power Points that are loaded with text have the same type of negative and ineffective effects on me.

Everyone always hears about that instructor who kills you through death by Power Point.  We laugh about it when it happens to someone else, but when we are the victims of a bland, flat, monotone presentation that is loaded with text, bullet points and endless lists, we want the earth to swallow us up where we are sitting.  And I am only criticizing because I too have subjected people to this same torture by creating the same types of presentations.  You would think I wouldn’t inflict the same type of suffering on others when I personally can’t stand these types of presentations, but I think we do it out of habit.  Most of us just learn how to put a Power Point presentation together by seeing other examples.  We don’t tend to think outside the box and feel that we have to adhere to certain standards.

Ten years and a thousand Power Points later, I finally realize what a good presentation needs.  I’ve learned over the years, and just recently in this course, that in order to capture an audience you have to make your presentation meaningful.  People only learn if they can resonate with the information and own it.  In this sense, a presenter can use stories, analogies, and even pictures to make the information presented personal.

Another important aspect of creating a good Power Point presentation is to use imagery.  It has been scientifically proven that people retain information better when it is accompanied by pictures.  In fact, the rule of thumb should be more pictures and minimal text.  A truly effective presentation can consist of only pictures accompanied by an attractive narrative.  People don’t want to read words on a screen.  People want you to tell them what those words mean and at the same time be entertained.  This is the essence of an effective presentation.

Most importantly, we need to tap into our creative nature when creating a presentation.  We get so caught up in following standards instead of creating our own standards.  By this I mean not being afraid to incorporate different ideas or media even if it’s unconventional, as long as you stay within the parameters of professionalism.  The most important question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you would be entertained and intellectually enlightened by your presentation. 

Reference

Reynolds, G. (2010). Presentation Zen: How to Design & Deliver Presentations like a Pro.

Retrieved from http://www.garrreynolds.com/Presentation/pdf/presentation_tips.pdf 

A500.9.4.RB_PALUGODCAROLYN

I entered this course with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement.  I remember reading the first chapter of our required textbook Learning To Think Things Through and feeling an automatic resonance with the material.  The terms reflective, authentic, and reasoning were terms that I always proudly felt were integral to my belief system.  But through the course of this class I began to realize how limited my thinking really was and how many preconceived ideas I had about everything which limited by ability to think critically.  The critical thinking test we took at the beginning of the course confirmed what I was beginning to understand which was that my critical thinking ability was stunted by many impediments.  This course has forced me to step outside my comfort zone and look at myself with a different perspective.   I am disappointed with myself because I realize how many of my beliefs and values are biased, constricted and affected by cultural, religious and social influences.  I no longer see myself as the open-minded and reasonable human being as I claimed myself to be and even admit that I may have been slightly brainwashed by the media.  Nosich claims in his book that one of the major impediments to critical thinking is the media (Nosich, 2012).  I realize how much of what I thought was true in my reality comes from the media such as TV, radio, news, internet, etc.  Nosich also mentions fear as a major impediment to critical thinking which makes me realize how much emotional baggage I have that affects my ability to reason.  I think the negative and positive experiences I have had in relation to this course are one and the same, the knowledge of my limitations and the enlightenment of my limitations.  There is a sense of liberation in knowing my impediments because in this way I can work towards correcting them.  

I’m not sure what I could have done to improve my experience in this course.  This may seem like a cop out, but I feel my experience was truly positive despite the fact that I struggled to keep up with the pace of the class.  The only way I think I could have improved my experience is by turning a 9 week course into a 12 week course.  I continue to feel that 9 weeks is too short a time to absorb, assimilate and reflect on what I’m learning in each course.  I feel that the university is trying to keep pace with current trends of intensive and fast track learning which is popular with adult learners.  Everywhere you look you see propaganda such as “get your degree in less than 24 months” or “fast track degree programs”.  I personally, would prefer for my classes to last 12 or even 16 weeks because that would really give me ample time to reflect on my work.  In my opinion 9 weeks, for the average adult learner who has a family and a career, is just enough time to spit out assignments, but not enough time to reflect on the information.  This in no way is a criticism of this course because within the constraints of the online format, this course was phenomenal.  The content, assignment quality, instructor and classmate dynamics was more than I would have expected for an online class.  Therefore, the only thing I would consider changing is the length of the course.  

I feel that the instructor offered the appropriate support needed for this course.  We were provided with additional resources and instructor feedback during discussions was stimulating and thought provoking.  The level of enthusiasm on behalf of the instructor was definitely felt, and I feel that for an online course, the interaction was very personal.  I have taken a few online classes already and so far, I feel fortunate in saying that all my experiences have felt very personal and fulfilling.  I have not had a negative experience with this university although I have heard complaints from other students in other courses.

I think that out of all the courses I have taken at the graduate level, this has been the most relevant to my personal life.  We have learned in this course that critical thinking is an essential ability to have in all aspects of our existence.  It can be applied to the most mundane tasks and to the most complex.  This course is not just about learning data and concepts, it is instead a way of modifying the way we see and think about the world.  It is a new perspective on how we view and interpret life.  It has taught us a new way of interacting and communicating with our surroundings.  This course has forced us to expose our ugly biases and judgments, contest any ineffective belief systems and build intellectual courage.  The topics and content covered in this course are not just knowledge to be stored away in our minds, but they are living and dynamic concepts that imprint our thinking process and render visible immediate results.

References

Nosich, G. M. (2012). Learning to think things through: A guide to critical thinking across the curriculum (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

A500.7.3.RB_PALUGODCAROLYN

The businessdictionary.com website defines quantitative research as “the use of sampling techniques (such as consumer surveys) whose findings may be expressed numerically, and are amendable to mathematical manipulation enabling the research to estimate future events or quantities” (Businessdictionary.com website, n.d.).  It is based on the concept that “social phenomena can be quantified, measured and expressed numerically” (Mamia, n.d.).  There are various types of quantitative research such as survey, correlational, causal-comparative and experimental (Sukamolson, n.d.).  Quantitative research is considered social research that uses empirical methods (Sukamolson, n.d.).  In social research patterns and regularities are analyzed and theories are created and hypothesis are developed (Mamia, n.d.).  

 One of the standard characteristics of quantitative research is the perspective of reality which is objective and singular meaning that the researcher is independent from that being researched (Sukamolson, n.d.).  The style is formal with an impersonal voice and the process is static and deductive.  Quantitative research, unlike qualitative research, answers to questions about why things are the way they are and tries to break it down into measurable units that are then observed (Mamia, n.d.).  This type of research also aims at closed questions, those types that you would answer yes or no or that are narrowly defined (Engelby, 2012).

 Engelby (2012) explains how quantitative research can be used to measure numbers or specifications such as measuring people’s actions or measuring people’s opinions by using closed questions.  We can measure things within social structures that may not be directly observable (Mamia, n.d.).  The downside of quantitative research is the inflexibility in regards to capturing reality.  Reality is simplified and compressed and therefore provides a very static perspective (Mamia, n.d.).

When beginning the research we first need to identify the problem statement, the purpose statement and the research question.  The problem statement for quantitative research should be concise and specific and should explain the need for this type of research such as data collection, and the purpose statement should outline the variables in the research and “define the population of the study” (Jenkins, 2009).  The research question should include a hypothesis and it should address the query posed by the researcher (Jenkins, 2009).  Once we understand the problem and purpose, we began the collection of data process.  With quantitative research there are several methods of obtaining data such as surveys, interviews, systematic observation, text analysis, and statistical data (Mamia, n.d.).  Data must be collected ethically without any harmful processes to the participants and by respecting their anonymity.  

Some of the major benefits of quantitative research are the ability to summarize large amounts of information.  For example, the researcher is able to gain more detailed and rich information such as complete and written descriptions or evidence.  Quantitative methods also have greater accuracy and eliminate biases (Sukamolson, n.d.).

References

Engelby, D. (2012.). Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved May 15, 2013 from http://www.slideshare.net/engelby/media-quantitative-and-qualitative-research-2012. 

Jenkins, L. (2009). Fundamentals of quantitative research. Retrieved from http://suite101.com/article/fundamentals-of-quantitative-research-a149406

Mamio, T. (n.d.). Quantitative Research Methods [PowerPoint slides].

Quantitative Research. (n.d.). businessdictionary.com Retrieved May 10, 2013 from http://www.thebusinessdictionary.com

Sukamolson, S. (n.d.). Fundamentals of quantitative research  [Research paper]. Retrieved from Language Institute, Chulalongkorn University : http://www.culi.chula.ac.th/e-journal/bod/suphat%20sukamolson.pdf

A500.6.3.RB_PALUGODCAROLYN

There are two main research  methodologies: qualitative and quantitative.   Quantitative research is described as seeking “causal determination, prediction, and generalization of findings” whereas qualitative researchers “seek instead illumination, understanding, and extrapolation to similar situations” (Hoepf, 1997).  In essence, quantitative research can be measured  in some way while qualitative research cannot.  Qualitative research responds to an ever changing and dynamic environment.  It’s important to understand that one type of research is not more valid then the other but instead both should be considered as means for appropriate research (Hoepfl,1997).  Qualitative research is quickly becoming a common methodology for researching especially in the fields of education and technology and it is something that is happening every day in every working and studying environment ("What Is Qualitative Research," 2012)

Qualitative can be used when trying to understand vague occurrences or when traditional methods of researching are difficult to incorporate (Hoepfl,1997).  The essence for its usefulness can be better understood in the words of Lincoln and Guba when they state “If you want people to understand better than they otherwise might, provide them information in the form in which they usually experience it" (as cited by Hoepfl, 1997).  This type of research allows us to “experience” the phenomenon as it exists in the natural world instead of isolating it inside a laboratory.

There are several main features of qualitative research as described by writers such as Bogdan and Biklen (1982),  Lincoln and Guba  (1985), Patton (1990) and Eisner (1991).  The most important elements are:

The source of the information  is conducted  in a natural setting, the research is the “human  instrument” for data collection, inductive data analysis is used, reports have a “voice” which is expressive and descriptive, it aims to interpret meaning of the experiences of the individual involved, it considers the uniqueness of the situation,  it has an emergent design, and it is judged by a criteria of trustworthiness (Hoepfl,1997).

There are three things a researcher is responsible for doing when conducting qualitative research.  Firstly, they must act within the scope of the naturalist paradigm, they must have the appropriate skill as a human instrument and lastly, the research must follow the tactics of  “naturalistic inquiry” (Hoepfl,1997). 

Lincoln and Guba (1985) explain various data collection strategies that researchers need to use in relation to naturalistic inquiry:

(1) Determine the focus, (2) Determine the fit of the research paradigm to the research focus (3) Determine where and from where the information comes from (4) Determine the successive phases (5) Determine any additional instruments to be used (6) Plan methods of data collecting and recording (7) Plan the data analysis procedures to be used  (8) Plan scheduling and budgeting of data collection and  9) Plan techniques that determine trustworthiness (Hoepfl,1997).

Quantitative research generally will use maximum variation sampling when collecting samples Patton (1990) states because the belief is that “any common patterns that emerge from great variation are of particular interest and value in capturing the core experiences and central, shared aspects or impacts of a program” (cited by Hoepfl, 1997), although when using this type of sampling, researchers must consider the possibility of distortions.

There are two major forms of data collection which are interviews and observation.  Interviews are generally used as the primary strategy at the initial point and utilize open-ended questions (Hoepfl, 1997).  Observations in relation to qualitative or naturalistic research are conducted by observing participants in their natural environments.

Once the data has been collected, it needs to be analyzed.  This process can be described as “"working with data, organizing it, breaking it into manageable units, synthesizing it, searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what is to be learned, and deciding what you will tell others" (Hoepfl, 1997).   When analyzing all the new data a process called “open coding” is used which is where emerging themes are identified and cataloged from the mass of information.  Once the data has been broken up into smaller categories, the speaker and  the context of the data is identified (Hoepfl, 1997). 

As the reviewer of qualitative research we must ask ourselves three elemental questions: Is the research coherent?  Do we as the reviewer concur with the interpretations made from the research? And, how useful is the research?  The question that the researcher needs to make to himself is “How do I convince my audience that my findings are worthy of consideration?” (Hoepfl,1997).  This is considered addressing the trustworthiness of qualitative research.

The reader uses a set criteria when judging the quality of the qualitative research that as Hoepfl explains is “consistent with the naturalistic paradigm, yet which allow for a declaration that "good science" has been carried out” (Hoepfl, 1997) and these criteria are credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.

In essence, qualitative research is quickly becoming a preferable method of study due to the ability to extract abounding and expressive information that is absent from quantitative types of methods of research.

 

References

Hoepfl, M. C. (1997). Choosing qualitative research: A primer for technology education researchers. Journal of Technology Education, 9(1), Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html

What is qualitative research? (2012). Retrieved from
            http://www.qsrinternational.com/what-is-  qualitative-research.aspx