Dr Clare Madge

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• Dr Clare Madge
• Dr Tristram Hooley
• Dr Julia Meek

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Structure of presentation

• Research rationale - Cyberparents
• Completed project exploring online research
  methods (Funded RMP)
• New project Training Researchers in online
  research methods (TRI-ORM) (Funded RDI)
• Evaluation

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Structure of presentation

• Research rationale - Cyberparents
• Completed project exploring online research
  methods (Funded RMP)
• New project Training Researchers in online
  research methods (TRI-ORM) (Funded RDI)
• Evaluation

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Research rationale

• Cyberparents research project. Clare Madge and
  Henrietta OConnor
• Role of the Internet in the lives of new parents.

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Innovative (1998) use of online questionnaires
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Also use of synchronous online interviews
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Sample publications

• Parenting gone wired empowerment of new mothers
  on the internet? Social and Cultural Geography 7,
  2, 199-220.
• Mothers in the making? Exploring notations of
  liminality in hybrid cyber/space. Transactions of
  the Institute of British Geographers, 30, 1,
  83-97.
• On-line with e-mums exploring the Internet as a
  medium for research. Area, 34, 1, 92-102.

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Excitement about methodology
New methodologies
New technologies
Invites to seminars
Debate discussion
Exploring online research methods
Need for training
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Structure of presentation

• Research rationale - Cyberparents
• Completed project exploring online research
  methods (Funded RMP)
• New project Training Researchers in online
  research methods (TRI-ORM) (Funded RDI)
• Evaluation

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Project details

• Programme ESRC Research Methods Programme (Phase
  2)
• Period of project April 04 to July 06
• The project team
• -Clare Madge (Geog)
• -Henrietta O Connor (CLMS)
• -Jane Wellens (Educational Developer)
• -Rob Shaw (Learning Technologist)
• -Tristram Hooley (PG Training Coordinator)
• -Julia Meek (Evaluation Consultant)

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Project aims

• To produce and evaluate a high-quality online
  portal to provide training in online research
  methods
• To act as a self-supporting online resource
  focusing on web-based questionnaires, virtual
  synchronous and asynchronous interviews
• To draw on successful good practice case studies,
  cover ethical issues of online research, provide
  resource links and technical guidance.

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Tour of the site Key sections
Site link
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Modules
Module index
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Site rationale

• In Exploring Online Methods we recognise this
  methodological and ethical complexity.
• The user can explore these in the way that best
  suits them.

Because online research practice is still in its
infancy, the critical researcher will be
confronted by quandaries at almost every point in
the research process. Mann and Stewart (2000
8)

• Case studies
• Learning activities
• Resources
• References and links
• A print version

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Structure of presentation

• Research rationale - Cyberparents
• Completed project exploring online research
  methods (Funded RMP)
• New project Training Researchers in online
  research methods (TRI-ORM) (Funded RDI)
• Evaluation

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Project details

• Programme ESRC Researcher Development Initiative
  RDI (phase 2)
• Period of project May 07 to May 09
• The project team
• - Clare Madge (Geog),
• - Jane Wellens (Educational Developer),
• - Rob Shaw (Learning Technologist),
• - Tristram Hooley (PG Training Coordinator),
• - Julia Meek (Evaluation Consultant).

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Project aim

The aim of TRI-ORM is to stimulate the careful
and critical uptake, and further sophisticated
use, of online research methods and to work
towards mainstreaming such innovative methods by
building a (national and virtual) network of
research training in ORM.
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Project structure
Existing site Self-directed study
hence TRI-ORM
Workshops for beginners in online methods
Accredited online course for advanced users
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Achieving the aims
Exploring online methods site
self-directed study
enhancements
Cardiff workshops
enhancements
Accredited online course for advanced users
Leicester workshops
build network
Manchester workshops
enhancements
Feeding in other enhancements
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Possible Approaches
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Pedagogic principles

• Constructivism/Experiential learning
• Online resource-based learning
• Learning by doing
• Learners have freedom and control about how they
  use the resources
• Pace
• Location
• Prior experience/entry level
• Support and feedback provided
• Learning outcomes help learners identify what
  they are trying to achieve

Exploring online methods
Self-directed
Diverse
Learner centred
Learning
Discursive
Informed by research
Experiential
Social
Non-hierarchical
TRI-ORM
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How the online course will work
Produce pilot research project
Expert feedback and support
Online learning materials
Enrol on course
Online discussion
Researcher in need of online skills
Build networks
Informed by the pedagogic framework outlined in
E-tivities and E-moderating (Salmon, 2000 2002).
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Structure of presentation

• Research rationale - Cyberparents
• Completed project exploring online research
  methods (Funded RMP)
• New project Training Researchers in online
  research methods (TRI-ORM) (Funded RDI)
• Evaluation

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A Lifecycle approach to evaluation

• Who?
• Why?
• What?
• When?
• How?

Start evaluation very early in the design process
and keep evaluating throughout. Undertake
evaluation activities at key points addressing
questions

• Feed evaluation outcomes into following stages,
  or re-iterate previous stages

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Evaluating Exploring online research methods
Heuristic evaluation
Content evaluation by key experts
User trial
Exploring online methods site
Postgraduate trial
Heuristic evaluation
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TRI-ORM Formative Evaluation
Exploring online methods site
Technical review
Leicester Manchester Cardiff Workshops
Accredited online course for advanced users
Project Team
Observation
Online focus groups
Participant feedback
Participate as a learner
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TRI-ORM Summative Evaluation
Stakeholder Interviews
Whether the project outcomes have been delivered
by the end of the project and whether they
produce lasting value for the social science
community.

• ESRC Regional Centres
• NCRM
• RMP
• RDI
• Project Team

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TRI-ORM Evaluation

• Evaluation will determine
• How, and to what extent, training activities meet
  the need for training in ORM,
• Whether they are delivered appropriately and
  efficiently
• Whether they produce lasting value for the social
  science community.

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• www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm
• onlinerm_at_le.ac.uk