---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:29:09 +0000
From: Catherine Kennedy <[log in to unmask]>

Good day

I have recently become involved in supporting the delivery of research
methodologies to students on the Interactive Digital Media Masters
Programme at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
(http://www.rave.ac.uk).

As my background is in information management rather than design and
communication, I am interested in learning more about research methods
teaching as it relates to interaction design. To this end, I have
designed a short questionnaire entitled: Developing Appropriate Research
Methods Teaching Programmes for postgraduate study of Interactive Media.

The objective of this questionnaire is to gather information about what
research methods are being used by students in this discipline, how
research methods teaching is being delivered, and what resources (print
and electronic) are being recommended to students conducting research in
this area.

If you are an academic interested in or responsible for the delivery of
research methods to postgraduate students of Interaction Media, I would
be very grateful if you could complete the survey and return it to me by
email [log in to unmask] before the end of March 2003.

Once the survey results have been collated, I will be distributing a
summary report to anyone who is interested.

Thank you in advance for participating in this questionnaire. If you
have any questions regarding the completion of this questionnaire please
contact:

Catherine Kennedy
Information Services Officer
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
Tel: 020 8 289 4974



SURVEY
Developing Appropriate Research Methods Teaching Programmes for
postgraduate study of Interactive Media

Please note:
For the purpose of this questionnaire, the phrase ‘Interactive Media’ is
intended to include ‘Interactive Multimedia’, ‘Interaction Design’,
‘Design for Interaction’, ‘Interaction Media Production’ etc.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name:
Role / job title:
Institution:
Masters course title:
Email:
Would you like to receive a summary report of the findings of this
survey?



SECTION 1: Research methods
1. Please rate the following research types (as derived form the Allison
Research Index of Art and Design) in terms of their usefulness to
postgraduate students conducting research in the field of Interactive
Media.

Please highlight the relevant number for each research type using the
following scale:

1 – not useful
2 – minimally useful
3 – moderately useful
4 – significantly useful
5 – critically useful

Comparative
1 2 3 4 5

Descriptive
1 2 3 4 5

Experimental
1 2 3 4 5

Historical
1 2 3 4 5

Naturalistic
1 2 3 4 5

Philosophical
1 2 3 4 5

Practical
1 2 3 4 5



2. Briefly describe (in point form) the research methods that, in your
experience, students are using to conduct research in the field of
Interactive Media.




3. Please rate the following data collection techniques in terms of
their frequency of use by postgraduate students conducting research in
the field of Interactive Media.

Please highlight the relevant number for each research type using the
following scale:

1 – very seldom
2 – seldom
3 – sometimes
4 – often
5 – very often

Print surveys
1 2 3 4 5

Electronic surveys
1 2 3 4 5

Telephone interviews
1 2 3 4 5

Focus Groups
1 2 3 4 5

Usability testing
1 2 3 4 5

Observations
1 2 3 4 5

Other: (please provide details)
1 2 3 4 5





SECTION 2: Delivery methods

1. How are research methods taught to postgraduate students in the
Interactive Media Masters course at your institution? Please highlight
all applicable terms

1. Lectures
2. Lectures with supplementary online modules
3. Seminars (Please indicate size of seminar groups: ___ students)
4. Small tutorial group (Please indicate size of seminar groups: ___
students)
5. One-to-one tutorials
6. Online modules only
7. Other. (Please provide details)

2. Briefly describe what you consider to be effective ways to deliver
research methods training to postgraduate Interactive Media students.





SECTION 3: Recommended resources

1. List up to five key printed research methodologies texts you
recommend to Interactive Media Masters students.

1. Title
Author
Publisher
Year


2. Title
Author
Publisher
Year


3. Title
Author
Publisher
Year


4. Title
Author
Publisher
Year


5. Title
Author
Publisher
Year


2. List up to five key research methodologies web resources you
recommend to Interactive Media Masters students.

1.
Title
Creator
URL

2.
Title
Creator
URL

3.
Title
Creator
URL

4.
Title
Creator
URL

5.
Title
Creator
URL


THANK YOU!