this seems to be a worthwhile undertaking
would you be willing to post your results for list members to read and
respond to?
-----Original Message-----
From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and
related research in Design [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of Linda Kohlman
Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 12:32 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Graduate Research Study
PHD Design List Members:
I am a graduate student in the Communication and Technology Department
(MACT) at the University of Alberta in Canada.
www2.extension.ualberta.ca/mact/index.aspx
I’m presently working on my final-research project titled Understanding
Micro-Community Interaction Patterns. This project is being done to complete
a Master of Arts in Communication and Technology. My project is a
cyber-ethnographic study of a public online list community’s
interaction-conversation dialogue. In this case, I have selected the
PHD-Design List as the focus of my study.
I have reviewed this proposed study with the List owners and have been given
permission from them to proceed with the research. I am writing to inform
the List members of my intention to study samplings of List’s conversations
in archive and real-time form. I will begin the real time observation
portion of the study October 20, 2005 and the observation will continue for
a maximum of 6 months.
In this case study all identifying details, including the identity of the
List itself will be removed. All identifying demarcations such as real names
and usernames will be removed and will be attributed to anonymous
Participant 5, Participant 8, etc.
In the first step of the study, I will contact the 15+ most often
contributing List members to invite them to participate. Participation in
the study will be quite painless and will take approximately 15 minutes of
your time. All participants will remain anonymous.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this research project, feel
free to contact myself, my supervisor, or the Chair of the Education and
Extension Research Ethics Board (EEA REB) at the University of Alberta.
Linda Kohlman (researcher)
[log in to unmask]
Dr. Katy Campbell (supervisor)
[log in to unmask]
Associate Dean, Faculty of Extension
Uinversity of Alberta
780 492 1858
Dr. Carolyn Yewchuk (chair)
[log in to unmask]
Chair, Education and Extension Research Ethics Board
University of Alberta
780 492 3751
Thanking you in advance for your support and cooperation.
Regards,
Linda Kohlman
---------------------------------------
Study Summary
My research project titled Understanding Micro-Community Interaction
Patterns is being undertaken to complete a Master of Arts in Communication
and Technology. My project is a cyber-ethnographic study of a public online
list community’s interaction-conversation dialogue. In this case, I have
selected the PHD-Design List as the focus of my study. The purpose of the
study is to better understand the nature of an online groups’ interaction
dialogue.
This research project seeks to answer two questions:
- What are the group communication-interaction dynamics-taking place within
the PHD Design List?
- What are the relationships between the group communication interaction
dynamics and innovation?
This study has two parts:
Part 1 of the study involves collecting, observing, reviewing and analyzing
approximately 5-10 percent of the total List archived and real time postings
from 15+ List members. I will invite the 15+ most often contributing List
members to participate in this study. From the outset of the data
collection, all postings in the study sample will be attributed to
Participant 5, Participant 8, etc. The purpose of this part of the study is
to analyze the posting patterns of the sample group. The data collection
portion of this study will begin on October 20, 2005 and end, on or before,
April 20, 2006.
Part 2 of the study seeks to understand the cognitive styles/problem solving
preferences of each participant in the sample. In this regard, the folks at
Basadur Center for Applied Creativity Research have agreed to allow each of
the 15+ study participants to use the Basadur Creative Problem Solving
Profile instrument (online or off-line) once, free-of charge. The purpose of
this part of the study is to determine how the participant problem solving
profiles of the sample group relate to the posting patterns of the sample
group.
In this part of the study the posting patterns of participants in the sample
group will be linked to their profile results using numbers rather than
personal names. Throughout this entire study, all collected data will be
kept anonymous.
More information on the Basadur Creative Problem Solving Profile Tool can be
found at:
Basadur website: www.basadur.com
Basadur Profile information: www.basadur.com/profile/index.htm
The profile is quite simple to take and requires approximately 15 minutes to
complete. Most individuals find their profile results to be personally
interesting and useful.
Anonymity
All identifying details, such as real names and usernames will be removed
and substituted with numbers from the outset of the data collection and for
the final report. All identifying information will be destroyed after the
data collection/posting/profile linking phase of the study. I will also not
disclose the List’s name or Internet address in my report.
In the case where it is important to include the content of your posting in
the final report, I will paraphrase your posting (s) to maintain your
anonymity. In the event that it is important to include the posting-word for
word in the final report, I will re-contact you to obtain additional
consent.
“The plan for this study has been reviewed for its adherence to ethical
guidelines and approved by the Faculties of Education, Extension and
Augustana Research Ethics Board (EEA REB) at the University of Alberta. For
questions regarding participant rights and ethical conduct of research,
contact the Chair of the EEA REG at 780 492 3751.”
Participation
There are no anticipated risks to involvement to those who appear in the
sample studied. Consenting participants will be offered the opportunity to
take a free of charge – online or offline cognitive style profile. List
participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time for any reason.
Outcome
I hope that your participation will contribute to the advancement and
creation of knowledge regarding Understanding Micro-Community Interaction
Patterns. I’m optimistic that this study will result in a better
understanding of online community List dynamics and recommendations for how
communication-interaction might be improved in the future. I will make a
copy of the final report available to those List participants who are
interested.
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