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Sarah, I have to thank you for your very generous input into my musings. Yes these are threads that weave through my own thinking. Having been away from teaching for a few years until 2006 (I left to return to nursing practice for three years), I return with a fresh outlook as to the possibilities of harnessing the power of my students' and my own (and my colleagues') concerns and reflections, as well as that of our celebrations. I had not previous to my three years away realized that so many shared these thoughts - and certainly (until the past 12 months) had not even considered that there might be such a body of knowledge around the topics. This is most helpful and yes I would love to read your paper. Sincerely, PennyB. On 3/26/08 5:54 AM, "Sarah Fletcher" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi Penny and Michael, > > I am following this new thread with great interest as my research focuses on > embedding web-based technology and multi media within research mentoring as > a means to assist practitioners to improve their practice. I am currently > involved in a major project (as a consultant) regarding the possibilities > for E-enablement of the General Teaching Council's Teacher Learning Academy. > > My project brief has been to prepare a report on how peer learning could be > brought about by mentoring and coaching and to investigate implications this > has for dynamic interaction between social organisations and technology. I > am also creating an on-line version of a paper for my presentation at AERA > (American Educational Research Association) Annual Conference by tomorrow. > > My paper encompasses self study into practitioner researchers' attitudes to > web-based technology and other practitioners' reflections on how far it can > facilitate eliciting, representing and disseminating their research. The > on-line version will be linked (by tomorrow evening) from the Home page of > http://www.TeacherResearch.net I hope you'll find it useful to engage with. > > My own approach to research that originated in a Living Educational Theory > approach to action research has evolved over time, largely because of my > experiences of working in Japan. Rather than 'I experience a problem'(i.e. a > deficit model) as a starting point for improvement I prefer an Appreciative > Inquiry approach which leads from a more positive base towards improvement. > > So ... might it be helpful to look at the strengths of using VLE technology > identified in the feedback you are processing from students and imagine the > ways that you can extend positive aspects so that they balance out problems? > What is the focus of the positive feedback - are you getting mixed feedback > about similar aspects of using VLEs? Is there a better way of using a VLE? > > I agree with Michael that anxiety (e.g about being shown up as incompetent > in posting contributions to a list) can show up in later negative feedback > from students. Change is daunting and going back to the TLA project I talked > about earlier - the key we are identifying is to so embed technology in the > 'normal' operations of a social group that it becomes effectively addictive! > > If we think about Facebook and other social networking sites, it is the hook > to 'what next?' that allays fears about using technology. It is a natural > curiosity to follow a story line that keeps people tuning into soaps on tv. > I wonder if it might it be that using a vle is not rewarding enough for > some students? Is criticising technology a 'cover' for other unvocalised > concern? > > So - as a research mentor my advice to adopt, adapt or ignore would be this; > look not first at the complaints but at the positives of technology use and > consider if a vle is exploiting them so students feel addicted to using it! > Is the vle creating problems because it is being used in way that could be > more imaginative, exciting and evoke a stronger sense of student ownership? > > Warm regards, > > Sarah > > Consultant Research Mentor > http://www.TeacherResearch.net > > Convenor BERA Mentoring & Coaching SIG > Details at http://www.bera.ac.uk