Understanding the Design Research Process Reflections on Picto

Understanding the Design Research Process Reflections on Picto. Pal

About design research § Why do we need it? § Increase the relevance of research § Developing empirically-grounded theories § Increasing the robustness of design practice § What is it? § Design research is “a series of approaches, with the intent of producing new theories, artifacts, and practices that account for and potentially impact learning and teaching in naturalistic settings. ” (Barab and Squire, 2004)

Understanding design research § Visual models § Reeves (2000) § Mc. Kenney, van den Akker & Nieveen (2006) § Bannan & Baek (2008) § Ejersbo, et al (2008) § Frameworks § Reinking & Bradley (2004) § Gravemeijer & Cobb (2006)

Reeves, 2000

Mc. Kenney, van den Akker & Nieveen, 2006

Bannan & Baek, 2008

Ejersbo, et al, 2008

Reinking & Bradley (2008) § Intervention-centered § Theoretical § Goal-oriented § Adaptive and iterative § Transformative § Methodologically inclusive and flexible § Pragmatic

Gravemeijer & Cobb (2006) § Important steps within § Three main phases of their work: § preparing for a design experiment; § conducting a design experiment; and § retrospective analysis

Model used to describe Picto. Pal (Mc. Kenney, Reeves & Herrington, in press)

Picto. Pal as design research § Final Intervention § On-computer activities § Off-computer activities § Teacher guide

Picto. Pal as design research § Analysis § Exploration § Literature review § Site visits § Product search § Interviews § School visit § Questionnaire § Document analysis § Language curriculum § National interim targets for early literacy § Visit NECC for ideas and potential ‘critical friends’

Picto. Pal as design research § Design § Construction § § Initial rapid prototyping Core convictions (e. g. ) § Children want to express § Global outlines themselves in print, even before § Paper prototypes they are able to read § § On-computer activities should elicit dialogue and collaboration § § Working prototypes (5) Product guidelines (e. g. ) Process guidelines (e. g. ) § Cooperation with teachers and language experts § Shift to commercial software § 90% of desired functions available § Much more stable § Our time focused on content, not media

Picto. Pal as design research § Evaluation § Reflection § Picto. Pal evolution § On-pc (focus in early Ps) § Closed activities dropped § Semi-open continued § # activities doubled § Off-pc (focus in latter Ps) § Teacher involvement § To increase integration § Informed by observations and learning gain data (gains shown with Ps 2 -5, yet not consistently) § Learning gains appear to increase with teacher involvement as designers § Possibly because they are then better able to integrate § But also due to their perceptions of ICT and education

Picto. Pal as design research Design principles Elaboration and refinement of initial design ideas, based on R&D Product guidelines (e. g. ) Process guidelines (e. g. ) § Activities should elicit dialogue and collaboration § Children discuss Picto. Pal with each other and with adults, although their conversations are more ontask with adults. § However, adult guidance is very impractical for most schools. Student teachers and parent volunteers have been successful, but are difficult to rely on; tutor systems involving 6 th graders have also been successful. § Picto. Pal should be designed together with teachers and language experts § Measures should be taken to mitigate a sense of feeling overwhelmed. Even highly motivated teachers can have become more focused on ‘getting the job done’ and not see when they are making poor design decisions. § Providing sample materials and completed examples to teachers early on is crucial to teacher understanding

Picto. Pal as design research § Implementation § Diffusion § Small scale § Moving from intensive support to shared through: guidebook and one workshop when § Researcher conferences teachers enact only; more workshops § Practitioner workshops when teachers also create the § Journal articles materials § Experimenting with approaches to pupil guidance § Teachers say they learn by participating in Picto. Pal; we would like to understand this better § § Intervention not fully mature, but ideas As we look to up-scaling § Whose job is it to go to scale? § Should we consider approaching a publisher?

Reflections on the Picto. Pal approach § Shifting emphasis (as intervention matures) § From characteristics of the learning environment § Content § Interface § Task design § To implementation factors § Teacher technology integration § Alignment of on-off computer activities § Influence of data in shaping subsequent sub-studies § Teacher role in design of the materials § Teacher beliefs

Reflections on this as a case of DBR § Meets Reinking and Bradley’s 7 characteristics § Sustaining design and development § Project funding for first year (P 1 dvpt only) § 7 ‘backpocket’ studies (esp. graduate assignments) (P 1 -P 4) § Recently: 2 Ph. D studies funded (4 yr each) § Tensions and trade-offs § Optimum format for pupil guidance during on-computer activities still not found § Practicality vs. legitimacy tension § Methodological challenges § Multiple roles of designer, facilitator, researcher § Met with explicit frameworks; triangulation; and inductive and deductive analyses § Still learning to understand salient contextual factors to predict potential generalisability