Wiki Research Process and Proposal – 35 points
Students are expected to research and review 5-10 scholarly sources on their chosen topic by the end of week seven (10 points). Students are expected to implement acquired knowledge to design a mock ethnographic research proposal and process plan. Groups will publish their proposals on their Wiki (25 points). Wikis are expected to be informative, interactive, easy-to-read and reflective of graduate level comprehension of course work.
Students are expected to research and review 5-10 scholarly sources on their chosen topic by the end of week seven (10 points). Students are expected to implement acquired knowledge to design a mock ethnographic research proposal and process plan. Groups will publish their proposals on their Wiki (25 points). Wikis are expected to be informative, interactive, easy-to-read and reflective of graduate level comprehension of course work.
Purpose
The purpose of this wiki is to teach anthropology students how to frame an ethnography proposal and explore the implications of the research study they plan. It will familiarize students with data collection processes and tools as well as provide background for applying proper evaluation and analysis to amassed data.
Frame
The wiki will have a table of contents, explanation of research topic, justification, proposed method, explanation of instrumentation, resource citation and suggestion for future study. Below is an explanation for each section.
*Table of contents will serve to organize the research design. Each subsequent wiki page will be linked to this page. Additionally, group members will provide a link to a biographical page with contact information included.
*Explanation of research topic will comprehensively introduce the reader to the study and highlight merits of such a study being conducted.
*Justification will give an overview of prior literature, using 5-10 scholarly sources. It will provide an in depth explanation of the relevance of the proposed study.
*Explanation of instrumentation will be the crux of the wiki. In great detail, groups are to describe the classification of ethnography they intend to use as well as the instruments required to collect data. Internal validity, instrument validity and external validity should be addressed. The wiki should describe how sampling is conducted. Discuss limitations and benefits of chosen sample method. Data collector objectivity and instrument reliability must also be addressed.
*Resource citation will list all sources used in comprising the proposal. These include cited sources and referenced sources. If a source is quoted or paraphrased anywhere in the proposal, it must be cited. If a source is simply referenced for information, it must be included as a referenced source. If in doubt, it is safer to cite the resource rather than risk plagiarism.
*Suggestions for future study will evaluate possible outcomes of the proposal and recommend areas for follow up. For example, a future study may address limitations
For an example wiki proposal, you may refer to: http://wikieducator.org/DEVELOPING_RESEARCH_PROPOSALencountered.
For an example wiki proposal, you may refer to: http://wikieducator.org/DEVELOPING_RESEARCH_PROPOSALencountered.
In composing this wiki guideline, I referenced West, J.A. & West, M.L. (2009). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pgs 90-93.
Tonya, Greetings!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your Wiki assignment; although I do not have a strong background in your discipline, I believe you did an excellent job in outlining your expectations for your learners, regarding the current assignment.
As stated in King & Cox (2011) "when faculty plan appropriately, wikis allow learners to actively participate in their own knowledge construction and also participate in the co-writing with others" (p. 122).
Your previous lesson plan, as well as your current Wiki project, allows for the learner to both actively participate in a group setting, while at the same time, continue to build their own knowledge base and critical thinking skills.
Well done!
Alicia
Reference:
King, K., & Cox, T. (2011). The professor's guide to taming technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Thanks Alicia!
DeleteKudos for choosing more difficult subject matter for your project. Most people shudder when they hear the word "research". There is definitely a great benefit to promoting collaborative learning when research is involved because there are so many new things being learned and such a large number of variables to consider. It can be difficult for one person to catch everything! As West and West (2009) point out, the collection of everything in one place for a research proposal/evaluation "can expedite the review process and provide a robust environment for mentoring" (p. 90). The project is viewable by the entire team and professor/advisor, to help prevent getting to off course or missing something along the way. Even the smallest mistake in published research findings can seriously compromise an entire team's credibility.
ReplyDeleteReference: West, J. A., & West, M. L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
DeleteI agree with your assessment, Joe. Mistakes can make a team appear incompetent or uninformed. I think that's one of the major benefits of wikis. With multiple contributors, one is likely to catch mistakes. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteTonya,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your through lesson plan. Wow, your class would be challenging and very informative. So, would you consider this a critical thinking or contextual application type of assignment? It seems like it would be critical thinking but I am not totally familiar with ethnography.
Thanks again for sharing your ideas.
Hi Dawn!
DeleteI believe it is both. In order to apply the knowledge (creating a research proposal), students must be able to critically evaluate and synthesize the information. Thanks for commenting!
Tonya,
ReplyDeleteI echo Joe's statements. Taking on a research project to convert into a Wiki is an exciting idea. The process of review and group sharing is a great idea! I know that Microsoft does make a tool, (Groove, SharePoint) etc, that allows similar work flow between collaborators. The mentoring (West p. 90) is also especially achieved in this format as well, especially for distance learners.
It's funny you should mention Sharepoint, Shawn. Until the podcast interview, I had not ever explored that program. Now I keep seeing it and hearing about it at every turn. Funny how that happens! Thanks for commenting!
Delete