ALA Midwinter 2012
YALSA Research Forum
Annie Downey
University of North Texas
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• “For those doing research on 21st century library services for young adults, a singular challenge lies in exploring the intersections of formal and informal environments (along with friendship-driven and interestdriven pursuits) with library-related activities as varied as adolescent development and literacy acquisition” (Harris,
2011)
• An example of this type of intersection
• Quest to Learn
Harris, F. (2011). Gimme shelter: Informal and formal learning environments in library land. Retrieved from http://www.yalsa.ala.org/jrlya/2011/11/gimmeshelter-informal-and-formal-learning-environments-in-library-land/
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• Think of learning when designing spaces – intentionally creating learning spaces
• Technology in learning environments
• Digital divide
• Access to technology AND access to specific resources
• Inventory of technologies being used (also how usage relates to income, gender, and ethnicity)
• Data driven understanding of technology use
• Effect of filters
• Tech skills of YAs
• Online learning - in formal learning environments
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• Interest-driven learning
• Value of informal learning
• Limitations created by the structure of formal learning environments can affect informal learning (such as setup of space, filters, etc.)
• Supporting informal learning in formal learning environments
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• “The social, physical, psychological, and pedagogical contexts in which learning occurs and which affect student achievement and attitudes” ( from Learning
Environments Research: An International Journal published by Springer)
Formal
Classrooms
Computer Labs
Libraries
Online classes
Informal
Home
Science centers
Museums
Libraries
Field trips
Social media
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• Surveys
• Ethnography
• Structured Observation
• Text and Speech Analysis
• Semiotics
• Interviews
• Focus groups
• Critical approaches
• Statistical analysis
• Combination of qualitative and quantitative is common and often preferred for this type of research
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• A long history in learning environment research
• Many valid instruments to use
• Learning Environment Inventory (LEI)
• Classroom Environment Scale (CES)
• Individualised Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ)
• Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI)
• Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (QLES)
• What is Happening in This Class? (WIHIC)
• Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES)
• Questionnaire data is often used in conjunction with learning outcome data
• A good history and summation of the above instruments
: Fraser, B. J.
(2002). Learning environment research: Yesterday, today and tomorrow. In S. C. Goh & M.
S Khine (Eds), Studies in educational learning environments: An international perspective
(pp. 1-26). Singapore: World Scientific.
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• Can be simple or very complex
• Check out articles in the field of educational anthropology for guidance
• Examples from academic libraries
• Studying Students: The Undergraduate Research Project at the
University of Rochester
• Ethnographic Research in Illinois Academic Libraries (aka ERIAL
Project)
• AnthroLib Library in Zotero has more examples – includes examples of using ethnography techniques for online environments
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• Use their reports or other publications for background information, stats, or ideas
• Teens, Kindness and Cruelty on Social Network Sites
• Generations 2010 (datasets are also available for download)
• The new normal in the digital age
• Speaking the language of the next generation
• Reading, Writing, & Research in the Digital Age
• More: http://www.pewinternet.org/Topics/Topic-Category-
1/Teens.aspx
• Use their data for your own study
• Trend Data for Teens http://www.pewinternet.org/Static-
Pages/Trend-Data-for-Teens.aspx
• Data Sets http://pewinternet.org/Data-Tools/Download-
Data/Data-Sets.aspx
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• Focused on major health care issues, including the effect of media on health
• Generation M 2 : Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds
• is the third in a series of large-scale, nationally representative surveys by the Foundation about young people’s media use. It includes data from all three waves of the study (1999, 2004, and
2009), and is among the largest and most comprehensive publicly available sources of information about media use among
American youth.
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• The GFI® Software 2011 Parent-Teen Internet Safety Report
• This survey is a probability sample – designed to be nationally representative - of 535 pairs of teens ages 13-17 and their parents in households with Internet access.
• UNESCO ICT in Education
• International perspective
• Some data available; more forthcoming
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• Choose your method
• Your question should guide you
• Be very clear on your what you want to find out
• Familiarize yourself with the method you have chosen
• Make sure you understand the important concepts
• Do a GOOD literature review
• can be before or after you choose your method
• Can be very helpful when trying to develop your question
• Sample size: how many people should I study?
• Quantitative - formula-based
• Qualitative – no clear boundaries; supposed to reach saturation
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• Analyze your results
• Evaluate the quality of your study
• Quantitative
• Reliability
• Validity
• Qualitative
• Credibility
• Transferability
• Dependability
• Write it up and submit for publication
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• Research Methods Knowledge Base – covers the basics of research
• Open Learning Initiative’s Statistics and Probability course – full, free stats course from Carnegie Mellon University
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• Annie Downey
• Head, Research and Instructional Services
• University of North Texas Libraries
• Denton, TX
• Annie.downey@unt.edu
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