ETEC 500 - Research Methodologies in Education:
Learning the Basics:
ETEC 500, which is Research Methodologies in Education, was the first course that I took in the MET program. I was not familiar with educational research methodologies, so I learned a great deal from this course that I used throughout my MET program. I related this experience to the idea of a Tide wave with the energy coming from the gravitational force of the moon. As the moon and its gravitational force on the earth is the source of this waves energy I find that this relates nicely with this course. The moon is a steady and scheduled source of energy that is always present. ETEC 500 and the research is also a steady and constant form of energy that is found throughout many topics and the backbone to understanding new topics and ideas.
Topics that created waves in my own learning:
ETEC 500, which is Research Methodologies in Education, was the first course that I took in the MET program. I was not familiar with educational research methodologies, so I learned a great deal from this course that I used throughout my MET program. I related this experience to the idea of a Tide wave with the energy coming from the gravitational force of the moon. As the moon and its gravitational force on the earth is the source of this waves energy I find that this relates nicely with this course. The moon is a steady and scheduled source of energy that is always present. ETEC 500 and the research is also a steady and constant form of energy that is found throughout many topics and the backbone to understanding new topics and ideas.
Topics that created waves in my own learning:
- How to read, critique and synthesis information from scholarly sources.
- How to use proper APA style
- Researching for appropriately peer-reviewed research.
- How to identify and use different research methodologies
- Relearned how to properly write a literature review and a research paper.
Reflection: Research Paper
At the time that I wrote this research paper I heard a lot about social networking such as Facebook and Twitter and how teachers were using it in the classroom. As I was not convinced of the academic benefits of this kind of medium, so I wanted to learn what current research could reveal about this topic. For this artefact I spent a great deal of time applying the skills that I have learned in ETEC 500 to locate, read, critique and ultimately synthesis the information into a coherent research paper. The skills that I learned through this process I used in every single MET course that I took after. The following is one of my favourite quotes from this assignment.
"the real learning for social networking sites is the ability to learn from each other regardless of geography and moves away from limited and linear models towards a different kind of model, one which draws on the knowledge of students who may have more relevant, and more recent, experience than academic staff." (Lang, 2012)
I really enjoyed reading research by A. Lang as it provided me a different perspective on how to use social networks in an educational manner. The whole concept of informal learning through peers I found intriguing, and I referred to this article often throughout the MET program.
In addition I used the knowledge that I have learned while writing this research paper in my own career. I have implemented social media on my class website while encouraging informal learning through this medium. Even though I finished this course several years ago this research paper still has a direct impact on how I view educational uses of social media to this day.
In addition I used the knowledge that I have learned while writing this research paper in my own career. I have implemented social media on my class website while encouraging informal learning through this medium. Even though I finished this course several years ago this research paper still has a direct impact on how I view educational uses of social media to this day.
Artefact: Research Paper
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