Micah Gideon Modell
Perspective on Research
As a researcher, I aim to offer my fellow researchers and the educational community insight into mechanisms that increase the likelihood of complex learning. Solving design problems is such a complex activity and, as design skills are frequently applied and in demand, it serves as a significant area of interest. Furthermore, I aim to apply these insights to the improvement of educational methods and to focus on those mechanisms that increase the likelihood that such complex learning will take place. I am particularly interested in assessing soft skills such as leadership or the ability to work effectively as part of a team and in making such information available for formative purposes.
Following in the footsteps of Vygotsky (1978) and Lave and Wenger (1993), I subscribe to the belief that learning is an inherently social and situated process, I lean towards a naturalistic research philosophy (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) as it espouses subjective observations in the natural environment of the participant. My study of territoriality in a design studio investigated how participants behave in an environment designed specifically to support their learning process. I employed close readings of observation and interview data to answer my research questions and they served me well. As part of this study, I designed an observation instrument that was specific to the environment of interest. Addtionally, I developed a method for recording observed data using the instrument.
Also like Vygotsky and his disciple, Leontiev, I see value in Activity Theory. Viewing objects and actors as meaningful only within the context of the activities in which they participate promises to offer valuable insights for one trying to understand these mechanisms and improve their effectiveness. I have not yet taken part in a project that benefit from this view, but it resonates with me and I expect that, with my interest in design and the social components of learning, I will have opportunity to apply it before long.
While much of my practical experiences have involved the development of rich description from qualitative sources of information, I anticipate using a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methods throughout my career as a scholar. To this end, I have completed coursework in basic statistical analysis as well as multivariate analysis in an effort to prepare myself to go beyond the simple descriptives I am already comfortable with.
Competencies Identified
- An understanding of appropriate methods for studying design
- Ability to understand and synthesize related literature
- Focused research agenda that is firmly situated within the field of Instructional Systems Technology
- Knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative design methods
- Ability to share research with the broader community
- Experience designing research
- Ability to design data collection instruments
- Ability to coordinate a team of researchers
- Ability to identify and obtain funding
Evidence of Progress
An understanding of appropriate methods for studying design- Evidence 1
- Coursework in instructional technology, research methodology, and human-computer interaction design has equipped me with broad knowledge base to draw from in my own instruction. This evidence is a table of courses I have taken that relate to my areas of focus.
- Evidence 1
- Draft dissertation proposal.
- Evidence 2, Evidence 3
- Appreciation emails for my having served as a reviewer for five AECT 2012 conference proposals for both the Design and Development and Teacher Education divisions.
- Evidence 4
- The literature review supporting this proposal for Searching for Personal Territory in an HCI Design Studio synthesizes the literature on design, the design tudio and human territoriality.
- Evidence 5
- An annotated bibliography intended to serve as a guide to the field of Instructional Systems Technology. It provides pointers to and summaries of exemplary works from the field which illuminate the core concepts that comprise it.
- Evidence 6
- A literature review synthesizing the current literature on design theory. This literature review serves to inform myself and demonstrate that I hae a strong basic knowledge on these basic questions that are going to underpin most of my research. The source materials have been gathered over the course of my career as: instructional designer; software architect, teacher and student.
- Evidence 7
- A literature review exploring the foundations of and research into immersive learning environments and focusing specifically on issues of identity and identity-shift revealed by the review. This review was initiated as part of the coursework for Readings in Instructional Systems Technology (R711).
- Evidence 8
- Critique of a research article completed as a requirement for Application of Research Methods to IST (R690).
- Evidence 9
- Appreciation email for my having served as a reviewer for five AECT 2011 conference proposals for the Design and Development division.
- Evidence 1
- This paper recounts the history of Instructional Systems Technology and relates that history to my own scholarly interests.
- Evidence 1
- Coursework in instructional technology and research methodology has equipped me with broad knowledge base to draw from in my own instruction. This evidence is a table of courses I have taken that relate to my areas of focus.
- Evidence 1
- This study explored the design and usage of an HCI/d Studio, specifically with respect to territorial behaviors amongst the Masters students which occupy the space. Published in The Journal for Education in the Built Environment.
- Evidence 1
- Presented Learners’ Strategies for Interpreting Instructional Images session at AECT 2012.
- Evidence 1
- Presented Designing a self- and peer-assessment method to equitably grade and reduce social loafing in groups session at AECT 2012.
- Evidence 1
- Participated in a roundtable presentation of Gamifying the Conference Experience: A Design Case session at AECT 2011.
- Evidence 1
- Participated in a roundtable presentation of Preparation of Visual Materials to Study How EFL Learners Use Images in the Learning Process session at AECT 2011.
- Evidence 1, Evidence 2, Evidence 3, Evidence 4
- Recordings of the four presentations I participated in at the IST Conference of 2011. These include first author presentations of my Continuous Assessment peer assessment tool and a workshop on the use and extension of Mendeley, a reference management tool. In the third presentation, I was second author to Rod Myers in a design showcase of his Dossier Game conference game.
- Evidence 5 and Evidence 6
- Abstract of the accepted poster proposal for the Meaningful Play 2010 conference. The poster, which will be presented in October of 2010, explores the role played by identity in the design of an serious game.
- Evidence 1 and Evidence 2
- This study explored the design and usage of an HCI/d Studio, specifically with respect to territorial behaviors amongst the Masters students which occupy the space. Evidence 1 is the proposal while Evidence 2 is the most recent proof of the manuscript accepted by The Journal for Education in the Built Environment.
- Evidence 1
- This study, which explored the design and usage of an HCI/d Studio with respect to territorial behaviors was designed to include data collection and analysis activities by two researchers. As the principle investigator, this leadership role was my responsibility. Evidence 1 is the most recent proof of the manuscript accepted by The Journal for Education in the Built Environment.
- Evidence 1
- This study, which explored the design and usage of an HCI/d Studio, specifically with respect to territorial behaviors amongst the Masters students which occupy the space. It required the development of a data collection instrument for recording observation data. Evidence 1 is the most recent proof of the manuscript accepted by The Journal for Education in the Built Environment.
- Evidence 1
- Successfully applied for and obtained funding for the 2011 IST Conference from the IU Student Organization Funding Board.
References
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1993). Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Situated Learning (pp. 29-43). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. (M. Cole, S. Scribner, V. John-Steiner, & E. Souberman, Eds.) (p. 159). Harvard University Press.