I have spent the past couple of weeks developing the Research Methods Review website. I have searched the web for online research methods tutorials and have found some really good resources for use on the site. I also just contacted Dr. Kim, who teaches research methods courses for the W&M School of Education, to set up an appointment to discuss the project and obtain her feedback. I am interested to learn what resources she would recommend for use on the website as well as for my own personal preparation for research methods courses.
Recently, I also began reading an introductory research methods textbook called How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education (6th Edition, 2006) by Jack R. Fraenkel and Norman E. Wallen. I completed Chapter 1 last evening. I am very interested to see (as an adult learner), which type of resource works best for me in relearning introductory research methods. After I read the textbook, I plan on completing some online tutorials to compare and contrast which method (books or online resources) suited my personal learning needs the best.
Thus far, I have found that reading the textbook for my own self-directed learning purposes creates a quite different dynamic than reading the book as an enrolled student in a research methods class. In this SDL capacity, I can read at my own pace and do not have the prospect of quizzes and tests hanging over me. So far, I have found that I can retain the information better utilizing this SDL approach. However, I'll have to wait and see if that dynamic continues as I get into the more complex, quantitative material.
As I continue on with this project, I am also very interested in putting my own learning experience into the larger context of self-directed learning research that we have discussed in class. I plan on consulting the SDL articles we have read regularly to see how the themes, concepts, and research in those pieces compares with my own experiences. I will start posting more comments about that process shortly.
Recently, I also began reading an introductory research methods textbook called How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education (6th Edition, 2006) by Jack R. Fraenkel and Norman E. Wallen. I completed Chapter 1 last evening. I am very interested to see (as an adult learner), which type of resource works best for me in relearning introductory research methods. After I read the textbook, I plan on completing some online tutorials to compare and contrast which method (books or online resources) suited my personal learning needs the best.
Thus far, I have found that reading the textbook for my own self-directed learning purposes creates a quite different dynamic than reading the book as an enrolled student in a research methods class. In this SDL capacity, I can read at my own pace and do not have the prospect of quizzes and tests hanging over me. So far, I have found that I can retain the information better utilizing this SDL approach. However, I'll have to wait and see if that dynamic continues as I get into the more complex, quantitative material.
As I continue on with this project, I am also very interested in putting my own learning experience into the larger context of self-directed learning research that we have discussed in class. I plan on consulting the SDL articles we have read regularly to see how the themes, concepts, and research in those pieces compares with my own experiences. I will start posting more comments about that process shortly.
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