Research Methods for Education in the Digital Age

✍ Scribed by Maggi Savin-Baden; Gemma Tombs

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2017
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 297
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

What is research in education? And what is it for in a digital age? Reflecting upon these questions, this engaging introduction provides critical discussion about the dilemmas of researching education in the digital age and ways forward for research in this complex area.
Research Methods for Education in the Digital Age begins by outlining forms of education that are seen as digital, such as virtual, blended, immersive learning and examining the extent to which these are different or just adapted versions of earlier methods and approaches to education. Maggi Savin-Baden and Gemma Tombs explore current practices in research, identifying the successful adoption and adaption of theories and present practical guidance on new and emerging methodologies, methods, and analytical practices for undertaking educational research. New methodologies discussed include digital arts-based inquiry and digital visual methodologies, as well as adaptations of widely used methodologies such as ethnography, for the specific needs of researching digital teaching and learning.
The book outlines the major challenges faced by today’s digital researchers, exploring approaches to digital ethics, the relationship between qualitative and quantitative data in the digital age, digital data representations and portrayal and suggests helpful ways of dealing with the complexities and ethical challenges of undertaking research in and for digital spaces. Using case studies, research tips, a glossary and annotated further reading, the authors take a step by step approach from conceptualizing the research ideas, selecting the appropriate method to the dissemination of the findings.
At a time when education is changing rapidly with digital and technological advances, Research Methods for Education in the Digital Age is essential reading for researchers wanting to undertake sound and rigorous research in the digital domain.

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgements
Series Editor’s ­Preface
A Glossary of Research Methods and Approaches
Introduction
Chapter 1 Issues in researching education in the digital age
Introduction
Current issues
Methodology and methods
Data challenges
Questions that bear consideration
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 2 New methodologies?
Introduction
A pragmatic stance?
Liquid methodologies?
Digital and visual methods
Digital-arts-related research
Digital narrative inquiry
Digital métissage
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 3 Ethnographies for the digital age
Introduction
A brief history of ethnography
Ethnographies for the digital age?
Differences in methods
Ethnographies in practice
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 4 Adapting research approaches for educational research in a digital age
Introduction
The challenges of adaptation
Design-based research
Design patterns
Future technology workshop
Actor network theory
Activity theory
Troublesome trajectories
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 5 Quantitative data in digital contexts
Introduction
Quantitative data in the digital age
Big data, learning analytics and educational data mining
Survey data
Social media data
Mobile application data
Geo-location data
Virtual worlds application data
Capturing data and data capture
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 6 Digital ethics
Introduction
Defining ethics
Undertaking ethical research in digital contexts
Privacy, consent and analytics in digital spaces
The ‘human subject’ in digital contexts
Anonymization and attribution of research participants
Ethical frameworks for a digital age?
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 7 Digital data creation and collection
Introduction
Researcher roles
Cooperative research
Observations
Interviews
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 8 Data management
Introduction
Defining data management
Analysing digital data
Analysing using digital tools
The use of digital techniques for analysis
Interpreting digital data
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 9 Representation and portrayal in qualitative research
Introduction
Issues of representation and portrayal
Representation
Portrayal
Reflections on portrayal
Conclusion
Further reading
Chapter 10 Digital impact
Introduction
The impact agenda in education and research
New ways of presenting research findings
The open agenda in education and research
Undertaking research in the digital age: Current and future practice
Conclusion
Beginning and endings
Further reading
References
Index