1. What special considerations or circumstances should be given to research done in and about online spaces?
When it comes to research done in online spaces, I think it is important to document online sources correctly, as well as to confirm the legitimacy of a site. As teachers, both of these are things we have to help our students understand and practice in their work. In regard to actual research done in and about virtual spaces, there are many considerations to keep in mind. I keep going back to the second life research conversation and doing an ethnography of the space and avatars. Although I don't understand the purpose or take it seriously when I visit, other people do, and as a researcher I can not undervalue their feelings and opinions they possess for their 2nd life personas. So, I would say that valuing the space and the participants who go there is an important consideration to keep in mind. In other words, it is important to neither judge nor over-simplify that which I am researching.
2. What are some of the major benefits you see in virtual research? What are some of the disadvantages?
I think the greatest benefit I see in conducting online research is the ease of access--the research can be done from home, or any other place with computer access. At the same time, I can see research work such as an ethnography becoming overwhelming if done completely online. Not having the separation of a place to leave a days work behind could lead the researcher to a burnout situation. Another disadvantage to online research directed to/on participants. is that one never knows for certain to whom they are speaking. This seems like it could be problematic in certain situations.
3. In light of research like Thurlow and McKay's, how do you think your students are likely to value online research practices and scholarship?
Before I address this question, I just want to say how amazed I was at how dated this article seemed to me, and it came out in 2003 which wasn't really that long ago at all. The world of technology has exploded since 2003, and continues to do so still. I don't think I had a phone with text capabilities until 2004, and didn't join a social networking site until 2005 (MySpace, which took me months to figure out).
I think this is a difficult question to answer. I think there are students who do and will value online research and scholarship practices, and those who do not and will not value the those research tools available to them. I think that many of these students take the ease of access to answers for granted too. On more than one occasion I have heard students say that they don't need to learn anything because they can google it if they need it later. I think as teachers we have an obligation to teach students how to use the available tools properly and responsibly.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think your concept of addressing that some people do value online life while others don't is key to actually doing research online. We cannot assume that just because a group of students suggests that online spaces are absurd or just for fun, that others don't take them seriously. I often don't even know how I feel towards online interaction. Sometimes I am serious and then others I am not. Then, there are spaces where I am both. Like these blogs, I obviously am not going to write something completely insane, but I wouldn't put it past me to be funny since blogs in general have a more personal feel to me. Of course, this also may just be my impression of the whole process of blogging.
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on the dated article. I felt like I had landed in a time-warp because the changes that have taken place in just the last five or six years are huge. I mean if I consider my first year in college, which was almost a decade ago, cell phones were just becoming popular. They were no longer the brick phones but they were definitely large. I thought I was so cool with my half brick phone that allowed me to call very few minutes before being charged outlandish fees. Now I have this color screen, internet, tv, mp3 capable phone that practically thinks for me...LOL. I'm still jealous of your iPhone. :)
I love your attention to the idea that while many of us do not take certain spaces seriously, others do and that deserves respect. This seems a key issue with computer-mediated research. It is so easy to dismiss new technologies and tech communities (Facebook, Twitter, SecondLife, WOW) but the truth is that millions of people are living some part of their lives in those spaces and that seems to demand a certain level of respect.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the key is to try to offer the same level of care and respect to virtual subject/participants as we would offline folks.
I agree, respect is a must whether the research is being done in an online or offline setting.
ReplyDelete