Current Research Proposal

Title: Learner Choices in Learning a New Technology
WHY: Understand individual experiences of how learner choices affects learning. Because we need to be better learners.

Existing Literature Organization:  (organizing this differently may help be more supportive. Also include #1s)
      Choices in Learning Experiences

• Computer-based Courses
• Museum Studies
• Special Education
• General Classroom Learning
• Children vs. Adults: Choices in Learning (Add)
• Technology Adoption (Add) (how do tech. adoption studies measure adoption?)

     Existing Literature Summary:

• Literature DOES look at ways to change instruction 
• Literature DOES look at particular choices in technology adoption
• Literature DOES look at many terms related to choice in learning
• Literature DOES look at learner choices that have an impact on learning (change this in paper)
• Literature DOES NOT look at professors' experiences of learning and implementing new technology after adoption decision

Research Questions:

1. How do faculty members describe the role of choices in their learning of new technology?
2. What do their responses tell us about how choices affect learning?

Method:

• Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis - Qual. research, gets at human experiences and meanings behind them, to the learners. Good b/c we can talk with professors about choices that were and were not meaningful to them. Also, I can interpret their responses as the researcher, which I will have to do in order to talk about choice and effects on learning. (LOOK MORE INTO THIS)
• Will talk with about 5 professors who originally chose to learn the technology, as identified by user data.  (1-Early adopters, 2-Early Majority, 2-Late Majority, 1-Laggard [how were they selected, why this group? why adults?]) (FIX)
• Will ask them how they first chose to learn Learning Suite  
• Tell me about your choices in learning to use Learning Suite. (What were some of the things you did to get more familiar with it?)
• Which helps did you use at first?  Why those?  How do you think those choices affected your learning experience?

 Results: Stories of learning a new technology.  That will help with WHY.