Revisions 3

Title: Becoming Familiar with a New Technology: A Case Study of Embodied Familiarization

WHY: The purpose of this research is to look at the instance of learning to use a new technology as a process of embodied familiarization, and to describe everyday learning as meaningful, situated participation.

Intro: Agency and Learning

• Y&S - many learning theories are influenced by hard physical determinism
• Looking at humans in this light may be a narrow outlook
• Main streams of thought: Agency and Learning
•  Self-Regulated Learning
• Logical Learning Theory
• Self-Determinism and Learning
• Y,S & F Learning theory - based on human agency
• Explanation of Participational Agency, Learning as Embodied Familiarization
• Explanation of Deterministic Learning Theories
• Explanation of differences
• A participational agent confronted with a situation of unfamiliarity 
• When teachers encounter Learning Suite, some of them choose not to explore it at all.  Others explore it in many different ways.  
• This study a qualitative study providing examples of specific adult learning experience from learner's perspective and in the learner's own words.  A study of learning to see whether or not Yanchar, Spackman and Faulconer's theory of learning could explain this experience agentically. 
• Understanding learning experiences in terms of YS&F's learning theory will provide insight into how learning could be understood as an agentic process, and the impact that perspective could have on future research in teaching and learning. 

Research Questions:

1. How do typical university faculty members describe their experiences of learning to use a new LMS?
2. How do their responses agree or disagree with Y, S & F learning theory?
3. How does what we know from YS&F's learning theory based on agency change the way we look at learning?

Context for Research

• LMS literature
• How those fundamental ideals/principles could help teachers and learners
• BYU Learning Suite  - statistics, WHAT WE KNOW
• Why this is a good scenario to study
• Why this study -

Method 

Hermeneutic Phenomenology in a Three-Part Study:

1. Case Overview

• Describe the background context of the case, including a description of participant, the setting of learning, equipment involved, and their historical/cultural background with teaching and with using an LMS, and finally their own experience learning to use an LMS.

1. Case Narrative

• Parse the learning experience into themes along the lines of LAEF.  
• Puts the learning experience in a narrative using the vocabulary of LAEF.

1. Case Interpretation 

• Discussion of insights from the overview and the narrative, expressed in themes and inferences regarding the learning experience of faculty members becoming familiar with a new technology 

 Data Collection:

• Qualitative interviews, 3-parts:
• Overall understanding of the professor, the subject they teach, their education/experience, how they are involved with Learning Suite
• The learning experience itself, how they heard about Learning Suite and what they did.
• Understand why the professor did what they did, what meaning it had for them, how they felt, and how their involvement affected their learning experience
• Sample Questions:
• Tell me about your self.  What brought you here? What is your normal day like as a professor?
• How did you first hear about Learning Suite? What did you think/feel about it at first?  What did you do about it? How did you start looking at the program?  Did you hear about the experiences of other faculty members, and if so, how do you think that changed your experience? Which helps did you use? When did you feel like you were getting more familiar with the program?
• Why did you want to become a professor? 

Participant Selection
Will talk with about 5 professors who originally chose to learn the technology.

Data Analysis:

• First, organize transcripts for Case Overview, including statements about who the participant was, and why the participant was doing what he was doing. 
• Second, organize transcripts for Case Narrative, including statements that might provide evidence for LAEF.
• Third, develop a thematic structure for the Case Interpretation, interpreting in terms of interesting/relevant findings, using data analysis method from research on design practices (Williams et al., 2011)

Trustworthiness: Standards for qualitative inquiry (Williams et al., 2001)

 Results: Offer insights of learning as understood by LAEF. See if the stories relate more with LAEF or with soemthign else. Stories of learning a new technology to give a glimpse into peoples' purposes, values, concerns, and struggles in everyday encounters with unfamiliarity.  Also, it gives a view of learning from a hermeneutic perspective, which is different from traditional behaviorist, cognitive, and constructivist viewpoints.