Students' perceptions and approaches to studying: a colloquium
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Fire and Rain (James Taylor)
Topic: Seminars
So, I went to a colloquium yesterday which was led by John in the Wilson building which is a part of the Higher Education Policy and Practice Research Group (HEPPRG) - of course we had two of the big names there: Keith Trigwell and Noel Entwistle. So, cool to meet these people! Never got that at UWI.

Anyway, I just want to make some summaries/ comments of their presentations etc here. Whilst Keith and Noel did two presentations, John did two, because his first one was just on the background of students' perceptions basically deep, surface and strategic approach. John mentioned a Biggs who in 1993 used a systems approach for learning. John actually was setting up this presentation for his next presentation by presenting a series of possible causal hypothesis between approaches to studying and perceptions of academic context. John also explained that Trigwell and Prosser (1997) saw that the perceptions of academic context and approaches to studying were actually all in one framework, and these two things taken together are a view of the students' reality that is they were not related causally but exist side by side.

For Noel's presentation underlined that approaches to studying was not inherent to a student and may change depending on the context, and thus states that it may be part habit and part the influence of the course. He seems to be doing most of his research in electronic engineering and when looking at the teaching-learning environment for electronic engineering they were concerned with ways of thinking and practising (WTP). He also mentioned a new questionnaire that they were developing called the Experiences of teaching and learning (ELTQ) which contained the ALSI (have no clue what this is!) and items on experiences of teaching. I am not quite certain who this questionnaire target i.e. teachers or students. But given that his past research has been on mostly students, I'm going to guess students. Noel mentions also Meyer work. Noel explains the ASI asked for typical study situations, Meyer work looked at contextual situations, and from this Meyer was able to develop some terms for the way of studying, which Meyer called orchestration (just like a choir!). Meyer has two types of orchestration: harmonious and dissonance (or was it discordant?).

Back to the Research Poster
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: A Beautiful Morning (The Rascals)
Topic: Seminars
Well .. I started the poster in powerpoint .. did the little graphics I said I was doing and then started writing stuff about linear programming ... but it began to sound like a powerpoint presentation rather than having a feel of a poster.

So, although my little diagrams are looking cute have no idea why they are there. So, went looking up on the internet and found this site that seems to give some good tips on research posters. Well, the first thing they said is to get an idea and stick to it!!

Now, that is where the problem lies .. I have no idea what my poster is about it .. except it must have bits of the masters and bit of what I hope to do for the PhD.

I did create a cool name for the poster (well cool for me). I've decided to call it "Learning with Software: White-Box or Black-Box?" and as a subtitle "A research into the benefits of learning linear programming with software".

So, now I'm thinking what the idea of my research is. So, the site says I must have a succinct message.Rebecca said that her supervisors said to use the Research Day as an opportunity to solicit ideas and feedback from the persons there. I think the succinct message is then Help Me! Share some ideas! Give me Feedback! on my research. Not sure if that works as the idea.

So, my succinct message is that learning linear programming can't be taught with either black-box or white-box software, but which is better for learning?

Research Day Poster
Mood:  blue
Now Playing: Dreaming of You (Selena)
Topic: Seminars
Well, I have to create a poster for the Research Day coming up on the 29th and I have no clue what to produce. Never mind that I'm suppose to be sending a draft of it to my supervisors tomorrow :). So, I'm going to be brainstorming in this little section right now (an also fulfilling my requirements of updating my blog :D).

So, according to Doug I should have about 12 or 13 slides. Right, so Slide 1 is going to be easy. Slide 1: The Benefits of Mathematical Intermediate Steps in Education Software by Anesa Hosein IET/CSET/CALRG. Supervisors: James, Doug and John.

Right Slide 1 is finished.

Onto Slide 2: I think something about linear programming - but I note that my title has absolutely nothing on linear programming ... so big problem :). Ok, so something with a title like Which Maths? and then answer "Linear Programming" and then put a little information what is linear programming (copy it from U500 presentation :D).

Alright Slide 3: Previous Research in Linear Programming (quote our research here), so which part of the research? Three major sub-areas in linear programming: Formulation of the problem, Solution of the problem and Interpretation of the sensitivity analysis. (Not liking how this slide is shaping up! - hmm I think the problem is with the title - change that and you can change these slides)

(Hmm slight idea: if able draw a diagram of a black-box/ calculator/ computer with the problem one side going into the computer/software with the answer coming out on the other side. And a next diagram with problem going into the computer and solution coming out with the steps - probably could use something easy like algebra - so everyone can understand).

Going to post this and do it from scratch in powerpoint :) and see what I churn out.

Keeping this research blog up-to-date
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban)
Topic: PhD Skills
I've decided to ensure that I at least place one entry in this blog a week - so, going to make it every Wednesday. This is to fulfill one of the PhD skills which requires that I keep a research journal/ blog and keep an updated personal-research page ... so, got to do that. The blog is easier though :) ... but will have to update my personal-research page since it is looking a bit bland.

BSRLM Conference in Lancaster
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
Topic: Seminars
Well, there is a BSRLM Conference coming up on the 19th November and James suggested I attended it. The abstracts and the programme have now been uploaded to the Internet. I am not quite sure how useful it will upon looking at the abstracts although it will help me to network (one of the requirements of the PhD Skills!) - there are a few abstracts that look somewhat interesting not sure if it is quite up my alley. But saying that, I won't mind going up to Lancaster!!

Just wondering if it is worth it ... probably should just go and see what kind of work and presentations people are doing so I can broaden my scope when I come to think about my methods and research questions. Besides the conference charge is quite cheap (25 pounds before the day or 30 on the day). The train ticket might cost most of the money and I might have to spend overnight. Anyways, I'm meeting with James today, will carry the programme and abstracts when I meet him and see what he thinks.

Come to think of it, not really sure if I'm meeting James, but hopefully I will, since wanted to wait on his input before I sent off the meeting notes (with Doug).

PhD Skills
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver)
Topic: PhD Skills
Well had my meeting with Doug yesterday on mostly the PhD skills. James couldn't make it since he had a problem with his eyes, and John didn't turn up.

The PhD skills are a bit tedious to go through, but Doug and I did well to plough through the first three sets and decided what I should prepare and how to identify what I can do to accomplish these skills.

In some sense, I'm not sure what the use of it is but I guess they want to ensure everyone's PhD is standardized and the students come out as a functioning 'person' when they graduate rather than being stuck only as a researcher.

In some sense, it was good since there were some stuff I hadn't considered such as a publication plan and a publication agreement. I think my publication agreement is just going to be everybody names are included unless they want to opt out :).

For some reason they want to ensure that we know about how projects are funding and how funding is acquired. I can't see the use of it right now, but reckon if I want to go teach and research in a higher education institution it might be useful to know. Perhaps even if I want to do third world development that will be a plus since most of the projects for third world usually have to bid funds from IDB, IMF or one of the UN organisations such as UNDP or UNESCO. So, that might be useful.

Some things to consider when analysing and writing up
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Can't Think Straight - Gilbert O'Sullivan
Topic: Data Analysis
Well these are little juttings I made whilst doing some things - so what to make sure I keep them in consideration:

(i) I have to look up some plausible reasons for using a 5 point Likert scale versus a 7 point scale like Albritton et al. Hmm ... can't find any good papers to say why I shouldn't except one that says I should sort of use the 7 point - but they were actually trying to support their use of the 7 point scale (some people Wyrwich and Tandino). However, I could indicate that since the analysis was intended for chi-square and there were so few intended respondents, there was a higher likelihood of having empty cells and hence the reason to making it a 5 point scale. Also, we used 'fence sitting' to ensure a response and minimize the middle point as there is a tendency to use the middle point more in a 5 point scale.

(ii) Now we have a low response rate in the email questionnaire. Doug was saying that this is always true in comparison with a paper questionnaire but got to check this out. The problem with comparing with known data is that most people knew the list they were sending too - that the questionnaire had direct relevance to them - there was some uncertainty about relevance regarding my list. Anyway, found some literature that says the average response for email questionnaires is in the 20s to the 30s %. So, we'll see.

(iii) It might be also useful to compare level of courses with responses that I received for the ATI to check if there is any difference in the way the courses are delivered

(iv) I also have to consider what I would have done differently if I had to do it all over again (simple send it during the course term!!!)

(v) I'll also have to compare the distribution of the responses to the list I have to see if the absent responses were random - and how the distribution is towards discipline.

(vi) Persons might have seen the stuff on simplex algorithm, graphical solution etc. and thought that is what I meant by coverage and may have said they didn't cover the solution - not sure if that will influence the outcome.

Seminar with Mike Prosser
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: The Return of The King (James Galway - The Lord of the Rings)
Topic: Seminars
So, last week for my birthday I had the opportunity of going to the talk by Mike Prosser. John told me to stick around and he would have given me and introduction to him, so I did, unfortunately, John was called away for a couple of minutes (and since they were going for lunch soon after), I made myself known to him and told him about my research into looking at disciplines using the Intentions and Beliefs Approaches to Teaching - I think he was a bit flustered since at first I don't think he caught on what I was saying (or I probably didn't explain it too well) - well, he kept repeating there were many avenues to explore with the ATI (his he meant) as yet. He did say he looked forward to seeing me in some future conference.

Well, he presented two sessions: the first was on the understanding and improving student learning experiences which I was not too keen on - but the point of that according to him (and since he was working with Higher Education Academy (HEA)- the point of them too)was to enhance their theoretical and or conceptual understanding of teaching and learning, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. They did some work using the survey research students experience questionnaire which I think may be similar to the CEQ but instead geared for research students. He indicated that paper will soon be coming out in the Instruction Science Journal.

He also explained that in their recent research they found that courses that were teacher focussed tended to have teacher-type activities or student-activities where the teacher imposed their ideas into the student's activity. Whilst on student-focussed courses there was student activities.

He also did work on student learning in disciplines. I did ask if they were doing any work in the comparison of students across disciplines. But indicated that there was no work on that presently. However, his research has concentrated on first year classes unlike mine which is a mixture of classes - so not sure if that could influence the data. Also, he was looking at biochemistry - so my question to him was whether health students and biology students approach learning to biochemistry differently (it seems to be work parallel to my linear programming so was checking that hypothesis out).

He did share with us some anecdotes about his house in Australia being broken in and his wife still being back there (and that perhaps may the reason for his frazzled appearance) and also the whole moving experience to the UK (and of course the laments of everyone moving here - how expensive it is if you have a different currency to the pound!)

Meeting with John about data analysis
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Surfin' USA (The Beach Boys)
Topic: Data Analysis
So, had my meeting with John this afternoon and James came along to the meeting as well. Well, I discussed with John my idea of converting the disciplines into soft and hard, pure and applied, life and non-life. He indicated that they were doing something similar in the the SOMUL project and that the person's work they were using was Tony Becher for decided the disciplines (he only told me this since I was using Biglan's categorization) - I think it might be similar or Becher using Biglan's work for his classification. I remember the name Tony Becher though because I have a paper by Neumann et al which Becher co-authored concerning disciplines.

Anyway, James have some reservations of using this classification since he doesn't think a lecturer think of themselves as being applied or pure at all -that name only comes because the department chooses to use the name applied in their title. Well ... to some extent I think that is true - but that doesn't prevent the shaping of course to reflect its applied nature and teachers conforming to that situation. I think there is literature (can't remember where) that indicates that lecturers do change their position of lecturing a course depending on its department or discipline (or something like that) - I think that was in the Lindblom-Ylanne et al paper.

Well, I think John is pretty much sold on the idea of the disciplines - so he decided to give me some ammunition to combat James opposition by recommended that I speak to a Yann Lebeau who worked with him in the SOMUL project to help provide me with literature concerning the choice of how subjects are placed into which kind of discipline (i.e. soft or hard etc).

Well ... with respect to the logistic regression ... John wasn't too certain what is the best road to take since he haven't done logistic regressions in quite awhile. He suggested for those questions that have a small number of answers with 'not sure' to treat it as missing data (such as for the coverage and the delivery questions) and then I can treat the other 4 options as ordinal and hence can use ordinal logistic regressions. He, however, cautions I must check and see what the assumptions of logistic regressions are upheld and even if it isn't and I go ahead and use it to remember to include in my discussion that I am treating this data as being normally distributed etc. when it is know it is and the results may not be quite correct.

Further, he suggested that I look up some non-parametric tests to check and see if I can use this for testing my data - he mentioned some kind of non-parametric one-way ANOVA which I can't remember. Oh I've found it on the net - its called the Kruskal-Wallis One Way ANOVA . However, the problem with this is that it can only deal with factor I believe ... wait let me check my facts ... oh no that is not true since you can have a two way Kruskal-Wallis, well at least according to that website. However, I think it becomes more complicated than that - John did suggest using multivariate analysis ... but that will assume that the scales were continuous - now John said for him the ATI they used (Intentions and Beliefs), that they were using underlying continuous scale and hence the values were continuous. I'm not sure if I am up to that point to believe it is continuous so will stick to it being ordinal at this point. In that case the ordinal logistic regression (well at least for the LP part)should be best ... I can't remember - but I have a feeling that the logistic regressions are non-parametric test since it uses chi-square values - if I remember carefully. Well, it does use Chi-square - so it is indeed non-parametric in nature and there is no need to uphold the assumptions of normality etc. But one website indicates that I should have at least 50 cases for each independent variable - sheesh - I don't have that - so not sure what I am going to do in that case. However, there is a suggestion to use discriminant analysis instead but I think in that case I will lose the ordinality - plus need to be normally distributed and equal variances etc. Anyway, will have to examine normality and if it upholds might go with discriminant analysis because according to the website it is more powerful - but I'm more comfortable with logistic regression ... we'll see what I use.

Anyway, John also suggested in the case of ATI where persons left out about two or three questions we can assume it is not sure (but in order to this - you must do a missing value analysis and then decide where the cut off point is!). John also suggested that I can combine the values for Intentions and Beliefs and do a two part multivariate analysis (or was it called a double multivariate analysis) - since he said essentially they were the same thing (well got to base this on literature since he was basing his talk on that Norton et al, didn't find any difference between them).

Further, in particular with respect to the questions on the delivery simplex algorithm etc. - John suggested (since I have the 'not sure' and the 'not taught' options and which might well be answered alot and cannot be treated as missing values) to combine the values and try to get an ICT variable - i.e. the amount that ICT is used in different disciplines.

Not sure about my data analysis!
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: Time Marches on (Tracey Lawrence)
Topic: Data Analysis
I'm looking at my analysis of my data for my LP section. So, what I did, I got Biglan (1973) paper (both of them) and decided to categorized my disciplines according to his methodology that is into hard vs soft; pure vs applied; and life systems vs non-life system. Well, I had some problems in decided which category the disciplines fitted into. For example computer science I felt it should be hard, applied and non-life system. But is computer science considered a pure or applied subject. I wasn't certain about that. Anyway, he had some categories of disciplines in a table so follow that to some extent. What I did too, was that I went to the course websites and see what it is about and what department they were in to fit it in better if I was unsure - such as things that had built and natural environments (just to tell you - I decided those were life systems).

Well, after I did ... decided to look at how the responses were distributed for the coverage and delivery for formulation, solution and sensitivity analysis. Well, I decided to do ANOVAs but something just wasn't going so right with it - because you know this is ordinal and nominal data rather than continuous. So, looked at a bit how to do analysis with that - at first tried some loglinear analysis - wasn't sure what results I got ... well, finally decided to do logistic regression - which seems to be the way to go. I'm doing ordinal logistic regression using the PLUM module in SPSS and it seems to be working out to some extent ... except I've discovered one problem with my logic ... my ordinal variables (i.e. my responses to delivery and formulation) may not be truly ordinal since I have the 'not sure' variable at '5' ... so, I was wondering what to do with that!

Well ... I thought maybe I should make it a missing variable (I've given the value of 999 for my missing variables) - well, I am seriously considering doing that - well, I meet John tomorrow so we'll see what he says.