TELMA workshop
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Invisible Touch (Genesis)
Topic: Seminars
So, I oft to the TELMA workshop on Sunday and back on Wednesday ... hope it all goes well. Hopefully, get to meet some interesting people and I think Luc Trouche is going to be there - so hopefully can meet him as well.

Remote Observation Study ... continues :P
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Hey, Mr DJ (Backstreet Boys)
Topic: Methodology

Well, I think I might finally have a format for an experimental methodology when studying students learning software with mathematics. I was reading papers by Atkinson and Renkl, and their methodology seems to be always a 5 part method, which I think might be useful to adapt. This is how it goes:

1. Demographic questionnaire of students
2. Pre-test questionnaire (which will later be used as a covariate during the analysis of the post-test)
3. Instructional materials (particularly on the mathematics topics and concepts)
4. Study or do the worked-out examples and solve the problems provided by the programme (during which the learning time is recorded)
5. Complete a post test (in which they compare the factors they were looking at)

I think mine would follow the ave steps, except since I'm doing solving problems on a computer the post-test will be on the computer, and there will be a practice session on the computer rather for step 4. I think that seems reasonable.

I'm restructuring my remote observation study with lotteries to follow this same kind of pattern to see how useful it might and how long it might take. Renkl and Atkinson usually took about 90 mins, but I'm not sure how long someone will sit through for 90 mins. They used psychology students who were offered extra credit. I have nothing to offer to students. But what I think is interesting about their research is that they use a wide variety of students with a differing mathematics ability. They also allow students who didn't anything about the topic to learn it right there and then and then use the examples or problems to help understand their learning. I think this is something useful. Not sure how applicable it might be to linear programming, which might be more complex than simple probability that Atkinson and Renkl tend to employ.

(On a sidenote and an up note: the outlook servers are back on with all our email!)

Writing a paragraph :)
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Na Tum Jano Na Hum (Kaho Naa Pyar Hai)
Topic: Thesis writing

So, this is turning out to be a lot harder than I anticipated. I think it is because I have no clear structure in my head, so have no idea what to write. But got to keep writing, never know how useful the writing purpose might be. I did write one half-crack paragraph about 100 words as my daily paragraph (its really stupid) - but more words on paper than before.

I'm trying to figure what to write for my new paragraph, so did a whole new section of "Research objectives and aims" and then I drew a blank :) ... couldn't figure where to go from there. I think that heading was too daunting. Not sure how much this plan is actually going to be fruitful, because don't know if I have enough will-power to continue it, but I think once I have those annoying pop-up reminders it should help.

Anyway, the reason why I'm here posting to this blog, I'm hoping I can do a draft write and then copy it over, since I seem to think better when I'm here (well not think better - but rather don't have any preconceptions about the writing procedure and write better).

Right, so let's get to it ... (I think I'm still stuck :D ... just had a fire drill - so juices not running as it should.) Think I'll just write in the document instead (can sprinkle it with a lot of references and quickly reach 100 words :)!)

Research ideas coming in ...
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Champions Trophy: WI vs India (WI 48/1; India 223/9)
Topic: Methodology

So, I've been reading a number of papers by Atkinson and Renkl and by Sweller on cognitive learning and fading steps etc. I'm still wondering if these fading steps is not exactly what I wanted to do, and that my research has already been done. What I noted that was interested about this research is that they sort of assumed people didn't know their problems and then taught it to them (but then again they had their students as guinea pigs!) - and used a pretest as a covariate when they were doing their analysis - which I think that might be a good idea.

Something else is that, they're not using traditional mathematics software, but rather constructing their problems (although they did use CASCADE for the fading problems) - so, it is not learning with software but learning in general. So, maybe I can extend this to learning with software. What's interesting also, that the steps are not random but rather sequential - wondering if that'll make a difference.

Thesis (... I know a bit early!)
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Champions Trophy: WI vs India (WI 43/1, India 223/9)
Topic: Thesis writing

So, after getting duly scared from Jonathan telling me I should start writing early ... that is what I'm doing. I've decided to write a few lines everyday for my Chapter 1 - I'm hoping this way my dislike for writing won't culminate.

Did the first paragraph today, and it is looking good (not the writing) - but the writing process itself ... it is helping me to think what I might want to get done, which I think is a good idea since I really unsure of what I'm doing ... I guess this is what will be called an impasse (I've been reading Jones and Fleischman :D).

....Back to cognitive learning :)
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Slow Hand (Conway Twitty)
Topic: Literature Review
After being warned of cognitive load theory from John, I didn't want to touch it with a 10 ft barge pool, however, we (James, Doug and myself) are stuck on how to actually collect usable data for my study. However, James and Doug suggested that I return to literature on how data were collected for studies that were similar to mine and the only ones I remember were the cognitive load theory ones by Renkl and Atkinson (fading steps in problem solving ) and the papers by Sweller (prior knowledge in maths) are helping me to consider the methodology. One of the things I was considering that I could teach students linear programming in the OU and see how that works with linear programming - but not sure if there is anyone motivated to learn it!

Main Study Research Plans
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: Jeene Ke Ishaare (Phir Milenge)
Topic: Methodology

Well, I sent off a document on my main research plans to James, Doug and John. Got some reply from John asking me whether I want to do an experiment or not - and I must say that I'm no clearer of this objective than I was before.

I have no idea - I'm suppose to look into Latin square design to reduce the number of students - so got to do that soon.

I'm not certain what to do about my observations - some somewhat good news on that front: IET is looking into getting a separate ADSL to support video and audio conversations via MSN messenger and Skype etc - which is great because AACS has too many firewalls to make sure it protects the integrity of the OU system. So, hopefully that happens soon - otherwise might have to try it from home - although home's Internet connection is not very reliable - it has been dropping quite often lately.

Remote Observation: When you thought it couldn't get any worse ....
Mood:  crushed out
Now Playing: Matters of the Heart (Michael McDonald)
Topic: Thesis writing

Well, new drama with the remote observation study has just entered into my life! I can't do video, voice and application sharing behind OU's firewall to anyone outside of it! On the upside I can use people in the OU with no problems! The only way I can use it, is by telling the IT people the time, the date and the software I'll be using and then I would (probably) be able to get the ports open - and I have to give 2 days advance notice!

Another thing, is when I use Bulent Screen Recording, the computer gets so slow that the webcam starts to chops ... so will have to see if I can find some other way. And before when I thought it was recording both the microphone and speakers ... it wasn't true ... I was hearing the echo from Gill's computers that made me thought so, so, it only records one thing - so, now got to go find some software to do that ... Dave P. recommended I go trawling to find some software that does it and then try the shareware versions and if I like them request buying them.

So, long and painful ....

Main Study Plans (trying to have a go at it)
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Just Want You to Know (Backstreet Boys)
Topic: Methodology

So, back to this again ... I'm trying to conceptualized this in my head and I have to say I'm not quite sure what form it will take.

I can imagine students signing into my computer and playing with the software - but not quite sure what I'm looking at and what kind of incentive I could provide to let them sit there and do it, I could offer vouchers like amazon :) (well it was a thought). I mean why would they volunteer and do this? I have to come up with something good.

I don't think students will willingly come and do problems and play with software for the fun of it? Do you think? I think they might be more serious if they are going to get some grade from it - but I'm not likely to give them a grade - probably can give then a certificate of participation which they can include in their CV? I've got to find some gimmick ....

Alright, let's say I've got the students and they are willing to do it, my problem is what do I give them to do? It's got to be some problems and it is got to be some students. My initial idea was to let students use the software in a black-box and others in a white-box and see what happens. But what kind of problems? The problems are so hard to define since they tend to differ from discipline to discipline.  

And which kind of software? Do I want to stick to spreadsheets, CAS and LP? Or do I want to expand those categories? I'm so confused I don't even know.

Ok, let's make life easy for myself, let's say we are going to use these three type of software: now the question is why are we using these three types of software? Because they are stereotypical software used by software? But what difference does it make if we use these three types of software or if we used just one type of software? Won't it be better if we used one software that had all the behaviour that we wanted? But probably we want to use all three, to show that there isn't confounding due to the type of software but it is a general learning trend (i.e. BB vs WB) for all types of software. That sounds like a good argument.

Alright, let's see what kind of questions we can ask ... I mean, I've always wanted to take after Galbraith and Haines type of questions? But what exactly is the point of that? I think initially I wanted to check and see whether there is near and far transfer of skills through the use of software and was thinking that although G&H's questions didn't aim to do that I though they seem to link quite well to it as well as to the deep and surface approach. But what questions, I can do mechanical questions quite easily: i.e. solve a LP problem now that would be quite easy with a BB (I think!) if you given the formulated problem, if however there is a GB (grey box) - still think it is easy, you just seeing the steps involved in the problem being solved ... alright now with the WB, where some input is needed: is this still a mechanical problem or has it moved into a different realm since according to me the WB is where the student is required to solve step by step - its still mechanical in away but requires more information to be known from the student - are we therefore saying that students can use their textbooks to help them solve the problems if they want? But how do we regularize that? Probably ask them what textbook they're looking at or what notes through the talk aloud strategy?

My only problem with this strategy is that spreadsheets are the classic BB, how are we going to make it into a WB and GB? There is nothing like that as far as I know, unless I create some VBA for it (I can see James and Doug frowning already :D). Or should I then use the software such as spreadsheets as classic BB or maybe I can make them calculate each step instead using the spreadsheet ... wonder how that can be done?

Well, found one way of doing it ... if I decide to put only one iteration and then increase to 2 etc, then it goes through each of the steps showing what the new answer will be in the iteration, it only shows how the changing cells change, i.e. the new values but doesn't show a tableau per se - but I think I might be able to rig one of those up for the WB or for the GB ... to see what happens. Will see what I can do about it tomorrow - oft to home now.

Preparation plan for the main study (yikes!)
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack)
Topic: Methodology

I'm a bit miffed ... I just made this post but for some reason it got lost!!!!!

Never mind was just saying I have no clue what to do for my main study although I need to send in a plan by the end of this week. I was thinking that if I can get this remote observation pilot done in the next 2 weeks, then I can start looking to pilot the remote observation studies for Nov-Dec - not sure how that will work since I need some participants - so need to start advertising for people in the next two weeks perhaps but also need to develop the questions and decide what I'm going to look for in the software. I can start the advertising in maths forum and on my website (which I sort of have people being redirected to :D).

I really want to start the main study next year Jan-Feb, so fingers crossed at this point.

My initial plan for the main study in terms of participants is that for each software (CAS, LP and spreadsheets), and each discipline (SA, HA and HP) that I would have students using it as a BB and WB(so hoping this plan can still work!): For each category is 15 students, so therefore, a total of 90 students per software and 270 for all.