Mood:  crushed out

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 ....

Posted by prejudice at 2:48 PM BST

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Mood:  a-ok

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.

Posted by prejudice at 4:19 PM BST

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Mood:  incredulous

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.

Posted by prejudice at 4:21 PM BST

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Mood:  a-ok

So, still haven't got a computer to do my recording stuff :( ... but hoping once Andreas leaves I can use his computer (he isn't aware of my devious plans as yet - but he leaves on Friday - so not sure how well that goes ... I'm still waiting to see what IT can do for me.

Anyway, yesterday I loaded up the webcam software etc. on Andreas computer and I checked it this morning when I came in and it seems as if what I want to try will work, because I recorded the stuff on Andreas computer and it seemed to work fine when I connected as two persons, one on windows messenger and msn messenger ... the only problem is because I didn't have application sharing accessible to me as a non-administrator - I wasn't able to do it (unfortunately!) also, couldn't do the Bulent screen recording on his computer (because I'm not able to record to his C:program files drive! - but was able to do it on mine (only realised I could have done that after 30 mins of trying to get it to work on his computer :S) ... was suppose to set up netmeeting yesterday but couldn't remember where it was located ... ok found it under the internet ... located under netmeeting in programme files and then run conf.exe (for some reason couldn't find that yesterday!).

Oh well, got to ask Andreas if he minds me using his computer and loading up software etc :) ... hope he doesn't - but once he leaves he doesn't have to use it ... right?

Posted by prejudice at 3:16 PM BST

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Mood:  bright

Well, last Wednesday I finally got my webcams - hooray! - but not for long :) ... didn't get the headphones till Thursday (hooray again ... but not for long) ... didn't get the tablet PC till Friday (yes! Phil decided to replace the notebook with that - but still not quite on the hooray path!) .. as it turned out the tablet PC is too slow, it cannot process the webcam video fast enough, I just get it as stills occurring rather than a flow of video. So, at the moment requesting a notebook or a desktop to see if I can get that to work!!

Watch this space to see what happens in my remote observation study. 

Posted by prejudice at 9:20 AM BST

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Mood:  a-ok

My remote observation exercise/ pilot study has come to a full stop at the moment ... because I don't have any webcams or microphone.

Unfortunately, the week before when I asked IT for webcams they had lent it out and they said they will be expected some at the ending of last week - and as of today there is still no webcams.

I have ordered my own webcam through Amazon but it seems it won't arrive till next week also, so got to put off this pilot at least for a week until I get some equipment.

Just recruited someone from the internet to help me pilot the excel worksheet - so he will act as a distance student in the UK, and will get Amalia and Ritch to one also so, they will act as distance students in a developing country.

Posted by prejudice at 4:38 PM BST

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Mood:  a-ok

I churned out an abstract for the CAL '07 conference - but not quite sure how good it is, sent it oft to James, Doug and John - so, far got a response from John - who said it looks alright - once it is tidied up.

At first didn't know what to submit, James and I have been contemplating it for awhile, but we couldn't find where exactly to put in the abstract since the abstracts calls for debating the use of CAL '07 (Title: Development, disruption and debate), and couldn't figure out how my present research fit into the themes (ICT & Learning - So what?, New directions, creative expression and learning, ICT for development) - as there seem to be more in the format of making an argument or debate that technology can have a disruptive effect.

However, what is quite surprising is that when I registered with the website, there outline for the abstract doesn't seem to imply there should be debate but rather present information from a study, as they suggest that it should have an introduction, methods, results and discussion.

Now I didn't read that before I put together my abstract (only saw it when I clicked the submit an abstract link which then ask you to register and then you get that information!), so don't have a results and discussion. Now, there is a very good reason why I don't have a results and discussion as yet - its because James suggested I write up my remote-observation study for it - and since that haven't quite started - I don't have any results and discussion - I guess I could probably pad a bit and say what my expected results and discussions might be (have a feeling that won't get me into the door - but could try). Ann thought that it might be a good opportunity to submit an abstract to such a conference - since some of the proceedings will be journal published - so why not give it a try?

Posted by prejudice at 2:44 PM BST

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Mood:  chillin'

Well, I've decided to venture into a new phase of my pilot studies, to test out my remote observation methodology, so, to do this, I decided to create some problems for people to do, whilst I'm observing them.

I'm not sure what the problems are going to be as yet - but have made an excel file which calculates the expected values of lotteries in black-box, white-box and grey-box mode - just got to get the problems to see what happens (mostly using VBA - went to a VBA training workshop last week so using some of that knowledge!).

I don't want to write it here - because planning to use Gill, Rebecca and Cling to help me - so don't want to give them a head start - but going to create the problems elsewhere - and write about them after the study.

Posted by prejudice at 11:34 AM BST

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Mood:  a-ok

After Peter contacted me through this blog (I knew this blog was good for something!) - I arranged to meet him in London on Friday. It was great meeting with him and chatting with him.  

He suggested a few papers that I could read including one by Ramsden on technology use by chemistry students (have it written down on my notepad but left my notes at home), also a literature paper by Michelle Artigue which summarizes their work in Paris on CAS and mathematics.

He also suggested looking at Diana Mackie's (??) work - there should be paper in the last ICTM. He indicated that I should contact Diana and also Chris Haines about a group on tertiary maths education that exists in the UK - so, I have to do that.

He also clarified how, he and Chris Haines created the mechanical, constructive and interpretive problems - which I thought was useful. I told him about the current work I'm doing using the maths-computing inventory and told him I would keep him and Pat informed.

It was a really good meeting all the way around. Enjoyed meeting and talking to him immensely.

Posted by prejudice at 10:00 AM BST

Updated: Wednesday, 13 September 2006 11:16 AM BST

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