Research and Course Reflections

In Introduction to Research Methods, I worked in this course to understand key differences in types of research used in educational settings. I focused on looking for the best practice of research in the field of games and simulations already being done. Reviewed and used APA standards for research presentation methods. Completed a research paper where "corrections" needed to be made to an existing document to make the format APA compliant. This course also allowed me to practice good techniques for creating a a proper HSRB proposal.

In Quantitative research methods, I used an existing data set to complete a methods sections in proper APA format. This data set included information on teen use of virtual environments. This data allowed me to extrapolate information by using SPSS. Through the SPSS tests I had learned detailed demographics of a typical virtual user and their computer habits. Final Paper

EDRS 812

In Quantitative research I explored vigorously many aspects of qualitative research. Here I created a study to look at student use of a virtual environment to learn personal finance. In this study, I worked through all parts of the method section. I gained access to my participants, choose those participants and completed 6 interview sessions with those students. In transcribing the interviews, I used axial coding techniques to draw conclusion about what my participants gained from their experiences. This course allowed me the freedom to explore my researcher identity. Final Paper

In Advanced Qualitative research, I had the opportunity to explore, reflect and comment upon the numerous styles of qualitative research. This course allowed me to fine tune my researcher identity and bond my conceptual framework to that identity. This course allowed me to focus on my topic area and absorb the nuances that qualitative research has to offer with respect to learning with virtual environments. Module Paper 3