Researching From the Inside, Does it Compromise Validity: a Discussion

it is not surprising that insider research — where the researcher has a direct involvement or connection with the research setting (Robson 2002) — has been the cause of much debate and scrutiny. Questions that frequently arise include: What effect does the researcher\u27s insider status have on the research process? Is the validity of the research compromised? Can a researcher maintain objectivity? Is objectivity necessary for validity? This paper aims to cast light upon these problematic and complex issues. While it is recognized that insider researchers, and the issues that surround them, are also the subject of debate in quantitative research, this paper focuses primarily on qualitative research. It is not the aim of this paper to provide definitive answers — indeed, many would argue that this is an impossible task. Instead this paper aims to raise awareness of the issues involved when considering the validity of qualitative research, particularly when the researcher is an insider to this process

Students @ play: serious games for learning in higher education.

The rise of digital games over recent years has been exponential. While many are used for entertainment, digital games have also begun to permeate education — which has lead to the coining of the term ―serious games‖ [1]. Proponents of serious games argue that they hold enormous potential for learning [2], by embodying a range of pedagogical strategies. While some have adopted commercial games for use in the classroom, others have designed games specifically for educational purposes. However, designing complex and realistic serious games with limited budgets and resources is difficult. In addition, achieving a successful balance between the competing goals of teaching and entertaining is extremely challenging. This paper describes a project undertaken at the Technological University Dublin, which involved designing a serious game to teach food safety principles to undergraduates. The design strategy and process will be outlined, paying particular attention to the theoretical underpinnings of pedagogical design and game design. Results of initial pilots will be outlined. The paper concludes by reflecting on lessons learned during the course of this project and by suggesting implications for the development and implementation of serious games in the wider Higher Education sector. Plans for future research in the area will also be detailed

Creating Serious Games at Third Level: Evaluating the Implications of an In-house Approach

Due to the inherently interdisciplinary nature of serious games their developmentnecessitates the effective collaboration of team members spanning multiple disciplines and skill sets (Adams 2010). In their attempts to harness these skills, most higher education projects have formed teams through academic/commercial partnerships, whereby academics and commercial developers combine their respective expertises in subject matter/pedagogy and game design/development. However considering the expertise in most higher education institutions and the recent surge in serious games courses at third level, one might reasonably conclude that higher education holds huge potential for developing serious games in-house. Yet surprisingly, such ventures are relatively few. Thus, while cross-faculty higher education collaborations may hold potential for developing serious games, the implications of such an approach are largely unexplored to date.This paper aims to remediate this gap in the literature by presenting a phenomenological,naturalistic case study of an innovative project based in one higher education institution whichinvolved multiple disciplines in the design and development of a serious game. Using a theoreticalframework for game design comprising the elements of play, pedagogy and fidelity, this paperexamines the impact of an interdisciplinary in-house approach on the design of this serious game, paying particular attention to the balancing of design elements and the impact of disciplinaryperspectives in this regard. As such this study adds a new dimension to established difficultiesinvolved in serious game design by illustrating the significant impact which interdisciplinary team workpractices, and associated disciplinary perspectives, can have on the design process and product

Researching from the inside - does it Compromise Validity? - A Discussion

The concept of validity in social research is the subject of much debate. It is a complex and problematic issue, especially because it is difficult to define validity. In traditional studies, validity usually referred to the degree to which the study accurately reflected the issue or topic that the research was attempting to measure (Feldman 2003). More specifically, this type of validity also referred to the role of research instruments and their appropriateness for collecting data that answers the research questions (Black and Champion 1976). Such positivist accounts assumed that science could produce objective knowledge and thus the researcher\u27s goal was to accurately capture an objective reality or `truth\u27 (Hammersley 2000). However, with changing ontological and epistemological frameworks, criteria for validity changed. It was no longer deemed possible to produce objective knowledge through research — instead criteria for validity changed to include factors such as credibility, believability and reliability (Guba quoted in Cohen et al. 2000). With changes in the philosophical foundations of social research, the role of the researcher also changed. While positivists viewed validity as being dependent on the researcher\u27s objectivity, neopositivists, acknowledging the impossibility of complete objectivity, espoused the importance of eliminating researcher biases. At the other extreme, postmodernists argued that researcher\u27s subjectivities were central to the research process and must be recognized as such. Considering these complexities, it is not surprising that insider research — where the researcher has a direct involvement or connection with the research setting (Robson 2002) — has been the cause of much debate and scrutiny. Questions that frequently arise include: What effect does the researcher\u27s insider status have on the research process? Is the validity of the research compromised? Can a researcher maintain objectivity? Is objectivity necessary for validity? This paper aims to cast light upon these problematic and complex issues. While it is recognized that insider researchers, and the issues that surround them, are also the subject of debate in quantitative research, this paper focuses primarily on qualitative research. It is not the aim of this paper to provide definitive answers — indeed, many would argue that this is an impossible task. Instead this paper aims to raise awareness of the issues involved when considering the validity of qualitative research, particularly when the researcher is an insider to this process. The paper begins with an introduction to concepts of validity and the role of the qualitative researcher. It continues with an overview of the expanding field of `insider research\u27, describing what constitutes insider research and outlining notions of validity within this area. To illustrate some of the complexities involved, three case studies from qualitative research will be provided. Each study will be analysed from various perspectives, examining how the researcher\u27s position impacts on the research process, and thus on the validity of that process. Finally, a range of arguments for and against the validity of each study will be considered with questions for further thought posed

A Theoretical Framework for Serious Game Design: Exploring Pedagogy, Play and Fidelity and their Implications for the Design Process

It is widely acknowledged that digital games can provide an engaging, motivating and “fun” experience for students. However an entertaining game does not necessarily constitute a meaningful, valuable learning experience. For this reason, experts espouse the importance of underpinning serious games with a sound theoretical framework which integrates and balances theories from two fields of practice: pedagogy and game design (Kiili, 2005; Seeney & Routledge, 2009). Additionally, with the advent of sophisticated, immersive technologies, and increasing interest in the opportunities for constructivist learning offered by these technologies, concepts of fidelity and its impact on student learning and engagement, have emerged (Aldrich, 2005; Harteveld et al., 2007, 2010). This paper will explore a triadic theoretical framework for serious game design comprising play, pedagogy and fidelity. It will outline underpinning theories, review key literatures and identify challenges and issues involved in balancing these elements in the process of serious game design

What Does It Mean To Be a Christian Woman? Sustaining and Empowering the Female Christian Faith in Light of Sexism in Christian Communities

What helps young Christian women sustain their faith in the face of sexism within Christian communities? Are there practices or traditions that leaders of these Christian communities need to consider to better support young Christian women? Do young Christian women find value in studying theology, history, and hermeneutics from female perspectives, and if so, why? These are the guiding questions this project seeks to answer. This project involves a qualitative research study with a group of students within a “Women in Christianity” course at Seattle Pacific University. Participants were interviewed twice during the course and also forwarded their written reflections to the researcher. Participants were asked to reflect on their experiences of being a Christian woman, experiences of sexism within Christian communities, and experiences within the course. The process of the research is a grounded theory study, in which the participants’ process throughout the class was used to narrate the progress of what is helpful to support and empower ones’ faith as a young Christian woman. Participants affirmed that there is deep value for young Christian women in studying theology, history, and hermeneutics from female perspectives. The knowledge gained helps young Christian women feel empowered, supported, and encouraged in their faith. This knowledge also performs a disruptive role, helping these women question the patriarchal culture they have previously experienced as “normal.” However, in order for any practices, traditions, or strategies to be effective in helping young Christian women sustain their faith and navigate sexism, Christian communities must become an active participant in working through methods of reconciliation to and for these women. Christian leaders would benefit from representing, including, and following methods laid out by women and for women, which are elaborated on within this project

Exploring the Concept of the Digital Educator During COVID-19

In this paper, we explore academic identity, specifically the identity of the educator in higher education and academics’ conceptualisations of the digital educator. We suggest that the concept of a digital educator is not only about technology, tools and uses. The context for this exploration is academics’ participation in an online professional development module, Digital Education, and the “pivot online” (Weller, 2020a) during campus closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Through qualitative research, we explored participants’ sense of teaching identity, whether they had or have a concept of being a digital educator and the extent to which these identities might have shifted while the campus closure continued. We present analysis of their accounts and reflect on the implications of this analysis, particularly in relation to organisational digital capacity defined as “the skills, competencies, attitudes, infrastructure, and resources that enable people to work, live and learn in a world that is increasingly digital world” (National Forum, 2018, p. iv). We consider how higher education institutions will cope with the complex challenges facing us and suggest ways in which the implications of this research could better enable institutions to navigate change and build organisational digital capacity

The Learn@Work Socrates-Minerva Research Project 2005-2007

This article offers a summary of the goals, activities, products and evaluation of the Socrates-Minerva research project 2005–2007 – Learn@Work. The partners were four higher education providers: Glasgow-Caledonian University (lead), University of Aalborg, University of Innsbruck, and the Dublin Institute of Technology, with one private partner, ATiT, Brussels. The project aim was to develop and test IT-based materials for induction and support for worker-learners using pilot studies in the partner countries, and the development of usable case studies and theoretical models

What’s the Use of a VLE?

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have become an integral part of the technological furniture of higher education over the past two decades. While some VLE adopters have argued that the enhancement of teaching and learning is a key driver underpinning their use, an increasing number have described typical VLE usage as a “notes-bank approach”. However, while it is widely accepted that they are used primarily as content repositories, the actual value that they add to the teaching and learning process, and ultimately to the student experience, has not been widely questioned. So, in an age of increasing budgetary constraints, combined with the prioritisation of investment in appropriate technologies for higher education, it seems appropriate to scrutinise how the VLE is used and what value it has added. In 2013, at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), we initiated a study which sought to find out how our academic staff were using the VLE as part of their teaching practice. Additionally, given the proliferation of emerging eLearning tools outside of the VLE, we wanted to find out if academics were aware of such technologies and if, or how, they were using them. Finally in order to inform future practice and strategic planning, we wanted to gain an insight into factors inhibiting or preventing staff from engaging with eLearning technologies. The results are not altogether surprising, indicating high levels of VLE usage among academics, albeit with limited pedagogical innovation underpinning this usage. Findings also demonstrated high levels of interest in, and awareness of, other technologies for teaching and learning: however only a small minority had actually used many of these as part of their academic practice, with high levels of reservation about time and effort involved in utilising such technologies to the full. This paper presents and discusses the key findings of this research and indicates possible ways forward for higher education in the digital age