Research & Project Methods [Computing & Creative Technology Students] Introduction Prof Julian Newman

RPM[CCT] Today Introduction to Module Innovation, Evaluation and Research Issue of Briefing and Materials for Week 2 Tutorial Admin Details (Register etc)

RPM[CCT] Learning & Teaching Methods –Blended learning, i.e. combination of face-to-face and online methods –Requires you to be active, particularly in Tutorials and Online –Will include activities you should carry out in your own time: (about 100 hours over the two semesters) Scheduling –Module is spread over two semesters, A & B –Lectures will be from weeks 1 to 6 in each semester, 2 hours of lectures per week. Will include a 15 minute ‘comfort break’ at end of first lecture. –Tutorials will be from weeks 2 to 7 in each semester –Online methods (use of Blackboard etc) will continue throughout the semester

RPM Lectures [CCT] SEMESTER A 1 Innovation, Evaluation and Research 2 Establishing the Baseline 3 Project Paradigms 4 Evaluation Methods 5 Ethical Considerations 6 Professional Issues SEMESTER B 1 Project Definition 2 Project Planning and Progress Monitoring 3 Report Writing 4 Oral and Visual Presentations

RPM Tutorials [CCT] Weeks 2, 3 How to read a scientific paper Week 4 Managing a Literature Search Week 5 Managing Research Information Week 6 Assessing Web Sources Week 7 Briefing for Writing Exercise

RPM Online [CCT] We will use Blackboard and other websites and web fora –to extend and enrich the learning experience –to provide a Repository of relevant information During Semester B will also use VOTER CSCW lab which supports Videoconferencing and (remote or colocated) Data Sharing

RPM Assessment [CCT] Formative Assessment (i.e. not contributing to your module mark) Literature Review Writing Exercise –Semester A First Draft of Project Proposal –Semester B Week 3 Summative Assessment (i.e. basis for your module mark) Final version of Project Proposal –Semester B Week 8

RPM Project Proposal [CCT] You should try to identify possible Project topic during second half of Semester A JN will request ideas from potential supervisors, however you should also consider generating own ideas and discuss them with staff JN will try to arrange provisional student-supervisor pairings by end of Semester A, so that you can get supervisor guidance in preparing your first draft of the proposal Final proposal must be submitted by end of Week 8 of Semester B, or you will not be able to start your dissertation project at end of exam period If you fail SECC504 you will have to resubmit proposal in August 2009 as a “resit”

Innovation, Evaluation and Research Prof Julian Newman

Innovation, Evaluation and Research Advancing professional learning by doing and critical analysis The Role of the Dissertation project Kinds of Dissertation project: –Projects as “Capstone” and as Research Some Basic Ideas about Research Some Basic Ideas about Evaluation Relation of Research to a “Development” project

Advancing professional learning by doing and critical analysis Masters courses within this School aim to develop not only the specific knowledge and skills but the ability to continue your professional development by a critical approach to your own practice CPHC “benchmarking” statement for Masters courses emphasises the need for a “Masters Ethos” based on critical analysis of practice – Dissertation project is opportunity to show this ethos, RPM is to prepare for it

The Role of the Dissertation project It is your own very individual contribution – literally it should be a “Masterpiece” You show what you can do, either as a very high quality piece of development work, or as a small scale piece of research. The term “Dissertation” literally refers to the formal report that you write about this work.

When do you do the Dissertation? Commence after completion of taught modules, provided –proposal has been approved (pass SECC504) –not too many resits You can do it either: –FT starting end of May and submitting in mid September. –PT or FT starting in October and submitting in January or May. –At later date by reapplying to the university.

Kinds of Dissertation project Major Division –Development-oriented (developing some software) –Non-development-oriented (no software developed) (usually a small piece of research) Even a Development-oriented dissertation has research elements, and a Research-oriented dissertation often has development elements. Some Research-oriented dissertations are designed to answer a research question, some are designed as a “Capstone” to show capabilities acquired.

Some Basic Ideas about Research Research is looking for the answer to a question –The question MAY be framed as a “hypothesis” Research is a contribution to knowledge Research is original “Normal research” is making a small contribution to knowledge – filling in a gap, not revising the whole of knowledge Research supports evidence-based practice The results of Research are publicly verifiable (e.g. published in journals or at conferences)

Some Basic Ideas about Evaluation Evaluation can be –Formative (e.g. to help improve a product) or –Summative (finally assessing how good it is) e.g. before choosing a mail and groupware server, do Summative evaluation of MS Exchange vs IBM Lotus Domino Hypothesis testing is ONE form of evaluation, suitable for SOME research projects

Relation of Research to a “Development” project Research elements in a Development-oriented dissertation: –Background Technology Assessment Literature Search – Use in Introduction and in Evaluation –Evaluation (Rigorous assessment of value of what you have achieved) Usability testing Systematic Comparison with Related Work Design Rationale etc