Research discussions n 20 July 2006 n Research-oriented work of the CRS n Barriers to conducting research n Dealing with qualitative data n Databases of research methods and learner language

Research-oriented work of the CRS n Research funded by SoLA n Projects funded by SoLA n Outside-funded projects n Research support workshops n SPSS support unit n Disseminating research

Research funded by SoLA n Quality of life in Bangkok (A. Rireungrong) n KMUTT students’ attitudes towards globalisation (A. Wipawee) n Staff morale in SoLA (A. Jureeporn) n Conflict in violent families of female prisoners (A. Passanan)

Projects funded by SoLA n E-portfolio (A. Ananya; A. Richard S.; A. Phanitphim) n E-vocabulary notebook (A. Kasamaporn; On) n Mobile phone mazes (A. Saowaluck; Mac)

Outside-funded research n WELSIT: e-learning materials for the IT industry (A. Kasamaporn) n WebRead: e-learning materials for reading (A. Pornapit) n Grammarcheck (A. Richard WT)

Research support workshops n 3 workshops planned: –Paradigms of qualitative research: Prof. Deane (July 27th) –Publishing in international refereed journals: A. Richard WT (end August or next research discussion) –Using SPSS: A. Surapong (end October)

Data analysis support unit n Help with complex statistics using SPSS n Consultations free n Charge for data analysis and interpretation n Contact: R. Punjaporn

Disseminating research n National Research Exhibition n Special issue of rEFLections on large classes

Barriers to conducting research n Research in the Faculties of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot and Naresuan Universities n Reasons for conducting research n Barriers to conducting research n Support needed for conducting research

Reasons for conducting research n Personal curiosity/interest n Applicability for teaching n Pressure, regulations, duty

Barriers to conducting research n Not enough time n Heavy workload (esp. administration) n Fatigue n Complex regulations concerning research n Lack of knowledge and experience in research

Support for conducting research n Establishment of a research centre n Reduction in paperwork n Reduction in complications for submitting research proposals n Reduction in difficulties of getting reimbursed from research funding n Providing easily accessible research funds n Providing enough journals and books

Suggestions for promoting research n Allowing leave to conduct research n Reducing teaching load for research n Allow non-research/non-article publications –e.g. contributions to the Thai version of Wikipedia (th.wikipedia.org)

Barriers to and support for research n Are there any other barriers that you consider important? n Are there any other supports that you would like?

Dealing with qualitative data n For qualitative survey data (not applicable to ethnographies, life histories etc.) n Traditional approach –Look for themes –Group data around themes n Problems –Subjective, biased, unreliable

Dealing with qualitative data n Alternative approach –Start with framework for analysis Nature of questions Theoretical framework –Refine framework through iterative analysis Compare with another rater Keyword analysis in a corpus –Produce final framework –Conduct a reliability check

Dealing with qualitative data n Hands-on experience with qualitative data n Questionnaires concerning Intensive Course n Choice of 3 questions

Dealing with qualitative data n Question for students: – การเรียน Intensive course เปลี่ยนแปลงความรู้สึกที่มีต่อการ เรียนภาษาอังกฤษของนักศึกษา หรือไม่ ถ้าใช่ ความรู้สึกของ นักศึกษาเปลี่ยนไปอย่างไร และ ทำไมจึงเป็นเช่นนั้น

Dealing with qualitative data n Question for teachers: –In normal courses at KMUTT, all 4 skills are integrated. In the intensive course, however, they are separated. What effects does this have on your teaching and the students' learning?

Dealing with qualitative data n Question for teachers: –What expectations did you have (negative and/or positive) before the intensive course started? In what ways were these expectations (negative and/or positive) met or not met?

Dealing with qualitative data n For the questions: n Do you have any expectations of possible categories of responses? n Can you think of any theoretical frameworks that fit the expected responses?

Dealing with qualitative data การเรียน Intensive course เปลี่ยนแปลงความรู้สึกที่มีต่อการเรียน ภาษาอังกฤษของนักศึกษาหรือไม่ ถ้า ใช่ ความรู้สึกของนักศึกษาเปลี่ยนไป อย่างไร และทำไมจึงเป็นเช่นนั้น n In normal courses at KMUTT, all 4 skills are integrated. In the intensive course, however, they are separated. What effects does this have on your teaching and the students' learning? n What expectations did you have (negative and/or positive) before the intensive course started? In what ways were these expectations (negative and/or positive) met or not met?

Dealing with qualitative data n Identifying themes n To reduce subjectivity: n Multi-rater identification of themes n Individually identify themes (read through all data at least twice) n Compare your themes n Refine the themes to reach agreement on a list of themes

Dealing with qualitative data n Compare refined themes with corpus findings n Individually apply refined themes to data n Compare application of refined themes n Conduct reliability check

Keywords in corpus: integrating skills n Skill(s): 67 n Student(s): 50 n Teach(ing): 20 n Course(s): 18 n Learn(ing): 16 n Speaking: 14 n Station: 14 n Integrated: 13 n Listen(ing): 13 n Focus: 12 n Writing: 10 n Reading: 9 n Teacher: 9 n Time: 9 n Class: 6 n Activities: 4

Keywords in corpus: expectations n Students: 75 n Expect(ation): 35 n English: 32 n Course: 27 n Teach(ing): 23 n Learn(ing): 22 n Time: 21 n Positive: 16 n Groups: 14 n Negative: 14 n Materials: 13 n Teachers: 13 n Days: 12 n First: 11 n However: 9 n Activities: 8 n Skills: 7 n Class: 6 n Later: 6 n Level: 6 n Prepare: 6 n Thai: 6

Dealing with qualitative data n Summary n To reduce subjectivity of grouping analysis of qualitative data: –Where possible, base initial grouping scheme on theoretical framework –Multi-rater iterative identification of themes –Comparison with word frequency count –Conduct reliability check

Databases n Research methods database n Learner language database

Research methods database n Extracts key information about research methodology from articles n Help staff find examples of articles using certain research methods n Help making research designs using examples as models

Research methods database n Content of database Author Reference Location Number of subjects Type of subjects Research instruments Methods of analysis Research paradigm Level of detail

Learner language database n Provide source of ready-made data for analysis n Examples of students’ language and classroom discourse n Categorised by source

Learner language database n Uses: –Data for corpus analysis –Data for error, frequency, obligatory occasion analyses –Data for functional analysis –Data for analyses of accuracy, complexity, fluency n Do you want this database?