Choosing Information & Communications - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Choosing Information & CommunicationsTechnologies that Fit the Research Design

Janet Salmons, PhD

Chapter

3

ObjectivesAfter reading and reflecting on Chapter 3, you will be able to:Compare and contrast characteristics of online communication tools.

Differentiate between synchronicity, synchronous, near synchronous or asynchronous ICTs for data collection.Evaluate ways to use nonverbal communication online.

Assess options for online research settings.

Characteristics of ICTs relevant to online researchSome forms of online communication focus on written exchange. These include technologies that allow for live conversations or posts as well as traditionally written documents, articles or books.

Here we will categorize these tools as text-based

ICTs.Other forms of online communication allow for a wide range of visual and/or verbal exchanges. These include technologies that allow for the use of multimedia or graphical elements. Here we will categorize these tools as

multi-channel

ICTs

.

Characteristics of ICTs relevant to online research

Text-Based Communication

Multiple Channels for Communication

Blog:

Blogs can be text only or include links, images or media.

Researchers can share information about the study with participants, or view logs to collect extant data.

Global Positioning System

(

GPS) or Global Information Systems:

Researchers identify locations of interview-related events, or map location-related data.

E-mail:

Researchers can send and receive questions and answers. Researchers can also collect extant data from email discussion archives.

Podcast or Vodcast:

Researchers ask and answer questions by exchanging recorded audio or video files.

Forum:

Researchers can post and respond to questions and answers in a forum or

observe activities or collect extant data from current discussions or archives.

Shared Applications:

Researchers and participants view and discuss documents, media, or examples by logging in together.

Characteristics of ICTs relevant to online research

Text-Based Communication

Multiple

Channels

Text

Message or Chat:

Researchers can post and respond to questions. Researchers can collect extant data from discussions or archives.

Social Networking Site (SNS):

Researchers can communicate with participants or collect extant data.

Wiki:

Multiple authors add, remove, and edit content,

use

a blog, forum or a space for text chat. Researchers can collect extant data from current discussions or archives.

Videoconferencing, Video Chat or Call:

Researchers and participants see each other while conversing. Researchers can observe live

or

archived records of events or

webinarr

.

Virtual

Worlds

or Games:

Researchers ask and respond to questions as an avatar, experience immersive events or phenomena, and/or view examples or demonstrations.

Web

Conferencing

:

Researcher can use

videoconferencing, chat, shared whiteboard or applications

for questioning or visual elicitation.

Time to respond?In studies that involve interaction with human participants, such as those using elicited or enacted data collection methods, it is essential to think through the ways we’d like to communicate verbally and nonverbally, and how communication styles align with the purpose of the study.

Synchronous

Asynchronous

Is it preferable to receive answers to questions posed in real time? If so, we need to select ICTs that permit

synchronous

dialogue.

When

deciding to use synchronous technologies for

research,

it is important to clarify whether we expect singular focus on our conversation, that is, synchronicity, or do we acknowledge that the participant might be multitasking during the interview or focus group?

Is it preferable to allow participants to reflect on our questions and respond in their own time? If so, we need to select ICTs that permit asynchronous responses. When deciding to use

asynchronous

technologies for

research,

it is important to clarify how much time is acceptable between question and response. Do we expect a near-synchronous exchange within

hours,

or do we allow days or weeks for the response?

Use the time-response continuum to match approach & ICT

Nonverbal communications online

Nonverbal Communication Characteristics

Nonverbal Communication Online

Chronemics

refers to the use of pacing and timing of speech, and the length of silence before a response in conversation.

Timing of post or message and

response.

Paralanguage

or

Paralinguistic

communication describes variations in volume, pitch, and quality of voice.

Style and tone of

writing.

Sound, tone and inflection of voice in live/recorded

audio.

Kinesic

communication includes facial expressions, eye contact or gaze, body movements, or postures.

Expressions and gestures may be conveyed in images, videoconferencing or by the

avatar.

Proxemic

communication describes the use of interpersonal space to communicate attitudes.

Sense of presence conveyed online.

Movement, sense of space may be communicated by the avatar.

Choosing online research settingsResearchers collecting data from participants need a safe, neutral location for data collection. Some general questions which researchers should consider when choosing technologies to use when communicating with participants include the following:

ICT Choices in the context of the Qualitative eResearch Framework

The choice of

ICT(s) relates to almost every other area of the research design. Some technologies fit better with particular methods

and

data collection

protocols than others. For

example,

a synchronous interview requires different characteristics than a written questionnaire or observation. ICTs permit collection of written, verbal, visual, and/or multimedia data. The type of data relates directly to the

purpose

of the study: can a particular type of data allow the researcher to answer the research question? Each technology brings with it potential

ethical

risks for protecting participants’ identities and data. Finally, in studies where human participants are

involved,

recruited

participants need to be able to access and comfortably use the selected technology.

Given the importance of

this

decision,

do your research and make a careful choice!