“You Decide” (Loans and Donation Assignment)  – 4/10/-2012

“Since October 2004, 169,000 scholarships have been distributed to girls and boys who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, orphaned, and/or affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.” – http://agsp.worlded.org/

With a growing world population and limited national resources, as well as conflict and many other crises happening around the world, and, it is not an unexpected consequence than only some of those in need will benefit from foreign aid programs. However, choosing sometimes between who eats, or who goes to school is a very difficult problem. We have here a number of potential aid beneficiaries. By clicking on their image you will be able to visit their profile. Taking into account what you consider most important, which three individuals will you fund? There is no right answer, just difficult choices.

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Criteria Use to Make a Decision

Qualitative Research and Subjectivity:

Second Discussion of Qualitative Approaches (April 10)

Reading for the Week:

Eisner, E. W. (1994). The forms and functions of educational connoisseurship and educational criticism. In The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.) (pp. 212-249). New York: Macmillan.

Eisner, E. W. (1991). Taking a second look: Educational connoisseurship revisited.

In M. W. McLaughlin & D. C. Phillips (Eds.), Ninetieth yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part II. Evaluation and education: At quarter century (pp. 169-187). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

 Hemwall, M. K. (1991). Ethnography as evaluation: Hearing-impaired students in the mainstream. In D. M. Fetterman (Ed.), Ethnography in educational evaluation (pp. 133-152). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

Pitman, M. A., & Dobbert, M. L. (1986). The use of explicit anthropological theory in educational evaluation: A case study. 

• Describe what you asked students to do for week nine’s online lesson.
• What were the learning outcomes that you intended students to achieve as the result of your online lesson?
• What technologies did you use to help accomplish your learning objectives?
• To what extent were the objectives met?
• In your estimation, how did the students respond to the assignment?
• Did you award course credit for completing the online assignment?
• What things do you think you were able to do online that you wouldn’t be able to duplicate in the classroom?
• Did you feel restricted in your teaching style by having to put your lesson online?
• Did you feel technologically capable of developing the online lesson?

Center for Innovative Applied Action Research in International Development 

March 11, 2012

By engaging graduate students in applied action research the Center hopes to bring about comprehensive changes to problems faced by communities throughout the developing world, such as the millennium development goals (United Nations, 2010). Students, scholars and community members will cooperate to explore international problems, identify best practices and discuss the potential for improving local conditions. Using innovative technologies with a high diffusion rate and extensive potential for community empowerment, such as the internet and smart mobile devices, the Center hopes to obtain a higher rate of success than that of previous initiatives in the field.

Strengthening the linkages between university students in the United States and communities in developing countries will help to make the invisible tangible and enrich the lives of the individuals involved. Modern information and communication technologies (ICT) and other recent developments in science, technology and engineering have interconnected the world into a modern day “Pangea”.

Innovation Lab – Refining the Project (Spring 2012)

Alfonso Sintjago & Tryggvi Thayer

 Promoting student leadership and entrepreneurial skills as well as increased student collaboration and maximizing the use of innovative technology.

The development of innovative ideas is often the result of an individual’s or a group’s attempt to solve a problem by improving on the current modus operandi. While individuals often consider ways in which to bring improvements, sometimes these tasks are often challenging and daunting. An single person may not be sure of how to address all of the required steps, be confident in their idea, or may lack all of the skills needed to materialize and finalize their idea. By encouraging students to share with other students their ideas, abstract concepts can be refined, prototyped, tested, and implemented. Rather than solving problems individually, the lab will encourage students to organically organize into teams and further develop their projects intertwining the interests, ideas, skills, and objectives of students.

Focus Groups Online – Top 3 Suggestions! 

 Feb 29, 2012

•Have a Clear Purpose for the Focus Group

•Take into Account the Long Time Required for Set Up

•Keep the Interface Simple and User-Friendly

•Have a Site that is Attractive and Inviting

•Use Tested and Positively Reviewed Technology

•Consider the Audience When Choosing the Technology

•Add a Tech Support Member to Your Staff

•A Co-Moderator Is Essential

•Pilot the Site (And Scenarios) When Possible

•Send Good Invitations (Good Recruiting Strategies)

•Add a Tech Day or a Test Tech Assignment

•Set Moderating Parameters (24/7, Live, Etc)

•Address Silence (Ensure Discussion Continues)

•Set Clear Rules for Participants

•Craft Engaging Questions

•Find the Right Incentives for Your Audience

•Avoid the Cognitive Overload of Participants

•Use Small Groups and Account for Attrition