Oh the Humanities...
Non-verifiable question:
1. Do students who use wikis as an extension of the classroom believe that the wikis will increase their learning?
2. Verifiable question:
Does the use of the wiki as an extension of the classroom environment enhance face-to-face learning?
My thoughts on these questions and the humanities methods:
The non-verifiable questions center around attitudes and beliefs, which are hard to quantify and replicate. In a question, the use of a language such as belief, believe, attitude, feel, sense, notice, etc., are all metaphors for non-verifiable questions. The verifiable questions are focused on more quantifiable and repeatable data. For instance, it is important to specify exactly what is meant by the term "learning" and then identifying examples of the occurrence of that learning.
Humanists would read my stories and want to know how the students felt when using the technology, if they believed it made them smarter or more learned if they used these technologies as an extension of the classroom space. Did they feel as though the use of the technology enhanced their experience? They would focus on the opinions of the students and teachers.
Social scientists (like me) would look at the trends in how the technologies were used. Did the students demonstrate cognitive process? Were there times when the student acted as teacher in the discourse? Was there cooperation between students or rivalry? The social scientist would look at tangible results to interpret and the humanist would look at trends in feelings and beliefs.
One could look at the organized power regime as the software manufacturer and the manufacturer manipulating how users will use the software, thus influencing knowledge production.
As for what I don't know, maybe I don't know or understand how students learn (or anyone learns). I might assume I know how they learn or what an example of learning is. Maybe there are other types of learning or maybe learning means something completely different than what I think it means.
1. Do students who use wikis as an extension of the classroom believe that the wikis will increase their learning?
2. Verifiable question:
Does the use of the wiki as an extension of the classroom environment enhance face-to-face learning?
My thoughts on these questions and the humanities methods:
The non-verifiable questions center around attitudes and beliefs, which are hard to quantify and replicate. In a question, the use of a language such as belief, believe, attitude, feel, sense, notice, etc., are all metaphors for non-verifiable questions. The verifiable questions are focused on more quantifiable and repeatable data. For instance, it is important to specify exactly what is meant by the term "learning" and then identifying examples of the occurrence of that learning.
Humanists would read my stories and want to know how the students felt when using the technology, if they believed it made them smarter or more learned if they used these technologies as an extension of the classroom space. Did they feel as though the use of the technology enhanced their experience? They would focus on the opinions of the students and teachers.
Social scientists (like me) would look at the trends in how the technologies were used. Did the students demonstrate cognitive process? Were there times when the student acted as teacher in the discourse? Was there cooperation between students or rivalry? The social scientist would look at tangible results to interpret and the humanist would look at trends in feelings and beliefs.
One could look at the organized power regime as the software manufacturer and the manufacturer manipulating how users will use the software, thus influencing knowledge production.
As for what I don't know, maybe I don't know or understand how students learn (or anyone learns). I might assume I know how they learn or what an example of learning is. Maybe there are other types of learning or maybe learning means something completely different than what I think it means.
