Video research in educational contexts

1. Video research in educationalcontexts Approaches to data gathering and analysis Arttu Mykkänen Phd. Student Learning and Educational Technology Research Unit

2. Today’scontent • Exercise 1. • General notionsabout video research • Approaches to data gathering • Approaches to analysis • Differenttranscriptionstyles • Pros & Cons • Exercise 2.

3. Exercise • Form a group of 3-4 • Select one ”researcher” from the group. Otherswillperform a task. • Researchertries to record the interaction and taskperformance of the participants with paper and pencil. • Youhavetwominutes to do the task. • Be sure thatyouhave a correctanswer. • Usepaper and pencil to enhanceyourthinking.

4. On a nextslideyou’llseepictures of cats and dogs.Organize the icons in a waythatallcatsare on the left side and dogsare at right. • How manymovesyouneed to do,ifonemove is an iconjumpingover the other?

5. Cats and Dogs 3

6. About video research • Catches the enactment of the person underobservation and the environmentalfactors - > ubiquitous in comparison to paper and pencilobservation. • Video observationscanbeutilized as main methodor as a complementarymethod for othermethods (Surveys, Interviews). • Whatoccurs in the situation? • Dopeople act liketheyclaimtheydo.

7. Itcanbeused in varioussituations and differentkind of contexts. • Allowsmanyvariousanalyticapproaches. • Gives an restrictedview of the situation. • Youarealwayspointingsomething and leavingsomething out. • Veryusablewhenstudyingmicrolevelenactment.

8. Data gathering - in general • Data gatheringshouldbeplannedcarefully, especially the facthow the data willbeanalysed in future. • Firstyouneed to select and decide the focus and interest of yourstudy. Whatyouwant to achieve with the data. • For example, to getinformationaboutspecificinstructionmethod. • Where and what to film? Thisshouldbedone as explicitly as possible -> youcanbereflectivewhenyouareconducting the analysis.

9. Data gathering- Theoreticalstartingpoints • Specifiedgoals and researchquestions. • Specifyingresearchfocus and context in relation to researchquestions and aims of the research • Forming the theoreticalframework • Understanding the theoreticalstartingpointhelps to understand the data whenapproaching the collected data. • Theory as a practicaltool; directs the research and analysis • Theoryshouldbe ”materialized” somehow in the data. • By someproductoractivity.

10. DATA GATHERING - Planning the set • Tell to participants as thoroughly as possible the differentphases and aims of yourstudy. • The researchpermissionshouldincludeinformation as a much as possibleabout: • Whoowns the data and how long. • How data is stored. • Use in differentcontexts. • Inform the participantabouttheirrights and flexibility. • HOWEVER, ALWAYS INCLUDE THE POSITIVE OPTIONS FIRST

11. DATA GATHERING- filming • Doyouwant to followoneormoreparticipants? • Classroomorsomeothermorepeacefulroom? • How manycamerasareusedfor filming? • What is the specificpurpose of everycamera. • Doyouuse ”free” camera in addition to stablecameras?

12. Example

13. DATA GATHERING- Where to focus (e.g., in classroom) • Teacher’senactment • Speech, teachingmethods, toolused for teaching, instruction • Students’ enactment • Participation to classroomactivities, taskperformance • Interaction • Teacher - student, student - student • Content of the lecture

14. Data gathering– twoapproaches • “Inductive approaches apply when a minimally edited video corpus is collected and/or investigated with broad questions in mind but without a strong orienting theory” (Derry et al. 2010) • “A deductive approach is required when the researcher has a strong theory and clear research questions” (Derry et al. 2010)

15. Example • Groupworkexample • Groupworkexample 2 • Regulation

16. Tips for filming • Vary yourresearch ”traditions” as little as possible. • Stayclose to the objectthatyourarefilming. • Useexternalmikeifpossible. • Thinkaboutillumination. • Useseveralcamerasifpossible. • Donotconduct the whole data gathering at onetime. Trydifferentexecutions, for example, change the place of the mike • Piloting • Ifyouusemorethatonecamera, make a distinguishablenoisebeforeyoustart • Helpsyou to syncronize the films. • Donotget ”friendly” with the participants.

17. DATA GATHERING- sorting the data • Don’tleaveanythingunsorted. • Mark everyevent with somekind of a code • Place, class, people… • Ifyouwork in schoolorsuchplacegive an overall feedback after data gathering. Afteranalysispersonel and studentsmighthavechanged. • Takebackup copy fromeverything!

18. ANALYSIS • Startsbyconcretizing the situation and makingclearwhathappens in the event. • Iterativeinterpretation of the data -> picking and selecting the ”essential” eventsfrom the data. • Scrutinizingtheseevents as thoroughly as possible. • Try to findpatternsor a behaviorfrom the data. • Ifpossibleuse data ”brainstorming” with yourcollegues to checkyourinterpretations.

19. Analysis- Meaningfulparts • Interaction, communication and behaviorfollowsusuallysomekind of pattern. • What’s the timeDenise? • 2.30 • That´sgoodDenise! • The structure of previousinteraction is ”hidden” behind the single frasesgestures.

20. ANALYSIS - Transcriptions • Represents on what is happening in the situation and interactionbetweenparticipants. • Transcriptsalsorepresentswhatresearcherwants to emphasize. • Whatareyoutranscriping and whatyouareleaving out. • Youmustdecidehowmuchyouaregoing to include to the transcript. • Gestures, expressions, speechsounds etc.

21. ANALYSIS – Differentopportunities for transcription • Whats the timeDenise? • 2.30 • That´sgoodDenise!

22. ANALYSIS – Differentopportunities for transcription 23. (Teacher) What´s the timeDenise 24. (2,3) 25. (Denise) ehmm 26. (0,6) 27. (Denise) Halfpasttwo 28. (0,5) 29. (Teacher) That´sgoodDenise

23. ”Ifyouwant to show somethingfrom the data, just doit”

25. Melander, H, & Sahlström, F, 2009

30. Different software for video research • Differenttools for differentphases • Roughediting: Movie Maker • Transcriptions: Inqscribe ja Express scribe • Analysis and categorisation: Nvivo tai Elan • Finalediting: Movie Maker

31. Summary PROS CONS • Amout of the data • Captures the situationubiquitously • In comparison to paper and pencil • Permanent • Canbeanalysedcountlesstimes • Allowsdifferentkindanalysingmethods. • Technical problems • Disruptivepresence of camera and the researcher • Ethicallimitations • Is the data usedonly for itsoriginalpurpose.

32. Pros • Sustainability • Givestime for reflection • Canbeused as additionaltriangulation for othermethods • Allowscollaborationbetweenpeers • In comparison to observation • Detailsarereallyhard to capture ”on fly” • Detailsmightbeunimportant in the moment Cons • Reliability • Restrictedview • Too easy to producetoomuch data • Amount of data canbeovewhelming

33. Exercise 2. • Share an Ipad with the samegroupthatyouhad in the beginning. • Yourtask is to analyze a video aboutproblemsolvingsituation. Try to find a meaningful ”event(s)” byusingcategories for smallgroupinteraction (Bales, 1950).

34. Group 1. • Socioemotionalarea (positive) • 1. Show solidarity (gives help, reward) • 2. Shows tension release (jokes, laughs) • 3. Agrees (Showspassiveacceptance, understands) • Group 2. • Taskarea (attemptedanswers, question) • Gives / asks suggestion (direction) • Gives / asksopinion (evaluation, analysis, expressesfeeling) • Gives / asksorientation (information, repeats, confirms) • Group 3. • Socioemotionalarea (negative) • Disagrees(showspassiverejection, formality, witholds help) • Shows tension (asks for help, withdraws out of the task) • Showsantagonism (deflatesother’s status, defendsorassertsself)