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Identifying the MERN and analyzing the contents of the fora. Exploring the MERN fora :. Rachel . W. Roh. Table of Content. Introduction Purpose Methodology Qualitative analysis Quantitative analysis Research category 1,2,3 The MERN, a think tank or a network?
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Identifying the MERN and analyzing the contents of the fora Exploring the MERN fora: Rachel . W. Roh
Table of Content • Introduction • Purpose • Methodology • Qualitative analysis • Quantitative analysis • Research category 1,2,3 • The MERN, a think tank or a network? • Type of Think Tank by McGann (2007) • Type of Network by Goldsmith and Eggers (2004) • Triple Helix Model by Etzkowitz (2002) • Characteristics of the MERN • Findings • Discussions • Conclusion • Q & A
Introduction • The Manitoba Educational Research Network (the MERN) • Found in 2002 • Since 2003 • Twenty Fora • Three journals • One monograph • Website • To connect the government, academics, practitioners
Purpose • A preliminary research before studying effectiveness of the organization • To identify • What the MERN is. • What resource, presented in the fora, could be provided.
Methodoloy • Qualitative analysis • Quantitative research • Sample: the research from the 1st forum to 20th forum • Categorizing • By target groups and subjects • By affiliated group • By type • Titles and contents
The MERN research category 2. • By Affiliated groups • The government departments • Academia • School Divisions, and schools • Others
The MERN research category 3 • By type • Exploring • Describing • Evaluating • Consulting
The MERN, a Think Tank or Network ?! • Type of Think Tank by McGann (2007) • Independent think thinks • Academic-diversified think tanks • Academic-specialized think tanks • Contract research organizations • Advocacy think tanks • Policy enterprise organization • Affiliated think tanks • Party-affiliated • Government sponsored • Private, for-profit • University based
The MERN, a Think Tank or Network ?! • Type of Network by Goldsmith and Eggers (2004) • Service contract • Supply chain • Ad hoc • Channel partnership • Civic switchboard • Information dissemination
The MERN, a Think Tank or Network ?! • Triple Helix Model by Etzkowitz (2002) Tri-lateral networks and hybrid organization The MERN source: Etzkowitz, H. (2002). Incubation of incubators:Innovation as as a triple helix of university-industry-goverment networks. Science and Public Policy, 29 (2), p.118
Characteristics of the MERN • A space • Independent • Nonprofit • No budget • Researchers from affiliations • Informal network
Finding 1. Hot topics of the forum • Community related studies – Five times • Rural area • Low-income communities • Aboriginal communities • Science and Mathematics – three times • Research to Practice – two times
Finding 2. • Targeting groups • local community – 22%; • The government – 17% • Subjects • Aboriginal Education – 24%; • Low-Income communities – 3% • Subjects by Target • Government : Sustainable development – 24% • Rest targets : Aboriginal Education
Finding 3. By affiliates • Academia – 57% • Cooperated research – 43% • Focus targets • Departments of government Government • Schools Division, schools Local communities • Academia teaching skills and classroommanagements.
Finding 4. By Type • Different sampling : 148 research • Describing – 55% • Exploring – 30% • The research targeting the government • More consultative research • Less descriptive research (Comparing with other targeting groups)
Discussion • The position of the MERN • Not a think tank, but containing similarities of the think tank • A unique type of research network • A place to share educational information, not to consult policies
Discussion • Achievement • Providing “the meeting place” • Well balanced research target area • Research in the priority subjects of the department of education • Accommodating various affiliated groups.
Discussion • Challenges • Providing better quality research • Creating the environment for follow-up research • Long-term plans • Balancing of research types and subjects • Increasing the possibility of utilizing the research • Offering better access to the research • Providing detail research information through online and offline (present: only 47% accessible) • Building structured data base
Discussions • Limitations • Analyze within accessible research data • Mainly research title and abstract were criteria to classify research. • Further research suggestions • Surveys • Measuring effectiveness
Conclusion • The MERN, a network • For the government • Promoting their policy plans • Obtaining feedbacks • For schools and school division • Sharing information with similar groups • Appeal the opinions to other groups • For Academia • Obtaining practical feedbacks • Reducing the gap between research and practice • Getting the research topic idea • Two ways of future choices for the MERN • Horizontal improvement as a network • Vertical improvement as a think tank
Q & A • Thank you