A Case for Story
Sharon Comstock
(slcomstock@ameritech.net)
(not ready to use)
ASK
Partner Projects
| GK-12 Teaching Fellowships |
Subject Areas
| Educational Technology, Information Science, Mathematics, Science, Qualitative Research |
Grade Levels
Unit Keywords
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folkloristic, teaching, learning, qualitative, research, MQRC, technology, integration |
Rationale of the Unit
| Presention of "A Case for Story: Learning Technologies in K-12 Environments" at the MQRC, Minneapolis, MN June 18-June 20, 2003. |
Dialogues, Discussions, and Presentations
The MQRC conference paper presentation went well. The qualitative researchers at the presentation came from K-12 science education, business (banks; insurance), social work, nursing/health education, and library science.
We had a lively conversation, and some questions/lines of thought raised:
How do we define "story"? What *is* story?
How does the researcher gain trust? (Subject-researcher relationship)
Paradox of being a participant observer.
Role of the interview, and how it can be conducted.
Community of participants: how you know you're no longer an outsider.
How interesting that tale motifs are used in how participants relate their experiences with technology. What does that mean?
Use of ATLAS as the next-generation of data manipulation
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Assessment, Related Questions, and Story of the Unit
| As my first time "on my own," presenting my ideas about story and its place in our understanding technology, I was nervous. But I could not have selected a more interesting conference to have attended and at which to present. The participants were practitioners *and* researchers. They were applying their qualitative approaches to real-world problems: how to support care for older adults in isolated environments; how small business women share knowledge and build community; how we actually integrate technology in a science classroom when there is little training. I was pleasantly surprised by their interest in my emerging ideas of story, and was happy to "beat the drum" for library and information scientists. I was the only librarian/researcher there, yet we all felt comfortable--LIS is truly a meta-discipline. I think I was able to get that idea across as well. |
Credits & Acknowledgements
Graduate School of Library and Information Science for their funding to support this presentation. GK-12 Fellowship Program, Grant No. 0086455, for the research opportunity. Dr. Umesh Thakkar, Sr. Research Scientist and Program Director, NCSA; Prof. Betsy Hearne, GSLIS UIUC; Prof. Del Harnisch, Evaluation Lead, UNL; Prof. Gypsy Abbott, UAB, Evaluation Lead/Mentor for collaborating sites; Prof. Chip Bruce, GSLIS UIUC and NCSA co-lead Evaluator; Dr. Eric Jakobsson, PI, Sr. Faculty Scientist NCSA and NIH.
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Uploaded Files:
MQRCforGK12Website.ppt
Users' Comments on this Unit
- Hmmmm...just a thought: consider what "case" actually needs making. - by scomstoc@uiuc.edu
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