Proposal Preparation

*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina

In December of 2022 I officially completed the required course work for my Ph.D program at the University of Regina! (If you are interested in looking back at some of that work you can check out the “university” or “ECI388” tags on this blog). With that component completed, the next stage of this journey involves the formation of a committee which will review my preliminary research proposal. Once approved the committee will then assign me three questions. These questions, which will expand on the subject of my topic, formulate what is referred to as Comprehensive Exams. These exams will see me compose a series of papers that seek to answer the questions bestowed upon me by the committee. Once these papers are complete, and determined to be satisfactory by the committee, then I can officially move into ethics approval and start the research process.

The process of finding a committee is not without challenges and, 6 months later, I am officially meeting with them today to review my proposal! As I prepare for this meeting I wanted to blog as a way to:

• review the information I have previously put together
• consolidate previous work
• strengthen my understanding

The following will be a series of headers and information as I work through this process.

Previous Work

• Programmed Oppression
  • One reason why educators need to be able to effectively evaluate the suitability of softwares is that, “the nature of technology itself has been programmed in a manner that clearly marginalizes and even harms specific groups of people”
• Critical Reviews of Selected Technology Integration Models
  • This paper seeks to provide a critical analysis of five popular technology integration models represented by the following acronyms or short-hand titles: 1. LoTi, 2. TPCK/TPACK, 3. TIM, 4. SAMR, and 5. Triple E.  This work will provide the reader with an overview of each of the five models with examples of how they may look within the K-12 teaching scenario.  A critique of the underlying philosophical and pedagogical influences will be shared as well as prevalent strengths and challenges identified in the existing research.
• Preliminary Research Map
  • An overview of my research plan as it stood in 2021
• Digital Literacy Skills of Educators
  • I have chosen to focus the following literary review on an analysis of the digital literacy skills of educators; both veteran and beginner (first 5 years). The foundational technology skills of an educator impacts their ability to effectively evaluate the suitability of digital programs beyond curricular alignment.
• Inequity of Remote Learning
  • Provides context to the socio-economic demographics and infrastructure availability in Manitoba which can influence software implementation (especially those used in the context of remote programming, hybrid programming, or student homework)
• Challenges in Developing Student Digital Literacy Skills
  • Successfully preparing students to utilize technological tools and communicate within the digital world requires that educators model these new literacies and effectively connect pedagogy, curriculum, and technology.  Challenges to this goal arise when educators lack experience with various forms of technology, are left to navigate this new terrain without support from their administrative team, and are provided with inadequate infrastructure to meet classroom demands.
• Digital Literacy and the ICT Curriculum
  • Successfully utilizing technological tools and communicating within the digital world requires that students incorporate a skill set that differs from other aspects of their life. An ICT curricula that is implemented with purpose and support produces direct benefits for the students, such as enriched learning opportunities, ease of life, and practical post-secondary preparation

Theory

• Theoretical Groundings of an ICT Coordinator
  • Overview of my constructivist belief system
• Ethical Influences
  • The work takes the reader through three topics to summarize my own experience and current understanding: 1. background context, 2. research problem, and 3. theoretical grounding. The paper will conclude with an overview of how three readings from the course have drawn my interest and will inform my work as I progress through this journey
• What is Grounded Theory
  • 3rd party website: DelveTool
  • Good overview of the steps involved