E-Research in Educational Contexts

This book explores the impact of e-research in education and the opportunities presented by a new generation of research approaches and tools. 'E-research' is an umbrella term that encompasses all digital research methods used for data collection and analysis including those involving handheld mobile devices. This is a current concern as the emergence of online tools that enable people to collaborate, create, and share information has led to the widespread use of these new digital research methods. Indeed, new tools and technologies are emerging almost daily and are being taken up by researchers for their ease of data collection and analysis. As a result the book investigates the implications of how we conceptualise educational research in the digital age. In addressing a range of key themes, from the ethics of e-research to the relationships between researchers and participants, the book presents original studies from a variety of educational contexts where digital tools are being used, and should be of value to postgraduate students, academic researchers, and policy makers. This book was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Research & Method in Education.

Jocelyn Wishart is a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Bristol, UK. She specialises in researching the use of new and emerging technologies to support teaching and learning. She is Membership Secretary for the International Association for Mobile Learning and is currently working on a book tentatively entitled Mobile Learning in Schools. Prior to entering teacher education she taught science, psychology, and ICT in secondary schools. Michael Thomas is an Associate Professor in Digital Education and Learning at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. He has taught at universities in Germany and Japan, and is the author or editor of fifteen books, mostly in the field of technology-enhanced learning. He is lead editor of the book series Digital Education and Learning and Advances in Digital Language Learning and Teaching.

Introduction: Introducing e-research in educational contexts, digital methods and issues arising 1. Capturing children's knowledge-making dialogues in Minecraft 2. Digital stories as a method for evidence-based practice and knowledge co-creation in technology-enhanced learning for children with autism 3. Studying professional knowledge use in practice using multimedia scenarios delivered online 4. Disqus website-based commenting as an e-research method: engaging doctoral and early-career academic learners in educational research 5. Hermeneutics as a methodological resource for understanding empathy in on-line learning environments 6. Advancing ethics frameworks and scenario-based learning to support educational research into mobile learning