Introduce yourself!

Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -
Number of replies: 84

Thanks to Sylvia and SCoPE for creating a place where we can come together and learn from each other! I am looking forward to our interactions in this seminar and hope it will be both useful and fun.

To get started, let's get acquainted. Please introduce yourself...

  • Why are you interested in synchronous online interviews?
  • What are you most curious, concerned or intrigued about in regard to collecting data through online interviews?
  • Have you ever conducted an online interview or participated in one?
  • If you are designing or carrying out research, tell us about your area of research interest.
  • What do you hope to learn in or gain from this seminar?

Warmly,
Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Dr. Nellie Deutsch -
Hi Janet,

This workshop is perfect for my research interests and doctoral dissertation. I completed my 3 year doctoral studies in educational leadership specializing in curriculum and instruction online at the University of Phoenix. I found it very natural to conduct my phenomenological qualitative study online. I'm currently completing transcribing 20 online interviews I conducted for my doctoral research project on blended learning in higher education using SKYPE. I interviewed instructors who use or used blended learning in higher education. I really enjoyed the interviews and became close friends with most of the participants. However, it was difficult to get the IRB & ARB to accept my proposal.

A few months ago, we created Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (IT4ALL) with a few passionate facilitators and technical experts who are volunteering their time to provide free online learning worldwide. Most of the workshops cater to educators and professional development. Each of the workshops consist of Blended Online Learning (BOL) formats where we use Moodle for the asynchronous and WiZiQ for the synchronous modules.

I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences with online interviewing for research and learning with everyone.

Please feel free to contact me.

Warm wishes,

Nellie Deutsch

In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Nellie! Glad you can join us. Look forward to learning more about your research.

Good luck with the transcription process! What tool did you use to record from SKYPE? Did it capture both audio and video portion of the interview?

Fee free to post info on your IT4ALL in the Resource Exchange so that participants in the seminar-- or visitors-- can find out about it.

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Dr. Nellie Deutsch -
Hi Janet,
I used tipcam to record and capture both video and audio on skype. Although I am very visual, I found the webcam distractive and preferred to focus on the audio. Currently, I am reviewing the transcriptions to make sure I didn't leave anything out. In addition, I have been listening to each of the 20 interviews on my iPhone in the car and on the iPod wherever I can. The more I listen the more I see the recurring themes. I must confess that I was amazed by the participants' openness and positive approach to the interview. It seems that face-to-face body cues detract more than they contribute to the closeness between the interviewer and the interviewee in real life interactions. Finally, I felt that a certain bond developed between the interviewee and myself.
Warm wishes,
Nellie Deutsch
In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by bronwyn hegarty -
that is where I missed out I think Nellie as I focused more on reading the transcripts to look for themes rather than on listening and re-listening to the audio of the interviews. I guess the emphasis and inflection in the participants' voices would have shown me more insights had I taken the time to do this.

I recorded on Skype using Audacity on the computer and that worked well as I could convert them easily to mp3 for portability. In my case this only involved email to the transcriber.

So yes I would agree with you, that listening over and over to the recorded interviews is a very important step and more powerful than just reading the written transcripts. I can still go back and do this and expect I will find more useful information and surprises when I do.
In reply to bronwyn hegarty

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Janet Salmons -

Interesting that you both collected data in the same sort of way, through SKYPE interviews (what I refer to as "video calls" in the book, to minimize use of brand names ). But you analyzed your data very differently-- one focusing more on audio, one more on text, but neither on the visual data from the SKYPE camera feed.

In literature about interviews, much is made of visual and eye contact, as well as on non-verbal communications. Four modes of nonverbal communication are as follows:

1. Chronemics refers to the use of pacing and timing of speech, and the length of silence before a response in conversation.

2. Paralinguistic communication or paralanguage describes variations in volume, pitch, and quality of voice.

3. Kinesic communication includes facial expressions, eye contact or gaze, body movements, or postures.

4. Proxemic communication describes the use of interpersonal space to communicate attitudes (Gordon, 1980; Guerrero, DeVito, & Hecht, 1999; Kalman, Ravid, Raban, & Rafaeli, 2006) .

To some extent we get Chronemics even in text-based interviews based on timing of responses. A big advantage of rich synchronous communications that you have the ability to bring more visual and non-verbal dimensions into the interview-- as compared to a text-based or email interview where questions are posted/sent and responded to in writing.

That said, as you both have noted, you got what you needed from the verbal-text responses. Again, the whole point is to match technology with purpose. If the camera is a distraction for what you are trying to do, turn it off altogether or use it for a quick get-acquainted hello then turn it off.

On the other hand, you have another set of data that you might later decide you want to look at, analyze and discuss.

We are on a new frontier here and thoughtful discussion of experiments is useful for moving this kind of data collection forward.

Thanks for sharing-

Janet

Gordon, R. L. (1980). Interviewing: Strategy, techniques and tactics. Homewood: Dorsey.
Guerrero, L. K., DeVito, J. A., & Hecht, M. L. (Eds.). (1999). The nonverbal communication reader: Classic and contemporary readings. Prospect Hills: Waveland Press.
Kalman, Y. M., Ravid, G., Raban, D. R., & Rafaeli, S. (2006). Pauses and response latencies: A chronemic analysis of asynchronous CMC Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 12(1), 1-23.

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by bronwyn hegarty -
this is fascinating stuff Janet. Is this theory more applicable to particular types of research, for example, phenomenological or ethnographic studies?

How do researchers normally record this type of information while concentrating on the questions and responses?

Bronwyn
In reply to bronwyn hegarty

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Janet Salmons -

Any kind of research interviews can be conducted online-- but you have to be able to create a defensible rationale for the choices you make. I hope to help with that process; a big focus in the book is on alignment of theory, epistemology, methodology and method. Alignment is important in any research design but essential for a proposal that includes e-research. Why? Because it will undoubtedly receive more scrutiny. (See the new discussion thread for more about this.)

That said, some types of interviews work best in some types of technologies-- and that will be our focus next week.

Ability to record and save the interview is crucial so that is a decision point when you make your selection. Some options allow you to record, others require use of another tool that records whatever is happening on your desktop. Nellie and (the other) Bronwyn have suggested Audacity and Tipcam. My own feeling is that the fewer different kinds of technology tools, the fewer chances there are for things to go wrong.

In the scope (no pun intended!) of this seminar we will of course not be able to go into every aspect-- such as analysis of visual data-- but I hope it is a start!

Janet

In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Jeffrey Keefer -

Nellie Deutsch wrote,

I must confess that I was amazed by the participants' openness and positive approach to the interview.

Nellie, as I am developing my own abilities, skills, understanding, and identity as a researcher, I am also amazed at how generous people who I interview are with sharing their stories and learnings. I am not sure to what extent I would be able to do this, though since all of my interviews have been via Skype (or DimDim or my cell phone when Skype does not work), the auditory rather than visual cues may indeed help in the forthcoming experiences that are shared.

In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Deleted user -
Hi Nellie,

Could you please share with us what the IRB was concerned about and how did you get them to accept the proposal?

Thanks.
In reply to Deleted user

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Dr. Nellie Deutsch -
Hi Ahmad,

The IRB was concerned about the protection of the participants' identity and keeping the information from the interview under lock and key when everything can leak out on the Internet. I had to convince them that I would not keep anyone's name on record and would ensure that no trace remained of the audios once I had transcribed them. It seemed that the word "delete" was not in their lexicon. They wanted me to add that I would keep the data on a memory stick and physically destroy the key after 3 years.

My mentor was surprised by the ordeal since the University of Phoenix is an online university and the IRB and ARB had never given anyone such a hard time as they had given me.
In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Christine Horgan -

Hello:

Pardon my ignorance, but could you please tell me what do IRB andARB stand for?

Thanks, Chris

In reply to Christine Horgan

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Dr. Nellie Deutsch -
Hi Chris,

The IRB is the Institutional Review Board is an ethics committee that protects the research participants and the ARB is the Academic Review Board of the university.
In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Christine Horgan -
Thanks, Nellie: I'm familiar with Research Ethics Boards (REBs) but didn't recognize these initials. Chris
In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Deleted user -
Thanks Nellie. I appreciate your prompt response. This will be very helpful when the IRB time comes.
In reply to Dr. Nellie Deutsch

Re: Doctoral Research using SKYPE

by Janet Salmons -
Thanks for sharing your experience with your university's review process. Good segue into the next discussion topic smile.
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Bronwyn Stuckey -
Why are you interested in synchronous online interviews?

I have worked on a number of projects where the research required me to interview people online, mostly using Skype or Elluminate. Most of this has been very intuitive but I sense that there is so much more I could be doing or doing better.

What are you most curious, concerned or intrigued about in regard to collecting data through online interviews?

I am interested in protocols, limits and efficiencies. Such interviews usually provide a lot of audio content which needs to be transcribed and then analysed. I have some strategies for this after-interview action but want to know how to be a better and more effective and efficient inrterviewer so that the data analysed in Nvivo is truly targetted when and if it needs to be.

Have you ever conducted an online interview or participated in one?

Yes, I have conducted many online or remote interviews as part of research and evaluation projects. Mostly over skype but would like move into doing more inworld in Second Life, Quest Atlantis and over chat and other community-based tools.

If you are designing or carrying out research, tell us about your area of research interest.

My current research interests lie with teachers, identity and teaching with virtual worlds and relatedly but quite separately online community management. Both research projects involve digital storytelling and case studies and knowledge sharing and at the heart of that lie interviews with people spread about the globe. These may involve individual interviews or groups in focus group like situations.

What do you hope to learn in or gain from this seminar?

I would like to start to formalise understandings and skills which to date have been largely intuitive and to develop a trajectory for honing my skills. I would like to look at other media particularly use of video. Have bought flip cams to explore this further.
In reply to Bronwyn Stuckey

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Hi Bronwyn,

I was struck by your comment:  "i would like to start to formalise understandings and skills which to date have been largely intuitive." Yes, that was my motivation for writing this book!  

I conducted two studies using interviews conducted in Elluminate, using the shared whiteboard for what I describe in Chapter 8 as visual elicitation and visual collaboration (for those reading along wink). When I would discuss my research, people would stop me before I got to talk about what I found because they were fascinated by this kind of online interview. I looked and looked for literature about synchronous interviewing online and found very little-- there are some articles out there about emailed interviews, which researchers also term "e-interview" or "online interview." Clearly brave and creative researchers are conducting interviews using the Internet in various ways-- they just aren't writing about the methods per se. I sincerely hope my stab at formalizing, organizing ideas and approaches will be helpful to researchers-- and those who teach, guide and assess them.

What is your interest in terms of video?

Lots to think about!

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by bronwyn hegarty -
Janet
My interest in the importance of video in a synchronous online interview has increased since you explained some of the theoretical terms for body language. When I have been an interviewee in a face-to-face situation, I was unaware of the importance of this. I wonder is body language of particular importance in some types of research method compared to others. For example, ethnographic studies compared to a narrative approach?
Bronwyn
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Bronwyn Stuckey -
Hi Janet

I am very keen to consider video in both F2F and online interviews more. I have bought a couple of flipcams so that I can do quick adhoc, on the spot interviews and have other people interview each other (video reporting). Added to that I am keen to represent results in video vignettes. There just seems to be too much text in all our lives and my research is academic yes, but I want to inform practice not just impress others in academe, if you know what I mean ;-). I think video will produce data that can be very accessible and in a way better honour the people who are contributors to our studies.
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Susan Santo -

I've tried to find research about Elluminate for education, conferences, or interviews, and found nothing.

Susan

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Christine Horgan -

Hello, Janet:

Christine Horgan, SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary, Alberta. Curriculum co-ordinator in a large service department.

I expect to be a serious lurker for this seminar as I know almost nothing about synchronous online interviews and so my curiosity, at present, is at the level of "what's in it for me?" (as in, what can I learn about this tool? and why would I want to use it?)

Look forward to some interesting conversations and learning from the more activite participants.

Cheers, Chris

In reply to Christine Horgan

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -
Christine, I just finished teaching a business communication 2-week intensive course, where the communication model I used included a significant element of WIIFM (What's In It For Me) as well, and I think that clearly stating it here within the context of an open learning environment is quite refreshing.

Take that, you educational objectives written by other people!!
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Alice Macpherson -
Alice Macpherson at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in the Lower Mainland of BC, Canada. My work is with faculty around effective teaching and engaged learning through the Centre for Academic Growth at Kwantlen.

I am interested in online interviews to compare this methodology with face to face situations. In my past attempts to engage faculty in conversation, online has not be very useful to us as folks lurk but do not respond very often.

My research interest is in the area of faculty member experience in their early learning about how to teach and its impact on their students learning.

I'm always ready to learn. :)
In reply to Alice Macpherson

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Alice,

Some of the issues and strategies we will discuss here are certainly applicable in other settings-- online instruction or community as you describe. But in general, interviews are different, especially when conducted synchronously. They are one to one, and if people agree-- consent-- to participate in an interview they know their responses to questions are expected. The interviewer is
present" with them using audio and visuals, which is very different in from a discussion forum. Perhaps an interactive live event online would be beneficial for your faculty?

As we move forward, please join in and ask questions!

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Gina Bennett -
Hi Janet & fellow SCoPE-ers

My business card tells me I'm an 'eLearning Specialist' at College of the Rockies in BC, Canada. I support all types of distance learning & also curriculum development at our small postsecondary institution.

Like several others, I expect I'll be mostly lurking in this discussion since I am not actively involved in formal research requiring live online interviews. However, I have been both the conductor & the conductee in several online interviews & I am curious to know how it might have gone better. I know enough about interviewing to understand how important it is to develop a sense of trust before you attempt to collect any data & that's not always easy to do in an online environment in which at least one of the participants lacks confidence.

In terms of research, I'm currently looking into ways to assess intercultural competence for individuals, institutions, & communities.

Looking forward!
Gina

In reply to Gina Bennett

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Derek Chirnside -
Like Gina I'll just be lurking. I don't do anything like this at the moment. All that I have done is conversations with emergent aspects . . I actually usually dislike online surveys but I am a fan of some of Janet's writing.

I did a survey last week. Online, But with someone sitting in my office helping me. A brilliant system, it was analysing trips I made in a week for a fuel usage, lifestyle project.

Picture a site, with a login, with a specialist set of questions, links to Google maps to assist, a memory (like remembering the same trip to work I made each day) and the ability to go back and forward in a semi random fashion to complete the activity. Took 45 minutes, and was a very surprisingly satisfying experience, and I think actually a nice, efficient way to capture data. Compared to the question mill of liket scales.

I have a little bit of uncertainty at work (like I will be finishing as soon as I can) so I'm not sure what by business card will say in the near future. At present I do course design, staff development and try to influence policy as an Educational Designer. Probably it will soon say "Consultant" which may include working in a catering business, Moodle development in High Schools, releif teaching and a trip to China.

-Derek


In reply to Derek Chirnside

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

I am delighted to hear that you are a fan blush (I didn't know I had "fans"!)

Lurk away, post your ideas or perhaps recipes (catering?)

Your description of your own research (auto-ethnography? heuristic?) suggests visual elicitation with the maps-- an approach that could work as the basis for some or all of an online interview on a platform like Elluminate.

Thanks for joining in the seminar!

Janet

In reply to Gina Bennett

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Gina,

You mentioned that you are " curious to know how it might have gone better." Were there particular aspects that you felt did not go well? Can you explain more about your experience so we can think about how to learn from your experience?thoughtful

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Gina Bennett -
The one interview I am thinking about involved the use of Skype for a job interview. We had a bit of trouble with the technology at first -- not much, but just enough to unnerve the applicant I think. It was kind of downhill from there. The applicant got it into her head that the technology glitch was somehow her fault (unlikely) & was subsequently on the defensive throughout the interview. Due to technological limitations we were unable to convey the body language communication that would have restored her confidence & put her back at ease. I have wondered since how (or if) we could have saved the interview...
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Susan Santo -

I would like to conduct interviews in Second Life at higher education institutions. I am particularly interested in the diffusion of innovation - how these institutions made the decision to go into Second Life, who were the early adopters, whether they have made progress in getting educators to use the site. This topic is of particular interest to me because I have been unable to convince my university of the value of using virtual worlds for higher education. I have never conducted an online interview in real time and could use some tips on how to do this. Also, I think the entire concept of this is going to be alien to the IRB here and I would like to know how to get them to accept it!

In reply to Susan Santo

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Susan,

Thanks for mentioning the IRB approval. This is also a concern for me.

In reply to Susan Santo

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Susan,

I hope you'll post ideas, questions and resources you are using to define and design your study.

Interviews in Second Life are discussed throughout the book-- though clearly it is a very new approach to interview research.Because little or nothing is written about this kind of data collection, I organized the book to include stories from current couragous, creative researchers in each chapter's "Researchers' Notebook."

I had a hard time finding people conducting interviews in world-- lots of observation types of research. However, I was able to find some interesting examples. One is Jon Calibria. He did some very interesting research and has published some articles about it. He and I presented in world about ethics and interview research in world-- which was a real experience in itself! Stephen Thorpe, another contributing researcher, held meetings with research participants in world. They discuss their IRB experiences and strategies in the Chapter 4 Researchers' Notebook-- and we'll talk about some of those issues here later in the week. (See the Book Study Site: http://www.sagepub.com/salmonsstudy/notebooks.htm)

I am in the process of scheduling a book event in world in world at the Readers' Garden, so stay tuned!

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Susan Santo -

It is difficult finding much research on Second Life at all. Most of what has been written is teachers describing what they have done with it, or observational studies done of behavior by social scientists or the popular press.

Thanks for putting together your Book Study site. I will enjoy reading your stories from online researchers, especially Jon Calibria and Stephen Thorpe!

I would love to meet in Second Life in Readers' Garden. That is one of my favorite places. I am Cyberlily Beresford.

Susan

In reply to Susan Santo

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Great. I will post the date and time for the Readers' Garden event once it is set-- it will be after this seminar. (www.vision2lead.com or twitter/einterview.

aka Opal Zabaleta

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Justin Bonzo -
Hello all,

I'm a PhD student at Lancaster University in the E-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning programme. I've just completed my 2 years of course work and am about to embark on the thesis journey.

For my research I'm interested in the interconnectedness that takes place between learner, instruction and the technology in networked learning. synchronous online interviews is a potential research method.

Best,
Justin
In reply to Justin Bonzo

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Justin. Sounds interesting! Yes, I am interested in that interconnectedness as well-- the research I've conducted has been about online collaboration/collaborative e-learning.

Have you seen this article? It is a few years old but you might like it:

Anderson, T., & Elloumi, F. (2004). Theory and practice of online learning. Athabasca: Athabasca University.

It is online at: http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch2.html

I hope you'll share your ideas, questions or dilemmas about how you might use interviews in your study...

In reply to Justin Bonzo

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -
Justin-

Congrats on finishing your course work!

Question about your interest in the interconnectedness between "learner, instruction and the technology." How are you using "instruction" in this context?

Jeffrey
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by bronwyn hegarty -
Hello Janet and all
This is an excellent chance to share some ideas. I am an educational developer at Otago Polytechnic and a Doctoral candidate at the University of Wollongong.

Why are you interested in synchronous online interviews?
I have experienced some good and bad things during online interviews and would like to find out what worked or did not work for others so I can do it better next time.

What are you most curious, concerned or intrigued about in regard to collecting data through online interviews?

The best way to get interviewees to open up in what some find is an inhibiting environment. Also how others deal with interviewees who misunderstand the questions or due to language issues don't understand what is asked. How to keep the ramblers focussed.

Have you ever conducted an online interview or participated in one?
I conducted some for my Doctorate in Education using Skype and the telephone. I have also been interviewed for others research using web conferencing (Elluminate) as well as the other methods I mention.

If you are designing or carrying out research, tell us about your area of research interest.

Learning and reflective practice (my Doctorate); digital information literacy (just completed a project for the Ministry of Education) looking at a model to support learning in this area.

What do you hope to learn in or gain from this seminar?
Find out what others have done.
In reply to bronwyn hegarty

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Bronwyn,

Sounds like you have had some experience-- just curious, could you say more about "some good and bad things during online interviews"?

Thanks for joining the discussion!

Janet 

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by bronwyn hegarty -
ah Janet I thought you might ask about that statement.

Good things
The good thing about being able to conduct a synchronous online interview is the convenience of the method, particularly when some of the participants live on the other side of the globe which was my situation in my Doctorate research.

It is also much more cost effective than using the phone. I did not even think about using video as I was focusing on hearing their words, but as you have said in a recent post body language is also important.

Isn't it funny when I have conducted f2f focus group interviews I did not formally note down the body language but on recall of the situations the way in which some of the group were "swirming" when talking about the technology I was asking them about, definitely influenced how I thought they felt about the technology being discussed in the interview per se. But I did not convey this information to the researcher for whom I was interviewing students. On reflection the body language did match what the participants were saying.

Bad things
The bad things about doing an online interview is the time lag between question and answers. Also some of the participants I was interviewing had some difficulties expressing themselves in English and they might have responded better if video had been used and they could see my expressions. The same works in reverse. Without video I could still tell they were not understanding the questions because of the pause or if their response did not match the question or make sense.

I think it is less easy to have flow in the interview and rapport when online unless you have previously met the participants f2f, but it is also easier to stay on track. In f2f interviews where I was an interviewee, being able to see the interviewer and relax in a room with them and see their body language helped me to be more fluent in my responses. So I guess video could help with this though the time lag and poor resolution in the image could inhibit this.

Re convenience and cost online synchronous interviewing is unbeatable but depends on context...I am still thinking about how to explain this.

The knowledge I am gaining from being part of this forum is going to help me in writing my discussion which I started this week. Bronwyn
In reply to bronwyn hegarty

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Bronwyn,

We'll discuss some good and bad things in the session on Friday. Some things are outside the interviewer's control, wherever the interview occurs, so the issue is to determine and weigh the trade-offs and decide accordingly.

You mentioned " I  think it is less easy to have flow in the interview and rapport when online unless you have previously met the participants f2f." While a lot of online interviewers and interviewees may be geographically dispersed, that is not always the case. You might have a situation where the sampling agreement negotiation and preparation phase are in person, but the interview is online. In that case you can work on relationship-building f2f.

If that is not the case, you can choose what you think is the friendliest communications medium--based on the sample population and/or the particular interviewee-- and use it for the agreement/preparation stages.

I hope you will enjoy reading the book sections about the Researchers' Notebook examples of videoconference interviews. In the main example I discussed, the researcher did not meet most of the participants who were interviewed via videoconference.

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by bronwyn hegarty -
Thx Janet
It is all very interesting. I just wish I had some of these insights before I did the interviews for my Doctorate. I was trying to get the book through our library but it is not available in New Zealand libraries yet.

I will have to make a suggestion the University of Otago library (we share the library) buys it as it looks like such a useful resource. We have several degree programmes teaching research methods at the polytechnic and there will be tons at the university as well and lots of researchers in both places would find it very useful I am sure.

I will do my bit to promote it.
Bronwyn

In reply to bronwyn hegarty

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Dear Bronwyn and others,

I resonated with your comments. I did not have Elluminate or ways of saving and converting auditory interviews to text so easily in my phenomenological studies. Initially I used what was available -- but it was very expensive and very time consuming to get translations to text. I see technology adding so many advantages with clearer video's and voice, distant group or one on one interviews and it is very exciting.

I love the idea of having Janet's book to help guide me and other students that I might advise in the future. I will add Janet's book reference in terms of the ethical issues. I'm particulary struck by the idea that committee members at this point need rigorous details of how data is going to be managed by the student and how the ethical aspects of usage of the material will be followed.

Although I am not doing research on Second Life, I read in Janet's book how the complexity of honoring the avatars (even the fixtures can be avatars) -- and the necessity to go to a far off area and put up privacy. It is all quite new to our research virtual sensibilities.

Jo Ann
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Nalin Abeysekera -

Hello! I am Nalin Abeysekera , from Sri Lanka. Lecturer in Management at Open University of Sri Lanka , Online teacher for Marketing. I had participated in online interviews. It was really interesting!!Which I feel you have to understand your customer(respondent) needs and wants first. I like to learn and share my knowledge with others!! 

In reply to Nalin Abeysekera

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Nalin!

Do you have any suggestions about ways researchers can communicate in order to "understand your customer(respondent) needs and wants first"?

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Hi Everyone,
I'm a Frequent-SCoPE-Explorer and I'm interested in all the comments made so far in the introductions. I have been a participant (interviewed) in online interviewing for research and had very different experiences. I have also done many of the questionaires online for students and professionals.

My favourite experience as an interviewee was where the questions were clear and the interview was also somewhat open to anything I might contribute to the subject area.
  • Why are you interested in synchronous online interviews? - I'm interested in supervision and helping student's design research and also my own lifetime learning.
  • What are you most curious, concerned or intrigued about in regard to collecting data through online interviews? - How students are guided, how committees that approve the research are informed.
  • Have you ever conducted an online interview or participated in one? - I've participated in two.
  • If you are designing or carrying out research, tell us about your area of research interest. I'm not at the present time, although I've participated in f-to-f interviewing research five times for phenomenological research.
  • What do you hope to learn in or gain from this seminar? - Nuances of the field as it is unfolding.






In reply to Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Jo Ann,

I hope that we will have the opportunity to discuss particular issues about guiding students and working as committee members.

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Hello everyone,

I am the Director of Corporate Affairs at United Networks, a holding company based in Kuwait. I am a Doctor of Business Administration student at Walden University.

I am very excited to have such excellent opportunity since I plan to conduct my doctoral research through online interviewing to collect data. I am an amateur researcher. My only experience with research was my MBA thesis. So I have never conducted an online interview.

My research interest is corporate strategic planning. I would like to explore the effect of employee behavior on strategy execution. I am planning to do a qualitative, phenomenological study, whereby I will collect data through online interviews with a group of business consultants.

I hope to learn the basic tips and trick of online interviewing and what challenges might arise during the data collection and analysis phases.

Thanks,
Ahmad
In reply to Deleted user

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Ahmad,

Welcome. Sounds like an interesting research project. I hope you will find some approaches here that fit your intended study. Also, given the interest and experience of people participating in this seminar, perhaps you could find someone else in a similar situation who would be willing to practice online interviewing with you.

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Janet,

Thank you so much for creating this wonderful forum. I feel so lucky to have found this seminar. I ordered your book yesterday, and it should arrive soon. Yes, it would be interesting to find someone else who be willing to practice online interviewing with me.

Thanks.
In reply to Deleted user

Re: Introduce yourself!

by E.A. Draffan -
I am afraid I have been lurking as we have so many projects on at the moment but one of them involves interviewing colleagues about participatory research and we have been using Skype, F2F and in the past I have used Eluminate as well as Talking Communities which is more accessible. In fact I was interviewed by Prof. Norm Coombs using this service and it was very easy. The EASI website has examples of the EASI webinars along with their podcasts and vodcasts.

It is the transcription that takes the time and I have to agree that the technology when using a webcam can really get in the way if the connection is slow, jerky and you are constantly stopping because the line drops out! It is often easier to stick to one medium - just text or just audio and dip in and out of the visual side as has been suggested.

I have also completed the JISC funded LexDis project that involved working with students over a two year period, discovering via interviews (both off and online) all about their elearning strategies. We used Skype, MSN, Facebook, texts, F2F, email and in fact any chosen method that suited their skills. I feel it was the flexibility and real sense of participation that allowed it to work. There is a final report available.

I am off now to work through an Excel spreadsheet with student comments! I will admit I am abandoning QSR NVivo for the coding, in favour of scissors and cards for the moment. The program is failing to load yet again! Technology can be so frustrating at times!

Best wishes E.A.
In reply to Deleted user

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -
Ahmad-

Sounds like some interesting work lies ahead for you. In my spare time I teach a bit of management communication, and have always had an interest in formal business and management studies.

Question about your research design -- what is leading you to do a phenomenological study of this population?

Jeffrey
In reply to Jeffrey Keefer

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Jeffrey,

Thank you. Management studies are wonderful. What I find interesting in management studies is that it's in interdisciplinary field. So when I study business, I study philosophy, sociology, psychology, education, and perhaps other fields of knowledge. When I finished my MBA, I just could not stop.

Before I answer your question, let me bring to your attention that I am an amateur when it come so to scholarly research. I have no prior experience in research, other than my MBA thesis. That's why I'm so excited to be among such wonderful group of researchers. I am here to learn.

Here is my rationale for a phenomenological study: I seek to understand the human element of strategy execution. I want to explore how human behavior within company may work as an asset/hindrance to successful strategy execution. Therefore, the essence of my research is about emotions, feelings, perceptions, and motivations. In an ideal world, I would have to study many, many companies, both that succeeded and those that failed to execute their strategic targets, and compare employee behavior withing both groups. Unfortunately, that's not possible--at least for me. So I thought of exploring with a group of business consultants who must have lived through many experiences with both types of organizations. In a way, those study participants are my research assistants. Hence, the choice for a phenomenological study.

Does that make sense? I welcome any feedback and thoughts.

Ahmad


In reply to Deleted user

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -
Ahmad, welcome to the world of organizational research!

I have never really considered the study of management to be an interdisciplinary endeavor; will have to think about that one a bit. While I know that the fields you listed all contribute to management studies, my experience has been that those fields influence management theorists, who then take these various approaches to studying the human condition and then internalize them in ways that the original fields may not quite recognize. If the interdisciplinary approach is the one you are taking to your studies, then that may help you to be more well-rounded and thus able to see some of the organizational complexities that exist in your (and every) organization.

For a phenomenological study, where you will focus on the phenomenon as experienced and understood by your population, you may need to remove (or bracket) yourself from the study itself (depending, of course, on which theorist you are following). While this was an interesting methodological approach for me, the more I explored qualitative inquiry, the more I found myself struggling to understand something that I (artificially) remove myself from. Nevertheless, hopefully you will get some useful ideas from the workshop here; Janet's book looks like a wonderful resource for the hows and whys of online interviewing.!

Jeffrey
In reply to Jeffrey Keefer

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Thanks, Jeffrey.

That is exactly what I meant. Perhaps interdisciplinary was not an appropriate term to use. I apologize for that. As you might have guessed by now, my English is even worse than my research skills smile

Janet's book is on the way, and I am enjoying the company here very much.

Cheers,
Ahmad
In reply to Jeffrey Keefer

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Dear Ahmad,

After doing a lot of research work through the last 25 years, reading and doing enriching phenomenological research, I now wonder how readily accepted it is by my colleagues. I have found it to be methodologically reliable, valid, and somewhat accepted in certain circles of psychology, which is my field of study.

For the past 5 years, I'm slowly learning of practical technology for research and more pedagogical and other perspectives (e.g. Connectivism course).

Now I have a wider span of technology tools, education resources (open source), my Athabasca University Elgg to check into, and interdisciplinary professional interests. Still, as a person in private practice. I want to address applied research more effectively and efficiently.

I want to use technology to the best advantages. I see a practice vantage point for international, national and local data collection. I think that collecting interviews by Skype or other forms of online auditory and/or visual data as well as recording through Eluminate text and mp3 (or mp4), and using other forms of internet advantages (speed of e-mail), the research rapport can be established. It does take time and planning --prepare extensively and go with the best flow possible) I think I will find some ideas in Janet's book. I'm still waiting its arrival by post).

Jo Ann
In reply to Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Jo Ann,

Thanks for sharing your experience. Nice to see some fellow Canucks here smile

Have a good day,

Ahmad
In reply to Deleted user

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Dear Ahmad,
It is good to have you on SCoPE and in this seminar. Your information mentions Kuwait and also Walden University -- that I imagine you are doing online. I tood the Graduate Diploma in Distance Education and Technology with Athabasca University and I am full time in private practice as a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist. I have been seeing a growth in online interests, but still there are many professionals in my area that think they are too busy to get very involved in blogs, e-research, online interviews. I think it is such an opportunity for growth and professional expansion through not only the available technology, but in connections to people and information while being very busy at the same time. Cheers, Jo Ann
In reply to Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Deleted user -
Hello Jo Ann,

That's right, I currently live in Kuwait and pursuing a DBA program at Walden, online with limited residencies. Athabasca University was one of the schools I considered for my doctoral studies. I agree with you, online/distance education has opened doors for busy professionals who are serious about personal development and career advancement. However, it takes tremendous amount of dedication and commitment to be successful in an online program offered by good schools.

Thanks for your interest.

Have a great day,
Ahmad
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Asako Yoshida -
Hello everyone,

I'm a librarian at the University of Manitoba. I'm completely a beginner when it comes to any interview research, so I welcome any learning opportunities. I am interested in students' perceptions and experience of academic research.

Off the top of my head, would online interview research useful if one wants to explore how people construct their Personal Learning Environment, for example?

What are the key differences between in person versus online interviews? What are the advantages of online interview other than its convenience and broader geographical reach?

I look forward to the upcoming session and discussion!

Asako
In reply to Asako Yoshida

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Asako!

Librarians play an important role in any research project. Stocking books that provide background in online research, as well as those with findings those researchers discovered, is beneficial.

Your idea, off the top of your head, is a good one. In addition to verbal questions and responses, you could use a shared whiteboard allowing the research participant to diagram or mindmap key concepts. Using the web tour, participants could show you examples of their Personal Learning Envrionments.Or, you could show one or more example (online, media, etc.) and ask them how their experiences compare and contrast with the example. I will be showing how to do use some of these approaches when we meet in Elluminate.

I hope these ideas spark your imagination!

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Brian Cann -

Hi! My apologies for arriving late: it's good to "see" you all. I'm Brian, associate professor with University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in Europe where I teach principally math and statistics face-to-face and online within the US military environment.

I have an long-running research project on math anxiety which involves life histories collected through interview but, until now, all interviews have been face-to-face. I have held back from online interviews because I have felt that it would be difficult to construct the degree of personal trust that comes from proximity and body language. Finding an effective way of conducting interviews online has appeal for broadening the range of people I can reach, most interestingly, in my case, military students in down-range environments.

In reply to Brian Cann

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Brian!

Interesting comments. At this point many deployed military members keep in touch with families via desktop videocalls. In fact, their use of these tools has pushed the webcam market. So I think in terms of military students, you might find less resistance than you may have thought.

I hope you find some approaches here (and in my book) that will be useful in this important area of inquiry.

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by anne herbert -
Hi,

I'm anne in melbourne australia. I just wrote a long-ish intro here, and then lost it by opening another one of your mails in this string of intros. I cannot re-type it all now as I have to catch a plane.

However, i just want to warn about that aspect of this forum software.

Do any of you know a way to save half written messages in this forum?

back soon,
anne
In reply to anne herbert

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Welcome Anne,

Yes, that has happened to me-- in the course software we use at Capella, where I teach. If I am writing something longer than a comment I usually do it in a word document! In any case, welcome!

Janet

In reply to Janet Salmons

losing forum posts

by Sylvia Currie -
Anne, I know that sinking feeling when you've realized that POOF the forum post you've been working on has vanished. It seems to be more common for me these days with tabbed browsers; I end up with so many tabs opened that I lose track of where I was composing.

I use a similar practice to Janet, but tend to compose in the forum to take advantage of the editing tools, then do quick copy-pastes to a text editor as I go. Unfortunately I still forget sometimes! But in all cases, I do a select all-copy before I hit the 'post to forum' button.

Anyway, more than anything I wanted to give you a sympathy wave from someone who knows what it's like! mixed
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -
Janet, I have been reading these posts (I love Moodle email alerts!), and am finally getting an opportunity to post a response here and begin contributing back.

My name is Jeffrey Keefer, and I live and work in New York City while am studying toward my PhD in E-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning at Lancaster University in the UK (hello, Justin!).

I am interested in the stories and experiences we tell and share about how we develop our identities, and tend to look at things through an educational lens of transformative learning, threshold concepts, and communities of practice. I find that my E-Research work takes most expression through my blog Silence and Voice and Twitter.

With so many rich questions to engage us here at the beginning of this workshop, I will end this intro with some thoughts about my goals for what I hope to learn or gain from this. I hope to explore the current landscape of this area with a group of really interesting people as I am beginning to more seriously consider my thesis (dissertation in the US) area. Additionally, I have read Janet's work over the years, and am interested in seeing how it, too, has developed.
In reply to Jeffrey Keefer

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Hi Jeffrey,
I read you many energizing posts over the past 2 days. I am interested in reading about your development and your focuses of interest over time, as well as Janet's and others. Thanks for sharing you blog site and twitter.

You mention "what's in it for me" as an important part of motivation. I think this is a short reward and a long career reward point, especially in business and research efforts. Researchers need something to keep engaged too.

If I've only got so many questions to research in my life, what are the most important ones that I can tackle and how? What makes it worth my time beyond a dissertation or master's thesis work?

Technology will likely facilitate some areas of research that were not that available before. I hope Janet's book will save me time and mistakes (although they are always ways to learn). Will the new technological advantages help some kinds of interviews, but not others? I need some practical focus.

Jo Ann


In reply to Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -

Jo Ann-

I find that I tend to do a lot of posts and otherwise catch-up with participation in large chunks, and then a move on to other tasks. Now, after a few days of working on my own research, I am now able to come back to our work here and reply / offer some thoughts, especially now that there have been a lot of responses to everything that seems to be happening.

I like your questions, which are certainly among the ones that seem to captivate many of us here in this session. Regarding the one about technology, I think some of the interesting tension occurs when we explore how technologies allow us to do what we have always done, but do it in a new way (such as online interviewing rather than only face-to-face). The flip is when we use technologies to do entirely new things that we never considered doing before (such as having an asynchronous workshop here).

Jeffrey

In reply to Jeffrey Keefer

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Hi Jeffrey,
I think if I had had the technology at the level I have today -- when I was younger -- I would have accomplished more "scope" of the land and multi-tasked more.

I think instead of chugging along -- I would have discovered the art of "chunking" as you mention that you work in chunks. I'm tending to get more done, but it is the focus on the collaborative efforts that is helping.

Hope to meet you again on the synchronous today. Jo Ann
In reply to Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -

Jo Ann-

I "saw" you in the session yesterday, though no opportunity to chat about it.

Chunking with social networking and this sort of exploration does work well on some levels, such as when I want to catch up on how a discussion has already started to develop. However, I find that I also do not have the sense of consistency or of development itself as an intergration into my week (life), and thus this sort of chunking with social media tends to leave the feeling of a task, rather than an ongoing experience.

Jeffrey

In reply to Jeffrey Keefer

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Wendy Kraglund-Gauthier -

Jeffrey

This is a similar tract I am travelling with my own doctoral research... can't wait to discuss this further with you!
Wendy

In reply to Wendy Kraglund-Gauthier

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -

Wendy-

Can you say a little about your area of research?

Jeffrey

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Moira Hunter -
Hello Janet and everyone,

I'm often a lurker on the great discussions which take place here and this time, I really want to participate actively when and if I can.

I've always been interested in synchronous online communications since doing my Masters a long time ago. This was in fact the last time I did 'official' research. Since then, I have conducted and participated in many online interviews. In the most recent ones, I used Oovoo which has excellent webcam and voice quality.

I am interested in learning about 'cutting edge' technology and methods to collect data from online interviews. The days and weeks of discourse analysis I undertook for my Masters weren't the happiest of memories! One tool I'm always looking for is one which will transcribe the voice interview precisely into text, for example.

After many years of thinking, hesitating and then moving on to other things, I finally decided to do what I always wanted to do - a PhD. So, hello to those here following the programme at Lancaster :-)

My general research area focuses on content integrated language learning in a specific subject matter supported by the medium of 3D immersive virtual world environments.


In reply to Moira Hunter

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -

Moira,

I agree with Emma as noted below, "listener" is more appropos than "lurker" here wink. Congratulations on making the big decision to move forward with a doctorate. Research in 3D immersive worlds sounds intriguing. As mentioned, I am in the process of setting up an event in the Readers' Garden in 2nd Life, after this event ends. (Stay tuned for details on twitter/einterview or www.vision2lead.com)

Look forward to interacting with you when you choose to participate!

Janet

In reply to Moira Hunter

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Jeffrey Keefer -

Moira-

Welcome to non-lurking status!

Another Lancaster Universty colleague; which cohort are you in?

Jeffrey

In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Emma Duke-Williams -

Janet Salmons wrote,

Before I answer Janet's questions; a little about myself! I'm a lecturer in the school of Computing at Portsmouth University - that's on the South Coast of England. I see that there are a few others from the UK here.

I'm trying to start to look at how students are (or aren't!) using web tools to support their learning - either collaboratively or independently. Though it wasn't intended to be how they develop a PLE (personal learning environment) I guess that's where it's ending up (depending on your [personal!] definition of what a PLE is!)

Why are you interested in synchronous online interviews?

I'm really just starting to think about how I'll gather my data; and we have quite a few distance learning students (UK and further afield) - who are taught online - and, as they're often studying away from other students, have to rely on online ways of communicating with them - no wifi enabled coffee shop as our on campus students have; and they tend to be motivated mature students, so everything I've read suggests they're likely to give me a richer source of information than the on campus students who're often straight from school, sharing a house with their friends etc.

What are you most curious, concerned or intrigued about in regard to collecting data through online interviews?

Everything! That's why I'm here! I guess it's the practicalities / differences of interviewing vs teaching online ultimately.

Have you ever conducted an online interview or participated in one?

No. (Assuming you're not counting surveys etc., where we're writing, rather than speaking the answers)

If you are designing or carrying out research, tell us about your area of research interest.

I think I already answered that!


By the way, I've read through this list - to those who call themselves "lurkers" ... you're not! You're listeners! Just as a classroom discussion would be total chaos if everyone talked, so online discussion needs the listeners - who're often those who come up with the real gems having really taken in all that us just waffle on about.



In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Wendy Kraglund-Gauthier -

Hello all!

I am chiming in quite late, but I've been following the discussion intently.

I am a doctoral student from the University of South Australia, though I am physically located in Nova Scotia, Canada. I am currently collecting data via Elluminate. Research ethics was less of a challenge for me than I thought it woudl be, to tell you the truth. Perhaps it is because UniSA does do so much work at a distance.

This session has been perfect timing for me. I look forward to the following weeks

Wendy

In reply to Wendy Kraglund-Gauthier

Re: Introduce yourself!

by Janet Salmons -
Welcome Wendy! Readers will recognize that Wendy's research design is mentioned in the book's Researchers' Notebook.cool
In reply to Janet Salmons

Re: Introduce yourself!

by kathleen anderson -
Hi everybody -

This is Kathleen Anderson. I've been following the course as a guest-lurker, and it gets more interesting everyday.

I'm new to this community so I'm planning on just following along and learning through listening. (I do a lot of learning through writing and talking, but right now it feels like listening calls my attention).

Nice to see a few names and faces I know from CPSquare Foundations, and looking forward to getting to know more of you.

Kathleen