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
bronwyn hegarty
Posts made 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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nellie
your comment intrigued me and got me thinking about the reasons for your opinion about this - apart from the obvious that you are spending more time online. Does online collaboration really take a lot more time than offline collaboration? Or is it just that you are more engaged with others when online and the possibilities for collaboration are greater and there are more tools available to help it happen?
All the above I reckon, but what do you and others think?
In my experience it is much harder to find a time and space when a group of people can meet together physically or even synchronously on the telephone or online using web conferencing. Whereas asynchronous opportunities lend themselves to more frequent interaction. This discussion forum is a great example of this.
Bron
your comment intrigued me and got me thinking about the reasons for your opinion about this - apart from the obvious that you are spending more time online. Does online collaboration really take a lot more time than offline collaboration? Or is it just that you are more engaged with others when online and the possibilities for collaboration are greater and there are more tools available to help it happen?
All the above I reckon, but what do you and others think?
In my experience it is much harder to find a time and space when a group of people can meet together physically or even synchronously on the telephone or online using web conferencing. Whereas asynchronous opportunities lend themselves to more frequent interaction. This discussion forum is a great example of this.
Bron