CCk08 study that combines longitudinal and case study -women and IT tools
My new supervisor has suggested an new search amongst "women returners to education" research. What does research say about this sector and how they manage educational courses??
This leaves a taste in my mouth of pathologising women ...the little women who now can try again at education after doing little family things and under paid work.
so i took my own road up women ,social networks alley. Not a lot on offer but this is why my study is worth while.lots of the themes for women are about stress and identity. Found some excellent free cyber psychlogy about the stress of using social networks being submerged with data and contacts and how this changes with the age of the learner.
| Social networking users’ views on technology and the determination of technostress levels |
| 1. | Social networking users’ views on technology and the determination of technostress levels Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 1, Issue 1, 2009, Pages 1437-1442 Yusuf Levent Şahin, Ahmet Naci Çoklar |
Themes I feel i am sorting and may use are; reasons the learner uses different tools ; using moodle ,facebook or blog tools on a degree course for different reasons (roles).
1the use for identity "I want to teach others"
"I am a parent" or "I am a course member"
"I am the finder of useful or amusing stuff"
2The use for course work "concepts made easy.? used in term times only as part of course work? I want to know my way as dictated by course tutors.
3Or the idea of quick contacts to inform keep posted and up -to date snow warnings /act now news.complaints comments and compliments
The main themes I see and categorise are personal with a deep tone of "my own learning and connections to the materials." in all tools
Active support turns up in face book but seems better and more targeted in blogs. Also (according to group work theory by Tuckman) the blogs carry a continuous message ,the people joining up seem to be at the end of a course when there is a loss or ending to make we can still be connected through face book and more privately through special ties through blogs.
Very intersting at first glance the women do not use all tools some are very pro blog-as long as they get a community to talk with. some are very pro facebook all use moodle because they have to or because their learning theory is all knowledge is held by tutors.Worth re-examining the idea the learners who dropped out have themes..family pulls ,time pulls and lack of connectivity.
very measurable is the lack of ability and constant confusion about using tools...due I must say to the very British idea we do not teach these literacies but expect them to just grow.Lucky is the woman with technical support in her networks!!!
