A500.9.4.RB_DavisCarl

Taking the Leadership Foundations in Research course was a rewarding experience. I believe it was a valuable use of my time and has provided me with tools that will be useful in both future classes and life.

There were positive aspects of the course and taking it on-line. I was glad to have the opportunity to set my own schedule and to utilize my years of work experience as a reference. The book we were initially assigned by Nosich (2012) was a positive place to kick off the class. Delving into critical thinking and taking the time to practice the tools in each chapter was an invaluable way to get back into study mode after not having had to do so in a very long time. The opportunities to create a survey on-line and attempt action research were also new areas for me to examine.  Though I didn’t think I would, I ended up finding the research we did on qualitative and quantitative studies to be very interesting and useful. In fact, I now view reports at work differently after applying critical thinking skills and from my new found knowledge of qualitative and quantitative studies. Having insights to the shortcomings of each type of research, I have a better idea what questions to ask. The small scale research project felt like a perfect appetizer for future classwork and the Capstone project.

There were negative aspects of the course. The lack of interaction with other students and with the instructor was a part that I truly missed. The limited interaction did allow for glimpses of what my classmates may be like, but nothing of major substance. One of the benefits I had heard about from friends that have earned their advanced degrees was the camaraderie and friendships they gained through the shared experience and insights of classmates. While the discussion questions did allow an avenue for sharing of some information, the volume was minor compared to live interaction. The instructor, to me, was more like a tour guide than a mentor. He could point out some items, but wasn’t readily available for answers or critique. I have little doubt that the instructors have mountains of assignments to grade each week. That amount of workload has to limit the amount of time they can spend on providing feedback to just minutes per student.

The strict adherence to APA 6^th edition style was a very difficult barrier to overcome. If it were not for a graduate of Embry-Riddle telling me about EndNote X7.1 © software, I would not have passed this course. That fact is a shame. The software is sold through the vendor on the Embry-Riddle portal page. The fact the instructor or school never mentioned it was surprising to me.

I will look for an opportunity to attend one of the classes at the local Embry-Riddle campus, if I can. My schedule is rife with travel that pops-up which makes the World-wide campus the preferred option for me, though. I will make more effort to reach out to my instructor in the future, too. Admittedly, during this course I was extremely busy with work and had a major family situation occur in the middle. I will attempt to moderate my work commitments in the future.

One idea I had about bringing the class and instructor a little closer to the students would be to include a short video intro to each week’s lesson. Even if he or she filmed it on a webcam and uploaded it, I think the connection would be a positive one. Anything to get more interaction than via written electronic media would be a plus.

I’m proud to be at the end of this course and appeared to have completed it to a high level of performance. I have one step down on the path to a Master’s degree. However, it was a very big step.

 

Nosich, G. M. (2012). Learning To Think Things Through: a guide to critical thinking across the curriculum (J. McPherson Ed. 4th ed. Vol. 1). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

A500.8.3.RB_DavisCarl

Let’s look at good presentation design this week. In corporate America there are opportunities daily to review attempts at good presentations. I say this because I do not believe anyone sets out to intentionally make a bad presentation. The daily presentations are rarely in the outstanding category, though.

                The first requirement of creating a good presentation is to know what message you are attempting to deliver. To know that, you must also know the audience to whom you will be presenting. Will it be a group of executives in need of an overview or will it be a group of front line workers that need in-depth explanation of a process, product, or system? This is just a basic communication skill.

                The visual attributes of the presentation are the next things to consider. According to Reynolds, the concepts of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity will serve as proper guides.(2008)  Along with Mr. Reynolds book, there are numerous tools that will aid in creating media that doesn’t distract or detract from the intended message. There are thousands of pre-made PowerPoint templates to be found on line that can be used as starting places. It will still be up to the author to employ proper use of contrast, repetition, etc.

                When sketching out the slides, keep in mind that the presentation shouldn’t force the audience read all the information you are trying to present. Retention rates are far higher when information is presented both aurally and visually, with an emphasis on the aural component. (2008)  If the slides are too crowded with writing, the audience will quickly lose interest. Furthermore, there is a tendency for presenters to then “read the slides” which is a sure way to turn off an audience.  This should not be confused with the technique of storytelling. Arranging the information into a story that the audience can follow is an excellent technique. The story should be told by the presenter, not read off of the slides by the audience.

                The use of video and animation should be exercised with discretion. Too much video and you might as well show a film. Some animation is good to keep the audience’s eyes on the slides, but there is a point where they can actually throw off the speaker’s timing. I have witnessed it myself many times.

                To disseminate larger quantities of data that support your presentation, the use of handouts or pamphlets is a good idea. The paper media will prevent the  cluttering of a slide. Pasting an Excel © spreadsheet into a presentation often ends up with a slide that look likes an eye chart.(2008)

                Review, practice, and editing of the presentation are vital and should not be by-passed. The arch enemy of good presentations is lack of time, or not taking the time, to prepare. When up on the stage or dais, or just at the front of a meeting room, having taken the time to practice your pitch will vastly improve the quality of the message you deliver.

                In summary, take the time to know your message. Take the time to know your audience. Consider the visual attributes of the slides. Use the slides to support your story, not tell your story. Don’t forget to use handouts, if necessary. Last, but not least, edit your slides and practice your delivery. You should have a presentation that will make your message memorable.

 

Reynolds, G. (2008). Presentation Zen: Simple ideas on presentation design and delivery (K. Johnson Ed.). Berkeley, CA: New Riders.

A500.7.3.RB_DavisCarrl

I have had an opportunity to review a slide deck covering the topic of quantitative research and its basic principles. (Mamia, 2006) While the data presented was interesting, the message was diminished by the quality of the slides.

            The method is based on the idea that phenomena can be quantified, measured, and expressed numerically.  The classified and transformed onto a data matrix. The matrix is the starting point for analyzing the data. (slide11)

            The research and design process requires diligence and focus on the information to collect. Of equal importance is deciding how the data will be collected. Increasing the objectivity of the data should be a tenet of choosing the collection method. The importance of choosing a proper research design cannot be understated. Use of interviews, observations, or surveys, the time allowed and the target population are some of the considerations that deserve strong attention.

The variables and observation units are collected and populate the boxes in the matrix. The observation units are the people, groups, situations, or information that is being studied. The variables represent data that is being measured to look for trends. The table below is an example of a matrix about the number of times subjects were distracted during a conversation with a researcher. The information is fictional and only to be references for illustrative purposes.

Subject ->	One	Two	Three	Four	Five	Six
Situation
Phone on	15	21	13	24	16	8
Phone off	3	6	4	6	10	1

 

            In looking at selecting the observation units, there may be times when the data group is just too large to poll in its entirety. Use of sampling is warranted in many cases and allows for a representative sample of the larger group to be used. Care must be taken to determine accurate sampling.

The data can then be reviewed and plotted on a chart. Once the plots are complete, analysis for trends and relationships should be more easily recognized via the graphs. At this point, if you have not been doing so already, it is time to ask if the data you are collecting adequately addresses the question you hope to answer. It may be time to refine the questions or the way in which the data is being collected.

            Quantitative data analysis is an extremely useful tool in research. The use of graphs and matrices can, at times, make the data look unsophisticated. However, though the graphs may look simplistic, the amount of information can be of tremendous depth. Given the capability of quantitative research to allow perspectives of situations heretofore unconsidered, it needs to be properly prepared for and executed. In other words, in both qualitative and quantitative research, the phrase from the information technology world applies, “Garbage in, garbage out.”

            Interestingly enough, one of the assignments for week seven was to look back over assignments from week three and review the information presented. It occurred to me that I was using both qualitative and quantitative methods in collecting and reviewing the information. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to already apply what we’re learning.

Mamia, T. (2006). Quantitative research methods: General studies/ISSS.

A500.6.3.RB_DavisCarl

Qualitative research is identified by having findings that are not based on statistical means or other types of quantification. (Hoepfl, 1997) My personal experiences with this type of research come from dealing with cultural anthropologists in the field of Diversity and Inclusion. Attempting to express the cultural reasons as to why someone does, or does not do, something requires the findings that qualitative research produces.  For example, it is easy to use quantitative measure to determine what flavor of ice cream is most preferred by a group of 500 elementary school students.  However, if we wish to determine why a particular flavor is the predominant choice, the capabilities provided by qualitative research through observation and interviews, are far more capable of providing results.

                Qualitative research can be used to look at phenomenon that little is known about or gain new perspectives on issues or situations about which much is already known. (Hoepfl, 1997) Qualitative data can fully describe a situation or phenomenon in ways that are helpful to readers, as well as researchers. (Hoepfl, 1997)

                Qualitative research can also be identified by the way it can use natural settings as a source of data. The researcher acts as the instrument of data collection, the reports that are generated are descriptive in nature and the research is judged on its trustworthiness. (Hoepfl, 1997) In considering the quantity of data collected, that is left to the researcher to decide. The reader is allowed to decide if the sample set was adequate as they judge the legitimacy of the study as well.

The researcher must be keenly aware of the subtleties that could be affecting his or her research. The ability to do this can come from past experience or personal study. The researcher needs to be able to make adjustments as new information is collected. The capability to see the whole as a sum of its parts is something that human researchers bring to qualitative research. 

In determining how to collect qualitative data the researcher needs to consider the logistics of the collection, the focus of the inquiry, whether there will be more than one round of inquiry and if adjustments will be needed, as well as if there will be other data collectors than just the researcher. Additionally, how the data will be analyzed, how trustworthiness will be determined,  and the process for faithfully reproducing  the information must be considered.(Hoepfl, 1997)

                Data collection for qualitative research is primarily in two forms. One technique is to use interviews and the other is observations. Interviews can be structured, semi-structured, or free-form. The variations allow for broader exploration if needed. Observational collection can allow for the setting to be researched or for the natural happenings to be viewed. How much the researcher will impose themselves into the situation must be determined prior to the study taking place. There will be impacts to the data that must also be taken into account. Another important consideration is the decision to stop collecting data.

                Analyzing the data can be daunting because of the amount and breadth of information collected through the previously described means. Determining a plan to break the data down into manageable packets will be mandatory. As the analysis is undertaken, taking time to review the overall information to see if the story the researcher is attempting to tell needs revision, will be important.

                There are terms that can be used to determine the quality of the qualitative research. Hoepfl, in Table 1 (Hoepfl, 1997) denotes credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability as terms to consider. Credibility refers to the abundance and quality of the information gathered. Transferability refers to the ability to use the data collected in one study as a reference for another situation. There must be some similarity between the two situations for the data to transfer across.  Dependability is difficult to assess for qualitative research. Consideration should be taken to document the processes to indicate they were followed over time. Confirmability is also difficult, given the subjective nature of the research. Keeping detailed research notes and cataloging information are excellent steps to help the reader maintain confidence in the research.

                Hoepfl provides a very succinct conclusion that I find meaningful. “The decision to use qualitative methodologies should be considered carefully; by its very nature, qualitative research can be emotionally taxing and extraordinarily time consuming. At the same time it can yield information not obtainable through statistical sampling techniques.” (Hoepfl, 1997)

 

Hoepfl, M. C. (1997). Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers. Journal of Technology Education, 9(1), 14.

 

A500.5.3.RB_DavisCarl

Reflecting on the current state of my critical thinking competencies, I feel I have made strides since class started over a month ago.

            I would say that my thinking has changed since the class began. I notice that I am taking more time to investigate the conclusions I formulate. I am asking more questions about the validity of data I am presented by co-workers. I find myself contemplating my thinking as well as examining the possible motivations or slants of news stories I view. All of these are positive results, in my opinion.

Reading Nosich’s book (2012) on critical thinking was a very good catalyst for examining the way I approached thinking. Our assignment about the elements of reasoning and standards of critical thinking required us to take an in-depth look at each term. By taking the time to write out what each term meant, as well as presenting multiple perspectives of each, I was able to begin learning how to apply them to the way I think.

The first point that made an impression was the element of claims or judgments that was discussed in chapter two. Thinking about things as claims instead of facts was a habit I wanted to build. I have attempted to utilize this tool, but know I have much work to do to make it a habit. Each time I review the book, opportunities I have missed flash through my head. I will be writing the statement “see it as a claim” on the whiteboard in my office as a daily reminder.

The SEE-I technique (Nosich, p. 30) is something I have used again since learning about thinking things through. The short acronym and relatively simple steps made it easier to internalize. I do not think this tool is hard-wired into my psyche yet, but it would be at a level I could call familiarity.

In order to make the concepts I have studied have lasting impacts on my thinking I will need to continue to review and practice using them. I feel the concepts are logical and only serve to assist me in growing my overall knowledge base. I will keep Mr. Nosich’s book (2012) nearby as I continue my academic journey. My hope is that by utilizing the concepts as I pursue my post-graduate degree, my critical thinking skills will be strong habits for the rest of my life.

References

Nosich, Gerald M. (2012) Learning to think things through A guide to critical thinking across the curriculum. Boston, MA: Pearson