Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques

Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services

The Sage Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods

Alongside the growing interest within HCI, and arguably computing more generally, in conducting research that has substantial societal benefits, there is a need for new ways to think about and to articulate the challenges of these engaged research projects as well as their results. Action Research (AR) is a class of methods and approaches for conducting democratic and collaborative research with community partners. AR has evolved over the last several decades and offers HCI researchers theoretical lenses, methodological approaches, and pragmatic guidance for conducting socially relevant, collaborative, and engaged research. In this article, I describe the historical context and origins of AR, the scientifically rigorous practice of conducting and evaluating AR projects, and the ways in which AR might meaningfully be applied to HCI research.

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The relationship of action research to human-computer interaction

Is there an achievement gap for online reading ability based on income inequality that is separate from the achievement gap in traditional, offline reading? This possibility was examined between students in two pseudonymous school districts: West Town (economically advantaged) and East Town (economically challenged; N = 256). Performance-based assessments were used within a simulation of the Internet developed as part of a larger project. Seventh graders completed two online research and comprehension assessments, which evaluated four skill areas (locate, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate) and two knowledge domains in science. Students also completed an assessment of prior domain knowledge and a short Internet use questionnaire. Standardized state reading and writing test scores served as measures of offline literacy skills. Results indicated that there was a significant achievement gap favoring West Town students in offline reading scores, offline writing scores, and online research and comprehension scores. A significant gap persisted for online research and comprehension after we conditioned on pretest differences in offline reading, offline writing, and prior knowledge scores. The results of the questionnaire indicated that West Town students had greater access to the Internet at home and were required to use the Internet more in school. These results suggest that a separate and independent achievement gap existed for online reading, based on income inequality. Current estimates of this gap, which rely solely on measures of offline reading, may underrepresent the true nature of the U.S. reading achievement gap in an online age. Policy implications are explored. Education and opportunity have long been linked to public policy in the United States ( Brown v. Board of Educ. , 1954 ; Mann, 1855 ; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers [NGA Center & CCSSO], 2010 ). Intertwined with this history, the ability to read at high levels has always been considered important, permitting an essential pathway to advancement for everyone, especially the least privileged (cf. Chall, 1967 ; Huey, 1908 ). Despite attempts at policy remedies, a substantial gap based on income inequality continues to exist in students’ reading achievement levels (National Center for Educational Statistics [NCES], 2011b , 2013 ), and evidence indicates that it is growing, over time (Reardon, 2013 ). In a society that professes egalitarian ideals and equal opportunity through education, a reading achievement gap based on income inequality should be a concern of every citizen. Reading has been shifting from page to screen (Goldman, Braasch, Wiley, Graesser, & Brodowinska, 2012 ; Hartman, Morsink, & Zheng, 2010 ), but analyses of reading achievement gaps have only evaluated Donald J. Leu

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The New Literacies of Online Research and Comprehension: Rethinking the Reading Achievement Gap

In this paper, we present a framework that describes commonly used design techniques for Participatory Design with children Although there are many currently used techniques for designing with children, researchers working in differing contexts and in a changing technological landscape find themselves facing difficult design situations The FACIT PD framework presented in this paper can aid in choosing existing design techniques or in developing new techniques regardless of the stage in the design cycle, the technology being developed, or philosophical approach to design method The framework consists of eight dimensions, concerning the design partners, the design goal, and the design technique The partner dimensions are partner experience and need for accommodation The design goal dimensions are design space and maturity of design The technique dimensions include: cost, portability, technology and physical interaction Three cases will be presented which describe new techniques developed using the framework and two cases will describe existing techniques

FACIT PD: a framework for analysis and creation of intergenerational techniques for participatory design

As technology for children becomes more mobile, social, and distributed, our design methods and techniques must evolve to better explore these new directions. This paper reports on "Layered Elaboration," a co-design technique created to support these evolving needs. .Layered Elaboration allows design teams to generate ideas through an iterative process in which each version leaves prior ideas intact while extending concepts. Layered Elaboration is a useful technique as it enables co-design to take place asynchronously and does not require much space or many resources. Our intergenerational team, including adults and children ages 7 -- 11 years old, used the technique to design both a game about history and a prototype of an instructional game about energy conservation.

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Layered elaboration: a new technique for co-design with children

Children are among the most frequent users of the Internet, yet searching and browsing the web can present many challenges. Studies over the past two decades on how children search were conducted with finite and pre-determined content found in CD-ROM applications, online digital libraries, and web directories. However, with the current popularity of the open Internet and keyword-based interfaces for searching it, more critical analysis of the challenges children face today is needed. This paper presents the findings of our initial study to understand how children ages 7, 9, and 11 search the Internet using keyword interfaces in the home. Our research has revealed that although today's children have been exposed to computers for most of their lives, spelling, typing, query formulation, and deciphering results are all still potential barriers to finding the information they need.

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How children search the internet with keyword interfaces

Children want to find information about their world, but there are barriers to finding what they seek Young people have varying abilities to formulate multi-step queries and comprehend search results Challenges in understanding where to type, confusion about what tools are available, and frustration with how to parse the results page all have led to a lack of perceived search success for children 7-11 years old In this paper, we describe seven search roles children display as information seekers using Internet keyword interfaces, based on a home study of 83 children ages 7, 9, and 11 These roles are defined not only by the children's search actions, but also by who influences their searching, their perceived success, and trends in age and gender These roles suggest a need for new interfaces that expand the notion of keywords, scaffold results, and develop a search culture among children

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Children's roles using keyword search interfaces at home

This paper presents the results of a large-scale, qualitative study conducted in the homes of children aged 7, 9, and 11 investigating internet searching processes on Google. Seven search roles, representing distinct behavior patterns displayed by children when interacting with the Google search engine, are described, including Developing Searchers, Domain-specific Searchers, Power Searchers, Nonmotivated Searchers, Distracted Searchers, Rule-bound Searchers, and Visual Searchers. Other trends are described and selected to present a view of the whole child searcher. These roles and trends are used to make recommendations to designers, researchers, educators, and parents about the directions to take when considering how to best aid children to become search literate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Elizabeth Foss

Papers

FACIT PD: a framework for analysis and creation of intergenerational techniques for participatory design

Layered elaboration: a new technique for co-design with children

How children search the internet with keyword interfaces

Children's roles using keyword search interfaces at home

Children's search roles at home: Implications for designers, researchers, educators, and parents