Research
My research interest covers a number of fields. I am an educator with a career in the field of lifelong learning ‘from the cradle to the grave’ and a particular interest in the impact of technology on the concept of knowledge and on learning and teaching in its widest sense. I started my study for a PhD in Adult Continuing Education in January 2005 and so far it has encompassed areas of philosophy, history, education and technology.
Over the past twenty
years major changes in society have had an impact on adult education.
Technological change has been a major driver for
transformation. Policy-makers speak of the ‘Knowledge
Economy’ and ‘Information
Society’ for which new skills are required in the work force.
Boundaries between educational institutions and their surrounding communities
have
blurred and institutional structures have become more flexible with
the introduction of open and modular courses with transferable accreditation,
providing learning opportunities for people from places to suit them
at a time and at a pace to fit in with their other commitments and
lifestyle.
It instigated the development of new opportunities to learn away from
the
institution as virtual learning environments were created which allowed
for online communication. The expansion of the Internet and the opportunities
it offers for communication and information-exchange will, according
to some observers change our communities forever.
In an educational context,
the growth in the use of the Internet has been a factor in the emergence
of new theories of learning and knowledge as the uncomplicated way in
which communication and information sources can be linked today could
have a great impact on education and its traditional institutions.
In my research I am exploring the nature of knowledge under influence of technology in networked learning. I am particularly interested in the role of communication and dialogue in knowledge creation. In addition, I am interested in issues of control and identity when communication in education is being widened from the class room to a global learning space. The implications for educational institutions will also be important in my research.
The working title for my PhD project is: Lifelong Learning and the Internet, Post Modernism and the Concept of Knowledge.
Fieldwork
I have started the fieldwork for my PhD study which entails two separate projects.
The first project uses a Design Based Research approach. It will focus on an educational intervention, involving e-learning, where all aspects of the development will be researched and analysed through an iterative process using an ethnographical approach. The importance of and interplay between the design of the learning environments, the instructional design, the educational aspects will all be at the heart of the research. A particular focus will be on the move from a virtual learning environment, towards a personalised and networked environment and observations and interviews will be the main research methods.
The second project will be the research of knowledge creation on online networks. If people are encouraged to move away from the institution for their learning, it would be important to find out if the informal networks in which they do find their information and where they might create knowledge, are reliable. Would information they find there be validated by other participants on the network? A network would be an online area where people meet, while using blogs, wikis, forums and other information streams. I will be using a mixed-method research approach: using surveysa and follow-up semi-structured interviews with participants on networks.
Support
My research is funded by the Department of Adult Continuing Education of Swansea University, UK.
Status
I am currently working on my fieldwork. The intended finishing date for my PhD is December 2009.about me
rita kop
swansea, gb
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