Erica

 **RESEARCH**  **INTEREST**

Motivation and retention are my boundaries. I am really intrigued with Smart Objects and how they can be used to increase motivation and retention. My limit is higher education and adults. I would like to focus really on online learning as well.

Keller, Siemens, Mayer are my theoretical starting points.

**THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS**

Communications Theory -- how we send messages in the classroom is fascinating. I try to consider dual channel learning with all of my announcements, help sheets, etc. Language, thinking, and learning are interconnected (Spector, 2008, p. 24). How we engage those ares is directly related to how we are communicating.

Instructional Design and Development -- I am about 99% sure that the ARCS model will in some way find its way into my dissertation. This is design, so I have to consider the theoretical framework of design and development.

**LITERATURE REVIEW**

**Motivation** -- I want to focus on motivation strategies for online learning. I think it would be worthwhile, however, to look at general motivation strategies for adult learners (no limit to on ground or online). I want to be broad here and review studies that look at a system (college level) approach as well as individualized classrooms. A focus needs to be done on what is similar/different and what is working in what environments.

**Retention** -- because of the new gainful employment requirements, retention is the new buzzword in higher education. While looking at retention rates over the span of a "typical" degree is important, I want to review studies that consider overall degree programs (ie in criminal justice programs, AS specific, what is the retention from this date to this date). For the retention topic, I have to consider actual numbers as well as studies and reviews that look at practices that retain students.

**Technology** -- this topic is huge! To narrow, I will focus on the use of ARCS. I will also look at technology design -- universal design, CRAP, etc. This topic will be easy to get lost in, so I will revert to looking at Keller specifically and then branching out to who references him and who he references. I will also take advantage of modified key word searches as I find articles.

**Smart Objects** -- I will review the 2009 Horizon Report to review their recommendation for the integration of smart objects. This will give me a better means to search. Specifically here, I want to find reviews on how smart objects are defined in higher education.

**Adult Learning Theories** -- I need to have a background on what androgogy says about motivation and attrition/retention in adult learners. Specifically, I want to find broad categories that can help me limit topic of motivation. I think that focusing on external and internal structures within the learning theories would be useful.

 **GAP IN THE RESEARCH**

The link between motivation and retention has been researched. Most of the research, however, specifically discusses face-to-face or state education. Little has been written on the links between motivation and retention in online or distance education. Further, though technology is integrated and how the integration relates to retention and motivation in higher education is still a lacking discussion in the research.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**RESEARCH QUESTIONS**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">What is the link between motivation and retention in higher education?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">How does technology (or does technology) motivate students in online higher education?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Are students who are exposed to technology motivated more than students who are not?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**PROBLEM STATEMENT**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Research has long shown the relationship between motivation and retention. In current literature, however, the relationship between motivation and retention as it pertains to online higher education is lacking. While there are some similarities between online and face-to-face education, there are vast differences. These differences could show how motivation and retention are different in online education. Technology is also influential in understanding the relationship between retention and motivation. How technology is used is an important piece of this discussion and is one aspect that has not been explored in the literature.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**THEORY**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Connectivism (Seimens)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">ARCS (Keller)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Constructivism --??? I need more research here. (Dewey and Vygotsky??)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**METHODOLOGY** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Research Methodology**  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Strengths**   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Limitations**   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Authoritative Primary Source**   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**USE??**   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Quantitative || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Objective, numbers based approach; hypothesis can be retested to confirm or debunk data || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Very specific and focused. Not holistic because the design is made to get a specific answer. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Babbie – survey research – (1990) Survey Research Methods, Second Edition

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Keppel – experimental research

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Campbell and Stanley (1963) Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Qualitative || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Subjective; material is more holistic and considers all aspects of the situation. There is room for reflective analysis. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Generally cannot replicate. One observation will not give the same data for each researcher. Assumptions are made in regards to observation that are researcher dependent || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Clandinin and Connelly – narrative research – (2004) Narrative Inquiry: Experience and Story in Qualitative Research

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Stake – case study – (1995) The Art of Case Study Research || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Mixed Methods || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Combines qualitative and quantitative analysis -- adds the objectivity of quantitative statistical data with the more holistic data of qualitative methods || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Quantitative and qualitative methods are not always compatible in a single design. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Mertens – “transformative” research – (2008) Transformative Research and Evaluation

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Teddlie and Tashakkori (2002) Handbook of mixed methods in social & behavioral research || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">I am also looking at: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Data Analysis with Open Source Tools (Janert, Philipp K)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Mining the Social Web: Analyzing Data from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Other Social Media Sites (Russell, Matthew A)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Data Mining: Practical Machine Learning Tools and Techniques, Third Edition (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Data Management Systems) (Witten, Ian H.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">I believe all would fall under Mixed Methods. I am fascinated to see how Connectivism especially is relevant to social web and web 2.0 tools.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">You may use the same methodology for each question, or not, depending on the questions you are asking. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Sample** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">You may only have one sample for your study, or several different groups/individuals. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Data Collection** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Data collection methods include interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, pre-posttests, etc. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">If there are multiple forms of data for one research question, list them all. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Statistical Analysis** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">If you are able to provide this, please do so. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Research Questions**  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Methodology**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">What is the link between motivation and retention in higher education? || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Survey Research and Case Study || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">One term, all sections of one specific course; online || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Interviews, questionnaires, retention (pass/fail) rates || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> How does technology (or does technology) motivate students in online higher education? || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Case Study || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Same sample || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Interviews – I see narratives playing a role here || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Are students who are exposed to technology motivated more than students who are not? || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Survey Research and Case Study || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Same sample || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Interviews and questionnaires. Somehow, the technology used will have to be discussed/displayed. Narratives would also be part of the data || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**How will your study fill a gap in the current research?** The link between motivation and retention has been researched. Most of the research, however, specifically discusses face-to-face or state education. Little has been written on the links between motivation and retention in online or distance education. Further, though technology is integrated and how the integration relates to retention and motivation in higher education is still a lacking discussion in the research. This study will attempt to link and explain the link between retention and motivation in online courses. This study will also attempt to show how technology influences motivation and retention in online courses.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**How will your research advance the profession of educational technology?** In education, one question that is most often asked is how will technology improve education? My research will address the consequences of using technology in an online education space. Showing the value of technology will encourage further technological advances as well as potential research areas to explore. Research should be a continual discussion and exploration of possibilities in the field being studied. This study will add to the discussion on educational technology.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**How will your research effect positive social change through the “improvement of human or social conditions by promoting the worth, dignity, and development of individuals, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, or societies” (Walden Dissertation Rubric, Chapter 1, criteria 9)?** Online education, while not new, is still an enigma to many. Because of the newness of online education, research in educational technology as it pertains to online education is needed. As more is known about retention and motivation in online higher education, institutions can improve and begin to offer more opportunities to students, making education more accessible to greater populations.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Identify and justify your selection of three journals to which you would like to submit an article on this research. In one sentence, describe why you selected these journals.** //JOLT// (Journal of Online Learning and Technology) – This journal is free and open source, so it mirror connectivism in spirit and I think this would be appropriate for my study. //American Journal of Distance Education// – This journal relates specifically to American distance education programs, which is the geographic limit on my study. //Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning// – This journal is specifically related to online and distance learning and the articles generally published related to developments in online and distance education (part of my research focus).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Identify and justify your selection of two professional conferences where you would like to present your research. In one sentence, explain why you selected these conferences.** TCC Online Conference – This is a worldwide conference on many facets of education and is a great venue for test driving and refining ideas. AERA – This conference draws a diverse population (both grade level and interest), so using their SIG categories, my research would be able to fit into a specific niche. AECT – This is my dream big conference choice because this is one of the two most recommended professional associations in educational technology.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">References <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Babbie, E. R. (1990). //Survey Research Methods, Second Edition//. New York: Wadsworth Publishing. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Campbell, D. T. and Stanley, J. (1963). //Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research//. New York: Wadsworth Publishing. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Clandinin, D. J. and Connelly, F. M. (2004). //Narrative Inquiry: Experience and Story in Qualitative Research.// Hoboken, NJ : Jossey-Bass. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Driscoll, M. P. (2005). //Psychology of learning for instruction// (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Keller, J.M. (2010). //Motivational Design for Learning and Performance: The ARCS Model Approach//. New York: Springer. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Janert, P. K. (2010). //Data Analysis with Open Source Tools//. Sebastopol, CA : O'Reilly Media. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia Learning (Second Edition). New York: Cambridge University Press. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Mertens, D. M. (2008).//Transformative Research and Evaluation//. New York: The Guilford Press. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Russell, M. A. (2011). //Mining the Social Web: Analyzing Data from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Other Social Media Sites//. Sebastopol, CA : O'Reilly Media. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Siemens, G. (2004). //Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.// Retrieved from @http://elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Siemens, G. (2006). //Knowing knowledge//. Canada: Author. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Spector, J. M. (2008). Theoretical foundations. In Spector, J. M., Merrill, M. D., Merrienboer J. V., & Driscoll, M. P. (Eds.), //Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed.//). (pp. 21-32). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Stake, R. E. (1995). //The Art of Case Study Research//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Tashakkori, A. and Teddlie, C. B. (2002). //Handbook of Mixed Methods Social and Behavioral Research//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Witten, I. H. (2011). //Data Mining: Practical Machine Learning Tools and Techniques, Third Edition//. Waltham, MA : Morgan Kaufmann.