I’ve pretty much decided to plump for the meta-research angle, looking at Action Research methodologies in the context of online communities. That’s the one on the A4 sheet, which has been fleshed out a little in the learning Set, in the degree title claim, in my voodoopad wiki journal and more so in my head.
I haven’t had any response from LFs yet, but then that also means that no immediate problems have been identified. I’ve even started some initial very small cycles, which wil help to inform the process of refining the proposal.
Next I need to take another look at the Learning Activities for Module 1. 7 years ago

Idea:
Explore the potential of the read-write web for the collaborative production, use and modification of resources/learning objects.
Investigate the impact this could have on cross-fertilisation of educational ideas and the development of self-selected collaborative groups.
What do I want to find out?
How can the internet be used to facilitate collaborations that cut across national and educational boundaries?
Can these new opportunities for connection and collaboration be made available to those less familiar with the web?

What will I actually do?
• Review the literature on the use of the ‘read- write web’ for education
• Identify the major authors and current research.
Explore this problem:
Currently resources produced and shared on-line by one school or individual are used in others without any way of feeding back, sharing good practice or other collaborative interactions.
• find and investigate examples of anonymous collaborations – the one way process: (e.g.)
Ambleweb,
Grenwich schools modified scheme of work LGFL. net e-learning ICT,
Telling into Writing FC page/pdf,
Classroom Displays Archive on FC,
Ideas for Practical Literacy FC page,
links pages
• explore if the read-write web can be used to make this a two way process: (e.g.)
blogs,
wikis,
tagging,
FURL
de.lici.ous,
ELLG
Classroom Displays Archive,
Telling into Writing blog post,
43T etc.
• promote the Classroom Displays Archive – introduce the idea of a community, maybe a multi author blog and/ or a wiki (potential for using ELEG??)
• look at the use of blogs for educational purposes
(my use of the meta-learning journal, teacher’s blogs, edubloggers, school blogs, )
• produce both an on-line and a physical exhibition
(Initial idea produced during conversation with Andy Roberts) 7 years ago

As of this morning, although I have not yet completed a systematic process of choosing a research topic I am leaning towards the idea of using the running of an after-school club as a domain to focus within. This could incorporate several of the possible research quetions/ problems/ ideas which came out of the brainstorming and it also seems to fit the selection criteria well. One possible stumbling block might be finding others adults to cooperate with, but all I can do really is to try my best to draw anyone in, then I’d have a clear winner I think. 7 years ago

• builds on learning identified from Y1+2
• attempts to solve a niggling problem from daily work
• something within my power to make changes
• can be made to fit into an AE cyclical methodology
• bear in mind the need to work towards an exhibition out of it
• Must be something I would actually like to do.
• important not only to me but to others
• a body of relevant literature to build on 7 years ago