Making Progress

 I had quite an eventful week!  Even though I did not spend the week gathering and reading each day as planned, I still did some important work.  I met with many professionals  in the field of instructional design. 

This week, I worked on my last third of my annotated bibliography.  Even though I am getting better at Identifying empirical research, I felt that I needed to go deeper and wider.  My goal this week was to learn more about my topic which is SMAR Model and BYOD.  I went to the AECT conference this week and the first session that I attended discussed technology integration and the TPACK model.  Specifically it was about one-to-on iPad integration.  I didn’t know much about TPACK, but I had come across the concept several times in other research.  So I spent some time reading about it.  I also spent more time attending TPACK workshops. 

I had the opportunity to spend time talking to Ward Cates.  He gave me advice about how to spend time researching and narrowing my topic and learn more about what’s interesting to me.  I find a recurring theme of reading the literature.  He suggested that I find 8 journals and read each issue thoroughly going back two years. As daunting as the task sounds, I understand why it’s so important to read the literature.  If I am going to be and “expert”, as Dr. Mims says, then I have to know what the research says.  So I have heard it from the experts and when I have time, I plan on doing more reading outside the demands of course work.  I want to know what’s going on in my field.

Completing this literature review has been a very different experience than ones done in the past.  It has less to do with the volume, but more to do with the knowledge that I have acquire in the process.  I have spoken with the librarian who has given me invaluable searching tips, and I have spoken with many professors who have given me helpful advice along the way.  I am taking note. 

Finally, I am moving forward with my outline.  I am keeping in mind that is a process and in the end I will have a chapter of dissertation.  I am off to a great start.