Theme 4

 Last week, I read a book named Mixed Research and Online Learning: Strategies for Improvement, which gives out brief introduction about Qualitative Research. It is a kind of theory that aims to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The central question should be what and how the research question happens. Qualitative Research contains a great amount of analysis method such as constant comparison analysis, content analysis, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis and so on.

I think the article Cyborg ontologies and the lecturer's voice: a post-human reading of the ‘face-to-face’ I read several week ago can be a good example of qualitative research. The main problem is that how post-human or cyborg theory that people now are equipping by technology and the boundaries between them are blurring constantly are applied in university lectures and constant comparison as well as taxonomic analysis is utilized. In terms of analysis methodology, the comparison between traditional lecture and post-human lecture are penetrated through the whole theory. It is a good way to explain the value of the theory. For example, it was stated in this paper that only digital technology was brought to university, the range of library is expanded to the Internet where people can find e-books there. The value of post-human theory for university is clearly shown that it brings convenience for student in university. Similarly, digital mediation’s influence on tradition lecture is divided into the influences by online educational resources, networked mobile devices and VLEs (virtual learning environment). Following taxonomy, different relationship in theory will not be mixed and the whole can be explicitly constructed. From this paper, I concluded the plot of thought in qualitative research. People would like to firstly describe the fact that aroused the appearance of one theory. Then, researches need to write the effect after applying theory. At last, the theory is come upon and the prediction for this theory will also be stated.

Then I read a qualitative design research named “Comics, Robots, Fashion and Programming: outlining the concept of actDresses” (by Ylva Fernaeus and Mattias Jacobsson). They created theory actDresses, which as a kind of physical markings that can be directly attached to a digital artifact, and that signifies some property, action, or behavior of that artifact. Just like other qualitative research, the facts firstly on physical programming as well as theory on comics and fashion are declared. As for the design research, this kind of background part provides the possibility for the design. By putting theory into practice, author came up with the theory as well as its characteristics. As one design is new enough that are not appearing widely, the research created three examples to show the effect and value of it.