The work-reflection-learning cycle - Department of Computer and ...

The work-reflection-learning cycle in SE student projects: Use of collaboration tools
The two longitudinal field studies of single project teams (P2, P7) draw on naturalistic
observation and the collection of a wide array of qualitative data and can be considered
as ethnomethodologically informed (Randall et al. 2007).
For the studies presented in P1 and P3-P5 data has been collected across the teams of
project courses (all teams, or a selection based, for example, on the use of a specific
collaboration technology). The data collection was based on semi-structured interviews,
various types of project documentation and access to logs from collaboration tools.
The last part of the research involved tool design and intervention into the organization
of a project course, with the objective of answering research questions RQ3 and RQ4. A
prototype tool was developed, extending current functionality in a wiki tool (P4). It was
tested mainly through expert evaluation of scenarios of use. Interventions to the project
course were made with the aim of trying out approaches to retrospective reflection (P6-
P8) at the end of the projects. Seen as a step towards improving the organization of the
project course and informing the implementation of similar approaches to retrospective
reflection in other project based learning settings, this research can be considered as
initial steps of a design research process.
This chapter gives a chronological account of the research process. An evaluation of the
research as interpretive research and design research is provided in Chapter 7.
I start by briefly explaining my professional role with respect to the institutions in
which the research took place. In the period 2000-2004 I was affiliated with NITH as
academic staff, being responsible for, among other things, teaching and supervision in
project courses. At NTNU, starting my work as a PhD student in 2005, I was course
staff for the project course IT2901 in 2006 (as project supervisor), 2007 (as course
coordinator) and 2008 (as course coordinator in the first half of the semester).
Figure 6: Timeline indicating when the data collection for the empirical studies
took place
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