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

The work-reflection-learning cycle in SE student projects: Use of collaboration tools
contribution of research paper P2 („Power through brokering‟) can be seen as the
clearest example of „rich insights‟. The overall focus of the thesis research on current
practices in the SE student projects has been on providing insights about these practices
and in particular the use of collaboration tools. To make the insights more applicable,
they have in several cases been developed into guidelines and recommendations. This
seems to be particularly appropriate for contributions to the SE Education community
and should be a fair approach as long as the basis for providing the recommendations is
properly taken into account. In the case studies where data have been collected across
many project teams (P1,P3,P4), generalization has to some extent approached that of
positivist case studies (Yin 2003) by addressing what is more or less typical for a certain
population (e.g SE student projects).
In terms of use of theory, there are three main approaches in interpretive research
(Walsham 1995): using theory initially to guide design and data collection, using it as
part of an iterative process of data collection and analysis, and to using it as a final
product of the research. A restricted use of theory in an early phase resembles the use of
sensitizing concepts (Bowen 2006) in grounded theory. In this thesis, some theory (cf
Chapters 2-3) has been used from the start of empirical studies whereas other theory has
been introduced during data collection and analysis. Table 4 shows which main
theoretical concepts have informed the work presented in the various research papers.
The table indicates which theory was informing data collection and analysis (X), and
which theory was informing the analysis phase only (Xa). The choice and combination
of theory for the thesis is further discussed in 7.4.
Table 4: Theory informing the work presented in the research papers
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