The Time For Learning: Week 4 - Leadership - Research Informed Leadership 4 December 2017

Research Informed Leadership

The main question behind this session is to consider what the relationship is between leadership and research? Why might a leader need to be research- informed? To address this question we will look at how research informed practice cam support your own development into a thought leader.Research informed practice is an important aspect of leadership, since research provides insights both into leadership itself and the activities you are leading.

The document by Benseman (2013) from Unitec on Research Informed Teaching also provides some useful ideas for discussion. Research can be relevant to the classroom in a number of ways; Research-led teaching is one focus of higher education, where the curriculum is based on the research interests of teachers/academics. Research-oriented teaching is based on creating a research ethos, for example when teaching research students. Research-based teaching where students undertake inquiry learning activities. Research informed teaching consciously draws on the teaching and learning process, and it is research informed teaching which is our main focus on this course (Benseman, 2013).

How Many of These Educational Researchers are you Aware of?

McGuirk's (2000) study found that "few of those [teachers] surveyed had any familiarity with major thinkers, writers or researchers in the field" (as cited in Benseman, 2013 ,p. 3). So how many of these researchers do you recognise? Fill in the Google Form at this address: tinyurl.com/TMLEdResearch (in class)

An interesting example of how we might be misled by those who claim to be researchers is the famous Dr Fox lecture, available in this week's media. The original paper on the experiment was published by Naftulin, Ware & Donnelly (1973).

How Useful is Research to you?

Benseman (2013) writes, "Researchers argue that practitioners aren’t aware of research findings or don’t understand them, while practitioners retort that researchers don’t understand their everyday realities or that their findings are not readily available and when they are, are cloaked in mystique and obtuseness" (p. 13). We hope that you will regard yourselves as practitioner-researchers and see value for your pratice in undertaking applied research as part of this programme.

Knowledge is Adaptive

"Early in the 17th century, two astronomers competed to describe the nature of our solar system. Galileo built a telescope and found new planets and moons. Francesco Sizi ridiculed Galileo’s findings. There must be only seven planets, Sizi said. After all, there are seven windows in the head—two nostrils, two ears, two eyes, and a mouth. There are seven known metals. There are seven days in a week, and they are already named after the seven known planets. If we increase the number of planets, he said, the whole system falls apart. Finally, Sizi claimed, these so-called satellites being discovered by Galileo were invisible to the eye. He concluded they must have no influence on the Earth and, therefore, do not exist (National Institute for Literacy, 2010, p. 2)." (as cited in Benseman, 2013. p.15)

Knowledge is adaptive, as Benseman (2013) states "what is self-evident today is tomorrow’s fallacy or tale of ridicule" (p. 15). In sum, the quality of Research informed teaching (RIT) evidence is ensured by accessing peer-reviewed literature "Although the research evidence is rarely clear-cut or irrefutable, it does provide a sturdier platform to base our teaching than the alternatives of old habits and hearsay” (p. 15).

Acknowledging your Sources

You must acknowledge what you have read in order to avoid plagiarism, and so that:

readers of your work can find the original sources you used
the authors of the original sources you used are given credit for their work
your own research and ideas are clearly evident and you are given credit for your work
your work has credibility in the larger realm of scholarly knowledge

There are two parts to acknowledging another's work within your own:

You use an in text citation in the main body of your work that has some brief information about the source (Author(s), 2015).
You provide the complete information about the source at the end of your work in the form of a list of references or bibliography.

(Unitec, 2017).

Unitec Library

The Unitec library is at http://library.unitec.ac.nz. It provides a source for many peer-reviewed articles and e-books that will relate to your DIGITAL 1 assignment problems or solutions. When searching, remember to test different search (word) combinations. you do not need to log into the library to search for resources. You only need to log in when you want to access or download a specific resource.

Make sure you can open and read the articles and ebooks online. If you have tried several and cannot download anything then contact Unitec IMS Support (askims@unitec.ac.nz)

Find tools that will help you to reference those in your Reference list in APA style - libguides.unitec.ac.nz/apareferencing
Learn how to download the PDF version of articles

Google Scholar

To set up the link between Google Scholar and the Unitec Library

Go to Google Scholar
Click ‘settings’ (from the 'burger' menu in the top left corner) -> ‘library links’, type ‘unitec’ into the search box, check the check box and save

Example of using the link

In Google Scholar, search for ‘digital collaborative learning’
Scroll down the results to find the article ‘Education goes digital: The evolution of online learning and the revolution in higher education’
Click on the link to the right - ‘Check Unitec Library’ then download the PDF from the library (if you don’t have library access, use the other link)

There are more detailed instructions on the library web page http://library.unitec.ac.nz/help/google-scholar.htm

Reference / Citation Management Tools

Tools like the ones listed below are very useful for managing your references and generating citations. They all have different features (and frustrations!). Try a few out and find one that works for you. Recommend your favourites and user tips on the G+ community.

Mendeley works online and with a local client. As well as storing references and generating citiations, you can share reading lists, references and full-text articles with your network, publicly or privately. Create groups to tackle research assignments, share feedback and write papers with your collaborators. It has a special Plugin for Microsoft Word and integrates well with Chrome. https://www.mendeley.com/guides/videos

Zotero is simlar to Mendeley with a local client application as well as working in the browser, and is designed to store, manage, and cite bibliographic references, such as books and articles. It allows you to share collections and work closely with colleagues on a project. It integrates well with Firefox.

EEWOWW replaces the old Wizfolio on-line reference manager. Unlike Mendeley and Zotero it does not need a local client application and runs entirely in the cloud.

Citeulike has automated article recommendations and allows you to share references with your peers.

Docear This video explains how Docear is used. You are able to create categories, highlight and pin notes on your electronic pdfs as well as draft and write your own documents which can be exported to Word.

Citethisforme can be downloaded as an app via google play. Scan book and journal barcodes using your phone’s camera to automatically generate a citation. Sync with your account to manage your bibliographies on the go.

Unitec currently uses EndNote X7 which can be installed on all student PCs if you personally attend Unitec to get this installed due to licensing agreements. Copies of the programs for PCs and Macs can be borrowed from all 4 library branches for use with your own computers.

Example of Video Referencing

You may also wish to view Dr David Parsons' video on Citing and Referencing Sources in a Video Assignment

Tricider

Please share your ideas to your locations Tricider page (below) about what information you would like your managers or colleagues to know about your study with The Mind Lab by Unitec. Then up vote the ideas you like best!