This presentation examines two articles related to topics on assistive technology and ethics, “Teaching Assistive Technology through Wikis and Embedded Video” by Oliver Dreon Jr. and Nanette I. Dietrich, and “When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing Ethical and Pratical Matters in the Field” by Michael A Evans and Liesl M. Combs. Topics covered in this presentation include defining/history of assistive technology, wikis & video, YouTube, and ethical issues surrounding assistive technologies.
2. Articles
Teaching Assistive Technology through Wikis and Embedded Video
By Oliver Dreon, Jr. and Nanette I. Dietrich
When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing Ethical and Practical
Matters in the Field
By Michael A. Evans and Liesl M. Combs
5. Timeline of Assistive Technology Definition
Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially,
modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or
improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities (Taken from the
Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards)
Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (The
Tech Act)
The first formal, legal definition of assistive technology was published
This act was amended in 1994
Assistive Technology Act of 1998 ("AT Act")
Repealed and replaced The Tech Act, but the definition stayed the same
Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards (1998)
Developed as required by 1998 amendments to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Definition stated the same
(AccessIT, n.p.)
6. Overview of Situation
Typically took students into the AT lab to use the equipment
AT Lab was under construction
Alternative solution proposed by student
7. Alternative Solution
Student remembered seeing a YouTube video that demonstrated the use of
an AT device
“The device transferred spoken word into text through the use of a wireless
microphone and a student laptop.” (Dreon Jr. & Dietrich, 78)
“This spontaneous teaching moment ultimately lead to the solution to our
dilemma.” (Dreon Jr. & Dietrich, 78)
This allowed for a student to apply real world experience to the classroom
8. The Solution
Teachable moment for the educators
Reflection and collaboration
Wiki & Video (Ability to promote learning from a sociocultural perspective)
9. Sociocultural Perspectives
“Learning is situated in social and physical contexts, occurs through
interaction within a group, and is distributed across the individual, the
community, and the tools they use.” (Dreon Jr. & Dietrich, 79)
Based on work by Vygotsky (1978) and Dewey (1933)
10. The Class Wiki Objective
Post YouTube and TeacherTube videos that demonstrated AT
Short wiki tutorial was provided
Asked to post videos that were respectful in nature
Required to post different videos and comment on classmates videos
Goal: Provide a meaningful experience
Personalizing Assistive Technology & Visualizing Future Teaching
11. Personalizing Assistive Technology
Prior to this exercise, classes never observed special needs students using
the devices
Focus shifted from the specific technology to the pedagogy and how the
technology can assist the learning
Learning how the technology is being used, as opposed to how to use the
technology
Context of student reflections also changed
12. Visualizing Future Teaching
Teachers visualized a change in role as educators
Practicing teachers
Reflected on how technology could support student learning
Virtual Field Experience
Empty lab: Hands-on experience
Wiki: Eyes-on experience
Hybrid approach
13. Additional Literature
Higher Education Migrates to YouTube and Social Networks
“Second, high school and college students, who use our materials to enhance their own
classroom instruction or to do research for papers and projects.” (p. 20)
“…create feelings of belonging.” (p. 21)
14. Additional Literature (cont.)
YouTube, Critical Pedagogy, and Media Activism
“This technological development [YouTube] has amplified individuals’ voluntary
participation in mutual education through proliferating new voices and visions, making
possible the democratization of knowledge and learning in their daily lives.” (p. 15)
“The real value of education as self-realization can never be confined to a classroom.” (p.
16)
“…means that consumers are at liberty to freely move around cyberspace and make the
choices they desire without restriction found in ‘real’ space.” (p. 25)
15. When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing
Ethical and Practical Matters in the Field
By Michael A. Evans & Liesl M. Combs
16. “Shall conduct research using professionally
accepted guidelines and procedures, especially
as they apply to protecting participants from
harm.”
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
17. Defining Qualitative & Quantitative
Qualitative
“Data in which the variables are not in numerical form, but are in the form of
text, photographs, sound bytes, and so on.” (Trochim, G6)
Quantitative
“The numerical representation of some object. A quantitative variable is any variable that
is measured using numbers.” (Trochim, G6)
18. How does one do good instructional technology
research and design, balancing ethical concerns
with sound qualitative methods?
19. Defining Research
“Research means a systematic investigation, including research
development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to
generalizable knowledge.” (Duquesne University, n.p.)
20. A Commitment to Working in the Field
“Instructional technology researchers and designers committed to emergent
understandings, to gaining emic insights on a focal phenomenon...” (Evans &
Combs, 31)
Methodologies:
Ethnography
Naturalistic inquiry
Action research
Case study
Design-based research
21. Ethical Issues
Adequately detailing the scope of research
“IRBs are rightly more concerned with ethics than validity” (Evans & Combs, 31)
Capturing detailed data on participants
Maintaining anonymity and confidentiality, especially with minors
Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity through digitized data capture
22. Three Focal Points Influencing Methods
Respect for persons
Beneficence
Justice
23. Respect for persons
“Ensure that research participants are treated as autonomous agents and
are not manipulated as merely means to a given research end.” (Evans &
Combs, 32)
Informed consent
Assurance of assent for minors is paramount
Verbal assent in the presence of a parent, guardian or teacher
Assent must be recorded for IRB approval
Ethical dilemma: Alteration to assignments or class time
24. Beneficence
“Defined as an obligation on the part of researchers to do no harm, maximize
possible benefits and minimize possible harms.” (Evans & Combs, 32)
“The term ‘beneficence’ is often understood to cover acts of kindness or charity
that go beyond strict obligation.” (The National Commission for the Protection of
Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral
Research, 5)
Heightened sensitivity by researchers to the needs and changing levels of
comfort of participants to have data collected on their behaviors in the
classroom
Participants must explicitly know that withdrawal from the study is always an
option
No coercion has been introduced or perceived
Maximizing benefits to all participants
25. Justice
“Obligating researchers to guarantee equity of treatment--that all learners
have access to the same treatments and all expectations for requirements
are equal.” (Evans & Combs, 33)
Assured justice by:
the intervention was not significantly different from normal classroom procedures
all students had the opportunity to engage in all experimental treatments, ensuring equity
Tangram
(http://kidspedia.pbworks.com/f/1263223335/1263223335/tangram_games.jpg)
26. Advice for Experienced and Novice Instructional
Technologists
1.
Exercise creativity in obtaining informed consent/assent
2.
Obtain comprehensive informed consent
3.
Execute an initial site visit
4.
As advising faculty, take a prominent role in the research
5.
Attend to concerns, second thoughts, and negative perceptions
27. Duquesne’s Institutional Review Board (IRB)
“Duquesne University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for
ensuring compliance with federal regulations, university policies and
professional standards guiding the conduct of research involving human
subjects.” (Duquesne University, 4)
The IRB is composed of representatives from the University Administration,
faculty representatives from various schools and colleges, and members of
the community outside the University.
28. Duquesne IRB (cont.)
Primary Responsibilities
Protects the rights of participants
Protects researchers by deeming the research ethical and in compliance with Federal
guidelines
Belmont Report
TAP #41
“The policy is applicable whether the research is undertaken on a large or small scale. Pilot projects,
student dissertations projects, independent study projects, and course projects must follow this
policy if they involve human subjects in research.” (http://www.duq.edu/hr/adminpolicies/tap41.cfm)
AECT: Association for Educational Communications and Technology
For more information, please visit the link below:
http://www.duq.edu/research/human-subject-irb.cfm
30. References
AccessIT. (2002). What is assistive technology?. Retrieved from
http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
Dreon Jr., O., & Dietrich, N. I. (2009). Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Teaching Assistive Technology through Wikis
and Embedded Video. TechTrends, 53(1), 78-80. doi:10.1007/s11528-009-0241-6
Duquesne University. (n.d.). Human subject research policies and procedures. Retrieved from
http://www.duq.edu/research/human-subject-irb.cfm
Evans, M. A., & Combs, L. M. (2008). When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing Ethical and
Practical Matters in the Field. TechTrends, 52(6), 30-35. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0214-1
Gilroy, M. (2010). Higher Education Migrates to YouTube and Social Networks. Education
Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 75(7), 18-22.
Kellner, D., & Kim, G. YouTube, Critical Pedagogy, and Media Activism. The Review of
Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 32(1), 3-36. doi:10.1080/10714410903482658
Pacercenter. (2010). Understanding assistive technology [video]. Retrieved April 1, 2011 from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB9pKkZoJDc
The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral
Research. (1979). The Belmont Report: Ethical Guidelines for the Protection of Human
Subjects. Retrieved from
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/04/briefing/4028B1_06_Belmont%20report.pdf
Trier, J. (2007). “Cool” engagements with YouTube: Part 1. Journal of Adolescent & Adult
Literacy, 50(5), 408-412. doi:10.1598/JAAL.50.5.7
Trochim, W.K., & Donnelly, J.P. (2008). The research methods knowledge base (3rd ed.). Mason,
OH: Cengage Learning.