YingLiu's Site

Coursework

My first methodology course, ERSH 8400, was much more than an introduction to qualitative research methods. An overview of the qualitative research tradition, this course has broadened my mind. It made me realize for the first time that in examining social and behavioral phenomena the qualitative research tradition is no less important than quantitative methods. As I became exposed to readings on various theories and methods, I started to reflect on my own epistemology and assumptions, thinking about "truth" differently and considering new approaches to making scholarly enquiries. I plan to continue learning more about qualitative research methods and develop more specific skills through taking ERSH 8410 in the Fall of 2006. Further, my objective is to have outlined my research idea by the fall so that I may conduct a pilot study on my research idea based on the knowledge accumulated from both ERSH 8400 and 8410.

In another course, Evaluation of Interactive Systems (EDIT 8350), I became familiar with important evaluation methods and the basic process for evaluating instructional products. I also got the opportunity to develop practical evaluation knowledge and skills by conducting an evaluation project with a real client. In addition to the academic learning I gained from this course, my evaluation experiences established a connection to the technology services of a local school district and a better awareness of the current state of technology use in local schools. I truly learned a lot from this course and would appreciate future opportunities to participate in more evaluation projects.

In my mind, the EDIT 8990 doctoral student seminar is a blueprint course. In this course, we have learned "everything" about the program including our program of study and how to start our own academic career. The seminar has played an important role in my doctoral study because it has helped me to understand what it takes to become a good researcher in the instructional technology field. The faculty members and senior students committed themselves in every aspect; they both addressed our concerns and helped our individual growth processes. The seminar classroom also encouraged community building, fostering a home-like atmosphere in the program. This community also further developed my scholarship as both an individual researcher and as a member of a collaborative group.

Currently, I'm taking Doctoral Topical Seminar on Design-based Research (EDIT 9990) with Dr. Reeves and Dr. Orrill. Once again, the research methodology that we have talked about during the seminar is a new paradigm to me. I have realized the need to bracket a lot of my old beliefs about research to take in the essence of the new methodology. Although the methodology in this course is fairly new and still in the process of improvement, its benefits and potential are obvious. I would like to get a taste of this kind of research whenever possible. As part of the course assignment, I will work with three other team members on creating a webliography to assist novices in understanding more about design-based research. Besides the course content, an especially helpful aspect of this seminar is that the online discussion enables us to share our understandings, questions, and concerns that may not be shared otherwise.

As I consider educational psychology my potential cognate area, I am also taking Cognition (EPSY 6800) and Advanced Doctoral Seminar on Motivation (EPSY 8060) this semester. The Cognition course has allowed me to obtain fundamental knowledge about learning processes while the motivation seminar has covered a series of major topics for current research. Both courses may well inform my future research study.

Research

Since fall 2005, I have worked for the Evidence Based Inquiry (EBI) project directed by Dr. Recesso in the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory (LPSL). My involvement with this project has given me the privilege to work collaboratively with a group of experienced graduate assistants to explore how teachers and administrators could take advantage of video tools to support evaluation and professional development with evidence. Specifically, I was assigned to the methodology team, and my task was to investigate whether principal leadership is directly correlated to student learning and how the correlation could be described if any. During the fall semester, I mainly focused on reviewing literature related to dimensions of leadership and the specific leadership challenges entailed within the task of teacher assessment by school leaders. This semester, I have also assisted other graduate team members in collecting and compiling teacher assessment policies and models across states. My involvement in the EBI project has given me a good sense of how big research projects are conceptualized and implemented. It has also provided me an opportunity to learn new tools and methods while honing my skills in communication and teamwork.

In addition, last fall I also participated in the GESTEP project directed by Dr. Moore. I worked with the major team members to brainstorm meaningful research topics during the last research meeting. As the project proceeds to a new stage, I will hopefully continue to improve the teacher support system and to increase its use among Georgia teachers.

Currently, I am in the process of exploring my research ideas by reading, coursework, and exchanging ideas with faculty and peers. At this point, I am thinking about Educational Psychology as my cognate area. I hope to attend conferences and publish my research results for the projects and my own research in peer-reviewed scholarly journals during my second and third year of study.

Teaching

Prior to starting my graduate study in the U.S., I taught a high school English class in China for two years. My teaching at that time mostly involved using traditional pedagogical approaches to deliver direct instruction on English vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and writing. With a paramount emphasis on student testing outcomes and reliance on rote learning methods, minimal technology as delivery media was applied to my teaching, let alone integration of technology as a cognitive tool or as an important element for constructing learning environments.

During my Master's program of study, I actively engaged in observing and volunteering at local elementary and secondary schools. Although I didn't directly teach any classes, my work with regular classes as well as special education students and limited English proficiency students gave me a preliminary understanding of how technology has been used with various student populations in different settings. Concomitantly, I also worked with undergraduate students as a mathematics tutor for the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement at Florida State University. My experience of helping them learn math by using required educational software made me aware of how poorly-developed learning systems could hamper learning in many ways.

After I enrolled the Ph.D. program in Instructional Technology, my lack of experience in teaching postsecondary courses in instructional technology has been a growing concern. In order to make improvements in this area, on one hand, I have been enhancing my technical competence by learning to use various tools and software. I'm also planning to take EDIT 6190 this summer. On the other hand, I am actively pursuing opportunities to either independently teach an undergraduate course or co-teach graduate courses with faculty members during my third year. Further, I hope to obtain access to various learning environments featuring authentic tasks in order to establish a research framework and to conduct pilot studies.

Participation/Service

I have participated in a variety of professional development workshops organized by the LPSL, the Instructional Technology department, and the Graduate School. I also attended a number of presentations by invited speakers, from whom I learned a lot about ongoing research outside our department and UGA. Currently, I am a student member of AECT (Association for Educational Communication and Technology) and AERA (American Educational Research Association).

Thanks to Michael Barbour, I was able to shadow him as he reviewed AERA proposals for his interest group. Through co-reviewing three proposals with him and other peers, I learned how to write conference proposals and align the writing to specific conference requirements. My peer's insights, as well as the insights of senior students have helped me a lot and improved my understanding of what makes good proposals.

In terms of services, I facilitated a number of round-table sessions and presentations as a volunteer during the 2005 AECT conference at Orlando, Florida. During this conference, I became acquainted with the conference organization, operation process, presentation requirements, and important opportunities for professional advancement. More importantly, meeting and communicating with scholars and students from other institutions at the conference made it an especially enriching experience.