Research questions
How aware are UAL digital learning staff members about digital sustainability?
How can knowledge and confidence of this topic be increased to create best practice?
Please see my “context and rationale” blog post for more information on the development of these questions.
Position on the Action Research cycle
In line with my reading of McNiff and Paisey and Paisey’s action research diagram, I have formulated my ARP to involve the following:
| Step | My ARP |
| Step 1: Define the problem and and frame the research questions | Identifying and reading around area of concern: digital sustainability (Read this blog post for more detail). Deciding on the research methods: document analysis, questionnaire and participating in UAL’s Carbon Literacy Training programme. (Read this blog post for more detail). |
| Step 2: Collect data and decide how practice could be changed | Analysing the Web Sustainability Guidelines (see this blog for the analysis) to see what guidelines could be relevant and implementable for UAL digital learning staff, using reflexive thematic analysis to draw findings from the questionnaire responses (blog post), reflecting on the carbon literacy training module in order to develop my intervention (blog post). |
| Step 3: Implement the changes | Creation of intervention: an interactive online game that explains the different concepts of digital sustainability in an engaging, friendly, digestible way. It can therefore be used by more than just digital learning technologists. (Blog post) |
Unfortunately I will not have time to complete Step 4 (Monitor and evaluate the changes made) and Step 5 (Review and reflect upon the changes) within the timeframe of this ARP. However, this ARP has woken me up to the climate implications of my role and I am dedicated to continuing the cycle after the ARP concludes by joining the UAL Climate Emergency Network.
Action plan/schedule
I used Miro to plan out my project, please visit this Miro board to see the interactive plan or the screenshot of it below.
References
McNiff, J. (2020) ‘Action Research for Professional Development’ [electronic resource]. https://www.jeanmcniff.com/ar-booklet.asp (Accessed 20 November 2023)
Paisey, C. and Paisey, N.J. (2005) ‘Improving accounting education through the use of action research’, Journal of Accounting Education, 23(1), pp. 1–19. doi:10.1016/j.jaccedu.2004.10.001.