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• WP1. The Grand Research Challenge for TEL
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  • STELLAR Delphi Study
• WP 2. Building Strategic Capacity
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Current Status → 4^th Delphi Round: final global survey has been closed

Please download the STELLAR Delphi study briefing by using the link below

The STELLAR Delphi Study

New digital technologies are changing the way people live and learn. Researchers working in the multidisciplinary research field of Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) explore how these technologies can be used to support learning, both in and outside of formal educational settings. The STELLAR Network of Excellence brings together European researchers from different professional backgrounds to promote research in the field of TEL.

The STELLAR-Delphi team (Department of Cognition, Emotion and Communication, Institute of Psychology, University of Freiburg) is conducting a Delphi study on the research field of TEL.

Delphi Method and Goals

Delphi studies in general aim at identifying emerging trends and future developments in a given field. They involve several rounds of surveys among experts in the field; the results of each round are analyzed, generalized, and transferred into materials to be processed and evaluated by the survey participants in the subsequent round.  In line with one of the main goals of the STELLAR, we implemented the Delphi technique to involve representative samples of researchers and experts from various disciplines in the iterative process of co-constructing visions for future research in the field of TEL.

Plan of Action

The STELLAR Delphi study is composed of five rounds; two large global survey-rounds among TEL experts from outside the STELLAR network and three rounds that are conducted within the STELLAR network.

Two STELLAR-internal rounds and the first global survey have been completed. The second and final global survey has started in January 2011.

1^st Delphi Round

The 1^st STELLAR Delphi round started in April 2009. We developed an online survey employing open-ended questions on the following topics:

• Important research themes and developments in TEL research in the last few years
• Important research questions for a future TEL research program
• Future technological and societal developments that might have an impact on TEL
• Visionary, maybe controversial predictions about future developments in TEL
• Personal opinions and visions of TEL researchers with regard to TEL research

The expert answers to the open-ended survey items were grouped into topics and subtopics, using a semi-qualitative approach. The results of the 1^st round provided the basis for the questionnaire of the 2^nd STELLAR Delphi round.

The results of the 1^st STELLAR Delphi round was presented in STELLAR Deliverable 1.3.

2^nd Delphi Round

The 2^nd STELLAR Delphi round aimed at integrating perspectives of TEL-experts beyond the STELLAR network. The recruiting process for the 2^nd STELLAR Delphi round started in December 2009 with a request to the STELLAR partners to nominate colleagues with a TEL background as experts for the 2^nd Delphi round. The nominated expert group comprised researchers, developers, business people, and policy-makers in the field of TEL. At the end of February 2010, we invited all nominated experts to participate in the survey. Altogether 230 experts participated in the first global survey.

This survey encompassed both closed- and open-ended questions. The closed-ended questions presented the most important topics and visionary statements identified in the 1^st STELLAR Delphi round. The experts were asked to rate the relevance of these topics, the desirability of the visionary statements, and their likelihood of becoming reality in the next 15 years. As the results from the 1^st round only provided a glimpse at important TEL-topics and themes, the external expert panel was encouraged to extend these topics and themes based on their expertise by answering open-ended items. With the combination of closed- and open-ended questions we obtained a comprehensive dataset reflecting the global experts’ perspectives on future trends and visions in TEL research.

3^rdDelphi Round

The findings of 2^nd Delphi round were analyzed by discussing them with a panel of STELLAR members in the 3^rd Delphi round. The results of the global survey revealed underlying issues and led to the definition of Areas of Tension which present opposing views on a future development in TEL. Additionally, we identified Core Research Areas within TEL research that combine societal and technological aspects of TEL and thus provide valuable guidelines for future research in TEL.

The “STELLAR Delphi Briefing #1” presents some of the results of the 2^nd and 3^rd Delphi round.

In progress: 4^th Delphi Round

The 4th STELLAR Delphi round has started in January 2011 surveying again a global panel of experts. The underlying issues and relevant trends for future TEL research will be further explored by presenting the identified Core Research Areas and Areas of Tension. The experts will assess the relevance of the Areas of Tension for future research, rate the importance of the Core Research Areas and provide first ideas for corresponding research themes. The experts’ input in this final survey round is crucial to the successful completion of the STELLAR Delphi study, which will help shape evidence-based recommendations for future TEL research themes that can inform funding agencies concerning their investments in TEL and future TEL research.

Contact

For further questions or comments please contact
Christine.Plesch@psychologie.uni-freiburg.de

The STELLAR Delphi team: Hans Spada, Nikol Rummel, Anne Deiglmayr, Dejana Mullins, Christine Plesch, Celia Kaendler