Research methods' education: Empirical testing of a technique for assessing prior knowledge: Experiment B

Abstract

Research methods education is a topic of growing interest in academic pro-grams. Previously authors reported on KICSS 2015 that learning and studying may present a challenge when trying to apply students' prior knowledge. This study continues addressing the question of whether or not an internal session comprising open discussion and brainstorming followed by asynchronous commenting and ending with self-reflection might help to assess students' prior knowledge. Empirical research took place in the context of the METIS project1 in two separate phases at the Technische Universitat Dresden, Germany. During the second phase, which is reported here, data was collected again from international students (n=12) completing the Master Programme “Vocational Education and Personal Capacity Building” during the summer semester of 2013. This seminar also dealt with a similar topic as the first, “research methods and analysis of an empirical study,” at the same university. The main change between the experiments was to realize the differences between assessing lower and higher levels of knowledge. For the first experimental group (presented at KICSS 2015), the study found that there are no significant differences between the control and treatment group in terms of cognitive achievement and students' attitudes. However, authors additionally tested recalling two extra higher levels of knowledge, the integration and application of knowledge. Surprisingly, the test found that there was a significant difference between pre- and post-cognitive tests. Finally, students were asked to connect their prior knowledge successfully through the con-ducted discussion panel. In other words, brainstorming and discussion sessions followed by asynchronous commenting and ending with a self-reflection report (portfolio) were applied to explore students' prior knowledge at the level of integration and application of knowledge.