6. Data collection

6.1 Introduction to Data collection

6.2 Links to the data generated by all 8 participants

6.3 Synopsis of the 12 data sources

6.1 Introduction to Data collection

The 2011 Storyboard project involved 8 students who generated or informed 12 sources of data. All of this data was digital so it was archived and retrieved easily using a folder for each child containing date-based file names. Having data at many stages of development for each student is very valuable as it is here that their conceptual consolidation will be most evident. Goldman (2008) notes that “…there is an important difference between learners generating representations once they have understood the content and learners generating representations that help them in the process of understanding.” (2008:367 original emphasis)

6.2 Links to the data generated by all 8 participants

The 8 children who participated in this study are referred to throughout this thesis by their chosen topics which are:

Half of the students ending up changing their topic titles. Three were logical evolutions of thought arising from their research but one was a complete change:

• Magnetic fields became Electromagnetic fields.
• Chemical reactions became Chemical bonds which then became Molecular naming conventions.
• Cell duplication was abandoned before the student chose a new topic called Stringed instruments.
• Solar panels became Solar cell efficiency.

6.3 Synopsis of the 12 data sources

1. Prior knowledge videos of each student explaining their topic at the commencement of data collection.
2. The storyboard itself (i.e. PowerPoint file).  These files were saved each week using a date suffix (or even more frequently when important revisions occur during a session).
3. Voice-over scripts at various stages.  The voice-over script was a separate slide within the PowerPoint file of each student.
4. Completed explanatory animations in “Flash” (.flv) format. 
5. Director’s commentaries.  These commentaries were created on weekly basis as audio files (.mp3 format).  There is also a final director’s commentary for each student which corresponds with their completed explanatory animation (.flv format).
6. Researcher’s reflexive journal.  These reflections were made each and every day since June 2011 focussing on interesting developments with various students or additional insights which I was exploring. There are also journal entries from June 2008 to May 2011 but they were not daily entries.
7. Conceptual consolidation rubrics.  The shaded boxes reflect my professional judgements about each child.  These assessments were reviewed on a weekly basis. 
8. Graphic imagery at various stages.  In the initial phase of the data collection these images were contained within the PowerPoint file.  When the students moved into the video editing phase they rendered these images as separate files (.png format).
9. Lessons plans. The majority of the Storyboard sessions consisted of free time for the students to work on their animations. The initial focus session from me was responsive to needs as they arose so a basic dot-point description of these sessions outlined the actual session development. A retrospective researcher's commentary column documents how the aims of each session were realised or challenged.
10. Debriefing session with all 8 participants. This is a transcribed video recording conducted during the final session. This session provided additional insights into the process of conceptual consolidation including the children's self-assessments about their projects.
11. Concept maps allow key words and linkages to develop during the sessions. I contributed freely to the development of each child’s concept map as it is still up to the students to determine the appropriate chronology for their storyboard. Having a separate slide for organising this information also helped reduce cognitive load for the children. This slide also functioned as a dumping ground where new terminology could be added even before it was fully understood by the children as new directions for research.
12. Voice-over script / imagery tables. The final stages of the explanatory animation design process involved the creation of a table with the completed voice-over script in the left column with a corresponding column on the right for imagery. This table functioned as a checklist to ensure that we had appropriate imagery throughout the animation.

These 12 data sources are discussed further in the Data analysis section.

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