Interviewing objects: Including educational technologies as qualitative research participants

Citation

Adams C & Thompson TL (2011) Interviewing objects: Including educational technologies as qualitative research participants. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 24 (6), pp. 733-750. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2010.529849

Abstract
This article argues the importance of including significant technologies-in-use askey qualitative research participants when studying today’s digitally enhancedlearning environments. We gather a set of eight heuristics to assist qualitativeresearchers in ‘interviewing’ technologies-in-use (or other relevant objects),drawing on concrete examples from our own qualitative research projects. Ourdiscussion is informed by Actor-Network Theory and hermeneuticphenomenology, as well as by the literatures of techno-science, media ecology,and the philosophy of technology.

Keywords
educational technology; phenomenology; Actor-Network Theory

Journal
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education: Volume 24, Issue 6

People

Dr Terrie-Lynn Thompson

Senior Lecturer, Education