More setbacks but getting ready to go.

As stated in my last post I have been concentrating recently on a video co-operation with a final year Student from Coventry University.

There have been some setbacks due to computer problems this time, with my main editing machine having to go back for repairs, with a problem that is still not resolved, so it will go back again next week.

However I am at a more advanced stage in the preparation of my experimental material, which will feature some of the co-operative work.

There has been some change of plan due to the financial restrictions on me. Those of you who have volunteered over the internet will not now receive a DVD through the post but will be able to view the video on a password protected site, via flash. This will mean the quality of the video is less than I would prefer but I hope that should not impact upon the observations I wish to record.

Participants will be able to access the video and then answer questions via the same website set up for the initial questionnaires. Alternatives will be available for those who find this difficult or who would prefer an email copy of the questionnaire, to return, or to print out and post back.

Since my last report, personal misfortunes and delays have continued. It is now proving impossible to source the copyright and a decent copy of the DVD I originally intended to use, and I am now on the point of using another, which is somewhat less satisfactory than the original in some respects though perhaps not from others.

In addition I have had hold ups due to administrative and practical delays in providing me with a suitable computer and software for all the editing work that the preparation of my experimental materials entails. A fortnights evacuation from my flat due to fire, the aftermath of that and the inevitable Christmas holiday have not expedited things either.

The most recent setback comes from Research Autism's refusal of my grant application on the grounds that they do not fund individual students. I think that is a bit antithetical of the spirit in which that organisation is founded, particularly as my application had the full backing and support of the University to be included as a piece of official research. It is almost as if they do not want autistics poking around in their territory, the lunatics are taking over the asylum what!

Anyway my research has taken a new turn in that I intend to incorporate the work of a collaborator from Coventry University, who is currently making an awareness raising video as part of her coursework. I am very impressed with the novel approach she is taking to this, something which will be very different from any other video that has so far been made and a real mythbuster for some autistic stereotypes.

That is the way with research, when one avenue is blocked, one has to find other avenues to explore.

Project temporarily stalled

Following on my successful presentation at the NAS international conference "Research into action"

(details available by clicking here)

I had hoped to be getting on with editing the final segment of video for the experiment itself. Unfortunately I am still mired in copyright problems somewhat complicated by the circumstances of the ownership of the video.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/aug/26/bbc.business

In the meantime enjoy this little example from the not so distant past which illustrates how not to make an educational video :)

Revised methodology

I have considered some revisions to my methodology in order to ensure that distant participants (including non UK residents) can be included.

There have been problems selecting suitable material, both from a pragmatic base of what might be appropriate and what may be legally possible without infringing copyrights. It seems some organisations are very strict about modifying the material, which is necessary due to length.

It would also not be pragmatic to present material online, because of the copyright issues and because I not everyone has equal access to good broadband services and computer equipment that would allow multiple windowing. It has been in all too impractical for me to either obtain or design a programme that would allow the collection of data this way

Therefore the material will be available to two of the experimental groups in the form of a DVD. The questions themselves will be available via web access.

This will have the advantage of being able to compare the responses of the groups who have continual access to the material, in order to review and revise it, and those who are presented with the material in a classroom setting.

I am still in the progress of writing up a full explanation of the methodology and am pleased to report it has been accepted for a poster presentation at the Disability Studies Association conference at Lancaster University later this year.

I will also be presenting another paper at this conference which examines my role as a researcher and the way in which medical science in general has been constrained by it's own definitions in terms of what it researches so far as autism is concerned. It is hoped that I will be able to find an open access publisher for this paper which forms part of the background to my research.

Second Report

This is the second feed back report of my doctoral research looking at the effectiveness of video as an educational tool for people on the autistic spectrum.

The study involves adults on the autistic spectrum and a control group who are not on the autistic spectrum. Participants will respond to a questionnaire about their video-watching and buying habits, view one or more educational videos (or parts of videos) about autism or related subjects and answer questions about them. For a more complete introduction to the study please refer to my earlier blog:

http://autvideo.blogspot.com/2007/12/introduction-to-my-research.html

So far I have had 95 replies to the questionnaire - good going but I need more so if you have not replied to this yet please do so: http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/bham/autvideo

For those of you who have, and who have volunteered, thank you. I will be in touch. One of the problems is finding a way to involve those who cannot travel to Birmingham or Coventry to take part. This has exercised my mind as well as my conscience and I am currently working on a way to facilitate participation online by watching my prepared video material and then answering the questions on it. Hopefully that will be possible, in the meantime please be patient.

I have not yet finished preparing the video material I intend to use in the experimental part of my research, however it is in progress, and I am delaying anything further until the publication of the NAS communication magazine which will give others who do not yet know about this project, the opportunity to participate.

First Report

This is the first feed back report of my doctoral research looking at the effectiveness of video as an educational tool for people on the autistic spectrum.

The study involves adults on the autistic spectrum and a control group who are not on the autistic spectrum. Participants will respond to a questionnaire about their video-watching and buying habits, view one or more educational videos (or parts of videos) about autism or related subjects and answer questions about them. For a more complete introduction to the study please refer to my earlier blog:

http://autvideo.blogspot.com/2007/12/introduction-to-my-research.html

The URL for the Questionnaire is here .

http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/bham/autvideo

The on line questionnaire was launched on 20^th January and in the first day has had over fifty respondents. This has revealed a couple of snags with the questionnaire which future respondents may wish to take note of.

Question 13: about occupation does not allow more than one answer, so that if someone is both working and a parent with caring responsibilities they cannot tick both boxes. The purpose of the question was to get a rough guide to respondents economic status and the inability to give multiple answers so this is an oversight I apologise for.

If you are both working and a parent there is opportunity to signify that you are a parent in the final open question 20: if you wish to.

I have also had responses that the reference in question 3: “in the last year” is ambiguous. This refers to the time period of 1 year’s duration, not the calendar year that has just begun. This is consistent with the same usage in the previous question that refers to specific time periods of question 2.

It is inevitable that problems of respondent’s interpretations occur in any questionnaires which I have issues of the same kind myself with the Cambridge AQ and EQ questionnaires which were developed and tested to give a standardised measure, yet there is still subjectivity in the responses that can be made.

However that does not invalidate their use in this study or others for the purposes of comparison.

Introduction to my research

This Blog is intended to introduce and keep people up to date about the progress of my doctoral research into the effectiveness of video as an educational tool for autistic people.

The current qualifications I hold which are relevant to this task are a CertHE in Autistic Spectrum Disorders and a PGCert Autism Adults from the University of Birmingham School of Education and an HND in Media (moving image).

I have also assisted with and produced two autism videos/DVD's myself.

My other personal involvements with autism include being a trustee and councillor of the National Autistic Society and a participant in various on and off line groups of autistic people

My research is based with the Autism Centre for Education and Research at the University of Birmingham and my supervisor is Dr Mitzi Waltz.

My research will involve an extensive literature review within the fields of education and media/film studies combining the two areas of my interest and expertise in an innovative way.

The methodology will involve two groups of autistic people, and one control group of non autistic people, who will be watching specific videos, answering questions and being involved in specific tasks.

In addition there will be research of a more qualitative nature utilising focus groups and more general interviews, looking also at the perspectives of the industry and markets for education videos in autism and the current use of video in education.

Research subjects will be drawn from as wide a demographic base as possible and the innovation I intend to introduce, for those research subjects who are interested is the ability to comment. critique and inform the work in progress via a separate electronic mailing list which I have set up for this purpose.

I believe this research is of some importance and relevance, when one considers the amount of video material that is being produced, the presumed power of media in our lives and the lack of a research base into how autistic cognitive styles affect the perception of and ability to learn from the moving image.

Laurence Arnold FRSA