Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the group was given some orientation statements and a task. They collectively
producedknowledgeintheformofanew“guidingprinciplemodel”forteacher
education (Burnett & Roberts, 2005: 58).
Selecting a method (from a
technological vantage point)
Understandably, a method is determined by the nature of the research project
andthespecificquestionsthatwillbeaddressedinthestudy.Someconsidera-
tions reflect potential legal challenges, such as those pertaining to an individ-
ual's privacy. In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulates how private details about an individual
aretobeprotected.Forexample,someonedesigninganonlinestudythatlooks
at mental health issues, should take note of HIPAA regulations prior to begin-
ning the research. The kinds of questions that might need to be considered
include:
•
Canparticipantsecuritybeguaranteed?Anonymity?Protectionofthedata?
•
Can someone ever really be anonymous online? And if not, how might this
impact the overall study design?
•
Can someone “see” a participant's information when s/he participates?
•
Can someone unassociated with the study access data on a hard drive?
•
Shouldtherebeaninformedconsenttoparticipate?Ifso,howmightonline
security issues impact the informed consent?
•
If a study design calls for participant observation, is it okay to “lurk”? Is it
always okay? If not, then when? What are the determining factors?
•
Is it okay to deceive online? What constitutes online deception?
These types of questions will impact the specifics of a chosen method and
how it is implemented online. For example, IP (internet protocol) addresses
can be tracked, providing information about a user by identifying the source
of a given email. Thus, some might argue that it is impossible to “guarantee”
anonymity or participant security. That is not to say that reasonable precau-
tions and attempts cannot be made, as are outlined in the following pages,
but rather to indicate that an honest, informed consent form should provide
some specific details regarding the issues and how the researcher will
attempt to address them. This knowledge might impact the online method,
forexample,inthatasynchronouschatmightbeselectedovertheasynchronous
method of email participation in a listserv discussion, to maximize control of
the content and limit exchanges of information via potentially unsecured
email channels.
