Teaching for Webheads: John Steele

And what, might you ask, does a Dr. of Webheadery do exactly? In John's words, 28 Apr 2002 ...

My web site is under major reconstruction, including three new sub-domains. The first sub-domain (my pictures) is up and ready to be visited. You can get a preview by visiting http://pictures.eslpalace.com. I have pictures of scenery around Indiana County, my trip to St. Louis, and my trip to De Soto. As a special treat, I also have a picture of either Papa Bear, Friar Tuck, or some Dutch master (take your pick) - Actually, it is me in my academic regalia.

Prof. John H. Steele, Ph.D.
English Department
University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
jhsteele@caribe.net http://www.eslpalace.com

Before he earned his Doctorate in Webheadery, John sent us this:
Hello from sunny (rainy at this moment) Puerto Rico,

I'm John Steele, a doctoral candidate at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and professor in the English Department of the University of Puerto Rico's Aguadilla campus. I've been a volunteer teacher for EFI off and on for the past year (and a half?). Other than that, my experience with online education is in my own courses, where I use the Internet with my second year ESL writing students. I've been involved with computers in education since 1992 and with the Internet since 1994. In 1995, I started using discussion lists with my students and have since branched out into web pages. Recently I signed up with Blackboard.com and plan to try it out with my classes starting next semester.

Hoping to learn a lot here, and to teach what little I know (in comparison with the others).

When John was in Indiana, Pennsylvania, working on his PhD dissertation, he sent us this (29 Aug 2001)

This is just a note to tell you that I have finally gotten a new internet connection. For the next few months (until I return to Puerto Rico) my address is jhsteelepr@hotmail.com or NKZD@grove.iup.edu . Although I can still receive messages at my old address, I cannot send from there.

Indiana is a nice town. The population is only 14,000, and the student population here at the University is another 14,000. I've met with my advisor and things seem to be going fairly well. Of course, since I am here without my family, I am a little lonely. But the amount of work I have to do will keep me from being too depressed (I'll soon be too busy to feel alone).

My advisor told me that he hopes I can turn in my dissertation by December so I can graduate by May, but I feel like I am way behind in my work. For those of you who are helping me (by being interviewed) I hope to send you my analysis of your parts by the end of September to get your feedback (tell me if I am correct, if I missed something you said, that type of thing).

I hope to see some of you in the regular Sunday chat session, although I will probably be in the library at Penn State (or on my way there) looking for information that I am missing.

If I am late, or miss seeing any of you, this is my only Sunday trip, so you can expect me to be a regular member in the chat sessions again starting either this Sunday or next Sunday.

John's Research Interests

John has joined the Writing for Webheads class and is proposing to do his disertation research using students from that class.

In this regard, he sent WFW the following email:

Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 16:33:55 -0300
From: John Steele <jhsteele@caribe.net>
Subject: My participation in Writing for Webheads
To: vstevens@emirates.net.ae

Vance,

Thank you for your warm welcome the WfW community. After my first day there, I already felt like I knew some of you, and that you were friends. It is a warm and friendly community, and I hope to be able to continue ...

About me and what I do:

I am proposing to interview students who are taking ESL/EFL classes over the Internet with the intention of answering two major questions. This first is "What is it like, from the point of view of the student) to study English through an online class?" The second is "What changes in interview structure need to be considered in carrying out online interviews." My data gathering will be based 100% on interviews with students. All of this has been accepted by my committee. Where I am stuck is explaining how I plan to select the participants in my study.

My first plan was to send out a general call for participants and hope to get some type of response. This was questioned to such an extent that I have modified it to a more specific call for participants. This consists in sending a call for participants to teachers who I know are teaching online ESL/EFL classes. I will ask these teachers if I may send a call for participation to their students (or if they will forward one to their classes). Among the groups I plan to send my request to are the teachers at EFI (although the list seems to be pretty slow, if not dead, at the moment), to Collegefolk (a group in the Ukraine that I belong to), Ruth Vilmi, English through the Internet, and several others that I know (including individals who are teaching).

While my participation in Writing for Webheads does not arise from this study, nor does my continued participation in an activity which I like as much as your group arise from this, my continued participation will depend on your permission for me to so continue (You might decide you don't want me in the group because I am doing research in this area). I think I should emphasize that I joined this community because I felt it would be interesting and that I have something to offer. I still feel this way.

Now for the big question: May I post a request to the members of the Teaching for Webheads group in case any of the teachers there would be willing to forward my request to their students?

Second, may I either post a call for participants (or ask you to forward it) to the Writing for Webheads community?

Assurance that findings will feed back to the community as an instance of Action Research

To this, I voiced only the following concern, in email 22 Sep 2000: "I presume you're aware of the action research issues, and the importance of ensuring that the outcome of the research feeds back in a beneficial way to those involved."

Meanwhile, Maggi and Michael had emailed their concurrence with the project, so in response to John's request for an indication of our permission to proceed, I emailed him on 25 Sep 2000: "It's fine with me, and apparently with Maggi and Michael, if you want to contact our students and ask if they would like to participate in a research project. I would be particularly supportive of your study if it can be made clear to me, my colleagues, and the student participants in the study, that your study is an instance of action research whose outcomes will demonstrably benefit those involved."

John's reply, 28 Sep 2000: "Action research (for me) is research that has a direct benefit on the community being studied. This benefit arises from the use of the findings and recommendations to better the way in which the community operates. In other words, it is not just in search of knowledge or theory, but considers how whatever knowledge is found can be used by and for the community. If this is what you mean by action research, I think you will find, through the chat/interview that you suggest, that this is an instance of action research."

Here is his call for participation issued to the Teaching for Webheads group

Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 19:38:48 -0300 From: John Steele <jhsteele@caribe.net>
Subject: [tfw] Help in PhD study
X-Sender: jhsteele@caribe.net
To: tfw@egroups.com
Cc: researcher@eslpalace.every1.net

I'm writing to ask for help in my Ph.D. research. I am looking for participants in a study that will try to answer the question "What is it like to study ESL or EFL over the Internet. The study is based completely on interviews with students who are taking online ESL/EFL courses (not face-to-face courses with an online component, but courses where everything is taught over the Internet. I am including my Call for Participants for you to look over. If you feel your students would be interested in participating in this study, please contact me either at jhsteele@caribe.net or at researcher@eslpalace.every1.net .

I would like to invite you to participate in a study that will eventually lead to a doctoral dissertation. I am providing the following information in order to help you make an informed decision whether or not to participate in the study. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. You are eligible to participate because you have taken or are currently taking a Distance Education ESL or EFL course taught through the Internet.

1. The purpose of this study is to discover, from the student’s perspective, what it is like to study ESL or EFL through the Internet, including why the student feels he or she was successful in this class.

2. Participation in this research is not part of any course, and therefore will have no direct effect on any course grade or will not affect the evaluation of your performance in any class. You will be asked to choose a pseudonym (a false name) to be known by for the duration of this study. Nobody will know this name except you, the researcher, and anybody you personally tell. Further, the only person with access to this information is the researcher. Once the study has been completed, this information will be eliminated from all files. Nobody, including your teachers, will know you are participating in this study except those you inform.

3. If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to participate in interviews using one or more of the following media:
a. Video computer conferencing using CUSeeMe (or similar program)
b. Audio computer conferencing using MS Messenger (or similar program)
c. Voice chat using Hear Me (or similar program)
d. Text based chat, including the possible use of The Palace.
The media to be used will depend on your preference.

4. Your participation in this study is voluntary. You are free to decide not to participate in this study or to withdraw at any time without adversely affecting your relationship with the investigator or any other person. If you choose to participate, you may withdraw at any time by notifying the investigator of your decision.

5. If you choose to participate, all information will be held in strict confidence and will have no bearing on your academic standing or services you receive from any educational institution. Your response will be considered only in combination with those from other participants. The information obtained in the study may be published in a doctoral dissertation, in academic journals or presented at conferences, but your identity will be kept strictly confidential.

If you are willing to participate in this study, please reply to this e-mail message. Include this form and your e-mail address in your reply.

I have read and understand the information on the form and I consent to volunteer to be a subject in this study. I understand that my responses are completely confidential and that I have the right to withdraw at any time. I have received an unsigned copy of this Informed Consent Form to keep in my own possession.

As part of my Ph.D. dissertation research, I am trying to answer the following question.

Since you are participating in the Webheads community, you have information that can help me in my research. I would like to invite you to participate by allowing me to interview you about your experiences using the Internet to study English.

To help you decide if you wish to participate or not, I am sending the following information:

1. The purpose of this study is to discover the student's perspective on what it is like to study English as a Second or Foreign Language through the Internet.

2. Participation in this research is not part of any course, and therefore will have no direct effect on any course grade or affect the evaluation of your performance in any class. As the researcher, I am the only person who will have access to any information you provide. Your response will be considered only in combination with those from other participants. The information obtained in the study may be published in a doctoral dissertation, in academic journals or presented at conferences, but your identity will be kept strictly confidential.

3. If you choose to participate: a. You will be asked to participate in at least 3 (possibly 5) interviews. Each interview will last approximately 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours (60 - 90 minutes) The interviews will use one of the following: (a) Video Computer Conferencing, (b) Voice Chat, (c) Text Chat (Homestead or the Palace) or (d) E-mail. You, as the participant, will decide which one will be used.

b. All information you provide me will be held in strict confidence and will be destroyed as soon as my dissertation has been approved.

4. If you decide to participate, and change your mind later, you can drop out of the study by telling me you are no longer interested in participating. All information related to you will be erased from my computer, computer disks, and floppy disks. All information related to you that has been printed out will be shredded.

If you are interested in participating, or wish more information, please send me an e-mail at <john@jhsteele.com> . I will send you an Informed Consent Form and further information on the study.

I am John Steele, a weekly participant in the Sunday chat sessions and a doctoral student at Indiana University of Pennaylvania. Several Months ago (back in December and January), I began interviewing members of Writing for Webheads about there experiences studying on the Internet. I had to stop for a while because my work did not leave me with enough time to continue during the semester. I am now ready to begin again.

Information on my investigation can be found at the Webheads site, specifically on my page located <here>.

Everybody has stories they would like to tell about experiences they have had. This is your opportunity to tell your story to someone. If you are willing to be interviewed, please contact me at jhsteele@caribe.net and either tell me the day and hour (GMT) that you are available. If you want further information, other than what is found on my web page, please feel free to contact me.

Your participation would be greatly appreciated will be kept completely confidential.

Oh, also, feel free to join us at 12:00 noon GMT every Sunday in Vance's office at Tapped in or in the homestead chat site.

John H. Steele
Professor, English Department, University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
Ph.D. Candidate, English Department, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Member, Writing for Webheads

Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 11:35:33 +0400
From: Vance Stevens <vstevens@emirates.net.ae>
To: efiwebheads@yahoogroups.com

I think it's great that you find you're compatible with Webheads and that you are doing some serious research on our group. I've often wondered what it is that holds Webheads together over the years. Perhaps you can not only help us to answer that question, but from your research suggest ways that we can improve how Webheads can continue to help each other.

Good luck in your studies. We wish you every success this summer so that you can reach your goal of becoming Dr. Steele within the coming year. We are glad that we can share in some small way in your success.