Abstract
In this paper I conceptualize experiences with technology as an object of study for educational technology research and propose phenomenology as a highly suitable method for studying this construct. I begin by reviewing existing research focusing on the construct of experiences with technology and the approaches utilized for its study. To augment this literature, I explain the phenomenological concept of experience and describe its utility for understanding experiences with technology. I propose the theoretical and methodological approach of phenomenology as a framework for developing a research agenda on experiences with technology and for unifying existing lines of research in this area. To illustrate the promise of this approach and to facilitate its application, I describe a research design consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of phenomenology, including methods for collecting and analyzing data as well as ethical and validity considerations specific to this research design. I conclude by identifying several possible research directions utilizing a phenomenological approach in educational technology to incite further research in this area.
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Notes
I contrast the phenomenological concept of experience with the meaning of experience in everyday use. The former is more complex, and will be described in detail below.
Additionally, phenomenological thinking has influenced various other approaches to qualitative research. For a review see Kvale (1996).
Ashworth (1999), for example, provides a detailed discussion of what kind of assumptions are relevant and need to be bracketed in phenomenology.
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I thank Thomas Greckhamer for his thorough reviews of earlier drafts of this article; I am also grateful to three anonymous reviewers of ETR&D for their feedback that helped improve the article.
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This is a revised version of the winning paper for the 2010 “Young Scholar Award.”
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Cilesiz, S. A phenomenological approach to experiences with technology: current state, promise, and future directions for research. Education Tech Research Dev 59, 487–510 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-010-9173-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-010-9173-2