A great amount of information can be gained by watching such things as how the students interact with each other and the instructor, how other learner information resources are integrated into telecommunicated learning activities, and how distance learning technologies blend with the traditional class schedule. Observations can be as informal as jotting down notes on events as they occur or notes on specific themes guided by formal protocols. Interviews are excellent opportunities for probing, searching, and finding explanations for discrepancies between observed and expected effects, among other things. Interviews allow you to make sure the respondent clearly understands what you are asking and lets you follow up on incomplete answers. Interviews can be focused to address very detailed information needs like those required from a systems support manager, or they can be open-ended as when assessing parents attitudes about the use of technology in the schools.
Focus groups involve multiple respondents in an interview- type setting.
The advantage of focus groups is the range of responses that might be obtained from a single question. Also, ideas individuals might be reluctant to express alone may be more openly and thoroughly communicated if respondents sense others share their perspective. Such documents might include school improvement plans, school technology plans, hardware service records, teacher lesson plans, products of student work, and school board minutes on technology adaptation and integration. Documents such as absentee records or referrals to the principal whenDLTs are used can be compared against records when traditional instruction is applied. Also, an analysis of teacher lesson plans can show breadth and depth of coverage in content areas that can be used for comparison against similar lesson plans implemented by other means.