Essential Learning Theories & Frameworks in IDT: Resources
Resources for IDT Student & Practitioner Research
Successful academic research requires taking many steps and utilizing scholarly resources. From the assignment of a research topic to making sense of scholarly publications, this guide provides step-by-step instructions to support your research projects.
Questions? At every point in the research process, Mount librarians are here to support you.
Using Scholarly Resources
Scholarly articles? Peer-review?
You will be expected to know these terms and use these materials as part of your academic coursework, but what do they mean and how are you expected to use them?
Librarians from Wayne State University have created an excellent "crash course" to explain these concepts, which are key to completing successful academic research.
Created by librarians at Wilfrid Laurier University Library, this video explains:
- The benefits of turning a topic into a research question
- How to narrow a general topic into an inquiry of appropriate scope
- How to isolate important variables using the questions: Who? What? Why? When? How?
Elements from a strong research question can be used as search terms in later steps in this process.
Education Source and ERIC (linked below) are databases we subscribe to from EBSCOhost, and we strongly recommend the use of these databases to researchers in education programs and fields.
Created by librarians at Northern Illinois University Libraries, this video explains:
- How to search in EBSCO's education databases
- Options for accessing articles within the databases
- Options for accessing articles that we do not have subscription access to directly
For additional information on how to find what you need quickly, run an advanced search (even if you don't feel like an advanced user!), and save and organize your searches from EBSCOhost: How to Search EBSCO Databases
Created by librarians at Santiago Canyon College Libraries, this video explains:
- How to select promising articles from a results list
- How to identify when articles are both on-topic and relevant to the project at hand
- How to evaluate articles for information important to your research
Created by librarians at Johns Hopkins' Sheridan Libraries, this video explains:
- (at 3:18) Structure and sections of scholarly articles in social sciences and sciences
- (at 6:28) Structure and sections of scholarly articles in the humanities
- (at 7:09) Strategies for reading scholarly articles
- (at 8:03) Reading and note-taking tips for scholarly articles
A student might meet with a librarian to discuss:
- Finding Resources: To get help locating books, articles, and other materials relevant to their research topic.
- Research Strategies: To learn effective search techniques and strategies for navigating databases and online resources.
- Citation Assistance: To receive guidance on properly citing sources and citation management strategies.
- Evaluating Sources: To get tips on assessing the credibility and relevance of sources.
- Narrowing Topics: To refine or narrow down a broad research topic into a more manageable scope.
- Developing Research Questions: To get help formulating strong, researchable questions.
- Using Library Services: To learn how to use specific library services, such as interlibrary loan.
Literature & Discussion
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Education Source (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowEducation Research Complete covers areas of curriculum instruction as well as administration, policy, funding, and related social issues. The database provides indexing and abstracts for nearly 2,400 journals, as well as full text for over 1,400 journals. This database also includes full text for more than 550 books and monographs, and full text for numerous education-related conference papers.
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ERIC - Education Resources Information Center (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowAn authoritative database of indexed and full-text education literature and resources. It is essential for education researchers of all kinds.
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JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Journal topics include humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
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Teacher Reference Center (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Provides broad coverage of higher education pedagogy and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) across diverse content areas, educational institutions, and levels of instructional expertise.
The only scholarly journal in the field focusing entirely on research and development in educational technology.
Focuses on the exchange of relevant trends and research results as well as the presentation of practical experiences gained while developing and testing elements of technology-enhanced learning.
Aims to provide a forum for the dissemination of research on interactive online education, disseminate ideas that enhance the practical aspects of interactive online education, and foster debate about the use and application of online education.
Articles on all aspects of new technology in education and training in schools, colleges and private industry for members of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
The Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology (JoTLT) is an international journal dedicated to exploring efforts to enhance student learning in higher education through the use of technology.
Focuses on program ideas and developments in methods and systems for delivering higher and continuing education, and military, corporate, and public schools education through all forms of communication media.
Covers research relating to fields of open, flexible, and distance education and training.
Popular news source for higher education. Learn more about the Mount's institutional subscription.
Source for news, opinions, and data.
Digital magazine of news article, expert advice, and industry trends
An online blog by the American Council on Education
Blog, downloadable resources, and news articles related to educational technology
"The Teaching Professor has a simple goal in mind: to help college faculty improve students’ learning."
"EdSurge is the digital news and research magazine about education that illuminates, informs and ignites your curiosity."
"The Learning Guild is a community of practice for those supporting the design, development, strategy, and management of organizational learning."
"THE Journal is dedicated to informing and educating K–12 senior-level district and school administrators, technologists, IT professionals, and tech-savvy educators who serve the nation's public schools, so they may improve and advance the learning process through the use of technology."
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