April - 'Action Research' - 'Do We Use Zoom in Demystifying Psychology?

I hope you are well and have found benefits in this most amazing reality checking time.  Small signs hint that reactions to Covid19 are being rolled back. I see Coles customers can again enter and exit from any door. Who would have predicted that would be a measure of community well-being? Still, there is a way to go before handshaking and friend cuddles are back on the agenda.
 
Community groups have been very resilient with their creativity and lateral thinking. I recently joined in a very valuable U3A Benalla Zoom meeting about how Zoom is/could be used for some U3A groups. Zoom is an on-line (needs internet) meeting app (application) that is downloadable (added) to your device (mobile phone, lap-top, desk-top, tablet or ipad). Zoom is used by all types of groups to talk with and to see each other. 
 
Last Sunday my tribe "met" on Zoom for the first time. What a hoot!! Out of four families, two had sound and video, one had video and no sound, and I had sound and no video. We'll be talking about this for many Christmas'.
​
Here's how we fared!

A bit more research and my skills were up there with U3A colleagues at the Zoom meeting. Such a relief! Seems it doesn't take long to grasp the Zoom system.
 
My take home message from the U3A meeting was that Zoom requires certain systems. These systems include the type of device used (see above), the availability and quality of internet, and user confidence.
 
(Forgive me if I've lost you at this point. I promise you're not being ignored in the search for non-internet ways to stay engaged.)  
 
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
 
We looked at experiments in psychology in week#1. To develop that further I'm proposing an experiment using an Action Research model - sometimes referred to as "give it a go and see". 

The aim of the research is to explore how Zoom could support Demystifying Psychology. The process (methodology) involves 10-12 volunteers joining a Zoom on-line meeting at 10.30am Tuesday 28 April. Volunteers will need to have Zoom already downloaded to their lap-top or desk-top, won't mind being flexible and are open to a "hit and giggle" 30 minute on-line experimental meeting.  Here's a useful beginner's guide for you to read:

The end question for this experiment is “Do we use Zoom in Demystifying Psychology?” To get to that answer I'm interested in:

• Is there an ideal number per group?
• How should the group share talk time?
• Does the quality of group participation meet our needs?
• If we use Zoom, then who will use it and how?  

Your questions will also be included. The qualitative data will be collected during the "hit and giggle" Zoom meeting.
​
The mini topics for the 30-minute meeting will be:

• When am I a dove/owl/eagle/peacock?
• What are the pros and cons of this type of meeting? 

 
Stage 2 of this experiment will repeat the above methodology with tablet, ipad and mobile phone user volunteers. 
 
Next step?

1. Email/call me to volunteer for the experimental Zoom meeting on 10.30am Tuesday 28 April.
2. Load Zoom to your lap-top or desk-top computers before the meeting.
3. Bring a cuppa and a sense of humour to the meeting.

 
Keep well everyone.
 
Jane
0437 621 575
[email protected]