In this assignment, you will make your first attempt at describing your research project, outlining this project in the terms set out by Mathiassen (2017) Links to an external site..

Mathiassen argues that while applied research "affords researchers an opportunity to contribute to practical problem solving while also developing new theoretical insights," such projects can present researchers hurdles as they bring academic methodology to new professional contexts (p. 17). He suggests that students take time to define their key project parameters and then continue to revise these parameters "iteratively" as new stages of the research process present new challenges or considerations.  

Using Mathiassen's table, "Components of Engaged Scholarship Research" (p. 20), you will outline your project as you currently envision it. You should be detailed in your table, but you should balance thoroughness with honesty. We are in the first week of the term: if there is a parameter that you cannot fully describe, be frank about this challenge. A confident, thorough description of a given parameter is welcome, but so too is a discussion of the hunches, questions, or concerns you might have with the given aspect of your project. Few students will have fully developed parameters.  

An example of a completed table is listed below.

Table 1: Components of Engaged Scholarship Research

 

Component	Definition	Example (Singh et al., 2010)
P	The problem setting represents people's concerns in a real-world problematic situation.	Rural areas lack requisite access to medical expertise and healthcare services. Although telehealth solutions can help address this issue, rural health institutions typically don't have the resources and capabilities required to adopt them.
A	The area of concern represents some body of knowledge in the literature that relates to P.	Adoption of telehealth in rural institutions.
F	The conceptual framing helps structure collection and analyses of data from P to answer RQ; FA draws on the concepts from A, whereas FI draws on concepts independent of A.	FI: Punctuated equilibrium theory (Gersick, 1991).   FI: Episode-encounter process model (Newman and Robey, 1992).
M	The method details the approach to empirical inquiry, specifically to data collection and analysis.	Longitudinal, qualitative case study of how a rural health district successfully adopted telehealth as a core part of its operation over a 20-year period.
RQ	The research question relates to P, opens for research into A, and helps ensure the research design is coherent and consistent.	How can rural public health institutions sustainably adopt telehealth innovations?
C	Contributions influence P and A, and possibly also F and M.	CP: Lessons for how managers can create a path toward sustainable telehealth innovation in rural institutions.   CA: A detailed empirical account of a successful rural telehealth innovation, including a grounded process model that describes how the innovation became sustainable and how actors addressed key challenges.

 Note: Adopted from (Mathiassen et al., 2012).

Action Items

 

1. Consider the research question(s) you developed in GRAD888 as the basis for your research project.
2. Respond to the following in your discussion board post by completing this template and posting it on the discussion board for this assignment:
   1. Provide a short working title for your project.
   2. Complete Mathiassen's table for your project.
   3. Provide a one paragraph explanation of your table, addressing the following questions:
      1. Which elements are you most confident about at this early point in the term?
      2. Which elements will require more time to develop and articulate?
      3. What will be your plan for developing these elements? What strategies might guide the early stages of your research?

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