More than two dozen first-year students from McEachern High School recently participated in a hands-on research lesson at Kennesaw State University’s Bagwell Education Building. The session, led by Iván Jorrín-Abellán, associate dean and professor of educational research at the Clarice C. and Leland Bagwell College of Education, is part of the Interactive Research Methods Lab (IRML) program.
“Please close your eyes for a few seconds,” Jorrín-Abellán told the students. “When you think about researching, what images come to your mind?” Responses included “computers,” “books,” and “the news.” Students then used dry-erase markers on the lab’s walls to develop their own research ideas.
The IRML was created by Jorrín-Abellán to help new researchers learn how to begin with a topic and plan out each step of a project. The lab uses the Hopscotch Model, which he developed as a theoretical framework and web tool for organizing research projects.
Jorrín-Abellán said that when he joined Kennesaw State in 2014, he noticed students had similar difficulties with research as those he taught in Spain. He recalled his motivation: “I was crossing from Kennesaw Hall to the parking deck, and I challenged myself,’” he said. “‘You have to do something.’”
Inspired by Julio Cortázar’s interactive novel “Hopscotch,” Jorrín-Abellán designed the Hopscotch Model. The online tool has been accessed by more than 150,000 users worldwide and guides researchers through understanding their worldview to reviewing ethical considerations.
“The key problem for students is, there are a plethora of elements that you need to take into account when developing your research design,” Jorrín-Abellán said. “What makes Hopscotch innovative is its easy-to-understand, guided roadmap, helping researchers develop a strong research design.”
KSU faculty are now working on IRML-AirLab—an affordable toolkit allowing high schools to convert any classroom into an IRML space within minutes. This kit includes an inflatable dodecahedron co-designed with architecture students, along with other materials like dry-erase markers and QR codes linking to information about the nine steps of Hopscotch.
For this Air-Lab prototype, the team collaborated with the College Board to adapt resources for Advanced Placement high school students. Earlier this year, members of the IRML team led workshops using Air-Lab at Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy in Alpharetta. Nearly 400 tenth-grade students used the toolkit ahead of taking AP Research courses in eleventh grade.
“Research takes a long time,” said Maren Reid, department chair at FCS Innovation Academy. “Choosing a topic even takes a long time. So, we were excited to have Iván and his team come to our campus to kind of help close that gap.”
FCS Innovation Academy Principal Scott Kent noted after touring KSU’s IRML: “I loved the space in there… Creating a space that is primed to provide students the intellectual stimulus to get them invested in what they’re doing is an incredibly important thing.”
This year, KSU’s Office of Research awarded Jorrín-Abellán and colleagues from several colleges a $200,000 interdisciplinary seed grant for development of “Hopscotch 4-All,” an open-access artificial intelligence recommender system intended for personalized learning experiences.
“The less resources your school district has, the more useful Hopscotch for AP Research and the Air-Lab is going to be for you,” Jorrín-Abellán said.
