The problem is that I'm really not sure about the specific path that I want to take. I went into this degree wanting to find out more about gamification (using video game elements in non-video game settings). The difficulty is in finding something specific enough that no one else has researched it (and that I can finish the research) but not so specific that it does not really provide information that I care about.
Another issue is that, as doctoral candidate in educational technology, my research needs to focus on the technological aspect. One of my issues is that I haven't found technology involved in gamification that really focuses on high school students AND that has not already been studied. During my residency, I focused on the use of digital badges, and that might still be the way that I go, but I'm not really passionate about them.
However, time is ticking. It's quite nerve-wracking to know that an assignment due in only a couple of weeks will have a profound impact on the direction of my studies (and my life) for the next couple years. No pressure.