Like it or not - I'm part of the community

So far, I've done 5 thinkaloud work sessions. The first two were with "seniors" and those sessions went as expected: the students worked and I watched. Today, I did three more sessions, but my subjects were less experienced with their digital portfolios and their software. During each work session, it was just the two of us plus the video. Two of the three reached the point where they could not proceed without help. Had they been in their natural environment, they would have had access to help - so that's what I did. I gave them access to help and then withdrew as quickly as possible.

I've made peace with it. I hadn't planned it that way, and I recognize that it had an impact on their work. Of course, so did isolating them from their typical supportive community of activity. I reasoned that extending the helping hand was more natural than withholding the help. I tried my best to use the same techniques and terminology they would have encountered in the lab. I think/hope/pray that was the right decision. I believe I can defend it.