Education Commons^™

Incentives And Disincentives For The Use Of Opencourseware, Anne Arendt

Anne M Arendt

This article examines Utah residents’ views of incentives and disincentives for the use of OpenCourseWare (OCW), and how they fit into the theoretical framework of perceived innovation attributes established by Rogers (1983). Rogers identified five categories of perceived innovation attributes: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. A survey instrument was developed using attributes that emerged from a Delphi technique with input from experts in the OCW field. The survey instrument was sent to 753 random individuals between 18 and 64 years of age throughout Utah.

Results indicated that the greatest incentives for OCW use were the following: (a) no …

Asynchronous Online Learning: Perceptions And Experiences Of Nontraditional Adult Emergency Services Students, Dr. R. Jeffery Maxfield

R. Jeffery Maxfield

This study used hermeneutic phenomenology, a qualitative methodology, to explore and interpret the lived experience of nontraditional emergency services students in an asynchronous online learning environment. This understanding was achieved through rigorous analysis of in-depth, semistructured interviews and journal entries of four nontraditional adult students enrolled in an online baccalaureate degree program. The research question for this study was: How do nontraditional adult undergraduate students experience asynchronous online instruction? Results revealed that student experiences fell into two overarching themes, each with related subthemes. The two identified themes and subthemes are: (a) Flexible Learning, with the subthemes of convenience, self-directedness/self-discipline, and …

Going Graphic: Understanding What Graphic Novels Are -- And Aren't -- Can Help Teachers Make The Best Use Of This Literary Form, James Carter

James B Carter

Best practice information for considering graphic novels in the k-12 classroom

Dispersed Web Content Management In Higher Education Dispersed Web Content Management In Higher Education, Anne Arendt

Anne M Arendt

* Colleges and universities can choose a centralized or a dispersed management model for handling content on their websites. * Utah Valley University chose a dispersed web content management system for its website, leaving control in the hands of individual content owners. * Somewhat customizable templates and a centralized but inclusive governance structure facilitate dispersed web content management at UVU.

Global Simulation And Writing Self-Beliefs Of College Intermediate French Students, Nicole A. Mills, Mélanie Péron

Nicole A Mills

Global simulation is described as “simultaneously an approach, a set of classroom techniques, and the conceptual framework for a syllabus” (Levine, 2004, p. 27). Students create a fictive yet culturally grounded world, assume the role of a self-developed character, and collaborate with fellow community members (Magnin, 1997). Despite its numerous cited advantages, there are no known empirical studies evaluating the influence of global simulation on language learners. This study evaluated how global simulation influenced the development of intermediate-French students’ writing self-beliefs and text quality. Significant differences were found in Intermediate French students’ writing self-efficacy, writing self-concept, writing anxiety, and text …