Educational Technology Commons^™

Exploring The Impact Of Discussion Interfaces On Diversified Interconnectivity In Online Learning Communities, Hoda Harati, Eri Ono, James K Ingram, Nesma Ragab Nasr, Cherng-Jyh Yen, Chih-Hsiung Tu

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Asynchronous online discussions are widely recognized as potent pedagogical practices for actively involving learners in the process of constructing knowledge and cultivating a thriving learning community. This study examined how the types of online discussion threads (i.e., student-based vs. topic-based) moderate diverse of social interconnection in discussions and how it changes over time. An upward trajectory in the diversification of interconnectivity was discerned. In spite of the shift from student-based to topic-based, students continue valuing the power of diversified interconnecting with their classmates. The significant drop, but transitory, from Week 3 to 4 can be explained by the switch to …

Healthy Use Of Technology & The Internet Among University Students, Stefano Cueto

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focused on technology and internet use among university students. The focal issue is unhealthy use of technology and the internet, as in overuse on a daily basis. What is constituted as overuse of technology and internet use are reduction of physical activity and poor posture, eye strain, poor sleep habits, and anxiety. Given this issue, there is a need for a service that detoxes from overuse of technology, gauges relationships with technology, and informs alternative, mindful means of technology/internet use in everyday lives. This service was a one-time workshop service conducted in fall, 2023, intended to detox …

A Visualization App On Proving Geometric Concepts, Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas, Debbie Marie B. Verzosa, Maria Alva Q. Aberin, Agnes D. Garciano, Jumela F. Sarmiento, Mark Anthony C. Tolentino, Juan Carlo F. Mallari

Mathematics Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the description, design and pedagogical basis of a mathematical app called Two Column Proof which provides students a framework for writing proofs of geometric statements. The app focuses on proving concepts on: properties of parallelograms, conditions that determine when a quadrilateral is a parallelogram, properties on trapezoids and kites for high school mathematics. It employs visual representations for students to understand the statement or reason of each given line in the proof, strengthening their logical and mathematical knowledge needed in the proof construction.

Perspectives On Educational Technology Integration From District And School Leaders Before, During, And After The Lifting Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions, Alma Delia Cardenas-Rubio

Theses and Dissertations

The integration of educational technology is pivotal in enhancing classroom instruction. School administrators must possess a clear vision and the necessary skills to leverage emerging technologies effectively (Yu & Prince, 2016). This mixed methods research study explores trends, challenges, and experiences related to educational technology leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing an autoethnographic approach and survey data, the study aligns with the Future Ready Framework's seven interconnected components: curriculum, instruction, and assessment; personalized professional learning; budget and resources; use of space and time; robust infrastructures; data and privacy; and community partnerships. The narrative provides insights into a …

Addressing Engagement: Student Perceptions Of Meaningful Gamification In Online Courses, Jessica M. Sanchez-Barrera

Theses and Dissertations

Although there is high enrollment in online college courses, there are concerns about student engagement (Martin & Bolliger, 2018; Dumford & Miller, 2018). Gamification has been shown to have the potential to improve student engagement. The purpose of the study was to describe how academic student engagement is impacted by Nicholson’s Meaningfully Gamified online course compared to traditionally taught online course. An embedded multiple case study research design was employed using self-determination theory as the theoretical framework to measure engagement. The theory constructs analyzed were autonomy, competence, relatedness, and student engagement. The research was conducted …

Leveraging Professional Learning To Impact Leadership Of Technology Integration, Tennille Woodward

All Dissertations

School and district leaders lack awareness of the depth and complexity of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Education Leaders and how the implementation of the leader standards provides for students and teachers to learn relevant skills and strategies. Continuing the work of Schoenbart’s 2019 dissertation, the Education Leaders Technology Survey (ELTS) provides a self-assessment for education leaders to reflect on their leadership of technology integration and provides baseline data for this study. Professional learning around the ISTE Standards for Education Leaders provided through a Canvas course provides education leaders with a theory of action to …

Professional Development, Digital Platforms, And Middle School Education During Covid-19, Cynthia Susan Castro

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 outbreak shifted towards online learning, requiring educators and administrators to adapt to new digital platforms and technologies quickly. The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine whether there is a significant difference in the frequency of use of digital platforms among middle schools. Secondly, it explores the relationship between teachers' attendance at professional development sessions and their integration of Nearpod lessons during the pandemic. Lastly, it investigates the relationship between the time campus principals invested in technology-related professional development and teachers' adoption of digital platforms at their respective campuses. Surveys and administrative records were …

How Did School Administrators Manage The Crises During The Covid-19 Outbreak?, Sadegul Akbaba Altun, Mustafa Bulut

Journal of Global Education and Research

The focus of this research was to investigate how school administrators in Turkey managed the crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, which was a deadly threat for humanity worldwide. The research questions guiding this study are: 1) Did schools have a crisis plan? 2) If yes, how was the plan implemented in a crisis situation?; 3) What kind of changes were made in the plans?; 4) What should administrators do in such crisis situations?; and 5) What was done in the COVID-19 outbreak? The research was conducted as a qualitative case study which involved 105 school administrators. Due to the …

Educational Robotics And Computational Thinking In Elementary School Students, Sonia D. Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the role of educational robotics in fostering computational thinking in elementary settings, both in classrooms and extracurricular programs. Among growing concerns over K–12 students’ computational thinking deficits, the research evaluated the impact of Lego EV3 and VEX IQ platforms. Data was sourced from lesson plans, student work surveys, and teacher interviews and then subjected to thematic analysis using a qualitative approach. The participants were Texas educators engaged in robotics instruction, even though specific robotics statistics are absent in the Texas Education Agency. Instructional strategies varied from hands-on experiences to translating mathematical concepts into robotic actions. A key …

Availability And Utilization Of Educational Technology In Primary Schools Of Ethiopia, Jerusalem Yibeltal Yizengaw, Asnake Tarekegn Nigussie

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The purpose of this study is to look into the availability and utilization of instructional technology in Ethiopian primary education, using some urban and regional schools as case representatives. 165 in-service teachers were recruited using available sampling method from Addis Ababa and Amhara regional state primary schools. A questionnaire and semi-structured interview items were created and administered to collect data. The study used a descriptive survey design with a mixed methods research approach. Major findings revealed that teachers in the case primary schools do not have accesses to properly utilize educational technologies in the teaching-learning processes. Multiple regression analysis results …

Technology In Education: A Case Study On Lao People's Democratic Republic, Yung Nietschke, Anna Dabrowski

International Education Research

This paper was commissioned by the Global Education Monitoring Report as background information for the development of the 2023 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report: technology and education, Southeast Asia. Digital technology has the potential to transform learning and offer a solution to persistent challenges in equity of access and quality of learning for all students. COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of technology to deliver alternative modes of education. It has also put the spotlight on the digital divide that technology creates. This Case Study explores the progress of technology integration in the education sector in Lao PDR in line with …

Enhancing Public Library Services: A Future Outlook On Digital Libraries In Pakistan, Muhammad Sohail Haider, Chen Ya Prof, Md. Nurul Islam, Muhammad Danyal, Muhammad Hussain

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Objective: Governments consistently aim to enhance services and establish online connections to efficiently deliver necessary information. This study aims to evaluate the future potential of digital libraries in public libraries in Pakistan by examining various projects that have introduced innovative approaches to foster the development of digital library services.

Methodology: The analysis utilized the Amos 24 version, employing the Structural Equation Model (SEM) for assessing model fit indices and validating hypotheses. Additionally, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was employed for Pearson correlation and factor analysis.

Findings: The results suggest the appropriateness of discussing three out of the …

The Roadmap To An Improved Braille Display Design, Emma Garofalo, Trey Alexander, Luke Shankland, Michael Smith, Michael Cheng, Michael Bishai, Lauren Sun

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Our innovative braille display, focused on affordability and education, fills a notable void in the market of refreshable braille displays, which are typically costly and not designed primarily for educational use. This product stands out as an economical educational aid for people with visual impairments. It features a system where pressing a keyboard alphabet key corresponds to specific braille pins, allowing for the display of letters or characters. Additionally, our design can represent simple geometric shapes, like circles or squares, using the braille pins. When these pins are raised, the user can feel the braille representation of the character or …

Exploring College Student Experiences In A Kinesiology Course Using A Gamified Grading System, Rachel E. Williams, Jedediah E. Blanton, Christopher D. Kilgore, Matthew Jones

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

Past findings indicate mixed results on the effectiveness of gamification in college courses. The use of a gamified version of specifications-based grading (e.g., gamified grading) is not yet well understood. The purpose of this two-part study was to understand students’ perceptions of intrinsic motivation and engagement in a kinesiology course using gamified grading, facilitated by a gamified grading platform called GradeCraft©. We used qualitative inquiry to capture a robust description of the student experience across a semester, identifying themes describing the course management (e.g., comparison with traditional course, individual approach), and the psychological experience (e.g., autonomy, stress). The following semester, …

Creating Mandalas For World Peace While Incorporating Mathematics, Art, Literature, Writing, And Technology, Joseph M. Furner

Transformations

Across the USA there are more and more students whose parents are from around the world. It is important teachers can effectively teach mathematics to reach all students, particularly those with limited English proficiency, while establishing interdisciplinary and cultural connections and even working toward world peace. The purpose of this paper is to share how a class of students from an elementary school in South Florida with their teacher created mandalas to teach mathematics, art, writing, and even world peace to their students. Math teachers should strive to bridge the cultural gap among all students by incorporating innovative ideas as …

Education And The Epistemological Crisis In The Age Of Chatgpt, Casandra Silva Sibilin

Publications and Research

The emergence of ChatGPT and its ability to imitate student work has precipitated a crisis in education. Responses range from practical efforts to detect or prevent ChatGPT use to existential reflection about learning and assessment. However, the crisis is also epistemological, with educators struggling to determine what students know and fearing that student knowledge is diminishing. The educational philosophies of Socrates, Dewey, and Freire suggest that recognition of ignorance of different kinds (inquisitive, predictive, and practical)on the part of educators is uncomfortable but essential for improving the aims and methods of education. In this way, ChatGPT and the philosophy of …

Many Lenses With One Focus: Making Philosophy Learning Meaningful Through Collaborative Design, Jonathan Kaplan, Tianhong Shi

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Utilizing the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, a lead philosophy instructor and an instructional designer collaborated with seven other faculty members to create Great Ideas in Philosophy for online asynchronous delivery. We presented a broad array of topics in philosophy and provided substantial practices in “doing” philosophy, aiming to create a welcoming space for a diverse student body, to help students see philosophy as a diverse field, and to provide an engaging and meaningful learning experience for students. Student feedback and final project presentations demonstrated significant learning growth in students taking this newly designed Great Ideas in Philosophy. This …

Factors Affecting Technology Integration For Teachers At K-12, Adult Education, And Higher Education Institutions Since Virtual Learning Due To Covid-19, Christina Thompson, Stephanie Collins, Lisa Hollins

Dissertations

This quantitative study investigates instructors' perceptions of the factors influencing technology integration in their instruction, spanning the years 2019-2023, encompassing the transition from virtual to in-person learning after COVID-19. It examines technology integration barriers and supports experienced by instructors in the Midwestern United States, namely Missouri, during this period. Additionally, it explores how the virtual learning experience during the pandemic has influenced instructors' self-perceptions of their digital competence. The study encompasses three education sectors: K-12, adult education, and higher education, providing a unique multi-sector perspective. By delving into the post-COVID-19 educational environment, this research aims to offer valuable insights. The …

Online Assessment In Large Undergraduate Courses During Covid-19 Emergency Response Teaching, Kate Maloney Williams, Alice E. Donlan

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The transition to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented and forced many universities to quickly embrace online distance learning. This context created new challenges, particularly around assessment strategies. Empirical research has demonstrated that formative assessment fosters more active learning in online classrooms. However, formative assessment strategies are not always adapted well to online platforms based on the nature of the subject matter and the size of the class. This qualitative case study sought to understand instructors’ experiences and strategies for conducting assessment remotely, specifically for large-size undergraduate courses. The investigation relied on data from semi-structured interviews with University …

Integrity, Confidentiality, And Equity: Using Inquiry-Based Labs To Help Students Understand Ai And Cybersecurity, Richard C. Alexander, Liran Ma, Ze-Li Dou, Zhipeng Cai, Yan Huang

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have brought society closer to the long-held dream of creating machines to help with both common and complex tasks and functions. From recommending movies to detecting disease in its earliest stages, AI has become an aspect of daily life many people accept without scrutiny. Despite its functionality and promise, AI has inherent security risks that users should understand and programmers must be trained to address. The ICE (integrity, confidentiality, and equity) cybersecurity labs developed by a team of cybersecurity researchers addresses these vulnerabilities to AI models through a series of hands-on, inquiry-based labs. Through …