Education Commons^™

Analyzing Online Asynchronous Discussions With A Visual Data Analytic Tool (Snapp), John Mccormick, Heather Tillberg-Webb

Staff Scholarship

In the “age of globalization,” construction of effective learning environments takes into account the development of a community of inquiry and incorporates visual tools for quick evaluation of the vibrancy of the learning environment. Discussion forums are an essential tool for co-construction of knowledge in a community of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991) and for supporting a Community of Inquiry model (Garrison et al, 2003). For the purposes this session, effective online discussions are communications that build community and take place in forums designed for threaded, text-based interaction that help learners:

• Attain course learning outcomes

• Understand course content through collaborative …

Cirt Newsletter--November 2012, Center For Instruction & Research Technology (Cirt)

CIRT News

This issue contains:

Faculty Spotlight: Creating an Oral History of Jacksonville's Hispanic Community

Maintaining Instructional Presence in Online Courses

Upcoming Events

Digital Thinking: Qualtrics

Best Practices Online: Improving Student Learning with Assessment

Blackboard News: Maintenance Window and Future Upgrades

CIRT Online Scheduling for Instructional Design Consultations and Scantron Grading

App Review: Flipboard

News from ITS: Cyberawareness and IT Reorg

New in CIRT: Kindle Fire, iPad Class Set and Department Promotions

Cirt Newsletter--September 2012, Center For Instruction & Research Technology (Cirt)

CIRT News

This issue contains:

Faculty Spotlight: Using Video Walk-Throughs to Illustrate Problem-Solving Processes

New in CIRT

Upcoming Events

Digital Thinking: CIRT's New Video Setup

Best Practices Online: Managing Media Files in Blackboard

Blackboard News: Bb World 2012, Mobile Testing, and DEV Course Deletes

New Survey Tool Coming to Campus: Qualtrics

App Review: UNF Mobile

News from ITS: Technology Assistance Center in the Carpenter Library

Improving Stem Education In Research: Preliminary Report On The Development Of A Computer-Assisted Student-Mentor Research Community, David A. Rios, Artem Chebotko, Christine Reilly, Ralph Carlson, Emmett Tomai, Amy A. Weimer, Nicholas Weimer, Thomas Pearson, Francis Andoh-Baidoo, Robert Winkle, David Ammons, Joanne Rampersad-Ammons

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research education in STEM disciplines currently suffers from 1) The inability to feasibly collect highly detailed data on both the student’s and mentor’s activities; 2) The lack of tools to assist students and mentors in organizing and managing their research activities and environments; and 3) The inability to correlate a student’s assessment results with their actual research activities. Together these three problems act to impede both the improvement and educational quality of student research experiences. We propose a computer-assisted student-mentor research community as a solution to these problems. Within this community setting, students and their mentors are provided tools to …

Simulating Real Lives: Promoting Global Empathy And Interest In Learning Through Simulation Games, Christine Bachen, Pedro F. Hernández-Ramos, Chad Raphael

Communication

In response to an increasingly interdependent world, educators are demonstrating a growing interest in educating for global citizenship. Many definitions of the “good global citizen” value empathy as an especially important disposition for understanding others across national borders and cultural divides. Yet it may be difficult for people to achieve empathy with others who are perceived as psychologically and geographically distant. Can computerized simulation games help foster global empathy and interest in global civic learning? This quasiexperimental classroom study of 301 Northern California high school students in three schools examined the effects of playing REAL LIVES, a simulation game that …

Assessing Technological Literacy Of Middle School Students, Lawrence E. Whitman, Mandy C. Phelps, Karen V. Reynolds, Barbara S. Chaparro

Publications

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a rigorous and relevant pre-engineering curriculum implemented in middle schools and high schools throughout the United States. PLTW has a hands-on approach using activities and project-based learning. The College of Engineering at Wichita State University has partnered with three local school districts to implement the PLTW program to increase interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This study begins to assess the impact of the PLTW program on student perceptions and attitudes toward engineering and technology as part of an ongoing three-year assessment. A pre- and post-assessment were administered to middle school students …

The Power And Utility Of Reflective Learning Portfolios In Honors, Christopher R. Corley, John Zubizarreta

History Department Publications

The explosive growth of learning portfolios in higher education as a compelling tool for enhanced student learning, assessment, and career preparation is a sign of the increasing significance of reflective practice and mindful, systematic documentation in promoting deep, meaningful, transformative learning experiences. The advent of sophisticated electronic technologies has augmented the power of portfolios and created a virtual industry dedicated to platforms and strategies associated with electronic portfolios and the diverse purposes they can serve in curricular, programmatic, and institutional assessment efforts. The intellectual and practical relevance of such innovations in the honors context is clear. Honors programs and colleges …

Cirt Newsletter--March 2012, Center For Instruction & Research Technology (Cirt)

CIRT News

This issue contains the following articles:

Faculty Spotlight: Tools to Support and Measure Collaboration

Academic Integrity in Online Courses

Upcoming Events

Digital Thinking: Using iPads for Research

Best Practices Online: Usability & Accessibility

Blackboard News: Maintenance and Upgrades

Blackboard Course & User Retention

App Review: EverNote

News from ITS

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Cirt Newsletter--January 2012, Center For Instruction & Research Technology (Cirt)

CIRT News

This issue contains:

Faculty Spotlight: Using Google Calendar and Blackboard to Facilitate Program Communication

UNF Member Resources for Teaching and Research

Upcoming Events

Digital Thinking: Video Assignments

Update on Online ISQ Pilot

Best Practices Online: Rubrics

Blackboard News

CIRT Teaching Online (TOL) Seminar 2012

CIRT Launches Blog

App Review: Image to Text

News from ITS

New Faces and Places in CIRT

Empowering Non-Traditional Students To Succeed In Online Programs, Gordon R. Haley, Jennifer E. Booker

Publications

In their research on student learning Rieh and Hilligoss (2008) study the proximal factors of today’s students and how they interact with technology, in their pursuit of information. This paper looks at how race, age and job status are related to students’ perception of their in.

Can You Hear Me Now? Assessing Students' Classroom Communication Preferences Via A Telephone Conference Activity, Sharon G. Heilmann

Faculty Publications

Telephone conference presentation delivery was compared to face-to-face classroom delivery in an undergraduate business course setting to assess whether concern over presenting in front of the class and/or gender impacted presentation mode preference. After completing a classroom exercise, students (n=102) were surveyed and asked to compare delivery methods from two courses, one requiring a telephone conference and the other requiring a face-to-face classroom presentation, in terms of perceived effectiveness, feedback, teamwork, instructor cues, preparation time, and overall comfort. Independent sample t-test results indicated respondents who worried about presenting in front of the class believed the telephone conference format required more …

Digital Gaming As A Learning Tool : A Literature Review, Seth Weylin Vickers

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature focuses on the uses of digital gaming within learning environments. Using academic journal articles, the author reviews the advantages and disadvantages of using digital games, ways instructors are using digital games, the uses of educational as well as recreational digital games, considerations for implementing digital games, and an overview on the importance of digital security. The benefits include increased motivation, collaboration, and the increased opportunity of a learner potentially entering the flow experience. The disadvantages include health risks as well as some learners' negative attitudes towards digital gaming. The author recommends instructors to consider using digital …

International Society For Technology In Education Sigml White Paper On Theory To Practice, Helen Crompton, Mark Van't Hooft

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Qr Codes 101, Helen Crompton, Jason Lafrance, Mark Van't Hooft

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

QR codes are a fast, easy, free, and fun way to spice up your lesson plans and school communication by linking the brick-and-mortar world to the digital domain. If you’re not using them in your classroom yet, here’s a primer and some inspiring ideas to get you started.

Using Blogs To Promote Literary Response During Professional Development, Jaime Colwell, Amy Hutchison, David Reinking

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) The blogging has, I don’t want to say forced, but kind of made me read books that I haven’t necessarily read before, and I don’t think I would have. I’ve read lots of children’s books just through student teaching and everything, but it makes me look outside the box and maybe at other genres that I wouldn’t look at necessarily. (Sam, a pre-service teacher, blogging in a children’s literature course)

Computer-Supported Peer Review In A Law School Context, Kevin D. Ashley, Ilya Goldin

Articles

Legal instructors have been urged to incorporate peer reviewing into law school courses as a way to provide students much needed feedback. Peer review can benefit legal education, but only if law school instructors adopt peer review on a large scale, and for that, computer-supported peer review systems are crucial. These web-based systems orchestrate the mechanics of students submitting written assignments on-line and distributing them to other students for anonymous review, making it considerably easier for instructors to manage.

Beyond the problem of orchestrating mechanics, however, a deeper obstacle to widespread acceptance of peer review in legal education is the …

Parental Perspective On Technology Integration In Pk-2 In A Rural Community School, Stephanie L. Callan

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated parental perspectives of PK-2 classroom technology integration and parental familiarity with 21st Century Skills and their importance in their children's education and future success in a global economy. Through this descriptive study the researcher used mixed-methods of a survey and semi-structured interview to gather information from parents in a small, rural school in southeastern Iowa. The research found that parents of this age group do place value on technology integration as it relates to both their children's academic and future success. Most parents of this age group working outside of an educational setting were unaware of what …

Teacher Education Protocol : How Social Media Improves Connections Between Teachers And Students, Darcel Pledge

Graduate Research Papers

This review examines the importance of incorporating social media into teacher education programs to strengthen the partnership between teachers and their students in the classroom. Social media plays a big part in individuals' everyday lives. The purpose of this review is to display the benefits of social media tools in education. Peer reviewed journals were used for research. The studies examined found that social media tools can have a benefit in the classroom and strengthen the learning partnership between teachers, students, and parents. The sources reviewed also found that proper incorporation of these tools aids in a better learning partnership …