Education Commons^™

Creating And Using Interactive Presentations In Distance Education Courses: A View From The Instructor's Chair, Karen K. Hein

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Instructors of distance education courses have many choices when it comes to designing course materials and learning experiences. One approach has been to develop interactive presentations – audio voice-over slide presentations or presentations incorporating voice-over narration plus other interactive elements. Some of the previous research has focused upon the impact of these types of instructional materials on student academic achievement (Stephenson, Brown, Griffin, 2008; Lents & Cifuentes, 2009; Savoy, Proctor, & Salvendy, 2009; and Geri, 2011). Others have examined interactive presentations from a limited instructor perspective, focusing on the tools and preferences in specific disciplines (Pace & Kelly, 2006; Burke, …

Instructional Designers In Higher Education, Tami Marie Moskal

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Research about the preparation and competencies of instructional designers in higher education has not been addressed. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore individuals in this context by focusing on their employment and academic backgrounds, as well as their responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations as reported by their supervisors. This study sought to understand who the instructional designers in higher education are, and how they came to their roles in their institutions. An understanding of these instructional designers in higher education could lead to improved teaching and learning experiences for students in higher education.

Five themes emerged from …

Use Of Cognitive Artifacts In Chemistry Learning, Ilker Yengin

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In everyday life, we interact with cognitive artifacts to receive and/or manipulate information so as to alter our thinking processes. CHEM/TEAC 869Q is a distance course that includes extensive explicit instruction in the use of a cognitive artifact. This study investigates issues related to the design of that online artifact. In order to understand design implications and how cognitive artifacts contribute to students’ thinking and learning, a qualitative research methodology was engaged that utilized think aloud sessions. Participants’ described constrained and structured cognitive models while using the artifact. The study also was informed by interviews and researcher's field notes. A …