Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Teaching Presence And Intellectual Climate In A Structured Online Learning Environment, Janice Marie Orcutt

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Teaching presence and its implications for the intellectual climate of an online classroom cannot be fully understood unless explored from the perspective of the instructors who experience it. Framed in the theoretical perspective of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model, this collective case study investigated the actions, intentions and perceptions of instructors with the intent of developing an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of teaching presence as it was established in a structured online learning environment.

The experiences of selected successful instructors in this specific online context were explored to gain insight on how pedagogical choices influenced the establishment of …

Effective Teaching Practices In Online Higher Education, Kim Mcmurtry

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

In the context of continuing growth in online higher education in the United States, students are struggling to succeed, as evidenced by lower course outcomes and lower retention rates in online courses in comparison with face-to-face courses. The problem identified for investigation is how university instructors can ensure that effective teaching and learning is happening in their online courses. The research questions were:

1. What are the best practices of effective online teaching in higher education according to current research?
2. How do exemplary online instructors enact teaching presence in higher education?
3. What are the best practices of effective online teaching in …

Examining U.S. Middle School Students' Achievement In A Blended Learning Environment, Bernadette Ortiz-Brewster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

U.S. middle schools are increasing offering blended learning curricula that integrates virtual and face-to-face instruction, but the effectiveness of this mode of instruction at the middle school level has not been adequately explored. This investigation provides additional data to the current body of knowledge related to blended learning as a viable option for middle school students. The theoretical framework for this investigation derives from Lev Vygotsky's social development theory and Jean Piaget's constructivist theory of knowledge. The central research question focused on the difference in achievement scores between 6th grade students participating in a virtual course as compared to …

The Impact Of E-Readers On The Domains Of Reading Comprehension In High School Students, Erika Zeidler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

n this quasi-experimental static comparison group design, a homogenous sample of 128 American Literature (high school juniors) students were placed in a comparison and treatment group to determine whether e-readers can improve decoding skills and language comprehension, the two main domains of reading comprehension. Both groups took a pre- and posttest that measured their reading comprehension skills in both areas. The comparison group read a class assigned novel in a traditional paperback version while the treatment group read the novel on either a Kindle or a Kindle app on his or her smart phone or device. The treatment group was …

Evaluation Of Ict In Education In Papua Province (Acdp-045): Final Report, Susanne Owen, John Hunt, Eda Simanjuntak, Eko Sediyono, Prapto Yuwono, Sri Yulianto, Wigati Yektinintys Modouw

ACER Indonesia

The Evaluation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education in Papua Province study is a large-scale research project for the Republic of Indonesia’s Education Sector Analytical and Capacity Development Partnership (ACDP). The key objectives of the Study are: to measure the effectiveness of the TV-Edukasi (Education) (TV-E) and other ICT programs in the Province and to determine their impact on the learning outcomes of school children and adult learners; and to make recommendations to plan for further ICT in education initiatives.

Developing An Understanding Of How College Students Experience Interactive Instructional Technology: A Ux Perspective, Adam Wagler

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

Technology is increasingly mobile and social, resulting in dynamic digital and interactive environments. The ubiquitous nature of interactive instructional technology presents new paradigms for higher education, creating challenges for instructors to compete for time and attention as students are bombarded by information in a digital, media rich world. The problem being studied, with all of these technological advancements, is how instructors can approach these challenges from a user experience (UX) perspective. A macro level view sees college students taking multiple courses at a time, over many semesters, and using different interactive instructional technology that mix with other forms of online …

Motivations Of Students In The Open-Ended Use Of Mobile Computing In Lecture-Based Classrooms, Jeffrey Kimball

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

While research supports the integration of mobile computing into instruction, there is disagreement concerning the unstructured use of mobile devices in lecture-based college classrooms. Research supports the argument that unstructured use creates distraction and decreased academic performance. Research also suggests that unstructured use actually supports lecture instruction through personalized learning situations. In either case, the motivations of students to use mobile device is often unclear. This study sought to investigate the motivations for students’ acceptance of mobile devices. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was utilized to identify the factors leading to college students’ adoption of …

A Study Of Assistive Technology Competencies Of Specialists In Public Schools, Betsy B. Burgos

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations.

The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: …

Determinants Of Intention To Use New Technology: An Investigation Of Students In Higher Education, Yolanda Dupree

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

The federal government continues to monitor the cost of paper texts as an essential component of postsecondary education expenses. The Higher Education Act (HEA), which was initially passed in 1965, was created to buttress the educational resources of colleges and universities. Along with addressing the benefits of financial aid in postsecondary and higher education, the act referenced the projected financial burdens of paper texts. The last 2008 reauthorization suggested that colleges and universities develop plans to reduce the costs of college. Congress is currently working to reauthorize the legislation. Based on this information, the problem identified in this study explored …

Building Cloud-Based Information Systems Lab Architecture: Deriving Design Principles That Facilitate The Effective Construction And Evaluation Of A Cloud-Based Lab Environment, Thomas J. Trevethan

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

The problem explored in this dissertation report was that at the time of this study, there were no design principles or methodologies based on design science research (DSR) available to use for artifact construction, implementation, and effective evaluation of cloud-based networking lab environments that can be used to foster hands-on technology skills in students. Primarily based on Hevner’s 7 guidelines of DSR, Peffer’s design science research methodology (DSRM), and Gregor’s IS design theory, this study forms the groundwork for the development of procedures and specifications derived from DSR literature to facilitate the construction, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive cloud-based …

Diffusion Of Innovations Of Videoconference Technology: An Instrumental Case Study Concerning Undergraduate Degree-Seeking Nontraditional Learners, Bruce G. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation is an instrumental case study based on diffusion of innovations theory designed to gather student opinions regarding videoconference (VC) technology use in facilitating courses to undergraduate degree-seeking nursing students. The author of diffusion of innovations theory, Rogers (2003), recommended that more qualitative studies be conducted in education. Rogers and Jain (1968) recommended these studies should be conducted from the aspect of “receivers of innovation diffusion” (p.1) to provide feedback instrumental to implementation of technological innovations in academe. Further, Rogers stated that multiple data points should be used during the process of trialing an innovation. Therefore, a current …

Contextual Factor Profiling: Teacher-Created Classroom Website Design In Texas High Schools, Carolynn Mortensen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With increasing student access to technology and the Internet, Texas school districts have invested in content management systems (CMS), improved technology infrastructure, and professional development with little research available about best practices and current use of class websites. Using the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, this study investigated how contextual factors predicted the number of website components related to the teacher information, communication, classroom management, and teaching content section of a class website designed by a Texas high school teacher. This quantitative, predictive correlational research design included data collected from a proportional allocation of 191 Texas high school teacher …

Validity Of Subjective Self-Assessment Of Digital Competence Among Undergraduate Preservice Teachers, Joseph Andrew Maderick

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Technology is now integrated into the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) required to be a highly qualified 21st century teacher. Accurate measurement of digital competence has become critical. Self-assessment has been used widely to measure the digital competence of preservice teachers who are expected to integrate technology into their teaching. There is little in the literature indicating that there has been validation of self-assessment as a measure of that competence. While recent research studies have tested the validity of self-assessment verses objective testing among business and accounting students, there have been no studies of self-assessment validity conducted on digital competence …

E/Merging Across Africa: Five Papers On The Use Of Educational Technology In African Higher Education, Tony Carr

The African Journal of Information Systems

This guest editorial comments on the rapidly changing environment for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in African Higher Education Institutions (HEI), introduces the e/merge online conferences and gives a brief introduction to the papers in the special issue.

A Model Of Digital Textbook Quality From The Perspective Of College Students, Tj Bliss

Theses and Dissertations

The cost of textbooks is a financial burden on many college students. Fortunately the advent of open educational resources (OER) has allowed for the development of textbooks and other materials at significantly reduced costs to students. Many faculty are using OER to develop customized textbooks for their students, usually published digitally online. These faculty desire high fidelity feedback from their students to help them improve their texts. However, there is no general model of what digital textbook quality means to college students. Such a model would allow for the development of a measure of digital textbook quality that could provide …

Designing For Problem-Based Learning: A Comparative Study Of Technology Professional Development, Lei Ye, Andrew Walker, Mimi Recker, M. Brooke Robertshaw, Linda Sellers, Heather Leary

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite of much focus on professional development aimed specifically at developing teachers' technology integration skills, rigorous studies of effective PD (professional development) are lacking. Evidence is also lacking on how these skills can best be integrated with pedagogical and content knowledge to improve student learning. The purpose of this article is to present two "design-oriented" TTPD (technology-related teacher professional development) designs and investigate the designs' impact on teachers. In one TTPD (tech-only), teachers learned technology skills to create activities using online learning resources. In the other (tech+PBL), teachers learned to create PBL (problem-based learning) activities using online resources. All teachers …

A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Analysis Of Factors Affecting Technology Adoption By Higher Education Program Faculty, Rolando Jose Marquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Researchers have revealed that among the reasons provided as barriers to the adoption of technology are: lack of technology resources, time, professional development and support (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, 1997; Parker, 1996; Sheldon & Jones, 1996; Sheldon & Jones, 1996; NCATE, 1997; Shelly, Gunter & Gunter, 2010, U.S. Congress, 1995). Several models used to explain the usage of technology within education such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) have been somewhat ineffective in explaining or providing a holistic view of the factors that come into play when examining technology infusion and diffusion as they …

Research And Practice In K-12 Online Learning: A Review Of Open Access Literature, Cathy S. Cavanaugh, Michael K. Barbour, Tom Clark

Education Faculty Publications

The literature related to online learning programs for K-12 students dates to the mid-1990s and builds upon a century of research and practice from K-12 distance education. While K-12 online learning programs have evolved and grown over the past decade, the amount of published research on virtual schooling practice and policy is limited. The current literature includes practitioner reports and experimental and quasi-experimental studies, both published and unpublished. This paper reviews open access literature in K-12 online learning and reports on a structured content analysis of the documents. Themes in the literature include steady growth and a focus on the …

Problem-Based Educational Games: Connections, Prescriptions, And Assessment, Andrew Walker, Brett E. Shelton

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

The overwhelming success of the commercial game market has brought increased attention to emerging work in educational game design. Much of the existing work in educational games a strong similarity to the field of Problem-Based Learning (PBL), which has a rich history of conceptual literature as well as empirical investigations. Despite apparent similarities between the two fields, there has been no formal effort to explore the connections between them. This conceptual paper examines the basic tenants of PBL with an eye toward making prescriptive recommendations for the design and use of problem-based educational games. Examples within existing educational games are …

Out Of The Classroom And Beyond, Gary R. Brown, Nils Peterson, Adrian Wilson, Jim Ptaszynski

Office of Academic Innovation Publications

E-portfolios that function as collaborative, personalized learning spaces rather than just showcases offer a means of assessment that can support generative learning and build the skills essential for 21st century students. Gary Brown, Nils Peterson, Adrian Wilson, and Jim Ptaszynski identify the challenges and discuss some lessons learned in the Washington State University effort to adopt an e-portfolio program based on Microsoft® Office SharePoint Server 2007. The emerging technology supporting e-portfolios and personal learning environments present opportunities to engage students and external stakeholders more fully by making learning visible.

Career Concerns, Pathing, And Professional Development Of High-School Technology Educators, Linda A. Tolan

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Out Of The Cabbage Patch, Gary R. Brown

Office of Academic Innovation Publications

It is not a secret to readers of EDUCAUSE Review that the challenge of curricular relevance and student engagement in higher education is a national concern. One aspect of this challenge is that students' social networking and technology proclivities are rarely met by conventional curricula and pedagogies. Educators have much to lose if we fail to transform current practice. Just how much we have to lose was profoundly illustrated to me on a recent trip I took to Malawi, Africa, where a group of educators and an affiliate non-governmental organization (NGO) have been working to expand opportunities for Washington State …

Digital Equity In Education: A Multilevel Examination Of Differences In And Relationships Between Computer Access, Computer Use And State-Level Technology Policies, Jonathan D. Becker

Educational Leadership Publications

Using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) state assessment and a survey of state-level technology policies, this study examined digital equity in education as a multilevel organizational phenomenon with data from 70,382 students in 3,479 schools and 40 states. Students in rural schools or schools with higher percentages of African American students were likely to have less access to computers. With respect to computer use, girls and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were more likely to use computers more frequently when computers are available in the classroom. With respect to relationships between computer access and …

Imbedding New Technologies Into Current Practice: A Guide For Administrators Of Physical Education, Thomas J. Haeck

All Graduate Projects

Many new technologies are available to the Physical Education teacher, yet few are commonly used. This project contains findings from a review of literature regarding Physical Education technology use in today's schools. The guidelines presented in this project were designed to facilitate the integration of Physical Education technology into the schools curriculum. The project was designed with the fundamentals of the constructivist classroom in mind, as well as including all students in the process. Students from historically marginalized groups, low socio-economic status, high and low achieving students, students with physical exceptionalities and special education students were all included in this …

The Effects Of The Use Of Dynamic Geometry Software On Student Achievement And Interest, Heidi B. Hansen

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This study examines the current research that exists on the effects that the use of dynamic geometry software has on student achievement and interest level in mathematics. Additional questions examined are whether using dynamic geometry software has a greater impact on high or low achievers, and what current methods of implementation are suggested by the research. A review of the relevant literature indicates that the use of dynamic geometry software does have a positive effect on student achievement, particularly achievement in areas of high-level thinking. Insufficient research has been done on the effect that the use of dynamic geometry software …

A Service Learning Model: Meeting Ncate Standards Through Educational Technology, Maria Lizano-Dimare

Education Faculty Publications

Service learning can be described as learning experiences that serve the needs of a specific community and enable students to draw meaningful connections between theory and practice. Through service learning, students observe and model the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. It is important that education programs are built upon NCATE standards in order to ensure quality. This service learning model is based on an undergraduate level educational technology course. Through their participation in Introduction to Computers in Education, future teachers gain practical experience in a school-based environment that prepares them in the use of educational technology for …

Connecticut Blueprint For A Nclb “Housse” In Educational Technology, Antoinette P. Bruciati

Education Faculty Publications

According to the United States Department of Education, teacher quality is one of the most critical aspects of the teaching and learning process. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has required that state agencies assume the responsibility for increasing student achievement and ensuring teacher quality by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The NCLB outlines minimum qualifications that are needed by teachers who work on any facet of classroom instruction and authorizes state administrators to establish the criteria through which an experienced teacher will meet the subject matter competencies in a specific content area. This paper …

Creation Of A Faculty Task List For Teaching In A Televised Distance Learning Environment, John E. Turner, Philip A. Reed

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to develop a task list from which a self-check readiness evaluation tool could be developed to assist faculty who were unfamiliar with televised distance instruction. The study's results should provide guidance to new faculty in identifying both self-directed and assisted staff development activities in preparation for implementing distance education. A survey of experienced distance learning faculty at a major eastern university was utilized for data collection. Initial survey items came from distance learning literature, as well as interviews and feedback from six faculty members experienced in televised instruction. At the request of the researchers, …

Formal Course Design And The Student Learning Experience, Gary R. Brown, Carrie B. Myers, Sharon E. Roy

Office of Academic Innovation Publications

What impact does collaboration between faculty and professional course designers have on the student learning experience? As the use of technologies increases, educational institutions have to find ways of identifying and addressing expectations about how technologies can best be incorporated into the teaching and learning experiences. This paper reports on efforts at Washington State University to develop and assess the course design and faculty development process and the impact the process has on student learning experiences. The results of a comprehensive set of faculty and student surveys from five groups suggest that the systematic course design process improves students' opportunities …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Integrated Learning System Use On Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students., Vicki Carpenter Kirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between time spent on an integrated learning system (ILS) entitled, SuccessMaker^®, as a supplement to traditional mathematics instruction on achievement as measured by standardized achievement tests of elementary students. The variables of grade-level, ability level, and gender were also considered. The population consisted of students who were second-, third-, and fourth-graders during the 1997-98 school year. Data were gathered that covered the three-year period beginning in 1997 and ending in 2000. The final sample consisted of 348 students who participated in Computer Curriculum Corporation^© mathematics instruction and …