Educational Psychology Commons^™

Using Weblogs In Scholarship And Teaching, David Wiley, Trey Martindale

Faculty Publications

The web has become an important resource for teaching and learning (National Center for Educational Statistics [NCES], 2003). One reason the web is such a vital resource is that it allows almost anyone to contribute to its "holdings." Tools like HTML editors and FTP clients have made web publishing available to many teachers and students. However, the challenge of learning to use these tools has been a barrier to web publishing for many. Weblogs reduce the technical barriers to effective web publishing significantly.

Redesigning The Teacher Education Technology Course To Emphasize Integration, Charles R. Graham, Richard Culatta, Mitchell Pratt, Richard West

Faculty Publications

Teacher education programs in the United States are trying to equip tomorrow’s teachers with the technology skills needed to impact learning in the classroom. During the past decade there has been a realization that teaching technology skills alone is not adequate– pre-service teachers must also learn how to integrate the use of technology into their curriculum. This paper describes BYU’s instructional technology course and the design process that a team of instructors went through to redesign the course in order to put greater emphasis on technology integration. An iterative redesign approach was used. Several iterations of the course redesign will …

Reevaluating Course Completion In Distance Education—Avoiding The Comparison Between Apples And Oranges, Scott L. Howell, R. Dwight Laws, Nathan K. Lindsay

Faculty Publications

Critics of distance education frequently assert that completion rates are lower in distance education courses than in traditional courses. Such criticism comes despite sparse and inconclusive research on completion rates for distance and traditional education courses. This article reviews some of the existing research and then describes some of the caveats and complexities in comparing completion rates in traditional and distance education. Analysis reveals that numerous factors make comparison between these two formats difficult, if not impossible. Problems include limitations in the research design itself, differences in student demographics, and inconsistent methods of calculating and reporting completion. After exploring these …

Linking Mentoring And Electronic Portfolios For Utah Educators, Charles R. Graham, Kathleen Webb, Carol Lee Hawkins, David Harlan

Faculty Publications

Starting January 2003 Utah districts are required to provide each entry level teacher with a trained mentor (EYE, 2003). Additionally, each entry level teacher will be required to create a standards-based teaching portfolio to submit to the district as part of the Level 2 licensure process. This paper provides practical information about standards-based electronic teaching portfolios and how the portfolios can be used as a vehicle for mentoring novice teachers.

Blended Learning Environments Definitions And Directions, Russell T. Osguthorpe, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

During the past decade the availability of computer technologies, such as the Internet, have greatly expanded the educational options available to learners and instructors alike. Innovative uses of technology have begun to blur the distinctions between traditional face-to-face and more recent distance learning environments. As the learning environments have been combined, many have recognized the inherent strengths and weaknesses associated with both.

A Model Of Norm Development For Computer-Mediated Teamwork, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

The process of establishing norms is an important aspect of group dynamics. Most, if not all, of the major models of group development incorporate norming as an important part of the process. However, little is understood and agreed on regarding how norms develop.With the increased availability and power of technology to connect people at remote sites, the popularity of computer-mediated teamwork has increased dramatically. This new communication context brings with it some dramatic differences from the traditional face-to-face context, along with a need to understand how norms develop in this environment. This study investigates the norming process engaged in by …

Blending Face-To-Face And Distance Learners In A Synchronous Class: Instructor And Learner Experiences, P. Clint Rogers, Charles R. Graham, Rus Rasmussen, J. Olin Campbell, Donna M. Ure

Faculty Publications

Like many institutions, Brigham Young University (BYU) is searching for ways to extend the reach of its programs without expanding the physical classroom and without incurring unreasonable costs. Internet supported instruction provides one alternative, with millions of students already attending Web-based classes (Gubernick & Ebeling, 1997). This case study examines the development of a class that blends distance and face-to-face students in a synchronous class. This case study focuses on how this blended learning environment was experienced by the distance and face-to-face students as well as the instructor.

Using Low-Threshold Applications And Software Templates To Improve Efficiency In An Introductory Statistics Course, Jason K. Mcdonald

Faculty Publications

This study was an exploratory study in improving efficiency in university courses by using low-cost methods of design and development that can be easily managed by university faculty. To explore this issue, we developed a lesson for the Statistics department at Brigham Young University using low-threshold applications (uses of technology that are low-cost and easy to learn) and software templates. We evaluated the lesson as a possible method to decrease the number of hours instructors were required to spend teaching in class. We discovered that students responded positively to the lesson, and that the methods of lesson design and development …

The Ecosystem Of Partnerships: A Case Study Of A Long-Term University-Community Partnership, Gary Daynes, Scott L. Howell, Nathan K. Lindsay

Faculty Publications

This article presents a case study describing a robust fortyeight- year partnership between the Boy Scouts of America, Brigham Young University, Utah Valley State College, and others in an annual merit badge Powwow1 for Boy Scouts. Service-learning occurs as five hundred university students and faculty prepare for and teach merit badge classes to five thousand Boy Scouts as part of this Powwow. The article presents the history and operation of the Powwow, describes benefits to participants, and identifies some of the factors that contribute to the enduring nature of the partnership. The case study suggests that partnerships are similar to …

Factors For Effective Learning Groups In Face-To-Face And Virtual Environments, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

Group work has been a powerful instructional method used in face-to-face learning environments. To date, group work has not reached the same prominence in distance learning environments where there is a strong emphasis on independent or individualistic learning. This may be due in part to the perceived difficulty of engaging students in working together at a distance, as well as a general lack of knowledge about the factors that contribute to effective virtual group work. This paper reviews the literature related to creating effective learning groups in face-to-face and virtual environments. Research from the following four areas was used: cooperative …

Bringing Online Learning To Campus: The Hybridization Of Teaching And Learning At Brigham Young University, Gregory L. Waddoups, Scott L. Howell

Faculty Publications

The primary purpose of Brigham Young University (BYU) is to provide students with a combination of sacred and secular education often described as the BYU experience. Achieving this purpose is challenged by the rapid growth in Church membership and an enrollment cap of 30,000 students. To address these challenges, BYU sponsors the use of technology to bridge the gap between the increased Church membership and the number of students allowed under the enrollment caps. This institutional case study shows how these challenges have influenced the hybridization of teaching and learning for on campus (resident) and off campus (distance) students. It …

Seven Principles Of Effective Teaching: A Practical Lens For Evaluating Online Courses, Charles R. Graham, Kursat Cagiltay, Byung-Ro Lim, Joni Craner, Thomas M. Duffy

Faculty Publications

The "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education," originally published in the AAHE Bulletin (Chickering & Gamson, 1987), are a popular framework for evaluating teaching in traditional, face-to-face courses. The principles are based on 50 years of higher education research (Chickering & Reisser, 1993). A faculty inventory (Johnson Foundation, "Faculty," 1989) and an institutional inventory (Johnson Foundation, "Institutional," 1989) based on these principles have helped faculty members and higher-education institutions examine and improve their teaching practices.

We, a team of five evaluators from Indiana University's Center for Research on Learning and Technology (CRLT), recently used these principles to evaluate …

A Non-Authoritative Educational Metadata Ontology For Filtering And Recommending Learning Objects, David Wiley, Mimi M. Recker

Faculty Publications

Digital libraries populated with learning objects are becoming popular tools in the creation of instructional technologies. Many current efforts to create standard metadata structures that facilitate the discovery and instructional use of learning objects recommend a single, authoritative metadata record per version of the learning object. However, as we argue in this paper, a single metadata record -- particularly one with fields that emphasize knowledge management and technology, while evading instructional issues -- provides information insufficient to support instructional utilization decisions. To put learning objects to instructional use, users must examine the individual objects, forfeiting the supposed benefits of the …

Theoretical And Practical Requirements For A System Of Pre-Design Analysis, Andrew S. Gibbons, Jon S. Nelson, Robert E. Richards

Faculty Publications

This research is aimed at bridging the worlds of simulation design as practiced by computer scientists and systems engineers and instructional design as practiced by a multitude of corporate, government, and military instructional designers, most of whom lack formal schooling in the techniques of either area.

Java Applets Enhance Learning In A Freshman Ece Course, Charles R. Graham, Timothy N. Trick

Faculty Publications

The goals of our work have been to enhance the learning environment of our students and to increase the productivity of faculty by freeing them from the drudgery of grading homework and quizzes, as well as the time required to record and compute grades. We have achieved these goals by means of the highly interactive World Wide Web (WWW)-based learning environment provided by MallardTM, 1,2 and by the development of several java applets within the Mallard environment to enhance the learning process. These Java applets are the subject of this paper. They include the ability to draw timing diagrams and …

Effects Of Visual/Verbal Associations, Anna C. Martin

Faculty Publications

Different effects of instructional strategies on recall and comprehension of terms frequently used in formal analysis of art were examined. The study looked at a synthesis of three theoretical positions: dual-coding theory; schema theory; and elaboration theory. Two-hundred and fifty sixth-grade students were randomly assigned to three groups: control subjects; graphic subjects; and transformational subjects. Instruments consisted of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) and the Art Vocabulary Test (AVT). The program consisted of three phases: (1) a 10-minute study session; (2) an interactive discussion; and (3) a drawing task. The results suggested that imagery strategies help students form and retain …

The Elementary School Counselor: A Man Of Action, Robert Mendelson

Faculty Publications

The elementary school counselor; a newly-emerged member of the pupil personnel term; is a specialist whose skills are directed toward helping children develop in a healthy; normal way. His skills should allow him to understand the concerns children have; the meanings and goals of their behavior; and the psychological systems which affect their lives. His training should aid him in communicating his acceptance and his interest in each child. Academic preparation should include specialized courses in counseling and in psychology. Research supports the counseling function as one of the primary duties of the elementary school counselor. Although the bulk of …