James Gall

Bio: James Gall is an academic researcher from University of Northern Colorado. The author has contributed to research in topics: Instructional design & Educational technology. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 13 publications receiving 119 citations.

Citations of ETR&D and related journals, 1990–2004

Abstract: Scientific communication in the field of educational technology was examined by analyzing references from and citations to articles published in Educational Technology Research and Development (ETR&D) for the period 1990–2004 with particular emphasis on other journals found in the citation record. Data were collected on the 369 core articles found in the 60 issues published during that time period, their reference lists (containing over 14,805 individual items), and citations of those articles in other journals (1,896 entries). The top cited and citing journals during that time period are listed. Nine symbiotic journals (i.e. those that are most cited by ETR&D and frequently cite it) were identified: Contemporary Educational Psychology, Educational Psychologist, Instructional Science, Journal of Computer-Based Instruction (no longer published), Journal of Educational Computing Research, Journal of Educational Psychology, Journal of Educational Research, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and the Review of Educational Research. The results provide an in-depth, quantitative view of informal connections within the field via the citation record. Implications for further research and the potential influence of new technologies on scientific communication are also discussed.

Orienting Tasks and Their Impact on Learning and Attitudes in the Use of Hypertext

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of various external orienting tasks on learning, learner attitudes, and en route behaviors in the use of an educational hypertext system. Thirty-one sophomore students enrolled in three honors sections of an introductory military history course at the United States Air Force Academy served as subjects in this study. During three 50-minute class periods, the participants used a hypertext database containing approximately 200 articles on airpower in World War I. Each section was given one of three orienting tasks--one in which they were asked to browse the database to learn the content (browsing condition), a second in which they were required to answer factual questions about the material in the database (searching condition), or a third in which they were required to answer conceptual questions (connecting condition). Results indicated that the connecters performed the best on conceptual understanding of the material, followed by the searchers with the browsers performing the worst. Connecters also reported the highest levels of database utility for completing their task and the posttest. These findings indicate the powerful nature of an orienting task and the positive impact of conceptual questions on learning and attitudes. ********** One of the most compelling features of hypertext is the ability of readers to access materials in nonlinear, idiosyncratic ways. In contrast, print-based materials are essentially linear in nature and readers are expected to approach them from a similar perspective. The use of hypertext is not merely a change in how documents are read, but rather represents a fundamental change in how we define documents (Martin, 1990). The most common example is the World Wide Web (WWW or Web). Although composed of "pages," the form and content of existing websites varies dramatically. The flexibility of information access in hypertext is particularly important in educational applications (Shapiro & Niederhauser, 2004). For example, a hypertext designer can create alternative structures for novice and expert learners. However, as Jonassen, Peck, and Wilson (1999, p. 92) argued, it may be more important to "think of hypermedia primarily as an environment to construct personal knowledge and learn with, not a form of instruction to learn from." In other words, hypertext is less about the transfer of a message and more about the message constructed when a learner interacts with a variety of materials. Despite the relative novelty of hypertext, the existing research literature in education can certainly be referenced to guide its use. For example, there exists a large body of empirical research on learner control and metacognition that suggests that when learners are given control, they often make poor choices (Steinberg, 1989). Although this research was largely focused on didactic instruction, it does provide a cautionary tone for all forms of educational materials that rely heavily on student control. The challenge to hypertext researchers is how to take advantage of the flexible nature of the medium without the potential pitfalls suggested by previous research on learner control. The type of learner control found in hypertext is different from that found in more linear computer-based instruction. Gall and Hannafin (1994) suggested that there are four possible learner control structures in accessing hypertext: browsing, searching, connecting, and collecting. Browsing is a casual perusal of information motivated by interest. Searching, on the other hand, is a systematic scan for a particular piece of information. Connecting is the linking of related concepts. A learner may functionally create the link, or more commonly, a link is provided in the design and the learner's linking becomes a cognitive exercise. Finally, collecting is an essentially learner-centered activity in which a learner creates an artifact (which itself may be hypertextual in nature) to represent his or her understanding. …

Rethinking the Computer in Education

Abstract: The computer has had a profound impact on our society, yet educators continue to struggle with its influence both inside and outside the classroom. This article recounts pivotal events in the development of the modern computer and its role in education. These events are described not only in terms of their technical importance, but also as influencing our very conception of the “computer.” The author suggests that rather than solely focusing on networked, personal computers, the future of educational technology may lie in the use of specialized, economical computing devices built around open software solutions.

经验与教育 = Experience and education

Abstract: Experience and Educationis the best concise statement on education ever published by John Dewey, the man acknowledged to be the pre-eminent educational theorist of the twentieth century. Written more than two decades after Democracy and Education(Dewey's most comprehensive statement of his position in educational philosophy), this book demonstrates how Dewey reformulated his ideas as a result of his intervening experience with the progressive schools and in the light of the criticisms his theories had received. Analysing both "traditional" and "progressive" education, Dr. Dewey here insists that neither the old nor the new education is adequate and that each is miseducative because neither of them applies the principles of a carefully developed philosophy of experience. Many pages of this volume illustrate Dr. Dewey's ideas for a philosophy of experience and its relation to education. He particularly urges that all teachers and educators looking for a new movement in education should think in terms of the deeped and larger issues of education rather than in terms of some divisive "ism" about education, even such an "ism" as "progressivism." His philosophy, here expressed in its most essential, most readable form, predicates an American educational system that respects all sources of experience, on that offers a true learning situation that is both historical and social, both orderly and dynamic.

Handbook of research on effective electronic gaming in education

Abstract: Product or company names used in this set are for identification purposes only. Inclusion of the names of the products or companies does not indicate a claim of ownership by IGI Global of the trademark or registered trademark. Summary: "This book presents a framework for understanding games for educational purposes while providing a broader sense of current related research. This creative and advanced title is a must-have for those interested in expanding their knowledge of this exciting field of electronic gaming"-Provided by publisher. All work contributed to this book set is original material. The views expressed in this book are those of the authors, but not necessarily of the publisher. If a library purchased a print copy of this publication, please go to http://www.igi-global.com/agreement for information on activating the library's complimentary electronic access to this publication. AbstrAct Though video games can produce desirable learning outcomes, such as improved performance in school subjects, they also can produce undesirable outcomes, such as increased aggression. Some of the basic learning principles that make video games (particularly violent video games) effective at teaching are discussed in this chapter. A general learning model is presented to explain how video games can produce a variety of effects in their users. This model explains both the immediate, short term effects and cumulative, long term effects of video games. Implications of these principles are discussed in relation to education. The issue of addressing violent video games' effects on aggression is also examined.

Research and trends in the field of e-learning from 2001 to 2005: A content analysis of cognitive studies in selected journals

Abstract: This paper provided a content analysis of studies in the field of cognition in e-learning that were published in five Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) journals (i.e. Computers and Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Educational Technology Research &Development, and Journal of Computer Assisted Learning) from 2001 to 2005. Among the 1027 articles published in these journals from 2001 to 2005, 444 articles were identified as being related to the topic of cognition in e-learning. These articles were cross analyzed by published years, journal, research topic, and citation count. Furthermore, 16 highly-cited articles across different topics were chosen for further analysis according to their research settings, participants, research design types, and research methods. It was found from the analysis of the 444 articles that ''Instructional Approaches,'' ''Learning Environment,'' and ''Metacognition'' were the three most popular research topics, but the analysis of the citation counts suggested that the studies related to ''Instructional Approaches,'' ''Information Processing'' and ''Motivation'' might have a greater impact on subsequent research. Although the use of questionnaires might still be the main method of gathering research data in e-learning cognitive studies, a clear trend was observed that more and more studies were utilizing learners' log files or online messages as data sources for analysis. The results of the analysis provided insights for educators and researchers into research trends and patterns of cognition in e-learning.

iPads in higher education—hype and hope

Abstract: This paper systematically reviews current research on using iPads in the higher education sector. Since the release of iPads by Apple in 2010, this new technology has been quickly adopted everywhere, especially by the younger generation and professionals. We were motivated to find out how iPads have been adopted for use in the higher education sector. We searched for and collected all the peer-reviewed publications in conference proceedings and scholarly journals in EBSCOhost, Scopus, Informit A+ Education, Pro Quest Academic Research Library and Google Scholar, and conducted a content analysis of the full-text papers collected. The results show that the reported studies are at an early exploratory stage from both the student and staff perspectives. From the student perspective, the iPad was found to enhance the learning experience but not necessarily lead to better learning outcomes. From the staff perspective, the iPad was found to offer benefits associated with electronic information dissemination, academic administration and professional development support. A finding common to both perspectives is that while the iPad has the potential to offer benefits to the academics and students who were found to be eager adopters of this technology, it is not clear how best to align and integrate it within the academic programmes and workflows, and how best to manage it as a resource within a university's organisational setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting complex systems learning through the use of conceptual representations in hypermedia

Abstract: Studying complex systems is increasingly important in many science domains. Many features of complex systems make it difficult for students to develop deep understanding. Our previous research indicated that a function-centered conceptual representation is part of the disciplinary toolbox of biologists, suggesting that it is an appropriate representation to help students develop deep understanding. This article reports on the results of two experiments that investigate how hypermedia using a conceptual representation influences pre-service teachers' and middle school students' learning of a complex biological system, the human respiratory system. We designed two versions of instructional hypermedia based on the structure–behavior-function conceptual representation. One hypermedia was function-centered which emphasized the function and behavior of the system, whereas the other was focused on the structure of the system. We contrasted the instructional effectiveness of these two alternative conceptual representations. The results of both studies indicated that participants using the function-centered hypermedia developed deeper understanding than those using the structure-centered version. This proof-of-concept study suggests that the function-centered conceptual representation is a powerful way to promote complex systems understanding. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 1023–1040, 2009