Showing papers in "Journal of research on computing in education in 2001"

Technology integration practice as a function of pedagogical expertise

Abstract: This study investigated how teachers at various levels of technology use and teaching abilities used technology and how technology use related to general teaching practice. Data from case studies of exemplary technology integrators, representing categories of teaching and technology ability, resulted in assertions about the ways these teachers taught with technology, including the existence of teachers’ personal definitions of technology integration, distinctive planning habits when planning for technology inclusion, strategies for teaching about technology that matched teacher learning strategies, management of student computer use, and altered perspectives on assessment. Differences observed among technology use were associated with individual levels of teaching expertise.

Student Attitudes toward Web-Enhanced Instruction in an Introductory Biology Course

Abstract: This study examined student attitudes toward the introduction of a Web component into a general biology course for undergraduate nonmajors at a midsized rural university. The Web component primarily allowed asynchronous learning outside the classroom and increased student-to-student interaction. Students could use the Web site to access chapter outlines, grades, critical-thinking and problem-solving questions, self-grading quizzes, and the course syllabus. It was found that the Web component had a highly positive effect on student learning, problem-solving skills, and critical-thinking skills. The effects of the Web-enhancement tool were assessed using essays, short answer and multiple choice questions, and in-class discussion. The attitude of females in the course toward Web-based learning was found to be significantly more positive than that of males. Furthermore, females in the class were found to use the Web more often than males. Student use of the Web was found to be independent of age, race...

Technology-Using Teachers: Comparing Perceptions of Exemplary Technology Use to Best Practice

Abstract: In this exploratory study, we compared characteristics and teaching practices of teachers perceived to be exemplary technology users with descriptions of exemplary users provided in the literature. Using a qualitative case-study design, we examined the pedagogical beliefs and classroom practices of 17 exemplary technology-using teachers. Findings suggest that exemplary technology use, as perceived and practiced by teachers, does not readily match descriptions of best practice provided in the literature. Rather, exemplary use reflects teachers’ personal beliefs about teaching and learning as well as their specific teaching contexts. (

Teaching and Learning Online: A Collaboration between U.S. and Taiwanese Students

Abstract: To prepare U. S. preservice teachers for online teaching and reaching diverse learners and to provide English instruction to Taiwanese students, American and Taiwanese university students corresponded by e-mail. U.S. preservice teachers explored theory and practice of online instruction, corresponded as tutors to teach English language and American culture, and reflected on their experiences. Taiwanese students practiced English and exchanged cultural information. This research explores documentation of the online teaching and learning experience to identify benefits and limitations of online teaching and learning, online teaching strategies, and cultural aspects associated with cross-cultural collaboration.

Interactive CD-ROM Storybooks and Young Readers' Reading Comprehension.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the level of young readers’ reading comprehension when one group of students read an interactive CD-ROM storybook and another group of students read the same story from a conventionally printed book. A univariate analysis of variance was used to compare scores on oral retellings and comprehension questions. There was no significant difference in mean scores on the retellings between the two groups. There was a significant difference in mean scores on the comprehension questions between the two groups. When comprehension was measured through the use of comprehension questions, students reading the CD-ROM storybook scored higher.

Assessing Teachers' Context Beliefs about Technology Use

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument designed to assess teachers’ context beliefs about using technology in the classroom. The study involved teachers participating in a professional development program focused on the integration of technology with principles of engaged learning. Based on Ford’s (1992) Motivation Systems Theory, items for the Beliefs About Teaching with Technology (BATT) instrument were developed and tested. Validity was partially confirmed through factor analysis and by correlating BATT scores with teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs as measured by the Microcomputer Utilization in Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MUTEBI). In addition, teachers’ context and self-efficacy belief were significant predictors of teachers’ reported use of technology-related engaged learning practices. It was concluded that in the realm of technology school reform efforts, the assessment of context and self-efficacy beliefs is important so that teachers’ belief patterns can serve as a ...

Receptivity to Distance Learning: The Effect of Technology, Reputation, Constraints, and Learning Preferences

Abstract: Recent growth in distance learning (DL) represents a significant change to management education. Notwithstanding its importance, research on DL is at an early stage of development, particularly in understanding the effect of technology perceptions on students’ receptivity toward DL. This study of 399 students at two universities investigates the role of perceived technology usefulness, technological familiarity and accessibility, reputation, constraints, learning preferences, and demographic factors on prospective receptivity toward DL. The results reveal significant relationships between many of these variables and DL receptivity, suggesting new challenges and opportunities for educators. They also indicate that some traditionally held assumptions, for example those regarding accessibility, reputation, and constraints, may not be valid in the new high-tech DL environment. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Using Instructional Technology in Transformed Learning Environments: An Evaluation of Project CHILD

Abstract: This study compared standardized test scores in reading and mathematics for second- and fifth-grade students from two similar technology-rich elementary schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida. One school implemented Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) as its instructional model. The other did not. Project CHILD is a K–5 instructional model that transforms the traditional grade-specific, self-contained elementary classroom into a three-classroom cross-grade cluster. Each classroom in the cluster has at least six learning stations to accommodate varied learning modalities. Students rotate to each classroom in the cluster throughout the day for instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics. Students spend three years working with the same teacher team. Project CHILD students who had completed a full three-year cycle of the program scored higher on all test comparisons. Significant differences were obtained in mathematics applications (Grade 2), reading comprehensi...

Nebraska High School Students' Computer Skills and Attitudes.

Abstract: The widely held conception based on previous studies is that differences exist between gender and racial groups in their attitudes toward and their usage of computer technology. This study used a survey with many open-ended questions to investigate possible differences between high school males and females and racial groups in coeducational and same-sex schools in Nebraska in their attitudes, use, and career interest in technology. Results indicate some areas of difference and some commonalities between gender and racial groups. Hispanics showed a significantly higher interest in computer careers than any other racial group. Implications for educators are discussed.

Laptop Computers and Multimedia and Presentation Software: Their Effects on Student Achievement in Anatomy and Physiology

Abstract: Two groups of high school students alternately used laptop computers with multimedia and presentation software to study anatomy and physiology content over the course of one school year. Each group used computers for two quarters and traditional paper-based materials for two quarters. Both groups were taught the same curriculum by the same teacher. The course grades of the two groups were compared each quarter. Analysis indicated that the students benefited from creating PowerPoint (1986–2000) presentations and reviewing course material with the A.D.A.M. (Animated Dissection of Anatomy for Medicine)—The Inside Story (1997) software.

Cognitive Learning Styles and Academic Performance in Two Postsecondary Computer Application Courses

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of cognitive learning style on academic performance in two university-level computer applications courses offered by the Faculty of Education and the Department of Computer Science at a large urban university The Gregorc Style Delineator (Gregorc, 1982a) was used to collect learning-style information from a sample of 974 students over a four-year period from 1993 to 1997 The effect of learning style on academic performance was found to be significant in both courses Results indicated that sequential learners performed significantly better than did random learners in both courses under investigation Based on the results, a number of recommendations are made for how instructors can accommodate the needs of all learning styles when facilitating computer application courses

Can Students Learn Science Using the Internet

Abstract: Science educators recognize the potential of the Internet as an educational tool However, little research based on educational theory has been conducted to determine how they can maximize the learning potential of this relatively new teaching tool A constructivist and an objectivist instructional format containing the same information was created and presented online The online study examines the effect on learning of variables such as age, gender, racial identity, attitude, aptitude, self-regulated learning, and self-efficacy The only significant interaction showed that older participants perform better using an objectivist approach Therefore, it appears that these characteristics should not be roadblocks to online learning

Web-based Instruction for Education Faculty: A Needs Assessment

Abstract: Research on organizational behavior has shown that the success or failure of an innovation rests ultimately on the people who implement it. This study was a systematic assessment of faculty needs for the incorporation of Web-based instruction into the teacher education curriculum. The needs assessment model involved defining optimal performance, assessing actual practice, and identifying the gap separating the two. The purpose of the study was to understand the technological and pedagogical requirements necessary to prepare education faculty for the paradigm shift envisioned by leading educators and driven by information technology. It took an in-depth look at exemplary practices in the field, such as the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, the recipient of 1998 AACTE Best Practice Award in Systemic Change in Technology.

Educators Revitalize the Classroom “Bulletin Board”: A Case Study of the Influence of Online Dialogue on Face-to-Face Classes from an Adult Learning Perspective

Abstract: A case study of 109 graduate education students in face-to-face classes demonstrates how Web-based bulletin boards can facilitate learning and dialogue. Multiple sources of information in the form of bulletin board postings, electronic journals, reflective essays, class discussions, and interviews are analyzed from an adult learning perspective to reveal how these online experiences can influence the face-to-face classroom. A unique characteristic of this study is that the participants are teachers and teachers-in-training and are instrumental in offering their insight as education professionals. Recommendations for the use of electronic bulletin boards in traditional classes are presented.

Variables of Interest in Exploring the Reflective Outcomes of Network-Based Communication

Abstract: This study explores the opportunities presented by network-based communication to facilitate collaborative critical reflection between teachers. The study took place with 28 elementary and middle school teachers in 10 suburban Chicago schools. These teachers were involved in a two-year technology supported problem-based learning curriculum development effort. Asynchronous network-based communications were featured as teacher communication tools of the project, with the discourse produced by the teachers as the primary data source. The evidence showed that collaboratively produced network-based communication was significantly more reflective than face-to-face discourse between teachers. Face-to-face teacher meetings were highly task structured, while the electronic network was the medium of choice for discussing cause and effect and other contextual factors associated with curriculum development. Several variables, including teacher time, discourse focus, participant composition, and self-efficacy ...

Faculty Involvement in Planning for the Use and Integration of Instructional and Administrative Technologies

Abstract: Colleges and universities increasingly rely on technology for both business and academic operations. Technology, in the form of hardware and software, has made higher education institutions more efficient and has expanded their reach and service areas to a global marketplace. The concern during this period of increasingly pervasive technology at higher education institutions is how to develop appropriate and adequate plans that maximize said technology in both administration and teaching. One method, used on a number of college campuses, involves the formation of faculty advisory groups and, at times, using faculty senate, forum, council, or similar organizations to provide opportunities for broad-based, inclusive decision making. The current study provides a report on a Delphi survey of 29 faculty senate leaders about how faculty should be involved in planning for the use of instructional and administrative technologies.

What Is So Good about User-Centered Design? Documenting the Effect of Usability Sessions on Novice Software Designers.

Abstract: User-centered design proponents advocate the proactive role of the user in the software development process. This study describes how novice software designers interpreted usability sessions and how these designers responded to their users’ reactions to their respective prototypes. Qualitative analysis of class projects, usability sessions, and interviews with three groups of graduate students took place. A follow-up session involved written protocols from another group of graduate students. Overall, these usability sessions had minimal effect on these students’ prototypes and essentially did not yield any valuable information. In an effort to remedy this current situation, this study proposes recommendations on how to improve the training of educational software developers.

Learning Styles and Technology in a Ninth-Grade High School Population

Abstract: This study explores whether a technology-rich environment that promotes a constructivist approach to learning has a significant effect on the learning styles of freshmen high school students. Two high school freshmen classes were pre- and posttested on a learning-style inventory. One high school has a technology-rich environment and uses a project-based approach to learning, while the other school has a more traditional curriculum that is not technology rich. Six variables from the inventory were analyzed in this study. The results suggest that a technology-rich environment that promotes collaborative, project-based learning can have an effect on learning style. This study suggests that the environment contributed to the differential in effect size that was found at posttest time.

Teacher Interaction: Motivating At-Risk Students in Web-based High School Courses

Abstract: At-risk high school students working in a Web-based beginning composition course interacted for seven weeks with an online teacher in one of four different styles of interaction. Students received e-mails enhanced with motivation-building content and/or caring/personal-investment content. Students were observed as they worked in the course, and four variables—including ratings of electronic communication between teacher and student—were analyzed to determine student engagement in course content. Results indicate that enhancing motivation-building and personal-investment content in teacher communications increases at-risk student engage-ment in Web-based courses. Advantages of motivation-building enhancements over personal-investment enhancements and the importance of teacher interaction with at-risk students in Web-based environments are discussed. Educators are increasingly turning to computer-based learning experiences to enhance instruction for their students. Proponents of technology typically cite such features as rapid access to information, increased capacity for authentic ex-periences, and enhanced opportunity to communicate. These potential benefits fit well with current sociocognitive views of learning. There is a growing worry, however, that an increasingly technologically based education system may not benefit all learners equally. Of particular concern are students who are at risk for academic failure for a variety of reasons, ranging from low socioeconomic status and learning disabilities to substance abuse and gang-related activities. The pos-sibility of a widening gap—a “Digital Divide” between the technology “haves” and “have-nots”—appears to be a serious possibility (National Telecommunica-tions and Information Administration, 1999), with limited access to technology standing as a barrier to student participation (Gladieux & Swail, 1999).Arguments citing both advantages and disadvantages of technology-based approaches to teaching at-risk students can be readily constructed. Advantages include increased attention to relevant instructional material (Means, 1997), access to instruction outside the school setting for working students, and de-creased potential for conflicted teacher–student relationships (Birch & Ladd, 1996). On the other hand, technology can make establishing productive teach-er-student relationships very difficult. Though technology-based instruction seems likely to reduce the conflicts often present in teacher interactions with at-risk students, it would seem to have two distinct disadvantages.1. Because of the technology, students are likely to have less access to the teacher’s scaffolding of unfamiliar material.

Collateral Benefits of an Interactive Literacy Program for Grade 1 and 2 Students

Abstract: This study examined the collateral effects of Wiggle Works (1994–1996), an interactive literacy program, in two settings: a cohort study comparing random samples of Grade 1 and 2 students (N = 452) before and after software implementation and a longitudinal sample tracing students from kindergarten to Grade 1 (N = 126) Wiggle Works contributed to greater student use of computers, enhanced computer skills, computer self-efficacy, and (in Grade 1 only) enjoyment of computers The univariate effects were of small to medium size and were robust across grades and genders Positive effects were observed regardless of whether the school received new hardware at the time of software delivery or used existing equipment of sufficient power acquired a year earlier The study suggests that the high cost of adopting interactive literacy software may be warranted if the program has benefits beyond its contributions to reading and writing skills

Using the Internet as a Distance Learning Tool in Selected Secondary School Areas

Abstract: Research for the use of computers in education continues to gain momentum. By reviewing the research that has been completed, educators and administrators may find solutions to problems and issues for integrating educational technology into their educational settings. Many tenets of educational technology integration are emerging. Committed leadership, staff development, curriculum integration, technical support, and planning for the future are just a few areas worthy of additional research. The research described here looked at these areas within a unique population of educators and administrators: the United States Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program. The purpose of this research was to analyze the perceptions of Senior Army Instructors (SAIs) toward the use of the Internet as a distance learning tool in meeting the stated desired learning outcomes of the JROTC program. The worldwide study was conducted in the 1998–1999 school year, covering 1,363 high school JROTC units. ...

On- and Off-Campus Engineering Student Usage of a Computer Conferencing System

Abstract: This article reports on the introduction of a computer-conferencing component into a first-year study unit in technology management at Deakin University, Australia. It was found that significant variations in computer usage were correlated to student study mode, including source of computer access, source of Internet access, hours-per-week computer usage, regular use of e-mail, regular use of the Internet, number of times the conference was accessed, use of computers for games, and use of computers for learning. Other moderate differences were also noted. Following exposure to the computer conference, on-campus students were more likely to agree that computers could assist their learning, and off-campus students were less likely to agree that learning from computers would be better than classes/lectures.

Technology and Multiculturalism in the Classroom: Case Studies in Attitudes and Motivations

Abstract: This research uses a case study approach in examining the attitudes and motivations of five teacher educators who used technology in their classroom. It seeks to find out why teacher educators initially chose to get involved with technology and then addresses issues regarding the process by which the technology was implemented. Specifically, the research describes the teacher educators’ pedagogical beliefs, cultural preferences, and instructional strategies that influenced their selection of Smart Classroom technology (a network of six student computer workstations linked to an instructor). Moreover, it identifies and details six common elements of multicultural technology integration and concludes with a general discussion on the need to combine pedagogical methods with a practical vision of technology use and technical support.