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The standard final assessment for Dr. Max Felker-Kantor's undergraduate Ball State University course, 'American History 1877 to the Present,' was a research paper, and that is exactly what I planned [...]

How are Engineering Undergraduate Students Surviving if They Can't Learn in Labs? Abbie Ganas and Ho Lun Chan The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the paradigm of teaching. As students and [...]

ABSTRACT Background. Descriptive literature on use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in nursing education exists; but, quantitative outcome-driven studies of efficacy are lacking. Few studies have explored the integration of [...]

Computers and instructional technologies have become ubiquitous in schools. At the same time, national and global reports have criticized the inadequacy of teacher preparation with respect to technology use (CEO Forum on Education and Technology, 2000; Davis & Irvine, 2005, Lara & Whittier, 2004, Moursund & Bielfeldt, 1999, and Mumtaz, 2000) while society in general has embraced 21st century technology innovations for daily living, a gap remains in the understanding of appropriate uses for technology in the learning environment (Banister & Ross, 2006). This quantitative study investigates how teacher preparation programs prepare prospective teachers to integrate new instructional technologies into their instructional activities, with the goal of enhancing teaching and learning for the PreK-12 students. Four research questions guided the study. The most significant finding from the study is that teacher preparation programs need to revamp their programs if prospective teachers are to adequately integrate instructional technologies into their instructional activities., INTRODUCTION Technology in the classroom is not a passing phenomenon (Kinzer, Coiro, and Cammack, 2004). According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) (2009), 'students today need access to [...]

ABSTRACT Educators continue to search for effective methods that will engage students in their learning. This article presents the integration of clickers using the constructivist approach to foster critical thinking [...]

A Presenter's enthusiasm will be contagious if he/she combines a meaningful mission with engaging examples and opportunities to extend the experience. Whether learners use PowerPoint or Google Presentations, it's time [...]

Today's entering college students have the advantage of a lifetime of computer use. Education scholars and professionals claim that such exposure makes these students the most prepared ever to enter college. It cannot be argued that the advent of the Web, and Web 2.0 has placed at students' fingertips great works of literature, art, and science. It also cannot be argued that despite all this opportunity, students enter college writing with less precision than at any time in the last century. The two facts are reconcilable because (1) students map the world of technology differently than we do; and (2) they live in a digital culture different from our own. Until we understand that our perception of computers and technology is vastly different from our students, we cannot understand why they do what they do, and they will never understand what we want of them. This article argues that unless we change our pedagogy of technology, students and faculty will continue to be frustrated at poor performance, plagiarism, and misunderstandings about what each expects of the other. Keywords: Netizen, Net Generation, Computer-Assisted Learning, Learning Theory, Computer-Aided Teaching. Los estudiantes que entran a la universidad en el siglo XXI tienen una ventaja sobre sus colegas de hace una decada porque tienen toda una vida usando el computador. Academicos y profesionales afirman que dicha exposicion convierte a estos estudiantes en los mejor preparados para entrar a la universidad. No puede ser negado que la llegada del internet y de la web 2.0 ha colocado al alcance de los estudiantes grandes obras de literatura, arte y ciencia. Tampoco puede ser negado que, a pesar de todas estas oportunidades, los estudiantes entran a la universidad escribiendo con menor precision que cualquier otro momento en el ultimo siglo. Ambos hechos son compatibles porque: (1) los estudiantes interpretan el mundo de la tecnologia de forma diferente a nosotros, y (2) ellos viven en una cultura digital diferente a la nuestra. Hasta que comprendamos que nuestra percepcion de las computadoras y la tecnologia es diferente a la de nuestros estudiantes, no comprenderemos porque hacen lo que hacen, y ellos nunca comprenderdn lo que queremos de ellos. Este articulo sugiere que, a menos que cambiemos nuestra pedagogia de la tecnologia, estudiantes y profesores continuardn frustrados por el bajo rendimiento, plagio y malentendidos acerca de lo que cada uno espera del otro., The education world has pursued new technology with an almost evangelical zeal and it is time to take a step back and give proper consideration to how we use it. [...]

Exams have traditionally been given to evaluate students but in recent years, with the appearance of freely accessible on-line tutoring, quizzes can also be used as a learning tool. In [...]

This paper reports on an interactive computer-aided-learning (CAL) tool that was developed for the education of construction engineering students: the excavation game. It builds on the large potential of using CAL in education. CAL tools could offer a better learning environment for students, as they provide an excellent opportunity for applying and testing the management skills learned in classroom, but are difficult to implement in reality. In this research, the CAL tool focuses on improving students' decision-making skills in the aspects of excavation and related activities. These are excavation equipment, dewatering, and soil-support methods. It also covers mobilization, surveying, safety, overtime shifts, and reporting. Students compete with regard to time, cost, and quality of construction of a given project. The game flow is nonlinear as it depends on students' decisions. Wrong decisions deviate the construction flow to a path that costs money and time, while reducing quality. This must be corrected costing extra money and time. The game was tested by senior practicing engineering and university professors. Then, it was tested by senior undergraduate construction students. Both groups agreed that the game responds, to a great extent, to the characteristics of effective CAL software, and that the information provided could not be easily assimilated or practiced through the usual tutorial or demonstration educational format. 18% of the professionals and 72% of students indicated the usefulness of the game in applying management and decision-making skills. 60-70% of students believed that it improved their technical skills in dewatering, soil-support, and excavation activities. In addition, 80% of the professionals found the game presenting realistic soil-support and excavation situations, while 72% of students became more appreciative of the interdependencies between activities. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1-1.00000 CE Database subject headings: Excavation; Construction management; Decision making; Engineering education; Simulation; Egypt. Author keywords: Buildings; Excavation; Construction management; Decision making; Engineering education; Computer-aided instruction; Simulation; Egypt.

Computerized lessons that reflect stimulus equivalence principles were used to teach college students concepts related to inferential statistics and hypothesis decision making. Lesson 1 taught participants concepts related to inferential statistics, and Lesson 2 taught them to base hypothesis decisions on a scientific hypothesis and the direction of an effect. Lesson 3 taught the conditional influence of inferential statistics over decisions regarding the scientific and null hypotheses. Participants entered the study with low scores on the targeted skills and left the study demonstrating a high level of accuracy on these skills, which involved mastering more relations than were taught formally. This study illustrates the efficiency of equivalence-based instruction in establishing academic skills in sophisticated learners. Key words: college students, contextual control, inferential statistics, instruction, stimulus equivalence doi: 10.1901/jaba.2010.43-437

E-books have the potential to unveil an array of new teaching and learning possibilities as traditional and new literacy skills are integrated in meaningful ways. A visit to a local [...]

Digital game play is a common activity for U.S. teens (Lenhart et al., 2008) because it engages them in the subject matter, provides a more interesting way to practice problem-solving […], Researchers conducted a mixed-methods study with 21 undergraduate university students majoring in education to determine their ability to recognize the motivational factors and 21st-century learning skills associated with digital games. Results suggest that students in the study were able to detect the learning skills embedded in games. The majority of participants stated that the element of motivation was important, but motivation alone was not a sufficient reason to influence them to use digital-game-based instruction in their future classrooms. However, peer modeling and the positive responses received from middle/high school students to whom candidates taught games appeared to be factors in teacher candidates' decision to use digital games in the classroom. (Keywords: digital learning games, 21st-century learning skills, new pedagogies, teacher candidates, educational innovations)

There is no single magic technology in education for learning. In fact, deploying a useful technology infrastructure for teaching and learning has proven difficult for many districts and teachers (Barron, […], In this study, we introduce the digital backpack as a means for creating a rich learning experience for students of multiple ages. Development, design, and refinement of the digital backpack are grounded in the theoretical framework of Universal Design for Learning using a Design-Based Research (DBR) model. This article presents the design and initial testing of the digital backpack. We discuss the refinement of the digital backpack in a case format that involved three DBR cycles focused on increasingly complex outcomes of design and learning. Finally, the article offers the lessons learned to encourage further exploration of this technology. (Keywords: digital backpack, Universal Design for Learning, design-based research, mobile technology)

This study reports a randomized controlled trial evaluation of a computer-based balanced literacy intervention, ABRACADABRA (http://grover.concordia.ca/abra/versionl/abracadabra.html). Children (N = 144) in Grade 1 were exposed either to computer activities for word analysis, text comprehension, and fluency, alongside shared stories (experimental groups), or to balanced literacy approaches delivered by their classroom teachers (control group). Two computer-based interventions--a phoneme-based synthetic phonics method and a time-based analytic phonics method--were contrasted. Children were taught 4 times per week for 12 weeks in small groups. There were significant improvements in letter knowledge in the analytic phonics program and significant improvements in phonological awareness, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension at immediate posttest and in phonological awareness and reading fluency at a delayed posttest in the synthetic phonics program. Effect size analyses confirmed that both interventions had a significant impact on literacy at both posttests. Keywords: reading skills, intervention, prevention, computer-assisted instruction, literacy programs

Effects of a 15-wk. computer-assisted course or regular instruction on concept development by 6-yr.-old kindergarten children in Ankara (M age of sample=66.0 mo., SD=4.6; M age of girls=65.0 mo., SD=4.4; M age of boys=66.0 mo., 5D = 4.5). Children were assigned to two groups of 40 (Experimental group: 18 girls and 22 boys; M girls' age=65.3 mo., SD=3.7, M boys' age=67.1 mo., SD=4.1; Control group: 21 girls, 19 boys, M girls' age = 64.9 mo., SD = 5.01, M boys' age = 66.7 mo., SD = 5.1). All were given the Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised and a general information form. Mean posttest scores in concept development for the group given computer-assisted training were statistically significantly higher.

Although there has been much research on how to help students learn physics, students still come away without a deep understanding of how physics has transformed the world around them and almost all leave with decreased expectations and a more negative attitude toward physics. We discuss an experiment to address this problem: a course weblog which discusses real-world applications of physics and engages students in discussion and thinking outside of class. Students' attitudes toward the value of physics and its applicability to the real-world were probed using a 26-question Likert scale survey over the course of four semesters in an introductory physics course. We found that students who did not participate in the blog generally exhibited a deterioration in attitude toward physics as seen previously. Students who read, commented, and were involved with the blog maintained their initially positive attitudes toward physics. Student response to the blog was overwhelmingly positive, with students claiming that the blog made the subjects studied in the classroom come alive for them and seem more relevant.

Teaching Mathematics to intermediate school boys is a challenging process which can greatly benefit from software technology and web-based learning. In this research we study the difficulties and opportunities of using this technology in teaching Mathematics to 13 year old boys studying Mathematics at school. For students' we identify the basic requirements at home, e.g., Mathematics computer software packages, availability of internet access and ability of the parents to provide computers, software and the internet for their sons. We assess the expected improvement in grades, motivation and communication between home and school. For the teaches', we assess the expected improvement in teachers' productivity, teachers' experience, qualifications in computing and Mathematics packages and their anticipated expectations such as improvement in problem solving, grades of students. Our main objective is to determine the expected results resulting from applying computer software and web-based learning in teaching Mathematics. Key words: Mathematics computer education, evaluation, learning and teaching, software, education, INTRODUCTION The introduction of information technology in recent years has provided the opportunity to integrate alternative learning techniques into traditional teaching (35). Learning or teaching systems have been developed in [...]

This article reviews research on the achievement outcomes of three types of approaches to improving elementary mathematics: mathematics curricula, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and instructional process programs. Study inclusion requirements included use of a randomized or matched control group, a study duration of at least 12 weeks, and achievement measures not inherent to the experimental treatment. Eighty-seven studies met these criteria, of which 36 used random assignment to treatments. There was limited evidence supporting differential effects of various mathematics textbooks. Effects of CAI were moderate. The strongest positive effects were found for instructional process approaches such as forms of cooperative learning, classroom management and motivation programs, and supplemental tutoring programs. The review concludes that programs designed to change daily teaching practices appear to have more promise than those that deal primarily with curriculum or technology alone. KEYWORDS: best-evidence syntheses, elementary mathematics, experiments, meta-analysis, reviews of research.

Mutagenesis screens and analysis of mutant phenotypes are one of the most powerful approaches for the study of genetics. Yet genetics students often have difficulty understanding the experimental procedures and breeding crosses required in mutagenesis screens and linking mutant phenotypes to molecular defects. Performing these experiments themselves often aids students in understanding the methodology. However, there are limitations to performing genetics experiments in a student laboratory. For example, the generation time of laboratory model organisms is considerable, and a laboratory exercise that involves many rounds of breeding or analysis of many mutants is not often feasible. Additionally, the cost of running a laboratory practical, along with safety considerations for particular reagents or protocols, often dictates the experiments that students can perform. To provide an alternative to a traditional laboratory module, we have used Scenario-Based-Learning Interactive (SBLi) software to develop a virtual laboratory to support a second year undergraduate course entitled 'Genetic Analysis.' This resource allows students to proceed through the steps of a genetics experiment, without the time, cost, or safety constraints of a traditional laboratory exercise.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were (a) to identify cognitive abilities and other factors related to successful completion of training for computer-based tasks that simulated real jobs and (b) to create a brief assessment battery useful in assessing older adults for these kinds of jobs. Design and Methods: Participants from three age groups (young, middle-aged, and older) completed a battery of cognitive measures. They then trained on one of three computer-based tasks that simulated actual jobs and were asked to perform the tasks for 3 days. We recorded whether they completed training and whether and how well they did the tasks. In a series of logistic regressions, we evaluated the ability of a subset of cognitive measures drawn from a larger battery to predict participants' ability to successfully complete training and go on to task performance. Results: Results confirmed theory-based expectations that measures of domain knowledge, crystallized intelligence, memory, and psychomotor speed would predict success in computer-based activities. A brief battery was able to predict older adults' successful completion of training for one task but was less useful for another. Implications: A brief battery of cognitive measures may be useful in evaluating individuals for job selection. Different measures are related to job-related criteria depending on task and group evaluated, although it was not possible to identify a reduced battery for one task. The specific cognitive abilities related to participants' success have implications for task and interface design for the elderly population. Key Words: Neuropsychological tests, Computers, Cognition, Older worker

We give an overview of the Physics Educational Technology (PhET) project to research and develop web-based interactive simulations for teaching and learning physics. The design philosophy, simulation development and testing process, and range of available simulations are described. The highlights of PhET research on simulation design and effectiveness in a variety of educational settings are provided. This work has shown that a well-designed interactive simulation can be an engaging and effective tool for learning physics. [DOI: 10.1119/1.2815365]

This paper proposes a two-step strategy for the computer-aided learning of control. A virtual Web-based laboratory for control design experiments (http://www.hll.uni-mb.si), which supports a two-step strategy, is based on the MATLAB Web server (MWS) and consists of two virtual laboratories. The first virtual laboratory, called 'Web sisotool,' supports computer-aided control design and structured hands-on experiments. Computer-aided control design is welcome as a design tool while structured hands-on experiments are welcome for the visualization of hard-to-grasp concepts. The second virtual laboratory offers students an unstructured MATLAB-Iike environment, called 'M-file application' that allows students to create and design control design experiments by writing MATLAB M-files of their own and executing them on MWS. The presented virtual laboratory for control design experiments is cost effective and has already been successfully used for the learning of control. Student feedback is also presented. Index Terms--Bode plot, computer-aided design, control design learning, M-file, MATLAB Web server (MWS), structured hands-on experiments, unstructured environment, virtual laboratory.

Use of a systems approach, as embodied in the computer simulation model of metabolism of a dairy cow, Molly (Baldwin, 2005), is ideal for teaching nutrition. This approach allows the overall complexity of the comprehensive system to be broken down into smaller manageable subunits that are easier to visualize. Quantitative interactions among nutrients supplied and metabolic production processes can be observed over extended time periods. Using Molly, undergraduate animal science students are able to observe detailed effects of changing dietary inputs, altering genetic milk production potential, and exogenously ma nipulating metabolism on metabolism of the whole cow. This paper demonstrates how Molly is used in the classroom to teach a systems approach to nutrition using example simulations. Three simulation examples demonstrate exercises examining effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin administration, dietary protein, and amino acid supplementation and nitrogen efficiency on milk production and cow metabolism. These and similar examples have been used to teach nutrition, metabolism, and lactation to undergraduate students for the past 20 yr. Key words: computer simulation model, classroom, dairy cow, metabolism, nutrition

The present paper analyses the results of a research study on translation students' satisfaction and perceived improvement of their computer, tele- and teamworking skills by using Basic Support Cooperative Work (BSCW) software. The data were obtained from questionnaires given before and after taking part in the project. Results have proven the suitability of BSCW for telework training. The students' opinions about teamwork are now more positive and they feel more confident about their computer and translation skills. Student satisfaction is almost unanimous. Keywords: virtual classroom, teleworking, teamworking, satisfaction, translation process

Abstract The computer-supported Project Work classroom learning environment discussed in this paper represents a paradigm shift from teacher-centered to student-centered teaching and learning in Singapore schools. Besides the face-to-face weekly […]

Abstract We further evaluated the Virtual Lecture Hall (VLH) (Cramer, Collins, Snider, & Fawcett, in press), an instructional computer-based platform to deliver PowerPoint slides threaded with audio clips for later […]

A good teacher is able to customize the lesson to fit the requirements and needs of the learners he or she has in the classroom. This process becomes difficult and expensive in open and distance education, where customization means availability of similar contents, presented in diversified styles. A methodology and the tools to tackle the problem by using automated course compilation have been developed in the 3DE project (Design, Development, and Delivery--Electronic Environment for Educational Multimedia). The work on course customization showed the key role of the authoring process and the related problems. This paper summarizes the methodology and describes the development environment designed to assist authors in the creation of customized educational material. The environment seeks to help teachers/authors understand the relations among pedagogical and technical aspects and provides instructions, guidelines, and assistance for the development of learning-styles-aware material. The paper focuses on the author interface of the environment with details on the pedagogical framework, the authors' guide, the classification guide, and the metadata tool. Index Terms--Authoring guide, automated course construction, educational effectiveness, interoperability, learning styles (LSs), personalized learning, reuse.

Graduate-level instruction in statistical computing need not be relegated to courses devoted to statistical computing; even theoretical statistics courses can include considerable computational content through well-designed exercises. Such exercises should be chosen so that they force students to learn essential computing skills without impeding instruction of theory. A series of examples used in a course on large-sample theory illustrates this thesis. KEY WORDS: Large-sample theory; Statistical computing.

This review compares multiple-try feedback (MTF) to other common forms of feedback for lower- and higher-order learning outcomes. Twelve effect sizes from eleven studies indicate that MTF is less effective than other types of feedback lot verbatim outcomes, with a median effect size of -0.22 and a mean effect size of -0.22. However, twenty-three effect sizes from fourteen studies indicates that MTF is slightly more effective than other types of feedback for higher-order outcomes, with a median effect size of 0.10 and a mean effect size of 0.08. These findings indicate that MTF functions differently than other common forms of feedback, and may be most appropriate for higher-order but not verbatim learning outcomes in computer-based instruction., Although feedback is an important component of computer-based instruction (CBI), the effects of feedback on higher-order learning outcomes are not well understood (Mory, 1996; Smith & Ragan, 1993). Several meta-analyses [...]

Abstract Laboratory instruction at a distance using synchronous, remote group settings is the next generation of online learning. Computer-supported, collaborative learning requiring immersive presence (CSCLIP) relies on synchronous web-based instruction [...]

Distance Learning is an educational approach that integrates technology, connectivity, curricular content, and human resources. The increasing complexity of the American society infrastructure has created extended demands on the lives [...]

Philip Iversen is a Research Scientist, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285 (E-mail: iversen@lilly.com). Mervyn Marasinghe is Associate Professor, Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. The authors thank the editors and referees for their helpful comments and suggestions., * * * * * * * * * * In 1996, computer-based modules were presented that use interactive graphics and simulation to teach basic statistical concepts for undergraduate courses. [...]

Technology offers educators a powerful opportunity for exploring the connections of mathematics to other disciplines and its applications to the real world. Specifically, technology in mathematics instruction can be used for gathering and interpreting information, conducting descriptive and graphical analyses, making statistical predictions and inferences, and developing and using simulations. However, teachers should remember that the use of technology should always be accompanied by appropriate mathematical and technological understanding. It should also not be the focus of learning, but only a tool for empowering students to apply mathematics in the real world.