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Multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) have great potential for supporting learning experiences with a high social and teaching presence. One particular MUVE of note is Mozilla Hubs, a system of open-source virtual worlds that allow users to join sessions and interact as avatars. To date, prior studies have not examined teaching and social presence in the Mozilla Hubs environment as compared to face-to-face and web conferencing learning modes. The current study does this by comparing social and teaching presence in two university classes using the well-established community of inquiry questionnaire. Overall findings suggest that participants experienced the same amount of teaching and social presence in face-to-face, Webex and Hubs learning sessions. The implications of this study suggest that the communication medium used may not significantly influence key aspects of teaching and social presence.

Teaching and learning activities during the COVID-19 pandemic were largely ineffective, and exacerbated existing learning disparities (Dorn et al., 2020; Muscoviz & Evans, 2022). Instructional technologies were a significant component of these teaching and learning activities. Because K-12 teachers' internal beliefs are a significant predictor of technology use (Vongkulluksn et al., 2018), it is important to study changes in teachers' outcome expectations related to instructional technologies during the pandemic. This survey study investigated how K-12 public teachers' instructional technology outcome expectations changed over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in 2018 before the pandemic (n = 826), in May and June of 2020 during the pandemic (n = 387) and in November and December of 2020 (n = 536) Findings indicate that respondents' instructional technology outcome expectations decreased, suggesting that the connection between instructional technology use and valued outcomes significantly declined among K-12 teachers during the pandemic.

The propulsion research lab at Utah State University has developed a minimally-intrusive optical sensing system for high-temperature/high-velocity gas-generator exhaust plumes. For this application glass fiber-optic cables, acting as radiation conduits, are inserted through the combustion chamber or nozzle wall and look directly into the flow core. The cable transmits data from the flame zone to externally-mounted spectrometers. In order to capture the full-optical spectrum, a blended dual-spectrum system was employed, with one spectrometer system tuned for best-response across the visible-light and near-infrared spectrum, and one spectrometer tuned for best-response in the near- and mid-infrared spectrum. The dual-band sensors are radiometrically-calibrated and the sensed-spectra are spliced together using an optimal Wiener filtering algorithm to perform the deconvolution. The merged spectrum is subsequently curve-fit to Planck's black-body radiation law, and flame temperature is calculated from associated curve maxima (Wien's law). The presented fiber-optic sensing systems performs a function that is analogous to Raman spectroscopy. The system non-contact, high-temperature measurement, and does not interfere with the heat transfer processes. In this report data collected from a lab-scale (200 N) hybrid rocket system are analyzed using the described method. Optically-sensed flame-temperatures are correlated to analytical predictions, and shown to generally agree within a few degrees. Additionally, local maxima in the optical spectra are shown to correspond to emission frequencies of atomic and molecular oxygen, water vapor, and molecular nitrogen; all species known to exist in the hybrid combustion plume. Presented data demonstrate that selected fiber-optics can survive temperature greater than 3000 ℃, for durations of up to 25 seconds.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 schools in the United States closed and teachers transitioned to distance learning. The purpose of this survey research study is to determine technology resources and strategies K-12 teachers have used in this transition. Additionally, this study examines the difficulties teachers experienced, along with support they wish they had during the transition. Findings indicate that a wide variety of websites and applications were used to provide academic continuity, the majority of which were familiar to teachers. In the transition process, teachers were faced with various challenges, including difficulty engaging students and parents, a lack of school/district guidelines, and student Internet and computer access issues. Recommendations to prepare for future emergencies include making clear plans for emergencies and incorporating online components and training within current face-to-face classes and professional development.

Approaches to using devices in the classroom can be classified as learning "with" technology or learning "from" technology (Howland et al., 2011). Though the benefits of constructionist, learning "with" technology learning experiences has been discussed (e.g., Baytak & Land, 2011; Levinsen, 2008), few studies have compared learning "with" technology to learning "from" technology in the classroom. This study is a comparison of a constructionist, learning "with" technology approach to an instructionist, learning "from" technology approach to using iPad applications in support of reading comprehension. Findings show a significant difference favoring the learning "with" technology class on in-depth reading test scores and motivation. This study suggests that a learning "with" technology approach to using iPads for reading comprehension has motivational and learning benefits.

Learning management systems (LMSs) have been widely adopted in K-12 and higher education to support online and blended learning (Black et al. 2007; Graham 2005). One relatively new and untested LMS is Google Classroom, which has received widespread adoption in K-12 learning, but not in higher education (Fenton 2017; Hill 2018). In the current study, Google classroom is compared with Brightspace using a survey instrument based on the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis et al. 1989; Shroff et al. 2011). Both LMSs were implemented in blended learning situations as a support for online activities that occurred in conjunction with face-to-face course activities. Findings indicate a general preference for the Brightspace LMS for its productivity tools, and attitude toward usage and usability. Participant comments and instructor observations of both LMSs are also presented. Findings may help inform higher education personnel who are considering adopting the new and free Google Classroom LMS.

Barriers to technology integration continue to make it difficult for teachers to use educational technologies in the classroom. This 3-year time-series survey study conducted in K-12 public schools in a North Midwestern US state investigates teachers' perceptions of how barriers to technology integration change over time, and how barriers may not be the same in different settings including small and large school districts. Results indicate that time was the most stable and persistent barrier to technology integration. Access to technology tools and resources increased, yet teacher beliefs, and training and technical support declined over time. Teachers from smaller school districts reported higher access to technology tools and resources and higher administrative support. Recommendations to improve educational technology integration in K-12 schools are provided.

We present the R package BASS as a tool for nonparametric regression. The primary focus of the package is fitting fully Bayesian adaptive spline surface (BASS) models and performing global sensitivity analyses of these models. The BASS framework is similar to that of Bayesian multivariate adaptive regression splines (BMARS) from Denison, Mallick, and Smith (1998), but with many added features. The software is built to efficiently handle significant amounts of data with many continuous or categorical predictors and with functional response. Under our Bayesian framework, most priors are automatic but these can be modified by the user to focus on parsimony and the avoidance of overfitting. If directed to do so, the software uses parallel tempering to improve the reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) methods used to perform inference. We discuss the implementation of these features and present the performance of BASS in a number of analyses of simulated and real data.

Many new instructional theories advocate centering instruction around a set of authentic tasks to improve application and transfer of knowledge and help students take more responsibility for their own learning. At BYU-Hawaii, a general education biology course was redesigned to follow this task-centered approach and then taught to two groups of students. Tasks were chosen for this course that required students to first learn and then apply their knowledge of biology. Technology was also brought into the course to help BYU-Hawaii reach its target areas for distance students. Overall, students feel that this course helps them take more responsibility for their learning and is more meaningful than other general education courses to which they have been exposed. Responses to tasks suggest that students who apply themselves learn critical thinking skills within the domain of biology and discuss biological topics in depth. (Contains 6 figures.)

Aim/Purpose: This study describes and evaluates a teacher preparation program that combines a school-university partnership and a 1:1 device initiative. Background: This educational design research report combines a 1:1 technology device experience with a school-university partnership to enhance teacher preparation for educational technology use. Methodology: This is a mixed-methods educational design research study. Interview responses share benefits and lessons learned from the program experience. Survey responses give information about educational technology confidence among teacher candidates who took part in this program. Contribution: This study provides a description of a unique teacher preparation program designed to enhance educational technology confidence among teacher candidates and shares lessons learned from this experience in light of collected data. Findings: Teacher candidates' social outcome expectations for using technology were increased. Qualitative data indicate that the program also benefitted elementary school teachers by enhancing educational technology confidence and providing extra help. Recommendations for Practitioners: University teacher candidates should be given more embedded technology-focused classroom experiences. Smaller university class sizes are necessary to support these types of experiences. Recommendations for Researchers: Future studies could more deeply investigate how school-university partnership programs with technology affect teacher candidates' social outcome expectations and educational technology confidence. Impact on Society: Approaches to teacher preparation similar to the one presented in this study can enhance students' social outcome expectations for using technology. Future Research: Future studies could investigate various educational technology initiatives' effects on teacher candidates' educational technology confidence and share teacher preparation program designs aimed at enhancing educational technology use.

Reading comprehension, or understanding the author's message, is a critical component of teaching literacy (Hougen and Smartt 2012). Student-centered activities using the iPad with the goal of improving reading comprehension in a fifth-grade classroom were implemented for this action research study. University teacher candidates guided fifth-grade students in completing the iPad reading comprehension activities. Findings indicate that the fifth-grade students increased their reading achievement scores to a statistically significant degree during the period of this study. These students also reported more enjoyment and understanding of reading. The university teacher candidates who participated also expressed that they gained valuable experience as they worked on a technology-enhanced learning experience with actual students. This study suggests that student-centered reading comprehension activities on the iPad can lead to better student achievement in reading comprehension.

Barriers to effective technology integration come in several different categories, including access to technology tools and resources, technology training and support, administrative support, time to plan and prepare for technology integration, and beliefs about the importance and usefulness of technology tools and resources. This study used survey research to compare reported barriers to technology use in smaller school districts and communities to those in larger school districts and communities. This study also sought to determine other district and classroom factors that could influence barriers to technology integration. The population for this study was current public K-12 teachers in a rural North Midwestern state. Findings indicated that teachers in smaller districts and communities reported more access to technology tools and resources and higher administrative support for the use of technology than did teachers in larger districts and communities. By contrast, teachers in larger districts and communities reported higher time to plan and prepare for technology integration.

Principal leadership is crucial to the success of a high school character education initiative. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory research was to identify the roles that high school principals play in developing, implementing, and sustaining a high functioning character education program. Data were collected through interviews and evaluation of school documents. The data were analyzed through 3 separate coding procedures: (a) open coding, (b) axial coding, and (c) selective coding. In the analysis of data, it was found that the data could be organized into 6 categories which were labeled as: (a) cultural engineer, (b) plate peddler, (c) collaborative leader, (d) reflective leader, (e) moral leader, and (f) champion. High school principals are key to a successful character education initiative in their schools and this study has outlined the roles that they must utilize to ensure the youth in their schools are best prepared when they graduate. Principals have the power to develop a character education initiative that will have lasting effects on their students, schools, and communities.

Many recent models of learning and instruction center learning on real-world tasks and problems to support knowledge application and transfer. Of the many different approaches to centering learning on real-world tasks and problems, one main area in recent literature attempts to balance the efficiency of adequate learner support with the effectiveness of centering learning on real-world tasks. Names for the various models in this area have included problem-centered instruction, cognitive apprenticeship, elaboration theory, and task-centered learning/instruction. As yet there has not been much comparison or combination of the prescriptions of these task-centered approaches to learning. Therefore we compare and combine several task-centered learning models to outline essential prescriptive elements of a task-centered learning approach.

Many recent models of learning and instruction center learning on real-world tasks and problems to support knowledge application and transfer. Among these models are problem-based learning and task-centered learning, two different approaches to learning that are often mistaken for one another. However, there are important distinctions between these two approaches to learning with regard to epistemological influences, goals, and prescriptions. In this article the authors provide a description of task-centered learning and differentiate it from the concept of problem-based learning. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Students must learn content knowledge and develop scientific literacy skills to evaluate and use scientific information in real-world situations. Recognizing the accessibility of scientific information to the average citizen, we developed an instructional approach to help students learn how to judge the quality of claims. We describe a project-based applied learning (PAL) approach that utilizes engaging questions about biological issues relevant to students. Working through these projects, students are challenged to evaluate sources of information and communicate their understanding of scientific claims. We discuss challenges that students encounter and offer suggestions for enacting this approach in a general-education college classroom.

Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii) has students from over 70 countries attending classes. One of BYU-Hawaii's current aims is to increase the effectiveness of course instruction and help students take more responsibility for their own learning as they look to increase distance education offerings to students in different countries. "Biology 100" was one of the first classes to be changed to help meet this aim. "Biology 100" is a survey course that gives freshman-level students an introduction to the field of biology. Traditionally this course "skimmed" a wide breadth of topics, a common type of general education course taught in universities today. Many university courses center instruction on topics rather than tasks without requiring students to apply the information they learn to new situations. Thus, Dr. M. David Merrill, advisor to the Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Outreach at BYU-Hawaii, recommended a combination of instructional strategies including task-centered instruction, effective peer-interaction, and online delivery as the best approach to help BYU-Hawaii meet its aims. In this article, the authors discuss the process in redesigning "Biology 100". (Contains 7 figures.)