Computer and Instructional Technology

Courseload and Nook Study E-text Platforms: A Usability Pilot Study

by Matt Lievertz

Led research team including members: Brian Hassevoort, Todd Lyman, Matt Burch, Ashley Miller, David Barber, Erica Lee, Khalid Alhomaidi, David Covert, and Ting Li. Research performed with the Center for Information and Communication Sciences at Ball State University, under the supervision of Professor Richard Bellaver, for our client the Asst. VP for Academic Solutions, Yasemin Tunc.

This usability pilot study is part of a larger e-text pilot project at Ball State University, the goal of which is to... more This usability pilot study is part of a larger e-text pilot project at Ball State University, the goal of which is to draw conclusions about two e-text platforms, Courseload and the Nook Study. The study includes four classes and a total sample population of 210 students. Study methodology included a literature search, platform evaluation, preliminary student survey, in-person usability testing, final student survey, and professor interviews. Where applicable, statistical tools for determining significance were used.

The most valuable conclusions were drawn about e-text usage in general, and some important observations were made about each of the two platforms. Generally, the Nook Study appeared to be the more usable platform, but suffered from significant technological failings. In addition to navigation (especially for use in math classes) and zoom complaints, , the Courseload platform suffered especially from the broader failing of e-text platforms: that they merely allow computer access to textbooks designed for print. Broad results included a desire for better zoom, screen capture/copy/paste, and interactive features that take advantage of the electronic format. We conclude that the e-text remains immature in terms of the course textbook. Professors tended to strongly dislike the platforms. Students tended to have definite opinions for or against, but no clear consensus. Interestingly, student access to computers and Internet access still posed significant barriers for a minority of students, which would be critical for institutions to address if they adopt e-texts on a wide basis.

Related talk: http://ballstate.academia.edu/MattLievertz/Talks/84550/Courseload_and_Nook_Study_E-text_Platforms_A_Usability_Pilot_Study

Curricula and the use of ICT in education. Two worlds apart?

by Jo Tondeur

Jo Tondeur, Johan van Braak, & Martin Valcke (2006). British Journal of Educational Technology, 38,962-975.

In many countries, information and communication technology (ICT) has a clear impact on the development of educational... more In many countries, information and communication technology (ICT) has a clear impact on the development of educational curricula. In Flanders, the education government has identified and defined a framework of ICT competencies for expected outcomes, related to knowledge, skills and attitudes that pupils are expected to achieve at the end of primary school. However, it has never been examined whether teachers are using ICT in accordance with the competencies proposed by the Flemish government.

In order to answer this question, a survey was conducted among 570 respondents in a stratified sample of 53 primary schools. Results show that teachers mainly focus on the development of technical ICT skills, whereas the ICT curriculum centres on the integrated use of ICT within the learning and teaching process. This indicates the existence of a gap between the proposed and the implemented curriculum for ICT. The paper concludes with the potential value of a school-based ICT curriculum that ‘translates’ the national ICT-related curriculum into an ICT plan as part of the overall school policy.

ICT Teachers’ Assigned Roles and Expectations from Them

by Yuksel Goktas

Topu, F. B. & Göktaş, Y. (2012). ICT teachers’ assigned roles and expectations from them. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 12(1), 461-478. http://www.edam.com.tr/kuyeb/pdf/en/dffdc2f6a7efa2b36df9266f227cc4ef25b.pdf

The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of ICT teachers’ assigned position and to determine school... more The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of ICT teachers’ assigned position and to determine school administrators’ and other teachers’ perceptions towards ICT teachers and these teachers’ positions, and to reveal the similar and discrepant aspects of their tertiary education and the roles (work and responsibilities) assigned to them in schools. For this purpose, a qualitative case study research design was used. The study was conducted within three phases. In the first phase, focus group interview with 2 faculty members at department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies and 6 ICT teachers, in the second phase, a pilot study encompassing an interview with 2 teachers from other branches and 1 school administrators, and finally face to face interviews with 33 participants, 10 of whom were school administrators, 11 of whom were ICT teachers, 12 of whom were teachers from other branches. The data obtained were analyzed using content analysis, and the findings showed that ICT teachers undertook many roles in their schools apart from the assigned positions determined by MoNE. The fundamental reason for this appeared that ICT teachers were perceived as an expert, a technical staff or personnel who knows everything about ICT. Further, there occurred some differences and ambiguities between the education they took and the assigned roles and due to these ambiguities that even the ICT teachers could hardly define their assigned roles in schools was observed.

Hu, X., Craig, S. D., Bargagliotti A. E., Graesser, A. C., Okwumabua, T., Anderson, C., Cheney, K. R., & Sterbinsky, A. (in press). The Effects of a Traditional and Technology-based After-school Setting on 6th Grade Students’ Mathematics Skills. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching

by Scotty Craig

Programming & storytelling: opportunities for learning about coding & composition

by Quinn Burke

The focus of this paper is to investigate how writing computer programs can help children develop their storytelling... more The focus of this paper is to investigate how writing computer programs can help children develop their storytelling and creative writing abilities. The process of writing a program—coding—has long been considered only in terms of computer science, but such coding is also reflective of the imaginative and narrative elements of fiction writing workshops. Writing to program can also serve as programming to write, in which a child learns the importance of sequence, structure, and clarity of expression—three aspects characteristic of effective coding and good storytelling alike. While there have been efforts examining how learning to write code can be facilitated by storytelling, there has been little exploration as to how such creative coding can also be directed to teach students about the narrative and storytelling process. Using the introductory programming language Scratch, this paper explores the potential of having children create their own digital stories with the software and how the narrative structure of these stories offers kids the opportunity to better understand the process of expanding an idea into the arc of a story.

Accepted Papers ICITS2011

by 5th International Computer&Instructional Technologies Symposium ICITS2011

Building Educational Partnerships through Virtual IT

by Daryl Orris

Zoombini Power in Teaching Thinking, Spring 2000

by Steve Higgins

Co authored by Steve Higgins and Nick Packard

The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis is a captivating critical-thinking program designed around an escape story.... more The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis is a captivating critical-thinking program designed around an escape story. The
Zoombinis are a happy group of creatures whose island is taken over by the Bloats. The player’s job is to help them in their escape. It is an unconventional mathematics program, in that numbers and arithmetical operations do not play much of an explicit role. Instead, this program focuses on the logic and reasoning elements of mathematics: attributes, patterns, groupings, sorting, comparisons, and problem solving.

Arab Postgraduate Students' Attitudes Toward Word Processing: A Case Study

by Saadiyah Darus

A comparative study on perception of teachers on the use of computers in elementary schools of Turkey and T.R.N.C.

by Ceyhun OZAN

Gündoğdu, K., Silman, F., & Ozan, C. (2011). International Online Journal Of Educational Sciences, 3(1), 113-137.

The purpose of this survey study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers on the usage of computers in more The purpose of this survey study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers on the usage of computers in
elementary schools of two countries (Turkey and TRNC). The data for this study was collected through a survey from the teachers in Erzurum and Lefkoşa (Nicosia). A total of 250 elementary school teachers from the schools of two cities participated in the research. The survey results indicated that teachers in both countries had a positive attitude toward the use of computers in schools. They commonly thought that computers may develop student motivation, skills, interest and achievement if they were used effectively. They also think that the future will be based on the knowledge of information technology. Turkish Cypriot teachers use computers mostly for correspondences, preparing exam questions and course materials. On the other hand Turkish teachers mainly used computers for preparing course materials, exam questions, calculating student grades and lesson plans. As Turkish teachers used computers more, Turkish Cypriot teachers used computers longer than Turkish teachers. Both groups of teachers generally considered that in service training use of computers were not effective.

Key Words: Computer use in education, elementary teachers, computers, technology in schools

Access Grid TEchnology: An Exploration in Educator's Dialogue

by Sharon Tettegah

co-authored with Cheryl McFadden, Edd Norman Wiziecki, Hanna Zhong, et al

Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Volume 106, Issue 2.

by Sharon Tettegah

KAM 1: Principles of Social Development

by Dave Harms

Harms, D. (2010). KAM 1: Principles of social development. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Education, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In the Breadth component of KAM I, the relationship of technology and education is explored in classic philosophical... more In the Breadth component of KAM I, the relationship of technology and education is explored in classic philosophical frameworks. More specifically, the Breadth component will investigate how the philosophies of Bandura (1977, 1995, 1997), Dewey (1901, 1943) and Negroponte (1996) address the influence technology has on education, leading to greater social change. The demonstration will include a discussion comparing and contrasting how those philosophies explain the consequences technology has on public education. The theories will be used as a framework to discuss explanations on the influence online learning is having on public schools. Each theory will be contrasted in regards to its definition of social change and factors that influence social change.

In the Depth component of KAM I, an Annotated Bibliography that is reflective of current thinking on the influence online learning is having on public education will be synthesized. The current literature was analyzed in regards to the impact online learning is having on public education. The analysis was synthesized into a discussion of the findings. A final section includes gaps identified in current research.

In the application of KAM 1, an article was created reviewing the current literature on k-12 online learning and submitting it for inclusion in the Kappan magazine. Information gained from the Depth and Breadth sections was combined into a publishable format required for Phi Delta Kappa’s educational journal. Particular attention was paid to the published manuscript requirements which included changing the format from the Walden recommended APA style to Kappan required Chicago style. The application section of the KAM describes the steps taken to prepare the article for publication.

Perspectives on ICT and Learner Autonomy

by Amor Jebali