Andragogical Teaching Methods to Enhance Nontraditional Student Classroom Engagement

Vol. 13  Issue 2
Year:2016
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Andragogical Teaching Methods to Enhance Nontraditional Student Classroom Engagement
Author Name:Pamela Allen, Paul Withey, Deb Lawton and Carlos Tasso E. De Aquino
Synopsis:
The aim of this study was to provide a reflection of current trends in higher education, identify some of the changes in student behavior, and potential identification of non-traditional classroom facilitation with the purpose of strengthening active learning and use of technology in the classroom. Non-traditional teaching is emerging in the form of blended classrooms, flipped classrooms, active learning, and team based learning. Incorporation of classroom technology, includes interactive tutorials, eBooks, Toolwire simulations, and embedding media into course content. The result of the study identified the potential paradigm shift that supports the proposal of new Non-Traditional Adult Teaching Models to help faculty in post-secondary education demonstrate diverse methods of teaching from the perspective of andragogy.

Factors Affecting Participation of Preservice Teachers in E-Democracy

Vol. 13  Issue 2
Year:2016
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Factors Affecting Participation of Preservice Teachers in E-Democracy
Author Name:Serkan Sendag and Sacip Toker
Synopsis:
This study aimed to reveal the factors associated with the participation of preservice teachers in e-democracy. It was designed as a correlational study and 1,519 preservice teachers from a teacher preparation program in Turkey participated in it by completing a 54-item questionnaire. As a result, three major factors for involvement in e-democracy emerged: knowledge and environment, ethics, and anxiety. In addition, two types of participation were revealed: anonymous and onymous. The results of the study showed that anonymous participation correlates positively with Political Knowledge, and negatively with Current State of Politics and Digital Integrity. Those who have mobile technologies with internet connection are more likely to participate anonymously in e-democracy. On the other hand, Onymous participation, correlates positively with Fear of Self-expression, and negatively with Political Knowledge and Digital Citizenship. Males were shown to be more prone to both types of participation than females. Internet usage frequency was a common variable triggering both types of participation. The paper ends with recommendations for further research.

Supporting Experienced Faculty on Videoconferencing Pedagogy through Videoconferencing Mediated Mentoring

Vol. 13  Issue 2
Year:2016
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Supporting Experienced Faculty on Videoconferencing Pedagogy through Videoconferencing Mediated Mentoring
Author Name:Jillian Ardley and Jale Aldemir
Synopsis:
Faculty mentoring in higher education aims to scaffold mentee to adjust to the new work setting, build social relations with others, and improve instructional skills in the same physical environment. However, this process could be problematic in institutions serving in satellite campuses with geographically spread faculty body. The purpose of the current study is to educate experienced faculty on telecasted pedagogy by utilizing Videoconferencing Mediated Mentoring (VMM) model. Three full-time and one adjunct faculty participated in the study at a Southeastern North Carolina University. Data was collected through mentor's and mentees' weekly logs, and interview with mentees. Integrity of quality instruction, instructional transformation, multiplicity, establishing new collaborations and alliances, and advocacy were emerging themes from the data.

E-Learning in Higher Education: Focus Groups and Survey among Students in Central Europe

Vol. 13  Issue 2
Year:2016
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:E-Learning in Higher Education: Focus Groups and Survey among Students in Central Europe
Author Name:Marko Tuševljak, Lucija Majcen, Lara Mervar, Taisiya Stepankina and Barbara Cater
Synopsis:
Despite a great deal of time and energy went into digitalisation of the world around us, education has been lagging behind. A question therefore arises to what extent higher education institutions should introduce e-learning as part of their programmes. The purpose of this study is to add to the body of knowledge on e-learning by examining perceptions and intentions of students regarding e-learning. There are two broader research objectives pursued in order to achieve the purpose. The first objective is to identify students' knowledge and perception of e-learning, along with their attitudes and experience with it. The second research objective is to assess readiness of students to engage in e-learning and determine their willingness to pay for it. This study uses mixed method research design. First, results of two focus groups are reported, followed by results of survey on 104 respondents in a country of Central Europe. Results show that, students are in general positively inclined towards e-learning and would be willing to take online courses. However, there are still some reservations connected to it and the preference is towards the blended format. In spite of e-learning's European roots, the majority of students do not want the full integration of Information Technology into the study process, meaning that the traditional learning methods combined with IT are preferred.

Efficient E-Learning by Dint of Cognitive Abilities

Vol. 13  Issue 2
Year:2016
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Efficient E-Learning by Dint of Cognitive Abilities
Author Name:Amudha Asaph and B. William Dharma Raja
Synopsis:
The purpose of this article is to portray the effective ways of utilizing cognitive abilities for efficient e-learning. In the present scenario, globalization and advancements in technology have driven changes in the sphere of social, technological, economic environment and political landscapes at a rapid rate. E-learning is, one among the new technologies, which has become an important aspect of learning for all ages where, learning done over an electronic platform, allows the learner to learn almost anytime from anywhere. Cognitive abilities, the brain based skills allow to perform simple and complex tasks. Cognitive abilities categorized into lower order cognitive abilities include perception, attention and memory and higher order cognitive abilities include problem solving, decision making critical thinking, etc. Cognitive abilities enhance e-learning and vice-versa.

Online Education to Improve Workforce Skills: The Experience in the United States

Vol. 13  Issue 2
Year:2016
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Online Education to Improve Workforce Skills: The Experience in the United States
Author Name:Robert W. Robertson and Carlos Tasso E. Aquino
Synopsis:
The forces of globalization and technological advances are driving a need for skilled workers. In many countries, there is a “skill gap” that must be acknowledged. Individuals must increasingly embrace lifelong learning to remain competitive in turbulent times. This paper provides an introduction to the skill’s gap issue. In addition, the paper assesses the need for skilled workers in the United States. In many instances, this need for skilled workers is being addressed by using online technology and training.

Can Item Analysis of MCQs Accomplish the Need of a Proper Assessment Strategy for Curriculum Improvement in Medical Education?

Vol. 13  Issue 1
Year:2016
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Can Item Analysis of MCQs Accomplish the Need of a Proper Assessment Strategy for Curriculum Improvement in Medical Education?
Author Name:Yogesh R. Pawade and Dipti S. Diwase
Synopsis:
Item analysis of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) is the process of collecting, summarizing and utilizing information from students' responses to evaluate the quality of test items. Difficulty Index (p-value), Discrimination Index (DI) and Distractor Efficiency (DE) are the parameters which help to evaluate the quality of MCQs used in an examination. This study has been postulated to investigate the relationship of items having good p-value and DI with their DE and their utility to frame 'ideal questions'. This study further evaluates the MCQs as a tool of assessment so as to improve the curricula in Medical Education. In this study, 20 test items of ‘Type A’ MCQ tests of assessment were selected. The p-values, DI and DE were estimated. The relationship between the p-value and DI for each test item was determined by Pearson correlation analysis. Mean p-value and DI of the test were 66.53 ± 16.82% and 0.41 ± 0.16% respectively. Only 20% of total test items crossed the p-value of 80% indicative of their easy difficulty level. 95% of the test items showed acceptable (> 0.2) DI. 12 out of 20 test items showed excellent DI (≥ 0.4). 8 (40%) test items were regarded as ‘ideal’ having p-value from 30- 70, and DI > 0.24. Correlation studies revealed that, DI associated with p-value (r = -0.288; P = 0.219). Mean DE of the test was 76.25 ± 22.18%. The DE was directly related to the DI. Items with good and excellent DI had DE of 66.67 ± 14.43% and 83.33 ± 19.46% respectively. In conclusion, an acceptable level of test difficulty and discrimination was maintained in the type A MCQ test. The test items with excellent discrimination tend to be in the moderately difficult range. There was a consistent spread of difficulty in type A MCQ items used for the test. Much more of these kinds of analysis should be carried out after each examination to identify the areas of potential weakness in the type A MCQ tests to improve the standard of assessment.

Development and Validation of Web-Based Question Bank and Evaluation of Its Utility among Students and Teachers

Vol. 13  Issue 1
Year:2016
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Development and Validation of Web-Based Question Bank and Evaluation of Its Utility among Students and Teachers
Author Name:M. Parthasarathy and R. Ananthasayanam
Synopsis:
Rushing efforts are taken by developing and under-developed countries to match educational standards of developed countries. Education is a life-long activity and continuing process for which necessary steps are initiated to offer and gain with minimum cost of resources. Creating Open Educational Resources (OER) is preferably right choice in all circumstances, especially in countries like India that has a huge population to educate. Among the many teachinglearning materials, a collection of questions asked in previous examinations called as question bank is one of the needful resource used by all categories of students and teachers. Hence, this study attempted to construct a Web-based Past Examination Question Bank (WPQB) for selected subjects with customized search facilities, and further the constructed website was evaluated to confirm the usefulness among the students and teachers. Realizing its necessity in an Indian Educational Environment, the present study was carried out to create a model WPQB and to evaluate its utility through a web based survey. The findings of the study proved that, the WPQB is useful among the students and teachers for improving the answering ability and questioning skill respectively. Moreover, the customized search facility and organization of questions were agreed as important features of the web based question bank.

Critical Pedagogy, Rituals of Distinction, And True Professionalism

Vol. 13  Issue 1
Year:2016
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Critical Pedagogy, Rituals of Distinction, And True Professionalism
Author Name:Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan and Arezou Pashapour
Synopsis:
The current study sought to critically address the practice of rituals of distinction in nation-wide educational milieus to see if such practices can produce generations of underdeveloped and deprived learners. Data were collected over a course of two years from North Korea, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, and Somalia. A total of 419 teachers, educators and students from these countries responded to email communication, were observed through participant observation, or were interviewed through Skype; they provided descriptions and examples of educational settings and practices in their respective countries. The data were then analyzed qualitatively and in the light of (a) Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives, (b) Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and (c) Feuerstein's notion of ‘culturally deprived’ learners. It was concluded that, education systems in countries ruled by ideological or ideocratic regimes, intentionally and actively deprive learner generations of quality education with the aim of hammering whole societies into the shape which will guarantee their own grip on political power. Drawing on the concepts of 'small-c culture' and 'capital-c culture' from relevant literature, the paper argues that despotic regimes, by virtue of their education systems, mainly betray their most obedient citizens who are committed to them and whereby deprive them of true professionalism.

Feelings of Challenge and Threat among Pre-Service Teachers Studying in Different Learning Environments - Virtual Vs. Blended Courses

Vol. 13  Issue 1
Year:2016
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Feelings of Challenge and Threat among Pre-Service Teachers Studying in Different Learning Environments - Virtual Vs. Blended Courses
Author Name:Orit Zeichner and Gila Zilka
Synopsis:
This study focused on feelings of threat and challenge among pre-service teachers in different learning environments – virtual and blended courses. The two goals of this study were (1) to define the subjects' feelings in virtual and blended learning environments, and the relationship between them, and (2) to examine how their feelings changed between the beginning and end of either type of course. A sense of ‘threat and challenge’ points to the pre-service teachers' reaction to their learning environment and its characteristics, and reflects their ability to cope with the learning process, satisfaction, and perseverance. This quantitative study included 578 participants, who filled out questionnaires at the beginning and end of each course. Three major factors were found to describe their perception of the situation: negative feelings, sense of threat, and sense of challenge. A positive relationship was found between sense of threat and negative feelings, and a negative relationship was found between sense of challenge and negative feelings. Significant interactions were found for situation perceptions of both learning environments. Participants in the virtual course exhibited less negative feelings at its end. A similar result was found for sense of threat. In contrast, the students' sense of challenge increased by the end of the virtual course. These findings support the view that negative feelings and threat among students in virtual courses can be improved by means of cognitive strategies and meaningful effectiveness.

Motivating Struggling Middle School Readers: Digital Images as an Aid for Self-Monitoring and Enhancing Retellings of Text

Vol. 13  Issue 1
Year:2016
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Motivating Struggling Middle School Readers: Digital Images as an Aid for Self-Monitoring and Enhancing Retellings of Text
Author Name:Melissa A. Parenti 
Synopsis:
The benefits of motivation, mental imagery, self-monitoring and guided retellings on reading comprehension have long been lauded as effective methods for improving reading achievement. At a time when technology continues to flourish, yet secondary reading performance remains at a level far below proficiency, identifying strategies that assist in efforts to advance middle school readers via digital resources is critical. This work, therefore, links these influential ideas and presents a promising approach for working with struggling readers. The use of technological devices during mental imagery activity and self-monitoring tasks is introduced and encouraged as a best practice when reading narrative and informational text. As narrative story elements and/or expository text structures are encountered, struggling middle school readers curate digital images that represent mental pictures that are internally and socially constructed during the reading process. This collection of digital images is then utilized as a motivating resource and aid for adequately supporting and enhancing retellings of text.

Marketing Needed to Make Universities Globally Competitive

Vol. 12  Issue 4
Year:2016
Issue:Jan-Mar
Title:Marketing Needed to Make Universities Globally Competitive
Author Name:B. M. Naik
Synopsis:
The article aims at improving the quality of higher and technical education in India to world class standard. Institutions in knowledge economy are reckoned to be the drivers of development. Indian institutions are making efforts, investing money, appointing professors, students are studying hard but due to the lack of marketing strategy, their efforts do not bring the expected results. Industries do not get new knowledge, new technology from the institutes, and they remain uncompetitive in the global market. Thousands of students with degree in hand are jobless, 25 % of people live below poverty line, India remains a low income economy, with Human Development Index as low as 135. Purpose of the article is to drive deep in the minds of key people, global the winds of change. The institutions are expected to be extrovert, benchmarking the world best institutions. Professors and students have high potential and it can be developed by adopting marketing strategies. The article recommends that we should adopt them without any delay and bring fruits of development to Indian people.

Advancing Theory in Developing the Practice of Becoming a Citizen Leader

Vol. 12  Issue 4
Year:2016
Issue:Jan-Mar
Title:Advancing Theory in Developing the Practice of Becoming a Citizen Leader
Author Name:Craig McCoy and Carol Schubert
Synopsis:
The purpose of this study is to examine the literature from key contemporary authors in the study of leadership who offer insights on the phenomenon of citizen leadership. Additionally, this paper examines two real world examples in which citizen leadership is being demonstrated with regard to strengths and weaknesses, as well as personality traits and motivations. Commonalities exist, and suggest that further study might be useful to determine if citizen leadership can be taught in institutions of higher learning. The intent in this paper is to lay the foundation for future study that qualitatively captures the language patterns in becoming a citizen leader.

B.Ed. Trainees Opinion on Usage of Internet in Preparation of their Projects – A Study

Vol. 12  Issue 4
Year:2016
Issue:Jan-Mar
Title:B.Ed. Trainees Opinion on Usage of Internet in Preparation of their Projects – A Study
Author Name:Venu Madhav K and Mahender Reddy Sarsani 
Synopsis:
This research article focus is particularly on the usage of internet for preparation of B.Ed projects for the teacher trainees under Kakatiya University region of Telangana State, India. For this, the investigators used the Normative Survey method of research. For data collection, the researchers used the well prepared questionnaire developed by the researchers. The stratified random sampling technique was used for selection of sample of 288 Teacher trainees comprises both male and female from different teaching methodologies. The data is systematically classified and tabulated according to the established objectives of the study. The results revealed that, majority of the teacher trainees are using the internet to identify the social mapping, information of different societies in the world, extract logos, cultural symbols, dance / art / festivals / classical music, to know the diseases, games, sports and physical education etc. And also, the trainees use the internet for case sheet, psychological tests and treatments, school and student development activities and cocurricular activities.

Social Media Use in Academics: Undergraduate Perceptions and Practices

Vol. 12  Issue 4
Year:2016
Issue:Jan-Mar
Title:Social Media Use in Academics: Undergraduate Perceptions and Practices
Author Name:Mark Ciampa, Evelyn H. Thrasher and Mark A. Revels
Synopsis:
The aim of this research was to elicit student perceptions and practices regarding the use of social media in the academic setting. More specifically, the objectives of this study were to (1) assess student perceptions of technology use in an academic setting and to rank their preferences; (2) determine which resources and communication options available to students and faculty are preferred by students; (3) determine if those preferences change depending upon the reason for communication; and (4) determine if students want to use social media in an academic setting, and if so, in what ways and for what purposes. Using an electronic survey instrument, undergraduate students at a regionally accredited Mid-South university in the United States were asked to rank their preferences regarding the use of eight different communication resources as part of a college course. In addition, students were asked to identify the social media tools they currently use and for what purpose(s), both in and out of the classroom.The results showed that, overall, Facebook was the most commonly used technology, that students use social media primarily for communicating with friends, and email is the preferred method for sending and receiving class-wide and individual communication, and that a learning management system is the preferred method for submitting class assignments and examinations. However, students generally do not want to use social media for academic activities.

Neuro-Holistic Learning©: An Integrated Kinesthetic Approach to Cognitive Learning© Using Collaborative Interactive Thought Exchange© in a Blended Environment to Enhance the Learning of Young African American Males

Vol. 12  Issue 4
Year:2016
Issue:Jan-Mar
Title:Neuro-Holistic Learning©: An Integrated Kinesthetic Approach to Cognitive Learning© Using Collaborative Interactive Thought Exchange© in a Blended Environment to Enhance the Learning of Young African American Males
Author Name:James Edward Osler II and Mark Anthony Wright 
Synopsis:
This paper is part two of the article entitled, “Dynamic Neuroscientific Systemology: Using Tri–Squared Meta–Analysis and Innovative Instructional Design to Develop a Novel Distance Education Model for the Systemic Creation of Engaging Online Learning Environments.” published in the July–September 2015 issue of i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology. The aim of this paper is to introduce three novel problems–solving conceptual solutions which are: (1)  Neuro-Holistic Learning as an; (2) “Integrated Kinesthetic Approach to Cognitive Learning ”using a (3) “Collaborative  Interactive Thought Exchange ” as a dialogue and discussion procedure. The purpose of this original and novel st instructional methodology is to conceptually addresses the four main challenges faced by 21 century African American high school and college students, particularly African American males, who are attempting to succeed in life and in their future professional careers. As an instructional methodology, Neuro-Holistic Learning provides an active solution that addresses the needs of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are actively seeking novel methods to aid in the achievement of their respective academic goals, increase student retention, meet their institutional graduation objectives. The results of this dynamic and engaging approach to learning determinedly responds to HBCU high standards of academic excellence and collaborative goals to produce dynamic global citizens and actively responsive alumni.

Effects of Multimedia on Knowledge, Understanding, Skills, Practice and Confidence in Environmental Sustainability: A Non-Equivalent Pre-Test-Post-Test, Quasi Experimental Design

Vol. 12  Issue 3
Year:2015
Issue:Oct-Dec 
Title:Effects of Multimedia on Knowledge, Understanding, Skills, Practice and Confidence in Environmental Sustainability: A Non-Equivalent Pre-Test-Post-Test, Quasi Experimental Design
Author Name:Ananta Kumar Jena, Satarupa Bhattacharjee and Pimily Langthasa
Synopsis:
The study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the local community members, secondary school students, and the university students participated in the multimedia programme with reference to knowledge, understanding, skills, practice, and confidence in environmental sustainability. About two hundred students participated in this multimedia programme. The present study was a Non-equivalent Pretest-posttest Quasi Experimental Design used both qualitative and quantitative techniques to analyze the data, and draw the conclusion for its broad generalization. Audio, Video and audio-video on environment and environmental sustainability was developed and played in the teaching of environmental sustainability. Before programme and after programme, all the feedbacks and achievement test score were analyzed and interpreted by using t test, ANOVA and Scheff multiple comparison techniques. It was resulted that local community members, secondary school students, and the university students performed better after the participation in the Multimedia in Environmental Awareness programme. So, there existed a significant effect of multimedia programme on the awareness of environmental sustainability.

Relevance of Item Analysis in Standardizing an Achievement Test in Teaching of Physical Science in B.Ed Syllabus

Vol. 12  Issue 3
Year:2015
Issue:Oct-Dec 
Title:Relevance of Item Analysis in Standardizing an Achievement Test in Teaching of Physical Science in B.Ed Syllabus
Author Name:S. Maria Josephine Arokia Marie and E. Sreekala
Synopsis:
This paper focused on the analysis of test items constructed in the paper of teaching Physical Science for B.Ed. class. It involved the analysis of difficulty level and discrimination power of each test item. Item analysis allows selecting or omitting items from the test, but more importantly item an alysis is a tool to help the item writer improve an item. There were 100 objective type questions in the achievement test and was administered to a sample of 100 students from B.Ed. colleges. The result of the work showed that most of the test items fall in the acceptable range of difficulty index and discrimination index. However, 17 of the test items was excluded due to very high or very low difficulty level and poor discrimination power. Purposive sampling was adopted for this study and 100 B.Ed. Physical Science students were taken from private B.Ed. Colleges in Pondicherry, India. A test of 100 items was used for data collection. Using the findings relationship between the difficulty index of each item and the corresponding discrimination index is carried out using the Pearson correlation formula. From the analysis, it was found that item discrimination power increased with the increase in difficulty value but got decreased for very easy and very difficult test items. This work is significant for the researcher in framing test items with optimum difficulty and discrimination power. The findings also show that, most of the items were falling in the acceptable range of difficulty and discrimination level, however, some items were rejected due to their poor discrimination index.

AMOVA [“Accumulative Manifold Validation Analysis”]: An Advanced Statistical Methodology Designed To Measure and Test the Validity, Reliability, and Overall Efficacy of Inquiry–Based Psychometric Instruments

Vol. 12  Issue 3
Year:2015
Issue:Oct-Dec 
Title:AMOVA [“Accumulative Manifold Validation Analysis”]: An Advanced Statistical Methodology Designed To Measure and Test the Validity, Reliability, and Overall Efficacy of Inquiry–Based Psychometric Instruments
Author Name:James Edward Osler
Synopsis:
This monograph provides an epistemological rational for the Accumulative Manifold Validation Analysis [also referred by the acronym “AMOVA”] statistical methodology designed to test psychometric instruments. This form of inquiry is a form of mathematical optimization in the discipline of linear stochastic modelling. AMOVA is an in–depth statistical procedure for the internal testing of research instruments based on the metrics from the novel “Taxonomy of Process Education”. The Taxonomy of Process Education (TPE) is based off of the Process Education (PE), four–level measures designed to measure self–growth. The PE four levels in particular are viewed as sequential stages (or phases) of professional development. The four levels are also constructed to build towards the highest level of content knowledge or subject matter expertise (Pacific Crest, 2015). The TPE metric has universal applicability and is ideally suited for weighted mathematical measurement of content (subject matter), knowledge (cognitive), disposition (affective), and capability (psychomotor). This original methodology is a novel approach to advanced statistical post hoc data analysis. It adds considerable value to the methods designed to assess instrument validity and reliability especially when said instrumentation is researcher–designed. A sequential AMOVA mathematical model is provided (for sample data “Crosswise–Validation Analysis”) along with its associated PE Taxonomy and measurement metrics in a step-by-step fashion that illustrates the entire process of advanced instrument validation inquiry.

Multimodal and Adaptive Learning Management: An Iterative Design

Vol. 12  Issue 3
Year:2015
Issue:Oct-Dec
Title:Multimodal and Adaptive Learning Management: An Iterative Design
Author Name:David R. Squires and Michael A. Orey 
Synopsis:
The purpose of this study is to measure the outcome of a comprehensive learning management system implemented at a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) hospital in the Southeast United States. Specifically this SCI hospital has been experiencing an evident volume of patients returning seeking more information about the nature of their injuries. Recognizing the need to disseminate SCI information, the hospital seeks to overhaul the current patient and family education program and to incorporate a blended learning model. The researchers investigation seeks to identify and bridge a gap between patient access to health related learning content and vital learning materials related to spine and neck injuries. The preliminary findings suggest that the e-learning and software development community can benefit from implementing a multimodal learning management system, and adaptive online learning content database, as pervious international spinal cord injury studies have also successfully demonstrated.

Implementing Social Norm Pedagogy to Impact Students’ Personal Health Behavior

Vol. 12  Issue 3
Year:2015
Issue:Oct-Dec
Title:Implementing Social Norm Pedagogy to Impact Students’ Personal Health Behavior
Author Name:Mary M. Kramer and Sheri Stover
Synopsis:
This quantitative exploratory research study describes the incorporation of Social Norms as a unique pedagogical method in an undergraduate Health Behaviors course (N = 32). With the use of an audience response system (clickers), students anonymously answered health-behavior related questions. Aggregate data from the class was compared to state and national data from readily available databases to encourage student engagement, bring relevance to theoretical concepts, and launch meaningful discussion. The results from the data show that, the incorporation of the Social Norms teaching methodology had a strong impact on students adopting more positive attitudes (88%) toward their own health-related behaviors, and also resulted in changes to their own behaviors (72%). Fifty-six percent of students made suggestions to family and/or friends regarding health-related behavior change. Students gave a strong recommendation to both the use of clickers (87%) and Social Norms pedagogy (84%). Students reported having high levels of truthfulness (94%) in their responses and the majority (85%) felt comfortable with their clicker responses being anonymous. Among the small percentage (15%) of students who reported feeling uncomfortable discussing personal health-behaviors in class, no relationship was found between students' comfort level and gender, religious beliefs, or political beliefs.

Dynamic Neuroscientific Systemology: Using Tri–Squared Meta–Analysis and Innovative Instructional Design to Develop a Novel Distance Education Model for the Systemic Creation of Engaging Online Learning Environments

Vol. 12  Issue 2
Year:2015
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:James Edward Osler II and Mark Anthony Wright
Author Name:James Edward Osler II and Mark Anthony Wright 
Synopsis:
The purpose of this research investigation was to look at the factors that lead to isolation, lack of student inspiration and motivation, lack of student engagement and lack of student retention in the asynchronous online learning environment. The study further delves into how the use of cognitive and neuroscience research can inform the design of an interactive user interface model to address the aforementioned factors. The instrument used in this study was researcher designed “Tri–Squared Test Inventive Investigative Instrument” (Osler, 2012). The data was analyzed using the novel Tri–Squared Meta–Analysis methodology. The results yielded significant differences in the Tri–Squared Meta–Analysis regarding the research literature as it relates to the overall use of cognitive science, neuroscience, and the science of design to increase the overall effectiveness of distance education in terms of course design based upon neuroscientific graphic user interface concepts and principles. This illustrates that there is a clear lack of relevant research regarding the use of cognitive science, neuroscience, and the science of design to truly create effective and engaging distance education online courses

Dynamic Assessment of EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension via Computerized Concept Mapping

Vol. 12  Issue 2
Year:2015
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Dynamic Assessment of EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension via Computerized Concept Mapping
Author Name:Saman Ebadi and Shokoufeh Vakili Latif 
Synopsis:
In Vygotsky's theory, learner's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and autonomous performance could be further developed through social interaction with an expert. Computerized concept mapping enjoys the advantage of meeting learners' differences and therefore can be applied as a scaffold to support learning process.Taking a dynamic assessment approach, the present study surveyed the adequacy of computerized concept mapping as a scaffolding tool for the development of the two EFL learners' ZPD in the listening comprehension ability. The two learners, whose main problem with understanding listening passages was connecting the main points, were subjected to ten DA sessions and were involved in making concept maps for the listening passages. Results of this qualitative study indicated the movement of the learners along the continuum of mediation internalization to get closer to the self-regulation extreme which in turn denotes their getting higher levels of ZPDs of listening comprehension ability. This study implies that the constructivism nature of learning can finally lead to handing over the more autonomous and independent functioning to students. The findings of the study will shed light on compatibility of computerized concept mapping as an example of new technologies with dynamic assessment of listening comprehension and captures the microgenetic changes learners went through in getting higher levels of listening comprehension ability.

Using Mendeley to Support Collaborative Learning in the Classroom

Vol. 12  Issue 2
Year:2015
Issue:Jul-Sep 
Title:Using Mendeley to Support Collaborative Learning in the Classroom
Author Name:Tehmina Khwaja and Pamela L. Eddy 
Synopsis:
The purpose of this study was to explore the use of Mendeley, a free online reference management and academic networking software, as a collaborative tool in the college classroom. Students in two iterations of a Graduate class used Mendeley to collaborate on a policy research project over the course of a semester. The project involved collaborative critique of an article, finding and annotating additional relevant literature, synthesizing all group articles, and creating individual policy briefs. The authors investigated how students used the software, tracking individual contributions and reviewing final student projects. The authors used survey data to gauge student experience with Mendeley. The authors discovered that in addition to facilitating collaboration, Mendeley was useful for organizing the material for the group project. The survey also revealed that there is a learning curve with Mendeley, which may prevent students from taking full advantage of Mendeley as a collaboration and reference tool. This study suggests that Mendeley can be used as a platform to facilitate learning through classroom collaboration

Moblogging Type and its Relation with Usability and Development of Knowledge Management Skills for Blind Students

Vol. 12  Issue 2
Year:2015
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Moblogging Type and its Relation with Usability and Development of Knowledge Management Skills for Blind Students
Author Name:Akram Fathy Mostafa 
Synopsis:
The aim of the research is to explore the relation of mobile Blogging (Moblogging -MB) on the usability and development of Knowledge Management skills for Blind Students. The research followed a pretest and posttest quasi experimental design .Participants were 17 blind students from the third semester of the academic year 2015 in the course of Computer Applications in Special Education. (SPED 507) - the High Diploma in Special Education ( Visual Impairment branch) at the Program of Educational Graduate Studies at King Abdel Aziz University. The independent variable was MB type on two different levels: The first level independent variable is Text moblogging (TMB) and the second level independent variable is Audio Moblogging (AMB). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, including Knowledge Management skills test and usability measurement scores. Findings indicated that AMB participants performed significantly better than TMB in Knowledge Management skills and there are no significant difference between the medium range degrees of student average scores for the first experimental group (TMB) and second experimental group (AMB) in the usability measurement for blind students related to MB type.

Virtual Learning and Instructional Tools: Perfecting the Weekly Roadmap

Vol. 12  Issue 2
Year: 2015
Issue:Jul-Sep
Title:Virtual Learning and Instructional Tools: Perfecting the Weekly Roadmap
Author Name:Gina Cicco
Synopsis:
This article will provide details on the importance of providing structure within an online graduate counseling course in the form of a weekly roadmap tool. There are various instructional tools that may be useful in providing students with differing levels of structure, to meet their learning style preferences for structural stimuli (Cicco, 2013). The Dunn and Dunn Learning-Style Model lists structure as an element of learning style within the emotional domain of an individual's learning style profile (Dunn & Griggs, 2003; Rundle, 2006). Recent research indicates that student satisfaction in virtual classrooms is often related to faculty-student interactions, levels of available support for students, and course structure, among other variables (Yukselturk & Yildirim, 2008). Effective online instructors will be cognizant of their roles and available tools in creating increased or decreased levels of structure in virtual classrooms. The weekly roadmap tool, though sometimes pre-crafted and embedded in course management systems, may be customized by a faculty instructor to provide improved faculty-student interactions, assignment clarifications and resource support, and structure that marks and guides student achievement of sequential course learning objectives (Kasworm, Rose, & Ross- Gordon, 2010). This article will outline clear methods of creating and perfecting a weekly roadmap tool in online counseling and other graduate education courses and point to the need for further formal study of its academic impact.

A Study on Attitude and Opinion towards Using Computer Technology in Teaching among B.Ed. Trainees in Tiruchirappalli District

Vol. 12  Issue 1
Year:2015
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:A Study on Attitude and Opinion towards Using Computer Technology in Teaching among B.Ed. Trainees in Tiruchirappalli District
Author Name:C. Ashok Kumar
Synopsis:
The main aim of the study was to find out whether there was a significant difference in the attitude and opinion towards using Computer Technology in teaching among B.Ed., trainees in terms of select independent variables. Normative survey was the technique employed. Opinion towards Computer Usage and Attitude towards Computer Technology inventory developed by Karpaga Kumaravel. K. and Amulraj. A. (2013), was used for data collection. A stratified representative sample of 150 B.Ed. trainees of self-financed B.Ed. colleges in Tiruchirappalli district constituted the sample for this study. The major findings were there were significant differences in Attitude towards Computer Technology in teaching, between age group below 25 years and above 26 years, Under Graduates and Post Graduates and rural and urban localities.

Application of Micro Teaching Skill for Improving the Quality of Teachers: Exploring Opinion of Trainee Teachers

Vol. 12  Issue 1
Year:2015
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Application of Micro Teaching Skill for Improving the Quality of Teachers: Exploring Opinion of Trainee Teachers
Author Name:Kaustuva Banerjee, Santoshi Halder and Abhijit Guha
Synopsis:
The main purpose of this study is to understand the opinion of student trainee teachers towards Microteaching skills. In this study, survey method was adopted. The participants of this study were 130 trainee students from four Teacher Training Colleges of West Bengal, India in 2013-14 sessions. The tools used in the study for data collection was a questionnaire comprising of two parts, made by the researcher. Part-A comprises of 6 items and Part-B consists of 15 items. The Microteaching skills have been selected according to the revised B.Ed Calcutta University syllabus. Data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics (Mean and Standard deviation). 't' test was performed to determine the differences in opinion towards Microteaching among rural-urban located students, deputed and fresher students and among male and female students. The findings revealed that, the deputed and fresher trainees hold mostly similar opinion towards the different skills of Microteaching and the different components within it. There is a difference in opinion between rural and urban located trainees and overall the respondents have a favorable opinion towards Microteaching skills which would help them to face the real classroom situations. To improve the quality of teachers, it is important to study the usage and applicability of Microteaching skills.

An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom

Vol. 12  Issue 1
Year:2015
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom
Author Name:Florence Martin and Marsha L. Carr
Synopsis:
21st century has seen new technology and multimedia made available for integration in K-12 classrooms. This exploratory study examines K-12 teachers' use of technology and multimedia in the classroom in two southern counties in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of the study was to answer the following five research questions: 1) What technology do teachers use in the classroom; 2) How often do teachers use technology/multimedia in the classroom; 3) How do teachers integrate technology/multimedia in their lessons; 4) What are some of the tools teachers use to create multimedia; and 5) Where do teachers learn to use to create multimedia? The study utilized a survey method to determine the types of multimedia technologies teachers routinely integrated in the classroom. Research data from 701 practicing K-12 teachers is reported in this study. Desktop computers, Laptops and Smartboards were the top three technologies that were being used in the classroom. Powerpoint was still the most popular tool for creating multimedia followed by Youtube, which was used by about half of the respondents in this study. This study has implications for teachers, teacher educators and school administrators who make decisions on technology integration in the classroom.

Improving the Asynchronous Online Learning Environment Using Discussion Boards

Vol. 12  Issue 1
Year: 2015
Issue:Apr-Jun
Title:Improving the Asynchronous Online Learning Environment Using Discussion Boards
Author Name:Ilene Ringler, Jack Deem, Jimmie Flores, Jill Friestad-Tate, Robert Lockwood
Synopsis:

Discussion Boards are at the heart of an Asynchronous Online Learning or Distance Education Environment and can have a great impact on the learning experience. Understanding the individual factors that create a high quality discussion board experience for students and their interrelationships is critical to continuous improvement in distance education. Research which contributes to increased effectiveness of virtual Discussion Boards for both instructors and students can result in greater student involvement and success in learning new skills.

This paper discusses Phase 1 and 2 of a multi phase applied research effort on improving the quality of virtual Discussion Boards. “Applied research is defined as systematic study to gain knowledge or understanding necessary to determine the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met” ("Research and development," 2010, para 4). The study was completed in two phases with additional phases to be developed as the data analysis continues to yield results. In Phase 1, a literature review was completed and qualitative data employing a focus group methodology was completed. The focus group was comprised of full time faculty from a large, proprietary, online university with significant experience in the use of Discussion Boards. The data was collected from the focus group and was analyzed to create hypotheses for additional research on the topic. Phase 2 focused on collecting data utilizing a quantitative research methodology supported by continued research of the literature on this topic. The results of the data analyzed during these phases will become the basis for additional studies on recommended best practices in discussion board participation as it applies to both the student and the instructor.

Social Learning Theory in the Age of Social Media: Implications for Educational Practitioners

Vol. 12  Issue 1
Year:2015
Issue:Apr-Jun 
Title:Social Learning Theory in the Age of Social Media: Implications for Educational Practitioners
Author Name:Shannon Deaton
Synopsis:
Following the research of Albert Bandura, the advent of social media has changed the platform for social interaction and human experience. Educators have a unique opportunity to apply the concepts of Bandura's Social Learning Theory toward enhanced student engagement and learning in a social media context. This article synthesizes current research on Social Learning Theory and Social Media Technology, focusing on how the application of social media in the classroom might be used to stimulate attention, memory, and motivation as each relates to the acquisition of knowledge. Implications for practitioners are discussed in terms of the contexts of student, lesson and faculty.