i-manager's Journal of Educational Technology (JET)


Volume 8 Issue 1 April - June 2011

Research Paper

Transforming Tweets To Formal Academic Prose: College Freshmen’s Innovative Writing Practice Using Digital Technologies

Carrie eunyoung Hong* , Gerri Mongillo**, Hilary Wilder***
* Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Professional Studies, William Paterson University, New Jersey.
** - *** Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Professional Studies, William Paterson University, New Jersey.
Carrie Eunyoung Hong, Geraldine Mongillo and Hilary Wilder (2011). Transforming Tweets To Formal Academic Prose:College Freshmen's Innovative Writing Practice Using Digital Technologies. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.8.1.1465

Abstract

This study explored how college freshmen at a mid-sized public university in north-eastern United States used Twitter, an anytime/anywhere writing technology, to support and promote the writing process by using tweets as a pre-writing activity. Two of the authors taught a joint course of First Year Seminar and Basic Reading in which the same group of students enrolled. Students in First Year Seminar used Twitter every week to input their ideas and thoughts about their experiences of the first year at the university with the goal of collaboratively combining these into a ‘Freshman Survival Guide’ at the end of the semester. The findings indicate that Twitter as a technological tool helps students generate ideas that turned into a formal written text by going through a series of traditional writing processes. In addition, it appears that the nature of their writing development is affected by authenticity, collaboration, effective writing instruction, and instructional support of technology use in academic context.

Research Paper

Faculty Perception of Online Instruction and Student Learning

Twila Eads Johnson* , Vanessa B. Meling**, Saul Andaverdi***, Amanda Muniz Galindo****, Karina Madrigal*****, Lori Kupczynski******
* Instructor of Government and History, Coastal Bend College in Kingsville, Texas.
** Lecturer, College of Business at Texas A&M University, Kingsville.
*** Lecturer for the College of Science and Mathematics at the University of Texas–Pan American.
**** Pre-Health Professions Academic Advisor and Lecturer, Texas A&M University, Kingsville.
***** Communication dual enrollment instructor, South Texas College and Palmview High School.
****** Asst Prof, Educational Leadership at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Twila Eads Johnson, Vanessa B. Meling, Saul Andaverdi, Amanda Muniz Galindo, Karina Madrigal and Lori Kupczynski (2011). Faculty Perception Of Online Instruction And Student Learning. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 12-19. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.8.1.1466

Abstract

Online learning is continually growing across the globe and a current concern in academia is whether students are learning at higher levels in this medium. The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty perceptions of student learning in online courses versus the traditional, face-to-face environment at a Hispanic-Serving institution. A survey instrument was created and distributed to faculty at one south Texas Hispanic serving institution to address the topic of faculty insight toward online learning. Results of the study found that there is a direct relationship between faculty tenure status, faculty who taught online courses, and faculty who taught online courses for five or more years with regards to perceptions of student online learning.

Research Paper

Report On Partial Findings Of An Ongoing Research: Social Networking Sites (SNS) As A Platform To Support Teaching And Learning In Secondary Schools

Nor Hasbiah Bt. Ubaidullah* , Khairulanuar Samsudin**, Norasikin bt Fabil***, Norhayati bt. Mahadi****
*-*** Faculty of Art, Computing and Creative Industry, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia.
**** English Language Teaching Centre, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia.
Nor Hasbiah Bt. Ubaidullah, Khairulanuar Samsudin, Norasikin Bt Fabil and Norhayati Bt. Mahadi (2011). Report On Partial Findings Of An Ongoing Research: Social Networking Sites (SNS) As A Platform To Support Teaching And Learning In Secondary Schools. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 20-28. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.8.1.1467

Abstract

This paper reports the partial findings of a survey that was carried out in the analysis phase of an ongoing research for the development of a prototype of a Social Networking Site (SNS) to support teaching and learning in secondary schools. For the initial phase of the study, a quantitative research method was used based on a survey involving 383 respondents drawn from two rural and two urban schools in Selangor, Malaysia. The main objectives of the survey were to investigate factors related students’ use of SNSs namely the frequency of use, the types of SNSs used, reasons for using SNSs and the types of relationships established in the social networking. Data were analysed in the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS).  Findings of the research show that majority of the students were frequent users, spending quite substantially in the virtual sessions mostly for leisure rather than for educational purposes. In addition, the SNSs were used almost exclusively for peer interactions where interactions with their teachers were very minimal. These findings underscore the design and development of a dedicated, content-specific SNS to promote a focused use of SNSs for academic purposes involving both pupils and teacher.

Research Paper

Impact of Multimedia based Instructional Design on the college students

E. Ramganesh* , S. Amutha**
* Associate Professor, Department of Educational Technology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.
** Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Technology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.
E. Ramganesh and S. Amutha (2011). Impact Of Multimedia Based Instructional Design On The College Students. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 29-34. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.8.1.1468

Abstract

Preparing the technology proficient learners to meet the needs of 21st century  has emerged as a critical challenge facing education in our country. The teacher has to prepare the young generation to fit in to the technology intensive society of the 21st century. Instructional design (ID) is the systematic process of planning events to facilitate learning. The ID process encompasses a set of interdependent phases including analysis of learners, contexts and goals; design of objectives, strategies and assessment tools; production of instructional materials; and evaluation of learner performance and overall instructional design effort (Gagne, Briggs, and Wager, 1992).The impact of learning solely depends on the efficiency of the teacher in delivering the message. But after the advent of multimedia technology the students have more wider opportunities through the multimedia namely computers, internet and A-V aids in equipping themselves with latest information and knowledge. A student in the higher learning is all set to be convinced by the teacher for transformation. In this vision, this paper makes its attempt to develop a multimedia based instructional design in Botany at undergraduate level and to determine the effectiveness of it with undergraduate students of science. The results reveal that the Multimedia based instructional design is effective and it can enhance the knowledge and understanding of the students as it is developed with combinations of text, audio, animation, images, video and pedagogical applications which are blended to visualize the content.

Research Paper

Mobile Technology and CAD Technology Integration in Teaching Architectural Design Process For Producing Creative Product

Isham Shah Bin Hassan* , Mohd Arif Ismail**, Ramlee Mustafa***
* Lecturer, Port Dickson Polytechnic, Malaysia
** National University, Malaysia.
*** Sultan Idris Teaching University.
Isham Shah Bin Hassan, Mohd Arif Ismail and Ramlee Mustafa (2011). Mobile Technology And CAD Technology Integration In Teaching Architectural Design Process For Producing Creative Product. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 35-45. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.8.1.1469

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of integrating the mobile and CAD technology on teaching architectural design process for Malaysian polytechnic architectural students in producing a creative product. The website is set up based on Caroll’s minimal theory, while mobile and CAD technology integration is based on Brown and Campione’s technology of learning theory. This study utilized a quasi-experimental method. Final semester students from four (4) polytechnics being used as research samples where sixty (60) students are in the treatment group and another sixty (60) students are in the control group. The final products being evaluated by the experts in architectural field using an instrument based on Creative Product Analysis Model (CPAM). The inferential statistics namely T-Test and Pearson Correlation Analysis with a significant level p = 0.01 were utilized. Research outcome shows that there is a significant difference between the treatment group product (M=79.1) and control group product (M=70.5). It also shows that there is a significance correlation between CPAM creative model details and the final product designed using mobile and CAD technology integration where r (unique) = 0.905, r (practical) = 0.857 and r (details) = 0.758. This research contributes to the use of real case in the development of an architectural website, in the use of mobile technology as media information sources, the use of CAD technology in designing process and in the construction of validated instrument which is used to evaluate creative architectural products.

Research Paper

A Standards-Based Grading And Reporting Tool For Faculty: Design And Implications

Alaa Sadik*
Assistant Professor, Instructional Technology at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.
Alaa M. Sadik (2011). A Standards-Based Grading And Reporting Tool For Faculty: Design And Implications. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 46-63. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.8.1.1470

Abstract

The use of standard-based assessment, grading and reporting tools is essential to ensure that assessment meets acceptable levels of quality and standardization. This study reports the design, development and evaluation of a standards-based assessment tool for the instructors at Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman. The Rapid Applications Development Model was implemented to develop early versions of the assessment tool, called RealGrade. The Grading tool Usability Questionnaire and a series of individual interviews were used to measure participants’ reactions toward the usability of RealGrade and determine the extent to which the prototype is usable. The results revealed that participants found the RealGrade effective and efficient in facilitating the process of standards-based assessment and communicating grades with students at the University. In addition, they favored the design, flexibility and ease of use of RealGrade. Further examinations of mean differences among participants according to their computer experience and teaching experience were conducted.