Preventing Teacher and Counselor Burnout: Self-Care in Training Programs
A Study of Intervention Math Labs and STAAR Math Growth Scores in a South Texas Rural Middle School
Turkish EFL Teachers' Perceptions of their Pedagogical Digital Competence in an EFL Setting
Brief Report: Targeting the Social Communication Skills of an Autistic Adolescent with a Co-Occurring ADHD Diagnosis using Two Formats of a Social Story
The Effectiveness of GeoGebra Assisted Learning on Students' Mathematical Representation: A Meta-Analysis Study
Towards Quality Higher Education in the Arab World: Challenges of the Present and Aspirations of the Future
Edification Of Multimedia Resources: Aligning Technology For Student Empowerment
Continuous Classroom Assessment At Primary Level
An Empirical Consideration Of The Use Of R In Actively Constructing Sampling Distributions
Improving Quality In Teaching Statistics Concepts Using Modern Visualization: The Design And Use Of The Flash Application On Pocket PCs
The Roles of Artificial Intelligence in Education: Current Progress and Future Prospects
The Role of Web-Based Simulations In Technology Education
Development Of Learning Resources To Promote Knowledge Sharing In Problem Based Learning
Fishing For Learning With A Podcast Net
An Orientation Assistant (OA) for Guiding Learning through Simulation of Electronics Technology in Technology Education
This article will outline how a web based video conferencing system (Marratech) was used in a graduate online counsellor education course as part of a blended online graduate degree in Counseling. Since the course is open to students from around North America, a variety of e-delivery methods of instruction is critical to the program’s success. A rationale for using web conferencing will be presented followed by details on how to integrate web videoconferencing into an online course. Recommendations on using this e-learning tool in online courses are provided.
This article traces the development of the constructivist theory of teaching and learning, overviews the research that links technology to constructivism and highlights some of the teaching and learning tools, systems and models that are successfully using technology to develop learners' thinking and understanding. Constructivist viewpoints represent a range of thinking on different dynamics, such as:
· Teacher-directed instruction vs. student-empowered learning
· Standardization vs. customization
· Solitary vs. community-based learning
· Simulation vs authentic experience
There are now a variety of tools and systems available to assist with learning across these spectra. Recent research has shown that electronic performance support systems (EPSS) offer a great deal of potential for users to adapt or design the framework of their activities and their own materials to empower the learner; various multimedia combinations have shown a great deal of promise in supporting learners to create their own visual schema; simulations and virtual environments come closer to attaining the same results as real-world experiences and models that exist which will help us to organize these resources to attain optimal impact. The article closes with a review of available tools and implications for research.
Novel and innovative modes of interacting with website information have arisen which necessitate methods and tools for their evaluation. However, it is essential to develop such methods from contexts of use at a macro (i.e. cultural) and micro (individual use contexts) level. Activity theory has been used extensively in systems evaluation as it bridges these two levels. This article will extend activity theory by the development of a method, Analytical Activity Method (AAM). The purpose of this method is as a tool to enable web designers and usability engineers to conduct usability evaluations of web interfaces, particularly the mobile web. Based on the theoretical underpinnings of activity theory, AAM seeks to extend the activity checklist (Kaptelinin, Nardi, and Macaulay, 1999) for evaluation of websites on computers or mobile devices. The application of this method contains the possibility to make visible that which was not obviously apparent from the theoretical tropes of Activity theory at system, historical and cultural level. Finally, this paper concludes that the AAM has provided a comprehensive framework within which to conduct website evaluations and informs future designs. It proposes some exciting new applications based on the AAM which not only extend activity theory but also provide a framework for understanding new methods of information access.
This article attempts to suggest the existence of a human computer called Quantum Human Computer (QHC) on the basis of an analogy between human beings and computers. To date, there are two types of computers: Binary and Quantum. The former operates on the basis of binary logic where an object is said to exist in either of the two states of 1 and 0. The latter, however, operates on the basis of fuzzy logic where an object can exist in more than two states simultaneously. Through analogy, it is hypothesized that human beings are superb quantum computers that operate on the basis of human logic that accepts multiple states for objects simultaneously. Moreover, and since human beings are composed of physique, mind, memory, soul, and spirit, it is also hypothesized that the QHC legalizes the existence of objects in Hilbert space. Finally, it is further suggested that, as fictitious as it may seem, human learning can be reduced into a "suggestion model" whereby information is suggested into the human computer in much the same way as a given software is setup on a digital computer; the paper proposes a model for human learning based on its description of the quantum human computer. It is claimed that human learning can be whole sale rather than being linear, sequential and time-consuming. Sleep and hypnosis are presented as examples.
Communicating through the internet has quickly evolved from email, listservs, discussion boards, instant messaging, blogging and now to podcasting. Many of these communication tools have been exploited by the educational community and the latter appears to be no exception. This paper will share background on blogs and podcasts as well as real-world samples, academic examples and a plan to use podcasts as a teaching and learning tool.
This paper presents the development of a 3-D virtual environment in Second Life for the delivery of standards-based science content for middle school students in the rural Appalachian region of Southeast Ohio. A mixed method approach in which quantitative results of improved student learning and qualitative observations of implementation within middle school classrooms are provided. The Interactive Science Lab Game found in the Teen Grid of Second Life has been used for the past year to improve the understanding of genetics (Fruit Fly Experiment) and Gallery Walk was used to improve the learning of science in grades 6 to 8. Participant teacher reactions and concerns in the use of 3-D simulations in middle school will be addressed.
Virtual reality (VR) that immerses users in a 3D environment through use of headwear, body suits, and data gloves has demonstrated effectiveness in technical and professional education. Immersive VR is highly engaging and appealing to technically skilled young Net Generation learners. However, technical difficulty and very high costs have kept immersive VR out of most education institutions and corporate training programs. Now, a new technology is making the learning benefits and competitive advantages of VR possible cost effectively. This new technology, called desktop virtual reality, has recently improved dramatically and can now put high-quality virtual environments on standard desktop and laptop computers. This paper introduces instructional uses of VR, reviews the characteristics and benefits of desktop VR, overviews the hardware and software required to develop and use desktop VR for learning and training, and reviews the theoretical foundations and experimental findings from a research program on this innovative technology currently in progress at Oklahoma State University in the United States.
There have been many articles written about the variety of ways faculty and students define eportfolios, collect artifacts, write reflections, and use finished eportfolios. However, little has been written about the dynamic process of adopting electronic portfolios in schools of education. This study employs cross-case analysis to investigate implementation of electronic portfolio initiatives in seven schools of education. Case analysis shows the most commonly identified purpose for initiating an eportfolio system to be program evaluation for national accreditation. With program evaluation as the eventual goal of eportfolio development, at least eight design steps of an electronic portfolio process were found to be necessary for successful implementation. These steps are discussed and various methods of implementation are described. Case analysis results further suggest that the final step involving data gathering, aggregation and analysis has been most difficult for these schools to implement. None of the schools represented in this study have yet made use the data collected from eportfolios to make data driven decisions about their programs of study. Suggestions are made for further study into the use of eportfolio data for program evaluation, improvement and ongoing development.
