“I see smart people!”: Using Facebook to supplement cognitive and affective learning in the university mass lecture
In this study, a course-specific Facebook group was created for an introductory mass media course at a large mid-Atlantic university to serve as a supplemental (and voluntary) space for course content discussions. End-of-the semester grades of the Facebook group users were significantly higher than the non-users, t(319)=4.71, p <001. In terms of affective learning, an analyses of the student responses indicated that students generally felt positively about being a part of the Facebook group. Thematic analysis of the Facebook posts indicated that students mainly used this space to discuss exam-related matters. We dis...
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
Online instruction about integration of science and mathematics with middle-grades teachers: Four years in and aiming for sustainability
Publication date: January 2015 Source:The Internet and Higher Education, Volume 24 Author(s): Jennifer Chauvot , Mimi Miyoung Lee The purpose of this article is to illustrate the model used to develop an online graduate program called iSMART (Integration of Science and Mathematics and Reflective Teaching) and discuss the changes made in the program over the past 4years. Starting in 2009 as its preparation year, iSMART is a unique project aimed to provide an online master's program for middle-grade science and mathematics teachers in Texas and is currently working with its 4th cohort of teachers. The authors identify ...
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
Wikis and forums for collaborative problem-based activity: A systematic comparison of learners' interactions
This article describes an experimental study that evaluated differences in students' discourse and actions when they used a wiki with discussion (i.e., an enhanced wiki) vs. a forum with attached MS Word documents for asynchronous collaboration on two case problems. The study used a counterbalanced within-subject design with 34 online learners working in small groups. A systematic content analysis of learners' interactions coupled with visual, analytical techniques showed within-group differences in using the technologies. The study revealed the expanding nature of a forum and the condensing nature of a wiki. Also, finding...
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
Examining the necessary condition for engagement in an online learning environment based on learning analytics approach: The role of the instructor
This study analyzes the impact of an instructor on the students' engagement using learning analytics approach by tracking one university's log data of teaching and learning activities in a web-based learning platform. Based on the tracking data and theoretical analysis, this study builds a teaching and learning interaction activity model to show how the instructor's course preparation and assistance activities affect different dimensions of student engagement activities and the relationship between these activities. The results reveal that an instructor's course preparation is significantly positively related to the studen...
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
An evaluation of online learning to teach practical competencies in undergraduate health science students
Conclusion Online learning is an effective study mode in both theoretical and practical application; however consideration must be taken of the types of practical skills which it is used for. More complex practical skills requiring haptic awareness may best be delivered within a classroom setting if feasible, whereby the instructor can provide immediate feedback. (Source: The Internet and Higher Education)
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
Designing a role structure to engage students in computer-supported collaborative learning
This study investigates the design of a role structure to engage undergraduate students in collaborative knowledge construction. A total of 72 students of an Instructional Design course were divided into 12 small groups, among which six roles of Starter, Supporter, Arguer, Questioner, Challenger, and Timer were assigned respectively. Group discussions of eight learning themes were recorded, which included approximately 1500 lines of messages. Taking group discussion as the unit of analysis, a two-dimensional coding scheme was developed to discover the extent to which the designed role structure facilitated the modeling of ...
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
Virtually unlimited classrooms: Pedagogical practices in massive open online courses
This study explores the range of pedagogical tools used in 24 MOOCs, including the epistemological and social dimensions of instruction, to consider the extent to which these courses provide students with high-quality, collaborative learning experiences. Findings suggest that the range of pedagogical practices currently used in MOOCs tends toward an objectivist-individual approach, with some efforts to incorporate more constructivist and group-oriented approaches. By examining MOOCs through the lens of engaged teaching and learning, this study raises concerns about the degree to which MOOCs are actually revolutionizing hig...
Source: The Internet and Higher Education - October 12, 2014 Category: Information Technology Source Type: research
