Learning objects are interactive online tools that support the acquisition of specific concepts. Limited research has been conducted on factors that affect the use of learning objects in K-12 mathematics classrooms. The current study examines the influence of student characteristics (gender, age, computer comfort level, subject comfort level, and…

A majority of today's higher education students have been nurtured on a steady diet of technology and Internet access, leading to the increased presence of laptops in higher education classrooms. However, many instructors are unsure whether or how to assimilate this technology into their lessons. The purpose of the following study was to examine…

Because of decreased prices, increased convenience, and wireless access, an increasing number of college and university students are using laptop computers in their classrooms. This recent trend has forced instructors to address the educational consequences of using these mobile devices. The purpose of the current study was to analyze and assess…

Over the past 18 years, a number of large scale reviews of the literature have documented that gender differences in computer attitudes, ability, and use tend to favor males. Since the use of laptops in higher education classrooms is increasing, it is important to examine whether this use is disproportionally advantageous to males and…

The purpose of this study was to examine individual differences in attitudes toward Audience Response Systems (ARSs) in secondary school classrooms. Specifically, the impact of gender, grade, subject area, computer comfort level, participation level, and type of use were examined in 659 students. Males had significantly more positive attitudes…

Little research has been done examining the role of errors in learning computer software. It is argued, though, that understanding the errors that people make while learning new software is important to improving instruction. The purpose of the current study was to (a) develop a meaningful and practical system for classifying computer software…

The current study offers a formative analysis of the impact of learning objects in middle school mathematics and science classrooms. Five reliable and valid measures of effectiveness were used to examine the impact of learning objects from the perspective of 262 students and 8 teachers (14 classrooms) in science or mathematics. The results…

While discussion of the criteria needed to assess learning objects has been extensive, a formal, systematic model for evaluation has yet to be thoroughly tested. The purpose of the following study was to develop and assess a multi-component model for evaluating learning objects. The Learning Object Evaluation Metric (LOEM) was developed from a…

A comprehensive review of the literature on the evaluation of learning objects revealed a number of problem areas, including emphasizing technology ahead of learning, an absence of reliability and validity estimates, over-reliance on informal descriptive data, a tendency to embrace general impressions of learning objects rather than focusing on…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an integrated, laptop-based approach on pre-service teachers' computer attitudes, ability and use. Pre-post program analysis revealed significant differences in behavioural attitudes and perceived control (self-efficacy), but not in affective and cognitive attitudes. In addition, there was a…