For students in many professional programs, their written work remains the chief means for them to convey their understanding and application of material presented in the classroom. Within their papers are applications of learning objectives or competencies. However, when students are asked to aggregate their acquisition of competencies, or if the…

This study investigates how the combination of instructor modeling and question prompts for peer-questioning influences students' online questioning and answering activities. Fourteen students in a turfgrass management online class at a large land-grant university participated in two three-week sessions of online discussion. Two randomly selected…

Females are underrepresented in technology-related careers and educational programs; many researchers suggest this can be traced back to negative feelings of computer self-efficacy developed as early as the age of 10. This study investigated the effect of embedding technology into a 5th grade science classroom and measuring its effect on…

In this article, I propose a technology-supported teaching and learning model that aims to bridge the gender gap identified in areas such as mathematics and science. Further, this model promotes collaboration between teacher educators and K-12 teachers. The focus of technology is on the use of video conferencing. This model is further tested by a…

Recently, concerted efforts have been made to encourage teachers to utilize technology within the classroom. Just as other modes of presentation style have implications for students' perceptions of their classroom experiences, so, too, might teachers' use of technology. The current study investigated this possibility, as well as whether the…

Although the issue of student retention is a campus-wide one, it is of special interest in online distance learning courses, where retention rates are reported to be lower than in face-to-face classes. Among the explanations and theories of retention rates in online courses, one that struck us as most useful is a structural one, namely, course…

Affinity Learning is a system that allows the user to build a lesson on a subject matter by breaking it down into concepts, misconceptions, assessments, and remediation steps. Examples and questions can also used in these components. Affinity Learning has been found to be effective and can offer critical insights to student learning strategies.…

Past research has suggested that students need to be motivated by themselves (intrinsic learning motivation) and use higher-order cognitive skills so as to excel in problem solving, decision-making, and analytical reasoning in real-life situations. In this study, we examined the role of intrinsic learning motivation (ILM) and cumulative GPA in…

An examination of the current state of the art of podcasting, with a focus on video podcasting. Included are a review of the history and technical aspects of podcasting and an overview of current educational applications of podcasting. A detailed description of an experiment conducted in creating and distributing video podcast episodes is…

A survey of hardware and software technologies was conducted to identify suitable technologies for the development of instructional modules representing various instructional approaches. The approaches modeled were short PowerPoint presentations, chalk-and-talk type of lectures and software tutorials. The survey focused on identifying application…

There is a paucity of research concerning the opinions and roles of Department Chairs pertaining to computer use, yet these individuals are in a key position to influence the curricula. The purpose of this survey was to improve understandings about Department Chairs' opinions and reported practices concerning computer applications in their…

The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of instructors as they participate in an online classroom setting. It sought to find the purposes, goals, and objectives set by online instructors for the utilization of threaded discussions. The methodology employed was qualitative. A case study of a public two-year and four-year degree…

The Fall 2006 term of COM495, Senior Practicum in Communication, offered communication and information design students the privilege of taking part in a transatlantic intercultural virtual project. To emulate real world experience in today's global workplace, these students researched and completed a business communication project with German…

The virtual online world called Second Life can be deceptive. It looks like a game, but the participants are not assigned goals. Indeed, it may be said that the goal of Second Life is to create one's own goals. As a result, the residents of Second Life choose to work in many different directions. Some choose to develop land; some try to earn…

National assessment systems can be enhanced with effective school-based assessment (SBA) that allows teachers to focus on improvement decisions. Modern computer-assisted technology systems are often used to deploy SBA systems. Since 2000, New Zealand has researched, developed, and deployed a national, computer-assisted SBA system. Eight major…