This paper presents a study which involved researching student interaction and participation under the lens of Activity Theory and Social Computing. Activity Theory is a philosophical framework that integrates the objective, the sociocultural, and the ecological, while Social Computing describes any type of computing application in which software…

This study investigates the level of students' learning when using e-lectures to increase the flexibility of the learning experience. Two cohorts of students were presented with the same material in lecture format. The control group attended a traditional live lecture, while the treatment group was offered an e-lecture with the same content. Both…

Previous research on students with learning disabilities has indicated that they benefit most from explicit instruction. However, few studies have examined how explicit instruction may be translated to the logistical demands associated with large-group instruction in high school general education settings in ways that are socially acceptable to…

The first part of this article discusses the advantages of offering courses online or in a blended format from an instructor's and manager's perspective. These advantages include: (a) improved distance support of faculty in the delivery of courses; (b) effective delivery of tutoring for students; (c) increased facility in the sharing of digital…

This study addresses questions related to teacher preparation through online supported learning in an alternative certification program, CalStateTEACH. Specifically, this study analyzes and reports survey responses of 130 teachers and 84 supervisors related to preparedness of program completers to teach in a multiple subject classroom. The…

In recent years the demographics of individuals pursuing teacher certification has changed. Many individuals with a bachelor's degree who are interested in a change of career pursue teaching after receiving a college degree in areas other than teacher certification. Institutions of higher education have made a distinction between their traditional…

The effects on reading speed and comprehension of window proportions and page turning in electronic text were investigated in this study. Subjects--61 undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin--Whitewater--were administered a standardized reading text displayed as photocopied dot matrix print in simulation of electronic text. There…

The purpose of this research was to design, create a prototype, and evaluate an Educational Data Acquisition System (EDAS) for use in secondary school science laboratories. The prototype of EDAS consisted of a microcomputer, data acquisition interface, sensors, software, and documentation. It provided the teacher and students with a…

This study assessed the effects of providing learners with a graphic illustration of coordinate concept relationships to supplement learning from text-based instruction. Seventy-three undergraduate students were given a passage of approximately 1,200 words in length, describing Ausubel's Categories of Meaningful Learning. Half of the students also…

The results of research on the amount of information retained by television viewers from weather broadcasts suggest that audiences retain little information on weather conditions even though they are interested in it, and that more information is retained when the report is presented via the spoken word than with extensive use of visuals. An…

Software to support teaching and learning activities was added to a computer mediated communications system to create a "virtual classroom." The goals included improving access to and effectiveness of college-level courses, particularly by facilitating collaborative learning. The process and outcomes were compared for sections of several…

This study investigates the educational consequences of utilizing listen-response-compare mode in a college level language laboratory. (Author)

Preliminary results compared computer assisted methods versus traditional mathematics processes to determine the nutrient content of foods for a dietary evaluation study. Objectives were to compare the two methods with regard to (1) computation time spent by students and staff, (2) accuracy, and (3) cost. The need for more sophisticated methods…

The purpose of this study was to compute and analyze descriptive indices of efficiency assessing the relative effectiveness of a verbal and visual color code applied to self-paced learning and testing materials. The sample consisted of 176 college subjects randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions receiving black/white (B) or color…

Computer Assisted Training (CAT) is a research project at the Fachhochschule fur Technik in Esslingen, West Germany; the aims of this project are to develop and evaluate new means and methods of instruction giving the student a more active part. Special emphasis is given to the computer as an instructional aid, mainly for drill and practice. This…