The major advantage of STS is the kind of teaching it allows and demands. Twelve middle school teachers who were enthused with STS teaching selected two sections for a research study. One section was the experimental STS section; the other followed the course syllabus and textbook closely. The major findings indicate the advantages for STS as a…

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…

Because of the location of the college institution, CSC teacher interns have been placed in cooperating schools within a 375 mile radius of Chadron, NE. It has not been unusual for CSC faculty members to travel several hours from Chadron to supervise teacher interns. Following the mandates of the Nebraska Department of Education [NDE], (2008),…

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…

This study examined the constructs of a study skill--highlighting--to determine whether the constructs for highlighting in a paper mode would be the same as highlighting in a computer mode. Constructs are defined as the underlying processes that are elicited in an experimental setting and that provide a basis for explaining the relations among the…

This study compared the typing efficiency of four young children (5 to 6 years of age) who were novice typists on the Dvork and QWERTY keyboards. A copying program on an Apple IIc microcomputer functioned as the training instrument. Although the children did not acquire proficient touch typing skills, they did type accurate responses faster, keep…

This study investigated the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of drills as used in computer assisted instruction (CAI) lessons in phonetic transcription. Subjects (N=44) were students in a course in general phonetics at the University of Illinois. Measurements of student learning, student attitude, and time required for completion…

A study was conducted in the School of Medical Technology at the University of Illinois to determine the relative learning effectiveness of lessons taught by means of computer assisted instruction (in this case, PLATO) versus lessons taught by means of paper copies adapted from the PLATO system. While the benefits of translating paper…

To determine the effects of cartoon-embellished programed text materials on student skill performance and student attitudes towards instruction and subject material, a random sample of 85 students in a course on audiovisual materials were selected as research subjects. Research procedures included: (1) pretest for skills and attitudes; (2) random…

Proficiency at vocational typing tasks after conventional or programed instruction was compared. The subjects were low-ability students in first- and second-year typing classes. The programed instruction featured: little practice at ordinary stroking skills, early introduction of vocational typing tasks, explicit instruction in making decisions…

A study investigated the extent to which instructional films by themselves can teach a body of factual information. Three comparable groups of ninth-grade students were taught a course in general science. One group saw a series of 44 films and received no other instruction. The second group saw the films and studied specially prepared short study…