Research Area: Science
Even as much of the academic world becomes convinced of the effectiveness of online education, some still have serious reservations about how one discipline in particular — science — can be taught efficiently outside a “traditional” classroom. The Colorado Community College System (CCCS), however, has been successfully delivering hands-on, laboratory-quality instruction to its distance students for more than a decade. The same can be said of Oregon State University Ecampus and many other providers of online education. And the effectiveness … Continue reading
[Summary from: Science Magazine, 2011] We compared the amounts of learning achieved using two different instructional approaches under controlled conditions. We measured the learning of a specific set of topics and objectives when taught by 3 hours of traditional lecture given by an experienced highly rated instructor and 3 hours of instruction given by a trained but inexperienced instructor using interactive instruction based on research in cognitive psychology and physics education. The comparison was made between two large sections (N … Continue reading
[Summary from: Merlot's Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2011] The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of both online classroom community and student engagement in online learning, as well as to compare community and engagement across disciplines in higher education. Participants (n=1,410) in online courses across five colleges and in both graduate and undergraduate courses were asked to complete an online survey. The survey consisted of 23 items measuring community and engagement as well as an additional … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2010] All teacher education programs strive to provide ways for their students to make the necessary connection between theory and practice, as this is the foundation of excellence in teaching and learning. As technology tools become more ubiquitous and 21st century definitions of “literate” involve utilizing technologies to learn, the need for pre-service teachers to be knowledgeable and innovative about the efficacy of these tools in classrooms as a means for interacting, engaging, and communicating with students … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2010] This exploratory study examined students’ views of hybrid learning in an undergraduate Ecology course, which incorporated Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE) into the online portion of the coursework. Quantitative data were obtained by administering the Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) to an intact class. Additionally, qualitative data were collected by interviewing five randomly selected class members. The interview data was converged with the quantitative survey data to supplement key findings in the study. … Continue reading
[Summary from: NSTA, 2008] The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) supports and encourages the use of e-Learning experiences for preK–16 science students, as well as for science educators engaging in professional development in the traditional, informal, or distance learning environment. NSTA defines e-Learning as the effective learning process created by combining digitally delivered content with learning support and services (Waller 2001). E-Learning can and should significantly enhance science teaching and learning. From the National Science Teachers’ Association. Downloaded 12/14/10: http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/e-learning.aspx
[Summary from: Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 2008] This research is unique in that it is the first aggregate study of teachers learning science online in a wide variety of educational programs. Hierarchical linear modeling points to changing roles of instructors and students in online courses, with lower perceived levels of instructor support and a supportive course design strongly associated with positive learning outcomes. Rowe, E., Asbell-Clarke, J. (2008). Learning Science Online: What matters for Science Teachers?, Journal of Interactive … Continue reading
[Summary from: Educause, 2009] In this article, we provide an in-depth examination of the design, development, and use of one of these virtual world learning spaces, our Nurse Anesthesia operating room simulation for learning the basic induction process. We also briefly describe the learning spaces we developed for several other projects. Our goal is to provide you with some insights into developing virtual world learning spaces and highlight the advantages of those virtual world spaces over real world spaces. Gerald, … Continue reading