Barbara L. Grabowski

Patterns of Exploration and Learning with Hypermedia

Spatial navigational techniques have been proposed to assist hypermedia users in discerning the structure of the content, facilitating both the organization and integration of new information. In this study, novice hypermedia users tended to use a fairly passive strategy for selecting their movement through the system, based more on screen position rather than deliberate conceptual choices, whether they had a graphical browser for navigation or just hotwords in the text. Most made a deliberate effort to view all screens but often felt confused. Suggestions for improving navigational aids based on path data analysis, survey data, and user interviews are given.

Web 2.0 Applications and Practices for Learning Through Collaboration

This chapter provides a review of the theoretical bases and international research on the uses of Web 2.0 applications for learning through collaboration. Web 2.0 applications empower users with a venue for personal expression, sharing, communicating, and collaborating with others, thus offering enriched opportunities for learning. In our review, we found evidence of engaging and effective uses of Web 2.0 applications such as blogs, wikis, collaborative documents and concept mapping, VoiceThread, video sharing applications (e.g., YouTube), microblogging (e.g., Twitter), social networking sites, and social bookmarking that applied contemporary and foundational educational theory. We also identified opportunities and challenges associated with learning through collaboration with Web 2.0 applications, which can inform research directions and areas to explore for ECT researchers.

Curiosity as a Personality Variable Influencing Learning in a Learner Controlled Lesson with and Without Advisement

This study investigated the effect of curiosity on learning art education facts and concepts by first- and second-graders in computer-based interactive learner control environments with and without advisement. High-curious subjects, who generally prefer a higher degree of unfamiliarity and uncertainty, were predicted to perform better in either learner control environment than low-curious children. All children regardless of curiosity level were expected to perform better in the advisement condition than in the no-advisement condition. As predicted, a significant difference in achievement scores favored the high-curious children in both conditions. Although there was no main treatment effect, exploratory analyses revealed an unpredicted significant interaction between grade level and treatment. First-graders performed significantly better with advisement than without advisement while second-graders performed better without. Examination of treatment usage data indicated that first-graders followed advisement more than did second-graders.

Effects on Children's Achievement and Curiosity of Variations in Learner Control over an Interactive Video Lesson

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of variations in learner control on childrens level of curiosity and learning from computer-based interactive video (CBIV). The content was presented as a videodisc visit to an art museum and contained both facts and concepts. A posttest-only control group design was employed with 101 first-and second-grade subjects randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions—Program Control, Learner Control, Learner Control with Advisement—or a control group. The dependent variables were achievement and three measures of curiosity. Children in the Learner Control with Advisement group scored significantly higher on the achievement posttest than the Learner Control subjects or control group. No differences were found between the Program Control and either of the Learner Control groups. For the curiosity measures, the Learner Control with Advisement subjects scored significantly higher than the control group on Content Exploration, and the subjects in the control group scored significantly higher than those in the Program Control group on Persistence.

Exploring Instructional Design Factors Prompting Reflective Thinking in Young Adolescents

Reflective thinking is important to young adolescents as they develop their thinking skills. Various instructional methods have been recommended to support reflective thinking, yet the nature of the underlying factors in these methods is unclear. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the factors prompting reflective thinking. Results of this study suggest that young students perceived three clusters of methods as supporting their reflection: reflective learning environments, reflective teaching methods, and reflective scaffolding tools. A one-way within subjects ANOVA showed that the most helpful factor was the reflective learning environment, with the most helpful elements being freedom and collaboration. Students’ perceptions of concept mapping and reflective question prompts were found to differ significantly across gender. Recommendations are provided for designing learning environments that prompt reflective thinking.

Combining assessment and research during development of large technology integration projects

Descriptions of large technology integration projects can be found in the literature. Amongst reports of instructionally sound designs and increases in learning loom debates on the effectiveness and impact of the use of technology in education. Combining assessment and research components for large technology integration projects should yield results that inform this debate. The task of integrating assessment and research, however, is complex. Descriptions about how either assessment or research should be conducted can be found, but detailed examples illustrating integration of such strategies are scarce. This paper provides brief definitions of assessment, evaluation, and research and describes strategies for integrating and managing assessment and research activities for a large education technology development project. Examples of tools used to develop and manage a comprehensive assessment and research plan in a large technology integration development and research project are provided.

Framework for Asynchronous Discussion Design Decisions: Applied Principles from Special Issue Authors.

After a discussion of the state of both misaligned and informative online and distance education research, the authors in this special issue (hereafter called the collective) extract evidence-based principles about strategies that work. Both are addressed in this article. First, their criticisms centered on the value of comparative research. Those discussions are compared to debates by the International Board of Standards for Training Performance and Instruction (ibstpi). Second, to summarize and synthesize the evidence-based principles on interactions of online distance learners with content, peers and instructors, I offer a framework for planning, developing, and executing online distance education learning activities. The guidelines from the collective are organized within this framework for making asynchronous discussion design decisions. Finally, a redesign of an existing online distance education course exemplifies how these evidence based principles may be applied in a real example.

The Effects of Generative Visual Manipulation Strategies within Computer-Based Instruction

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a generative learning strategy involving learner manipulation of visual elements in computer-based instruction. Distinct from computer-controlled animated visuals, generative manipulation of visuals requires the learner to actively move and place visual elements in an attempt to induce cognitive processing of the content. Stratified random sampling based on prior knowledge of 184 subjects was used to assign students to three treatment groups representing two forms of learner-directed generative visual manipulation and one form of computer-controlled visual manipulation as well as a control. Results and conclusions are presented below.