Genevieve Marie Johnson

Internet Use and Psychological Wellness during Late Adulthood.

Une population vieillissante est mieux servie par des services dassistance socials, personnels et de la santé qui visent à maintenir et à maximiser lautonomie personelle. LInternet offre des opportunités nombreuses pour les individus de tous âges de commniquer, daccéder aux informations, et de se livrer à des activités récréatives. Un échantillon à base communautaire de 122 adultes de plus de 60 ans ont rempli un questionnaire qui a évalué les trois groupes de caracteristiques: (a) la fréquence et les modes dutilisation de lInternet, (b) le bien-être (la solitude, la satisfaction de vie, lauto-suffisance, les soutiens sociaux, et la dépression) et (c) les données démographiques (lâge, le revenu, léducation). Des corrélations significatives sont apparues entre les trois groupes de variables mesurées. Tout en contrôlant les différences démographiques, lutilisation dInternet et de lautosuffisance demeurent significativement corrélés. Parmi léchantillon des personnes plus âgées, celles qui ont utilisé lInternet plus présentaient une plus forte perception de leur efficacité que celles qui ont utilisé lInternet que rarement ou pas du tout.An aging population is best served by social, personal, and health support focused on maintaining and maximizing personal independence. The Internet affords numerous opportunities for individuals of all ages to communicate, access information, and engage in recreational activities. A community-based sample of 122 adults over 60 years of age completed a questionnaire which assessed three clusters of characteristics: (a) frequency and patterns of Internet use, (b) well-being (loneliness, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, social support, and depression), and (c) demographics (age, income, education). Significant correlations emerged between the three clusters of measured variables. Controlling for demographic differences, Internet use and self-efficacy remained significantly related. Among the sample of older adults, individuals who used the Internet more had higher perceptions of self-efficacy than those who used the Internet rarely or not at all.

Young Children's Internet Use at Home and School: Patterns and Profiles.

Thirty-eight children in first and second grade completed a 10-item rating scale on Internet use at home and school. Results suggested that, in general, more children used the Internet at school than at home but home-based use was more often perceived as enjoyable. Three patterns of Internet use emerged suggesting three types of young users: home-based users demonstrated extensive, comprehensive, and enjoyable use of the Internet at home coupled with limited and less enjoyable Internet use at school; school-oriented information seekers reported mainly visiting websites, both at home and at school, but school access was preferred; and school-oriented communicators indicated primarily using email, both at home and at school, but school use was preferred. Implications for Internet literacy in young school children are discussed.

The ecology of interactive learning environments: situating traditional theory

In educational discourse on human learning (i.e. the result of experience) and development (i.e. the result of maturation), there are three fundamental theoretical frameworks, – behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism, each of which have been applied, with varying degrees of success, in online environments. An ecological framework of human learning and development in interactive learning environments is proposed. Such an inclusive paradigm organizes the fundamental theoretical assumptions of behaviourism (i.e. automated learning), cognitivism (i.e. recall, understanding, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, creativity, problem solving) and constructivism (i.e. private and shared meaning). Based on review of the literature, behaviourism is best conceptualized as a learning theory; constructivist theoretical assumptions are best applied to cognitive development including private online experience (cognitive constructivism) and shared online experience (social constructivism). Cognitivism is a particularly relevant theoretical orientation in understanding both human learning and development in interactive learning environments.

The use of digital talking books by people with print disabilities A literature review

Purposexa0The purpose of this paper is to analyse empirical studies regarding the use of digital talking books (Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) books) as well as the possibilities and l ...

Technology use among Indigenous adolescents in remote regions of Australia

Twenty-four Indigenous adolescents (mean age 16.4 years) attending a boarding school in a remote region of Western Australia participated in individual structured interviews that queried current patterns of use for each of: (1) television, (2) video games, (3) computers, (4) the Internet, and (5) mobile phones. Results suggest that television, video games and computers play a relatively minor role in the lives of participating adolescents. However, the Internet and particularly mobile phones were frequently used. Mobile phones were used by participating Indigenous adolescents in ways consistent with their collective culture (e.g. communicate with family and friends) but also similar to adolescents generally (e.g. to send text messages and access the Internet). When presented with the hypothetical option of using only one small screen technology, Indigenous adolescents overwhelmingly selected a mobile phone. The reasoning for such a preference emphasised the importance of communication and the global functionality of the device (e.g. Internet connectivity). The rapid uptake mobile phones by Indigenous adolescents may point the way to improved educational opportunities, specifically, m-learning.

Self-Regulation of Learning and Preference for Written versus Audio-Recorded Feedback by Distance Education Students.

Abstract Teacher feedback is critically related to student learning. This study sought to determine the relationships between distance education (DE) student level of self-regulated learning (SRL) and their preference for audio-recorded vs. written feedback from tutors. DE students (n = 102) enrolled in a first-year university course completed an online questionnaire that assessed eight dimensions of SRL as well as a personal evaluation of written vs. audio-recorded tutor feedback that was provided during the academic study period. In general, the participating DE students expressed preference for written over audio-recorded feedback. However, complex patterns of relationships emerged between dimensions of SRL and evaluation of written vs. audio-recorded feedback. For example, DE students who were most likely to listen to audio-recorded feedback appreciated peer interaction and personal challenges more than students who preferred written feedback. In DE learning environments, a variety of feedback formats may best meet the needs of all students, although exposure to various technologies may facilitate SRL.

Record of assessment moderation practice (RAMP): survey software as a mechanism of continuous quality improvement

In higher education, assessment integrity is pivotal to student learning and satisfaction, and, therefore, a particularly important target of continuous quality improvement. This paper reports on the preliminary development and application of a process of recording and analysing current assessment moderation practices, with the aim of identifying areas in need of improvement. Specifically, survey software was used to create a record keeping strategy in which unit coordinators documented the assessment moderation and integrity practices in each unit during each study period. Such an online survey approach to record keeping was amenable to data analysis with statistical software, which facilitated identification of trends and anomalies. Instructional staff responded well to the initiative. As is typically the case with monitoring of behaviour, improvements in assessment moderation practices were immediately apparent.

The influence of student learning characteristics on purchase of paper book and eBook for university study and personal interest

First-year university students (n = 199) completed an online questionnaire that queried their purchase of paper books and eBooks for university study and personal interest. The questionnaire also required students to rate their learning characteristics including reading strategies, study self-regulation, learning control beliefs and achievement motivation. Self-reported student learning characteristic scores were associated with self-reported book purchases. For example, as student extrinsic motivation scores increased, number of paper books purchased for university study tended to increase. As student learning control belief scores increased, purchase of eBooks for university study tended to increase. Collectively, such results lend support to the conclusion that education students who embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who read for leisure perceive themselves as more able learners than students who do not embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who do not read for leisure.First-year university students (nxa0=xa0199) completed an online questionnaire that queried their purchase of paper books and eBooks for university study and personal interest. The questionnaire also required students to rate their learning characteristics including reading strategies, study self-regulation, learning control beliefs and achievement motivation. Self-reported student learning characteristic scores were associated with self-reported book purchases. For example, as student extrinsic motivation scores increased, number of paper books purchased for university study tended to increase. As student learning control belief scores increased, purchase of eBooks for university study tended to increase. Collectively, such results lend support to the conclusion that education students who embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who read for leisure perceive themselves as more able learners than students who do not embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who do not read for leisure.

Traditional Literacy Skills and Internet Use Among 8- to 12-Year-Old Children

Ninety children in third through sixth grade attending an elementary school in western Canada completed a 15-item rating scale of their Internet use across home, school, and community contexts. Childrens literacy skills were assessed with standardized measures of reading fluency and sentence comprehension and teacher ratings of reading and writing ability. Results suggest that Internet use during childhood is a complex behavior that varies across children and across contexts. Instant messaging and community-based Internet use during childhood were associated with decreased literacy skills, while other applications used at home and school were associated with increased literacy skills.

Using Tablet Computers with Elementary School Students with Special Needs: The Practices and Perceptions of Special Education Teachers and Teacher Assistants / Utilisation des tablettes électroniques avec des enfants d’école primaire à besoins spéciaux

Twelve special education teachers and teacher assistants who have instructional experience using iPads with children with special needs completed a survey that queried their practices and perceptions. In general, teachers and assistants were extremely positive about the value of iPads for children with special needs, particularly for children with autism, attention deficits and limitations of fine motor control. Special education teachers and teacher assistants reported most frequently using iPads to promote student language and literacy skills, although mathematics learning activities were also commonly reported. Enhanced student motivation was the most frequently reported benefit of using tablet computers in school followed by instructional planning advantages. Tablet computers appear to have the potential to be an essential aspect of individual program plans. Teaching tasks might reasonably include downloading and organizing specific applications on specific children’s tablets and professional development might increasingly focus of evaluation of tablet applications. n nDouze professeurs en education speciale et aides-enseignants utilisant les iPads dans leur enseignement avec des enfants a besoins speciaux ont rempli un questionnaire relatif a leurs pratiques et a leurs perceptions. En general, les enseignants et les aides-enseignants se sont reveles extremement positifs quant a la valeur des iPads pour les enfants a besoins speciaux, en particulier pour les enfants avec autisme, avec un deficit d’attention et avec un controle limite de la motricite fine. Le plus souvent, les enseignants en education speciale et les aides-enseignants ont indique avoir utilise les iPads pour ameliorer les competences linguistiques et de litteratie des eleves, bien que des activites dapprentissage des mathematiques aient aussi ete mentionnees frequemment. Le renforcement de la motivation des eleves constituait lavantage le plus souvent associe a l’utilisation des tablettes a lecole, suivi par des avantages lies a la planification de l’enseignement. Les tablettes pourraient devenir un element essentiel des plans de programme individuel. Les tâches denseignement pourraient inclure le telechargement et lorganisation d’applications specifiques sur les tablettes particulieres des enfants, et le perfectionnement professionnel pourrait de plus en plus etre consacre a levaluation des applications pour tablettes.