Jan Elen

Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology

The 4th edition of the Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology expands upon the previous 3 versions, providinga comprehensive updateon research pertaining tonew and emerging educational technologies. Chapters that are no longer pertinent have been eliminated in this edition, with most chapters being completely rewritten, expanded, and updated Additionally, new chapters pertaining to research methodologies in educational technologyhave been added due to expressed reader interest. Each chapter now contains an extensive literature review, documenting and explaining themost recent, outstanding research, including major findings and methodologies employed. TheHandbookauthorscontinue to beinternational leaders in their respective fields; thelist is cross disciplinary by designand great effortwas taken to invite authors outside of the traditionalinstructional design and technology community.

Tool use in computer-based learning environments: towards a research framework

Computer-based learning environments often confront learners with a number of tools, i.e. non-embedded support devices. Such environments assume learners to be good judges of their own learning needs. However, research indicates that students do not always make adequate choices for their learning process. This especially becomes an issue with the use of open learning environments, which are assumed to foster the acquisition of complex problem solving skills. Such open learning environments offer students tools to support their learning. Consequently, it is needed to understand factors that influence tool use and acquire insight in learning effects of tool use. Both issues are addressed in this contribution. A review of the existing literature has been undertaken by performing a search on the Web of Science and the PsycInfo database. Results indicate that there is some evidence for learner, tool and task characteristics to influence tool use. No clear indication was found for a learning effect of tool use. The conclusion proposes a research framework for the systematic study of tools.

Assessing Epistemological Beliefs: Schommer’s Questionnaire Revisited

The questionnaire constructed by Schommer is regularly used in studies on epistemological beliefs. This contribution raises some questions about the appropriateness of this instrument to measure epistemological beliefs. This paper presents a critical review of the relevant literature and discusses the use of (a translated version of) the questionnaire in two empirical studies. In the review section, the construction, validation and use of the questionnaire by Schommer and some other authors are analysed. The results of the empirical studies are reported in the second section. In neither of these two studies, the factor structure of Schommer (1990) could be retrieved. Moreover, in both studies, a different factor structure was found. Given the differences in the factor structures, in both studies attempts were made to construct reliable scales. These attempts reveal counter-indications for using the instrument: all scales contain only a limited number of items and are not very reliable.

Student-centred and teacher-centred learning environments: what students think

This contribution explores the relationship between teacher-centred and student-centred learning environments from a students perspective. Three different views with respect to this relationship can be retrieved. The balance view suggests that the more teacher-centred a learning environment is, the less student-centred it is and vice versa. The transactional view stresses the continuous renegotiation of teacher- and student-roles. The independent view argues that teacher- and student-centredness are independent features of learning environments. Results from three survey studies of higher education students’ conceptions of quality education are discussed. While the practice-oriented literature regularly seems to adopt a balance view, factor analyses did not reveal evidence for the balance view in any of these studies. In students’ minds student-centredness and teacher-centredness seem to be mutually reinforcing features of high quality education. From a curricular point of view, and especially with regard to teacher training, the results warrant to argue for the development of so-called powerful learning environments rather than for the transition from teacher-centred towards student-centred learning environments.

Faculty Development in Research‐Intensive Universities: The role of academics’ conceptions on the relationship between research and teaching

The study reported in this article explores conceptions of the research–teaching relationship held by faculty members in two research‐intensive universities. To elaborate a model for research‐intensive teaching that can be considered in faculty development, a total of 16 members from 4 different disciplines were interviewed. The rich diversity in the views on the research–teaching nexus is described from four different perspectives. First we spell out the respondents’ thoughts about what constitutes research for them. We then describe the consequences of this conceptualisation for the goals and strategies they put forward for their teaching. This analysis is deepened in the third section where we discuss the underlying reasons our respondents expressed for the importance they attach to research for high‐quality teaching. Finally, we present how the respondents believe teaching might contribute to their research. This study confirms a number of previously reported findings on the relationship between research and teaching. It also reveals two striking features of research‐intensive teaching in research‐intensive universities: (1) it is more research‐ than student‐centred, and (2) the link between research and teaching is fundamentally based on and directed towards a mature epistemological disposition. It is argued that these two features have to be explicitly considered in faculty development. Deze bijdrage exploreert de opvattingen over de relatie tussen onderzoek en onderwijs van academici in twee onderzoeksintensieve universiteiten. Zestien academici uit vier verschillende disciplines werden geïnterviewd. De analyse was gericht op het ontwikkelen van een model over de onderzoek‐onderwijs relatie dat in onderwijskundige vorming van academici kan worden gebruikt. De grote diversiteit in de antwoorden kan vanuit vier invalshoeken worden beschreven. In eerste instantie gaan we in op wat ‘onderzoek’ betekent voor de respondenten. Vervolgens beschrijven we de gevolgen van deze conceptualisering voor de wijze waarop ze hun onderwijs vormgeven. Een dieper begrip van de relatie wordt in een derde deel bewerkstelligd. We beschrijven de redenen die respondenten aanreiken om het belang van onderzoek voor kwalitatief hoogstaand onderwijs te onderbouwen. Ten slotte, gaan we na of volgens onze respondenten het onderwijs ook een bijdrage levert aan hun onderzoek. Deze bijdrage bevestigt bevindingen in vroeger onderzoek over de relatie tussen onderzoek en onderwijs. Tegelijkertijd reveleert het twee kenmerken van onderwijs in onderzoeksintensieve universiteiten: (1) het is meer onderzoeks‐ dan studentgeoriënteerd en (2) een nauwe band tussen onderzoek en onderwijs is gericht op verwerven van een gesofisticeerde epistemologische positie. Een effectieve onderwijskundige vorming van academici in onderzoeksintensieve universiteiten houdt expliciet rekening met deze kenmerken. L’étude présentée dans cet article explore les conceptions de la relation enseignement‐recherche entretenues par des membres du corps enseignant de deux universités de recherche. De façon à élaborer un modèle de l’enseignement en contexte de recherche pouvant être envisagé du point de vue du développement pédagogique, un total de 16 personnes provenant de diverses disciplines ont été interrogées. La riche diversité des points de vue au sujet de la relation entre enseignement et recherche est décrite selon quatre perspectives différentes. Premièrement, nous décrivons les pensées des répondants au sujet de ce que constitue, à leurs yeux, la recherche. Ensuite, nous décrivons les conséquences de cette conceptualisation pour les objectifs et les stratégies que les répondants mettent en oeuvre dans le cadre de leur enseignement. Cette analyse est approfondie dans la troisième section où nous discutons des raisons profondes exprimées par nos répondants à l’égard de l’importance que ceux‐ci accordent à la recherche soutenant un enseignement de qualité. Finalement, nous présentons les façons selon lesquelles les répondants croient que l’enseignement peut contribuer à leur recherche. Cette étude confirme un certain nombre de découvertes rapportées précédemment au sujet de la relation entre la recherche et l’enseignement. Elle soulève aussi deux dimensions importantes de l’enseignement axé sur la recherche en contexte de recherche : (1) celui‐ci est davantage axé sur la recherche que sur l’apprenant, et (2) le lien entre la recherche et l’enseignement repose fondamentalement sur, en plus d’être dirigé vers, une disposition épistémologique mature. Ces deux dimensions doivent être considérées de façon explicite dans le cadre du développement pédagogique.

The impact of concept mapping and visualization on the learning of secondary school chemistry students

The aim of this study was to examine whether the construction of integrated knowledge structures by students can be stimulated by concept mapping and by better visualization of concepts and their interrelationships. The investigation was carried out in regular teaching settings: chemistry courses in secondary schools in Flanders, in the domain of electrochemistry. A significant positive effect of extra attention to visualization on the learning achievement of students was found. However, significant effects of concept mapping as an instruction method could not be detected under the given research conditions.

The ParlEuNet-project: problems with the validation of socio-constructivist design principles in ecological settings

Abstract Current proposals for the design of technologically supported learning environments are heavily influenced by socio-constructivist ideas about learning and instruction. While numerous general ideas have been brought forward, there is a lack of clear empirical tests of these ideas. In this contribution such an empirical test is presented and discussed. First, the instructional design principles and their operationalisation in the ParlEuNet-project are presented. Next, the design and outcomes of an empirical study are discussed. It was hypothesised that students’ epistemological beliefs, metacognitive skills and instructional beliefs would evolve by working in a rich technological, problem-based collaborative learning environment. Secondly, it was hypothesised that by participating in the project, students’ beliefs and skills would develop in the direction of that learning environment. The first hypothesis was partly confirmed; however the second was not, students’ beliefs and skills changed in a direction opposite to the one expected. The contribution concludes with an attempt to explain these unexpected results.

Metacognition and the Use of Tools

In this chapter the relationship between metacognition and the use of tools is addressed. Being able to determine when the use of a tool would be beneficial for one’s learning is seen as a metacognitive skill. Different assumptions are made with respect to this relationship between metacognitive knowledge (including instructional conceptions) and tool usage. A series of studies are addressed in which different instruments were used to measure metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive skills to provide empirical underpinning for these assumptions.

Peer evaluation in reciprocal learning with task cards for acquiring Basic Life Support (BLS).

BACKGROUND Research emphasises the need for instructional methods and tools which can improve Basic Life Support (BLS) performance or reduce instructional time. AIM To investigate the effect of peer evaluation to improve reciprocal learning with task cards as instructional tools for acquiring BLS. METHODS A total of 78 kinesiology students from a Belgian university were paired and randomised across two groups to learn BLS in 20min with task cards. In the control group, students worked together in a defined doer-helper relationship and switched roles every 5min. In the peer evaluation group, students followed the same co-operation procedure as in the control group. In addition, 1min before every switching of roles, the helper evaluated the doers performance. All BLS skills were individually assessed on a Laerdal AED Resusci Anne mannequin (Laerdal Medical, Vilvoorde, Belgium) using the Laerdal PC-Skill reporting system. A total BLS score was calculated and performance was measured before training (baseline), immediately after training (intervention) and 2 weeks later (retention). RESULTS Significantly more students from the evaluation group remembered and consequently performed all BLS skills at intervention (P=0.03). No significant differences were found between groups for main cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) variables and total BLS scores at baseline, intervention and retention. Both groups achieved more than 70% of the maximum BLS score at intervention and retention. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that 20min reciprocal-learning setting with task cards is an effective method to learn BLS. The implementation of peer evaluation in this setting has an immediate, however small, positive impact on BLS skill learning.

Supporting learners: Increasing complexity?

The different papers in this special issue all addressed learning with complex tasks. All of these papers reached only partially the expected results. This discussion on possible factors that may explain these unexpected results. A first issue that is questioned is the functionality of the tools in the studies. Secondly, the learners lack of compliance is addressed. It may have been that the learners did not take the opportunities offered to them. Third, the use of the support by the learners itself is questioned. Although some methodological issues can be raised, the different papers made a worthwhile attempt to grasp the complexity in a learning environment. Moreover, they highlight the importance of a consolidated framework to determine relevant factors that should be considered when dealing with complexity.