John Wedman

Family Involvement with Children's Homework: An Intervention in the Middle Grades.

This study investigated a middle-grades mathematics homework intervention designed to increase family involvement in homework. The participants were 74 sixth-grade students and their families from a midwestern school. The students were enrolled in one of three mathematics classes taught by the same instructor. In one class there were no homework involvement prompts, in the second class students were prompted to involve family members, and in a third class students were prompted to involve family members and family participation was requested directly. Findings indicate that, compared to families that were not prompted, families in the two classes receiving prompts were significantly more involved in mathematics homework activities. However, level of family involvement did not predict student achievement. Implications for practice and directions for research are discussed.

A Computer-Mediated Support System for Project-Based Learning.

Project-based learning places demands on learners and instructors that challenge the traditional practices and support structures of schools. Learning from doing complex, challenging, and authentic projects requires resourcefulness and planning by the student, new forms of knowledge representation in school, expanded mechanisms for collaboration and communication, and support for reflection and authentic assessment. This article describes a computer-mediated learning-support system designed as a suite of integrated, internet-based client-server tools to provide (a) intelligent support both for the processes of doing a project and for learning from doing a project, and (b) a shared dynamic knowledge base for working and learning in a community supporting project-based education. The article describes the architecture of the system, its current state of development, and findings from an initial deployment. This articulation of the system components and findings can benefit several groups. It can help (a) educators envisioning the role of technology in augmenting authentic forms of learning, (b) developers of other support systems as they compare features and implications, and (c) researchers as they frame questions about human-computer interactions in learning systems.

A Layers-of-Necessity Instructional Development Model

Instructional design and development models are sometimes criticized for being unnecessarily complex and for requiring an unrealistic amount of precision. To counter this criticism, some will argue that the complexity and precision are necessary to help ensure a quality instructional product. This article offers a solution to the problem of practicality versus precision by introducing a “layers-of-necessity” model of instructional design and development. By recognizing that instruction evolves over time rather than emerges fully developed, the model offers an alternative means of achieving quality instruction.

Future Issues of Computer-Mediated Communication: The Results of a Delphi Study.

Although applications of computer-mediated communications (CMC) continue to evolve, most colleges and universities have no plan to prepare for future development. In order to develop such a plan, a vision of the future of CMC needs to be formed. This study attempted to create such a vision by predicting which CMC applications will become prevalent, the resources required to support these applications, and the major obstacles that will need to be overcome. To address these issues, faculty around the world who extensively use CMC in instruction participated in an electronic Delphi study. Findings indicated that future CMC applications will be those that support common classroom activities such as sending and receiving assignments and distributing electronic handouts. Network access, new teaching skills, and additional time to integrate CMC into the classroom were identified as the resources required to support these applications. Faculty resistance to CMC was identified as the major obstacle.

Developing a Case-Based Reasoning Knowledge Repository To Support a Learning Community--An Example from the Technology Integration Community

People have long relied on storytelling for communicating ideas, transferring knowledge, and consequently making decisions. This paper describes the design and development of a case-based reasoning (CBR) knowledge repository including its case library and the search engine to support the technology integration community. CBR assumes that community knowledge can be captured in the form of stories (cases) so that the community members learn and solve problems by applying the lessons preserved in the stories to the current situation. The process and results of formative evaluation following the concept of participatory design are reported to set the context for further research and development.

Identifying barriers to technology-enhanced learning environments in teacher education

Creating technology-enhanced learning environments is a particularly challenging task when the environment includes a complex set of actual and virtual features. The challenge is readily evident in teacher education programs attempting to prepare future educators to use technology in their teaching. Unfortunately, most of these attempts have been marginally successful. What factors are restraining teacher education programs in terms of creating and implementing technology-enhanced learning environments for preparing tomorrows teachers to use technology? This paper offers a performance improvement framework for addressing this question. Data illustrating the frameworks utility are provided, along with a brief description of actions taken based on the data.

Introducing the Concept of Performance Support Using the Performance Pyramid

Abstract Organizations today face social, competitive, and technological conditions unlike they have seen before. Within this complex environment, managers and team leaders must get the highest levels of performance from a diverse mix of individuals and groups. Achieving this goal requires a range of performance support strategies and resources that can be applied to various situations. This paper outlines a comprehensive model of performance support that integrates a set of factors leading to optimal performance and significant accomplishments. Referred to as the Performance Pyramid, the model has been an effective means of introducing the notion of performance support to individuals unaccustomed to thinking outside of a training paradigm. Using this model, continuing educators can offer a comprehensive program that focuses on enhancing worker performance to address the needs of their business and agency partners.

Instructional design project success factors: An empirical basis

Instructional design and development (ID) projects are undertaken every day, with project stakeholders attempting to concentrate their efforts and resources on the factors leading to a successful project. What are the factors that contribute to ID project success? Are they equally important to all stakeholders in an ID project? This article addresses these questions regarding ID project success.Using a variety of data-gathering techniques and incorporating the perspective of four stakeholder groups, this study identified twenty-three ID project success factors that were grouped into four categories. Data analysis revealed significant differences among: (a) the four stakeholder groups in terms of the importance they attached to the factors; and (b) the four success factor categories in terms of their importance to ID project success. Also, an interaction was found between stakeholder groups and success factor categories.

Flying the KITE (knowledge innovation for technology in education) through a case‐based reasoning knowledge repository

Case‐based reasoning (CBR), which has long been considered a branch of artificial intelligence, has recently gained great attention in the knowledge management circle because of its capability for storing and retrieving experience‐based knowledge by emulating human memory, and its ability to function similar to organizational memory to preserve organizational knowledge. While many successful CBR systems have been developed as knowledge repositories for preserving intellectual capital and for problem solving in business communities, both the concept and methodology of CBR are still novelties in education communities. While there are a plethora of projects and practical pursuits for CBR applications in business, literature relating to designing, developing and evaluating practical CBR educational applications is conspicuously scant. Based on the issues encountered and lessons learned in a CBR system development project, this paper attempts to provide some pragmatic guidelines for those who are interested in applying the CBR knowledge repository approach to supporting knowledge creation and diffusion in the education domain.

Social computing and collaborative learning environments

Social experiences and interaction can be critical to the conceptualization and design of a collaborative learning environment. Social computing offers a theoretical context for investigating the ways in which the environment can create rich social experiences that serve as a foundation for building effective learning support.