Kendall Hartley

Educational Research in the Internet Age: Examining the Role of Individual Characteristics

The use of the Web and other computer-based technologies in classrooms has become quite prevalent. Previous Research News and Comment discussions have presented the opportunities for research and practice that accompany these relatively new tools for classrooms. This article presents a perspective that has garnered less attention in discussions of these new learning environments—learner characteristics. Contemporary theories in educational psychology present important implications for learning in this new environment. This article will address two learner characteristics deemed important in mainstream educational psychology literature, epistemological beliefs and self-regulatory skills. Following the lead of previous articles, this article will also address the implications for access to education and learning.

Teacher Concerns During Initial Implementation of a One-to-One Laptop Initiative at the Middle School Level

Abstract Many schools are initiating projects that place laptop computers into the hands of each student and teacher in the school. These projects entail a great deal of planning and investment by all involved. The teachers in these schools are faced with significant challenges as they prepare for teaching in classrooms where every student has a computer. Using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model of change, this study investigated the concerns of teachers in the early stages of a one-to-one laptop initiative. The results of the study indicate that teachers fall into two relatively well-defined categories in terms of their concerns regarding the innovation. The majority of teachers have genuine concerns about how the introduction of laptop computers into the school environment will impact them personally. A lesser number have concerns about how they will be able to best use the laptops to meet the needs of the students. Implications for professional development include differentiating training based on teacher concerns, ensuring teachers have a voice in the process and are well-informed of decisions pertaining to the adoption, and implementation of the innovation.

An Examination of One-to-One Computing in the Middle School: Does Increased Access Bring about Increased Student Engagement?

This study explores configurations of laptop use in a one-to-one environment. Guided by methodologies of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model of change, an Innovation Configuration Map (description of the multiple ways an innovation is implemented) of a 1:1 laptop program at a middle school was developed and analyzed. Three distinct configurations showed a range in fidelity of laptop integration at the school. A second finding showed a range of off-task behaviors as part of each configuration. We chose to more deeply explore if a relationship between the individual configurations and student off-task behaviors existed. We found that increased access to laptop computers does not always equate to increased student engagement. Implications of this study extend to teachers, school administrators, and teacher educators.

PERSONALITY INTERACTIONS AND SCAFFOLDING IN ON-LINE DISCUSSIONS*

The potential of on-line discussions to prompt greater reflection of course material is often stymied by a tendency of students to agree with one another rather than to formulate counter-arguments. This article describes an experiment using note starters and elaborated cases to encourage counter-argumentation and examines interactions with personality characteristics. Participants were 48 undergraduates who wrote on-line discussion notes in response to two issues in educational psychology. Participants also completed a personality survey, based on McCrae and Costas (1997) five-factor personality model. There was a significant positive main effect of note starters on the frequency of disagreement, as well as personality-treatment interactions between note starters and several personality characteristics, The results suggest that note starters are most useful for students with low degrees of curiosity (“openness to ideas”) or assertiveness, and who are not overly anxious. Note starters appear to encourage students to consider other points of view during on-line discussions.

The Influence of Presentation, Organization, and Example Context on Text Learning.

This research compared high-load and low-load versions of a text by manipulating text presentation, text organization, and example context on measures of fact and concept learning. The low-load text presentation variable enhanced fact and concept learning and post-reading ease of comprehension ratings. The low-load text organization variable led to higher post-reading ease of comprehension ratings. Ease of comprehension was related significantly to fact and concept learning. These findings are supported by cognitive load theory and extend the research to include variables that influence text processing.

The Effect of General Relevance Instructions on Shallow and Deeper Learning and Reading Time

ABSTRACT: The relevance effect refers to the facilitative effect of relevance instructions on learning. The authors examined the effect of general prereading relevance instructions on fact and concept learning, essay quality, and reading time. College students either did or did not receive relevance instructions before reading an expository text. Researchers found that general relevance instructions facilitated fact and concept learning and essay quality but did not lead to an increase in reading time. These findings supported the no-increased-effort hypothesis, which states that general relevance instructions help readers construct a more integrated mental representation of the text without increasing processing time. The authors attribute these effects to the goal-focusing nature of relevance instructions.

Media Overload in Instructional Web Pages and the Impact on Learning

Abstracts English: The use of the Internet to deliver instruction is increasing dramatically, and the multimedia opportunities available in web page design can improve or impede effective instruction. This paper addresses working memory and its implications for web‐based instruction.

Teachers and Technology Equity

(1997), individual educators are the deciding factor in whether technology is successfully integrated into classrooms and schools. What you do matters. The literature identifies three important issues that we as educators must address as we integrate technology into our classrooms (see box, “What Does the Literature Say?”): • Increasing access to technology. • Appropriate instruction and use of technology. • Barriers to institutional technology. If we are to increase technology access and use with students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, we must be aware of these issues and work actively within our schools to rectify the existing inequities. Issues

Reaching Accessibility Guidelines for Creating and Refining Digital Learning Materials

VOL. 40, NO. 3, JANUARY 2005 (PP. 171–176) 171 from 3% in 1994, to 77% in 2000, and 92% in 2002 (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). The same survey indicated that nationwide, 86% of public schools with access to the Internet had a Web site or Web page in 2002. As students move into postsecondary education, the role of technology grows. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (Waits & Lewis, 2003), 89% of public, 4-year institutions offered distance education courses during the 2000–2001 academic year. Of those offering distance education courses, 90% offered Internet courses. The same report indicated less than encouraging efforts at making Internet offerings accessible to individuals with disabilities:

The Effects of Informational Complexity and Working Memory on Problem-Solving Efficiency

This study investigated the influence of informational complexity and working memory capacity on problem-solving efficiency. We examined two predictions of thesituational efficiency hypothesis, which states that the efficiency of problem solving varies as a function of situational constraints. One prediction is that informational complexity affects problem-solving efficiency. A second prediction is that working memory capacity affects problem-solving efficiency. Students completed a working memory task and solved abstract and concrete syllogisms. Participants solved abstract syllogisms more accurately than concrete syllogisms and spent more time solving abstract syllogisms. Thus participants demonstrated greater problem-solving efficiency when solving concrete syllogisms. Results indicate that there is a trade-off between problem-solving accuracy and problem-solving time when information differs with respect to informational complexity, a phenomenon we refer to as theefficiency paradox. Working memory capacity did not affect accuracy or efficiency. The results support the conclusion that problem-solving efficiency is situational and a function of the complexity of information. Educational implications and directions for future research are suggested.