Misook Heo

Technology Integration into Pre-service Teacher Training

This study evaluated the perceptions of pre-service teachers in their ability to integrate technology into a learning environment based on coursework and student teaching experiences. Pre-service teachers were surveyed using the 2008 ISTE/NETS*T standards as a framework. Results were collected across four academic years at a university that has identified technology as an underlying theme. Conclusions from the study provide an insight into technology savvy characteristics of pre-service teachers. Results also show that technology modeling and program design within a teacher education program can have a significant impact on pre-service teachers, thus improving their perceptions about their ability to integrate technology.

Factor Analysis of the ESL/EFL Strategy Inventory for Language Learning: Generation 1.5 Korean Immigrant College Students' Language Learning Strategies.

This study explores factors related to the language learning strategies of second language learners, specifically Generation 1.5 Korean immigrant students – the seventh-largest and one of the fastest growing foreign-born groups in the USA. Participants in this study were members of the Korean communities located in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia who completed a self-report instrument (English as a second language/English as a foreign language strategy inventory for language learning (SILL)) that assesses language learning strategies. Since there is currently no consensus regarding how many factors the SILL adequately measures, the data were examined with an exploratory factor analysis technique. Results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that a single SILL factor best describes the instrument, as the proposed six sub-domain indices demonstrate tenuous construct validity.

Online Learners and Their Self-Disclosure Preferences

To understand and identify information-sharing preferences among online students, a US survey collected data from university students. Specifically, this study analyzes students’ information disclosure preferences and to what extent demographics influence a student’s willingness to disclose personal information. This study also examines whether or not students feel more comfortable sharing information with specific user groups, such as teachers, teachers’ assistants (TAs), classmates, or friends. While using the communication privacy management theory as a theoretical framework, it was found that graduate students were significantly more likely than undergraduate students to share information with many different groups. Specifically, graduate students disclosed more information to teachers, classmates, group-members, and the TA group when compared to undergraduate students. In addition, graduate students were more likely than undergraduate students to share specific categories of information, including work-related information and contact information. These results provide important insights into how graduate students and undergraduate students interact within online learning environments.

The Girls' Computing Club: Making Positive Changes in Gender Inequity in Computer Science with an Informal, Female Learning Community

This research was designed to increase the awareness of female students with regard to Computer Science (CS) as both a major and a career field. Five female students from a high school in a northeastern state were voluntarily recruited for a weekly, after-school computing club curriculum for one academic year. Over the project period, participants ventured through tasks relating to various technologies, thereby increasing their computer confidence. Collaboration preferences increased only when faced with both technical and content knowledge. Participants’ understanding of CS changed from abstract and superficial to more concrete, but disinterest in the major persisted. Finally, while the participants’ perceptions of gender differences changed, some of the self-reflections did not match their responses to structured questions. While the project impacted only a small sample, increased knowledge of the field of CS prevailed. If females are educated earlier, this may cause a noticeable shift in gender inequity amongst CS majors.

Supporting sustained willingness to share knowledge with visual feedback

The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of simple, system-generated visual feedback on motivations to contribute knowledge to community-based crowdsourcing. Various kinds of visual feedback (status, rank contrast, average assimilation, and top assimilation) were created based on social comparison theory and cognitive evaluation theory. In addition, motivation to contribute knowledge over time was investigated. A total of 280 individuals participated in the experiment. The study found that 1) the rank contrast group completed less tasks than the control group, 2) the rank contrast and status group exhibited lower willingness to contribute than the control group, 3) participants who completed all tasks showed increased willingness to contribute over time, and 4) among participants who completed all tasks, social comparisons focused on achievable target goals resulted in greater willingness to further contribute knowledge over time. These findings provide theory-based, empirical support for the potential of external interventions such as visual feedback to influence willingness to contribute and sustain knowledge sharing. The more knowledge shared the higher motivation among heavy contributors.Social comparison visuals with an achievable goal resulted in greater motivation.Visuals with a distant upward goal resulted in significantly less contribution.Non-comparative visuals yielded a negative impact on motivation.

Motivating continued knowledge sharing in crowdsourcing: The impact of different types of visual feedback

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of system-generated visual feedback and continued contribution on individuals’ motivation to share knowledge in a crowdsourcing environment. Design/methodology/approach – An experimental setting was designed to investigate participants’ motivation to contribute knowledge in a crowdsourcing environment. Responses from a total of 101 participants were analyzed. The independent variables were visual feedback and time. The dependent variable was the participants’ self-expressed willingness to further contribute in the experimental knowledge-sharing activity. Findings – A significant main effect of time was found, showing overall gains in the mean willingness to participate over time. It was also found that the mean willingness of the control and top assimilation groups were higher than the mean willingness of the rank contrast and status groups. The mean difference obtained for the control group was mainly during the first half of the knowledge-...

User needs of cultural portals A study of model invariance within the Korean population

This study investigated a cultural portal measurement model as it relates to Korean user needs. With the conceptual framework that a Web portal is a complex Web service application that has the characteristics of both the information system and service agent, and additionally that users’ reactions to technology can have an impact on the service quality, a measurement model of cultural portal user needs was created by adapting data quality, service quality, and technology adoption models. The analyses indicated that the factor structure is the same regardless of users’ gender, educational background, role when using cultural portals, and experience with cultural portals. It was, however, found that the factor structure is not the same across age groups, providing evidence of generational differences and suggesting that additional efforts to create inclusive cultural portals are needed.

User Needs of Digital Service Web Portals: A Case Study

ABSTRACT The authors examined the needs of digital information service web portal users. More specifically, the needs of Korean cultural portal users were examined as a case study. The conceptual framework of a web-based portal is that it is a complex, web-based service application with characteristics of information systems and service agents. In addition, the users’ reactions to the technology can impact the service quality. As such, a model that specifically measured cultural portal user needs was created by implementing data quality, service quality and technology adoption models. Through confirmatory factor analyses and model respecifications, the authors suggest a measurement model consisting of 5 first-level latent variables, with 19 observed variables. The measurement model confirmed the research hypothesis that data quality, service quality, and technology adoption models complement each other in assessing the needs of cultural portal users.