Robert D. Hannafin

Using asynchronous AV communication tools to increase academic self-efficacy

Technology-enhanced learning environments (TELEs) deliver instructional content and provide an array of scaffolding features designed to support independent student learning. TELEs also support teacher efforts to guide student inquiry within these sometimes complex environments. Self-efficacy, defined by Bandura [Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press] as a persons beliefs about his capabilities is also known to influence student academic performance in a learning environment. This paper discusses the potential importance of designing scaffolds in TELEs that intentionally promote academic self-efficacy. We advocate for designing asynchronous Audio/Visual tools into TELEs to promote student self-efficacy and ultimately performance.

Effects of Spatial Ability and Instructional Program on Geometry Achievement

The authors investigated the effects of student spatial ability, as measured by Ravens Progressive Colored Matrices (J. C. Raven, 1938) and type of instructional program on geometry achievement. Sixth-grade students worked through either 6 instructional activities in Geometers Sketchpad (Key Curriculum Press, 1993), a dynamic geometry program, or a geometry tutorial, both of which paralleled Connecticuts geometry standards. The authors hypothesized that students working with the activities in Sketchpad would learn geometry better and that (after controlling for mathematics ability) student spatial ability would predict success in such an environment more reliably than it would in the tutorial program. However, students with high spatial ability performed significantly better than did low-spatial learners in both instructional treatments; students in the Sketchpad treatment scored only marginally higher on the posttest than did learners in the tutorial condition, despite spending more time on task. Results have implications for mathematics instructors, researchers, and computer-based programs.

Games and Multimedia in Foreign Language Learning -Using Back-story in Multimedia and Avatar-based Games to Engage Foreign Language Learners: A Pilot Study

Even though it was only about three years ago that Social Software became a trend, it has become a common practice to utilize Social Software in learning institutions. It brought about a lot of advantages, but also challenges. Amounts of distributed and often unstructured user generated content make it difficult to meaningfully process and find relevant information. According to the estimate of the authors, the solution lies in underpinning Social Software with structure resulting in Social Semantic Software. In this contribution we introduce the central concepts Social Software, Semantic Web and Social Semantic Web and show how Social Semantic Technologies might be utilized in the higher education context.

Work in progress - Learning Enabled Social Network

The learning enabled social network seeks to discover how to harness the power of social networking to enhance learning and promote the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. Through student-driven, communities of learning, we hope to engage students in authentic problem solving and be accountable to each other for their work. Teachers will participate in the community as equal partners with the students. Assessments will be performance based and post facto using traditional methods, like written exams, outside the environment. Log data will be examined in an effort to link student paths with performance. A pilot study conducted this fall with communities of professional engineers, teachers, college engineering students, and high school science students will investigate how sustainable energy can be provided to various regions of the world. The outcomes of this study will inform future designs with the ultimate goal of creating an online environment capable mediating the formation of learning communities based solely on studentpsilas interest and need.