Robert Maribe Branch

Educational media and technology yearbook.

Preface Part 1: Trends and Issues Part 2: Library & Information Science Part 3: Leadership Profiles Part 4: Organizations and Associations in North America Part 5: Graduate Programs in North America Part 6: Mediagraphy Print and Non-Print Resources Index

Project-Based Learning in a Middle School: Tracing Abilities through the Artifacts of Learning

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore how individual differences—specifically abilities—were used in the construction of computer-mediated learning artifacts while working within a project-based learning environment. A case study design was used with five participants purposively selected from 61 eighth grade geography students at a small, private day school in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through a self-report inventory, interviews, observations, and artifacts. Results indicated that learning artifacts reflected individual differences through blends of abilities while other abilities identified by the participants went untapped or unrecognized. Second, the learning artifacts represented the learners’ knowledge in three ways: system knowledge, domain knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. However, some knowledge, such as process decision making, went undocumented. Finally, the flexibility in the project-based learning environment allowed the participants to make decisions about their abilities, resources, and plans. Recommendations and implications for teacher educators as well as inservice and preservice teachers are also presented.

Instructional Design Models

This chapter presents information about the role of models used for instructional design. While heuristics provide broad references for approaching instructional design, specific applications of procedures necessary to actually develop teaching and learning materials require more defined models. The purpose here is to promote a better understanding about the appropriate utilization of instructional design models. Instruction is posited here as including both teaching and learning, and that teaching and learning are inextricably connected with regard to the construction of knowledge and skills. Since the first appearance of instructional design models in the 1960s there has been an ever-increasing number of models published in both the instructional technology and other education literature based on the assumptions that instruction includes both teaching and learning. While there are hundreds of instructional design models, there have been only a few major distinctions among them, until recently. Still, instructional design models provide conceptual tools to visualize, direct, and manage processes for creating high-quality teaching and learning materials. The proper selection of instructional design models assists us in appropriately matching the right process with the right situation. Thus, instructional design models serve as a valuable source for matching the right creative process to the right design situation as well as an effective framework for conducting instructional design research.

Visual Literacy Defined – The Results of a Delphi Study: Can IVLA (Operationally) Define Visual Literacy?

Abstract A relatively new approach to visual thinking and the grammar of imagery is visual literacy. Visual messages have existed before text-based messaging in the forms of prehistoric pictured communications and other symbols, however, a definition of visual literacy that enjoys the consensus of the visual literacy scholarly community does not exist. The purpose of this study was to solicit a first generation definition of visual literacy as a result of a Delphi study. Inconclusive results lead the authors to challenge the International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA) to construct and adopt an operational definition of visual literacy

The influence of achievement goals on online help seeking of computer science students.

This study investigated the online help-seeking behaviors of computer science students with a focus on the effect of achievement goals. The online help-seeking behaviors investigated were online searching, asking teachers online for help, and asking peers or unknown people online for help. One hundred and sixty-five students studying computer science from a large research university in the south-eastern United States participated in the study. It was found that students searched online significantly more frequently than they asked people online for help. Contrary to prior findings on face-to-face help seeking, no achievement goals were found to be significant in predicting the tendencies of students to seek help online. These findings provide evidence to support the role of online searching as an integral part of online help seeking and demonstrate that research findings on face-to-face help seeking should not be assumed to be naturally extendable to online help seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-regulated Learning as a Foundational Principle for a Successful Strategy in Teaching Educational Research Methods to Doctor of Philosophy Students

A challenge for all disciplines in graduate education is finding successful strategies to actively engage students in becoming proficient in authentic research practices. A contributing factor is the degree of self-regulatedness. This study investigated self-regulated learning principles, how they are used to teach research methods to doctoral students at a Research Extensive university, and specific ways doctoral students became independent researchers.

Instructional Design: A Conceptual Parallel Processor for Navigating Learning Space

Instructional design is a process used to generate curriculum, courses, teaching units, and single episodes of guided learning. While instructional design is applicable for curriculum development, and in many types of teaching environments, this is a presentation about how instructional design can be conceived as a way to navigate in spaces dedicated to intentional [or guided] learning. Guided learning is purported to be complex because the student, the content, the media, the teacher, peers, and the context, all interacting within a discrete period of time; while moving toward a common goal. The instructional design concept suggested here is intended to be a way to respond to the complexities of guided learning. The contention is that the fundamental purpose of instructional design is to 1) respond to a performance discrepancy that is attributable to a lack of knowledge and skills, 2) generate learner-centered strategies, and 3) validate the products and procedures used for episodes of guided learning; and to accomplish theses processes parallel to each other.

Students’ beliefs about teaching and learning and their perceptions of student-centred learning environments

ABSTRACT Student-centred learning requires students to be an active participant in knowledge construction. Due to the unique self-directed aspects that characterise student-centred instruction, students may feel uncomfortable and find themselves unprepared for the demands associated with student-centred learning environments (SCLEs). This qualitative case study explored 11 students’ beliefs about teaching and learning and how their beliefs influenced their perceptions of a SCLE in a graduate programme. The results showed that students’ prior knowledge as well as their beliefs about teaching and learning influenced their perceptions of the SCLE. This study suggests that teachers and educational practitioners acknowledge students’ individual differences in their beliefs and prior knowledge, and provide personal support and guidance.

Instructional Design for Training Programs

This paper examined the need for instructional design as the fundamental paradigm for training programs. The situation is that there has been a substantial increase in the number of training programs throughout the world. The contention here is that the increase in the number of training programs has created a need for designs that systematically generate effective instruction that is student centered. The premise is that instructional design is a complex process that requires more than writing objectives, publishing training manuals, and placing lesson plans online. Instructional design is an applied product development process, which exists to respond to needs that are identified in spaces dedicated to intentional learning. Further, a high-quality training program is achieved through the application of the several core principles of instructional design, such as being student centered, responsive, generative, complex, collaborative, and practical. Each of the core principles of instructional design will be presented in this session.

Organizations and Associations in the United States and Canada

This information will be used solely to construct a directory of relevant organizations and associations within the Educational Media and Technology Yearbook. The data supplied here will not be intentionally shared or publicized in any other form. Thank you for your assistance