Wilhelmina C. Savenye

Effects of Learner Control, Advisement, and Prior Knowledge on Young Students' Learning in a Hypertext Environment.

This study was an investigation of the effects of learner control and of advisement in a hypertext learning environment with second-grade students who had different levels of prior knowledge about the content. Four treatment conditions crossing two variables, learner control (free access representing network structuring of hypertext vs. limited access representing hierarchical structuring of hypertext), and advisement (advisement vs. no-advisement), were established. From the quantitative and qualitative data, results indicated that: (a) for low prior knowledge (PK) students, the limited-access condition was more effective than the free-access condition, whereas high-PK students were able to function equally well in both conditions; (b) the free-access group reported a higher positive attitude for advisement than for no advisement, but the limited-access group showed no such difference in preference; (c) the low-PK group completed the lesson more quickly without advisement than with advisement, whereas the high-PK groups completion times did not vary across advisement conditions; and (d) analysis of the path data indicated that advisement was helpful in preventing disorientation in the free-access condition.

So You Are Going To Be an Online Writing Instructor: Issues in Designing, Developing, and Delivering an Online Course

Abstract Online education is increasing exponentially in colleges and universities. In this article, writing instructors are introduced to theories of instructional design that form the foundation to support effective student learning. We present a series of guidelines, derived from these theories and our research and teaching, that writing instructors may use to design, develop and deliver their online courses. We present considerations for instructors such as the need for the course, an analysis of the learners, appropriateness of the course for online delivery, pedagogical concerns, and resources. We then discuss how best to support students in online environments. We conclude with suggestions for faculty support and training for online course delivery.

How Do Learning Styles Relate to Performance in a Computer Applications Course

AbstractThis study investigated the relationships among learning styles and performance measures for computer concepts and application skills. Subjects were 68 college undergraduates who were enrolled in a computer applications course. The Instrument used in this study was the Gregorc Style Delineator (1984). A correlational study was conducted: (a) to investigate the relationship among learning styles and the course performance measures and (b) to identify the implications of students’ learning styles for design of computer applications instruction. Significant correlations were found among two learning styles and two performance measures. Subsequent analyses revealed that those students with high abstract sequential scores achieved significantly higher in total course points while those students with high abstract random scores earned significantly lower total course points.

Why maps improve memory for text: The influence of structural information on working memory operations

Abstract In order to test how associated verbal and spatial stimuli are processed in memory, undergraduates studied a reference map as either an intact unit or as a series of individual features, and read a text containing facts related to map features. In addition, the map was presented either before or after reading the text. Seeing the intact map prior to the text led to better recall of both map information and facts from the text. These results support a dual coding model, where stimuli such as maps possess a retrieval advantage because they allow simultaneous representation in working memory. This advantage occurs because information from the map can be used to cue retrieval of associated verbal facts, without exceeding the processing constraints of the memorial system.

Using Qualitative Research Methods in Higher Education

RESEARCHERS INVESTIGATING ISSUES related to computing in higher education are increasingly using qualitative research methods to conduct their investigations. However, they may have little training or experience in qualitative research. The purpose of this paper is to introduce researchers to the appropriate use of qualitative methods. It begins by describing how qualitative research is defined, key characteristics of qualitative research, and when to consider using these methods. The paper then provides an overview of how to conduct qualitative studies, including steps in planning the research, selecting data collection methods, analyzing data, and reporting research findings. The paper concludes with suggestions for enhancing the quality of qualitative studies.

Adult Learner Participation in an Online Degree Program: A Program-Level Study of Voluntary Computer-Mediated Communication

Several studies examining computer‐mediated communications (CMC) in online courses have found low levels of participation under both voluntary (ungraded) and mandatory (graded) conditions. This is troubling since student participation is widely considered to have a positive impact on performance. Program‐level data were analyzed to explore the relationship between three factors—(1) experience with previous online courses, (2) the course itself, and (3) the instructor—and subsequent participation. All three factors separately impacted participation levels in this voluntary CMC setting. Based on the findings, the authors recommend that researchers using CMC participation level as a study variable consider controlling for three global factors: previous online course experience, course, and instructor. Finally, the relationship between participation level and subsequent performance is tested, and the potential benefits of conducting future CMC research in voluntary discussion settings and with program‐level data are discussed.

Effects of Cooperative and Individual Learning during Learner-Controlled Computer-Based Instruction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on the achievement, option use, attitudes, and interactions of college students of instructional method (cooperative vs. individual) and learner control of options during computer-based instruction. The students worked alone or with a partner to complete a computer lesson that provided either a full program with the option to bypass instruction (full-minus condition) or a lean program with the option to select additional instruction (lean-plus condition). The students in the full-minus condition used significantly more optional practice items and spent more time on practice than the students in the lean-plus condition did. The cooperative dyads spent significantly longer on practice items and selected significantly more elaborative feedback items during selected-response practice than the students working alone did. However, no significant achievement differences were found for instructional method or learner-control mode. The results suggest that the achievement benefits of cooperative learning found in previous research may not apply to situations in which mature students are provided with an instructional environment with many learner-controlled options.

Effects of visual cues and self-explanation prompts: empirical evidence in a multimedia environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of visual cues and different types of self-explanation prompts on learning, cognitive load, and intrinsic motivation in an interactive multimedia environment that was designed to deliver a computer-based lesson about the human cardiovascular system. A total of 126 college students were randomly assigned in equal numbers (N = 21) to one of the six conditions in a 2 × 3 factorial design with visual cueing (cueing vs. no cueing) and type of self-explanation prompts (prediction prompts vs. reflection prompts vs. no prompts) as the between-subjects factors. The results revealed that (a) participants presented with cued animations had significantly higher learning outcome scores than their peers who viewed uncued animations, and (b) cognitive load and intrinsic motivation had different impacts on learning outcomes due to the moderation effect of cueing. The results suggest that the cues may not only enhance learning, but also indirectly impact learning, cognitive load, and intrinsic motivation.

Role models and student attitudes toward nontraditional careers

This study investigated the immediate and delayed attitudinal effects of presenting ninth-grade students with career information and role models in two media forms, slide/tape and print. On an immediate measure, both the slide/tape and print treatments had a significant positive effect on student attitudes toward the suitability of nontraditional careers for both men and women. Students also had more positive attitudes toward nontraditional careers included in their treatment than toward those not included. Attitudes of the print and slide/tape groups did not differ significantly from each other. None of the significant differences were sustained on a delayed test administered 8 days later. Several interactions related to gender of student and job were found. More comprehensive programs involving multiple role models and other career-related activities are recommended to increase the probability of long-term changes in attitudes toward the appropriateness of nontraditional careers.

Teaching Instructional Design in a Computer Literacy Course

Knowledge of instructional design principles can help teachers integrate technology such as computers into their classroom instruction. This article describes a required computer literacy course for preservice teachers which was redesigned to include substantial components to teach instructional design. Also described are the results of a study conducted to examine the effectiveness of the instructional design training. End-of-course measures indicated that the preservice teachers learned the essential principles of instructional design and believed that the instruction would help them develop better lesson plans for effective use of computers in their classroom instruction.