ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Validation Study of Student Differentiation between Computing Disciplines
Author: Battig, Michael
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Science,Intellectual Disciplines,College Students,Validity,Majors (Students),Nonmajors,Information Technology,Computer Software,Engineering,Information Systems,Student Attitudes,Knowledge Level,Student Surveys,Foreign Countries,Hypothesis Testing

Using a previously published study of how students differentiate between computing disciplines, this study attempts to validate the original research and add additional hypotheses regarding the type of institution that the student resides. Using the identical survey instrument from the original study, students in smaller colleges and in different cultural contexts are studied. Both the original and the validation study consider computing and non-computing majors. Although the original research was largely validated through some strikingly similar results, some significant differences were observed depending on the size and orientation of the institution. Furthermore, we noted some differences in college students outside of the US.
Culturally Sensitive IS Teaching: Lessons Learned to Manage Motivation Issues
Author: Chen, Wenshin
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Awareness,Learning Motivation,Teaching Methods,Black Colleges,Information Technology,Information Science Education,Case Studies,Cross Cultural Training,Student Motivation,College Students

This paper seeks to raise awareness of culturally sensitive teaching that is largely overlooked in the IS teaching community. In a global, networked environment commonly faced by the contemporary business or academic world, it is imperative to prepare future IT professionals with adequate cultural understanding of such a multicultural environment in which their future work practice will engage. Derived from a teaching case situated in the context of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in the US, this paper narrates and reflects cultural issues and challenges that are increasingly prevalent in today's education systems. More specifically, the study analyzes motivational issues that are commonly observed in a homogeneous student group and provides practice lessons to help educators who might face similar issues in their teaching context to manage those issues. Insights gained from the study help reflect the significance of developing culturally sensitive pedagogy that might require future IS educators' and researchers' attention.
Determining the Most Suitable E-Learning Delivery Mode for TUT Students
Author: Odunaike, Solomon Adeyemi
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Delivery Systems,Electronic Learning,Intermode Differences,Online Courses,Information Technology,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,College Students,Preferences,Educational Technology,Teaching Methods,Teaching Models,Foreign Countries

Traditionally, in education and business environment, Information Technology has been seen as purely a support or operational tool. Advances in computing, information storage, software, and networking are all leading to new tools for teaching and learning and are also changing the paradigm for new initiative in the classroom teaching. The Internet Technology is in forefront of transforming education and opportunities around the world by allowing different kind of interaction and innovation among various educational institutes and students alike all participating in the global online innovations. The new modes of learning need to be explored to determine possible impact and most suitable choice of strategies. Understanding our student extents and capabilities of learning on their own coupled with the availability of basic and necessary equipments required for e-learning will have profound impact on the choice of e-teaching, e-learning and e-education delivery mode. A right choice of delivery mode is very essential and fundamental in moving forward to attain the much needed greater height in quality education. A wrong choice however, could deal a devastating blow on any progress made so far in the implementation of e-learning which would in turn have a ripple effect on the quality, acceptability level, pass rate and cost. Every effort must be made to guard against making wrong choice of e-learning delivering mode and this research will investigate and evaluates which e-learning delivery mode will be best suitable for Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students.
Full-Cycle Assessment of Critical Thinking in an Ethics and Science Course
Author: Blue, Jennifer
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Ethics,Science Instruction,Thinking Skills,Peer Evaluation,Scoring Rubrics,Assignments,Writing (Composition),Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Student Development,Scores,First Year Seminars,Statistical Analysis,Teaching Methods,Undergraduate Students

Enhancing critical thinking skills for undergraduate students is important across the curriculum and between disciplines. We report on a method of improving critical thinking skills, which was studied through an Ethics and Science First-Year Seminar course. We used full cycle assessment over a three-year period to assess students' development and to modify the course teaching and assignments with the goal of increasing student development of critical thinking skills. Data were obtained from student writing throughout the semester during each offering. Modest, but significant, overall gains of ~0.7 on a 4 point scale are reported between early and midterm assignments in the course using a seven trait assessment rubric. Key factors that contribute to the increase in critical thinking skills are identified including peer review, scaffolded assignments, and the use of a grading rubric for each assignment.
An Evaluation of Student Performance on Traditional vs. Synopsis Laboratory Reports in Industrial Technology
Author: Hoffa, David
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reports,Technology Education,Technical Writing,Comparative Analysis,Scores,Student Surveys,Laboratory Experiments,Undergraduate Students,Statistical Analysis,Learning,Instructional Effectiveness,Regression (Statistics)

Prior research demonstrated that writing synopsis laboratory reports (succinct syntheses of the experiment, lecture, and readings) instead of traditional laboratory reports, did not influence student learning as measured by comprehensive exam scores. This study extended this research by investigating the impact of these lab report formats on student learning as measured by laboratory report scores. Fifty-six Iowa State University industrial technology students were randomized into one of two groups that were required to write five synopsis reports followed by four traditional reports or vice-versa. The analysis of mean laboratory report scores using the paired-samples t-test revealed no significant difference between treatments. The analysis of the mean scores of the nine individual laboratory reports using two-sample t-tests revealed no treatment effect for seven of the nine reports. The results of an exit survey revealed that students believed the synopsis format helped them to achieve higher grades on their laboratory reports.
Delving into Teachers' Development through Portfolio Reflections: Case Studies of Three Teachers
Author: Fox, Rebecca
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Faculty Development,Portfolio Assessment,Reflective Teaching,Case Studies,Teacher Education Programs,Advanced Courses,Masters Programs,Education Majors,Outcomes of Education,Content Analysis,Data Analysis

As part of longitudinal research on the role and scope of portfolios in teacher education programs, this study employs a case study approach to systematically examine the portfolio contents and reflections of three teachers enrolled in an advanced professional development master's degree program in education; the three teachers were purposely selected as representative of the teachers in our program. Specifically, we examined the written reflections submitted in their program portfolios and transcripts from their exit presentations to identify connections to program learning outcomes and to gain insight into the scope and nature of the change of the teachers during the program. We sought to identify influences that program experiences had on their growth and their teaching practice. We contend that by thorough and systematic examination of portfolio contents, and in particular teachers' reflections included in the portfolios, programs can gain insights into teachers' learning, practices, and critical reflection which, in turn, may be used to inform program decisions.
Responses of Study Abroad Students in Australia to Experience-Based Pedagogy in Sport Studies
Author: Light, Richard
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Study Abroad,Student Motivation,Foreign Countries,Physical Education,Units of Study,Learning Processes,College Students,Student Attitudes,Foreign Students,Constructivism (Learning),Team Sports,Teaching Methods,Questionnaires,Interviews

This paper contributes to research on the scholarship of teaching in the physical education/sport studies fields by examining the responses of study abroad students from overseas studying in Australia to a unit of study in sport studies that placed the interpretation of experience as the centre of the learning process. It draws on research conducted at an Australian university over an 18-month period and involving 170 participants. The study focused on the ways in which student motivations, inclinations, expectations and prior experience interacted with experiences of living in Australia and the experience-based nature of the unit of study shaped their responses and perceptions of learning.
Blending Online Components into Traditional Instruction in Pre-Service Teacher Education: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Author: Lin, Hong
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Student Surveys,Preservice Teachers,Conventional Instruction,Blended Learning,Barriers,Integrated Learning Systems,Statistical Analysis

This study investigated the effectiveness of using online instruction as a supplement to a face-to-face introductory technology education course. Survey data were collected from 46 pre-service teachers. Findings indicated that when traditional face-to-face instruction was combined with online components, learning was enhanced over a single delivery mode. However, the blended approach adopted in this course also brought unexpected challenges for both students and the instructor. The paper identified good teaching and learning practices arising from blended instruction and presented lessons learned for future design and implementation for blended instruction.
Optimal Science Lab Design: Impacts of Various Components of Lab Design on Students' Attitudes toward Lab
Author: Basey, John
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Laboratories,Design,Student Attitudes,College Freshmen,Biology,College Students,Student Surveys,Science Education,Statistical Analysis,Science Process Skills,Science Experiments,Laboratory Procedures,Scientific Attitudes

Variations in science lab design can differentially impact student learning. Quantification of these differential impacts can be used in modeling--an approach we term &quot;optimal lab design.&quot; In this study we estimated relative influences of six characteristics of lab design on students' attitudes toward science labs in three different first-year college biology lab courses (USA). We used two end-of-semester surveys. The first had students choose their favorite and least favorite lab and answer questions associated with the six characteristics and their choices. The second had students provide an overall rating of each lab and a rating based on their perception of the degree to which the six characteristics impacted the lab. Results of the two assessments were similar and indicated the following: Total Student Attitude = 0.39 Exciting + 0.25 Time Efficient + 0.15 Not Difficult + 0.10 Lecture Help + 0.08 Experimental + 0.03 Open-Ended.
The Conversation of Critical Practice: Pre-Service Teachers as Educators for Social Justice
Author: Calderwood, Patricia
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Social Justice,Communities of Practice,Computer Mediated Communication,Critical Theory,Data Analysis,Reflection,Discourse Modes,Discourse Communities,Discourse Analysis,Professional Development,Teacher Education Programs,Teaching Methods

In this paper we examine aspects of the construction of authentic membership, competence, and sense of shared purpose within a professional community of educators accomplished by a class of pre-service teachers during a spontaneous electronic conversation. Implications for teacher education are considered.
Designing Group Examinations to Decrease Social Loafing and Increase Learning
Author: Revere, Lee
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Testing,Test Construction,Feedback (Response),Cooperative Learning,Teamwork,Educational Games,Student Participation,Positive Attitudes,Undergraduate Students,Likert Scales,Learner Engagement,Questionnaires

This study examines a method to decrease social loafing in a group examination. Students who met in teams during the semester took an exam in groups. Rules for the exam, based on the Jeopardy game show, facilitated both group and individual accountability. Feedback from students indicated that compared to a class that did not have group exams, students taking the group exam had less social loafing and had higher perceived levels of learning. Furthermore, among students taking the group exams, higher group participation was related to higher perceived performance and more positive attitudes about the exam. We developed a model for how the environment affects group processes which, in turn, affects group and individual outcomes.
Personal Reflection: We Will Teach Them... How?
Author: Cox, Ricky
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reflection,Liberal Arts,Student Interests,Chemistry,Teaching Experience,Learning Motivation,College Faculty

In this personal reflection, the author reviews how a conference presentation on the role of liberal arts in higher education helped him appreciate a paraphrased quote from William Wordsworth, &quot;Others will love what we have loved, and we must teach them how.&quot; The words produced fond memories regarding his love of chemistry, and reminded him that, as a teacher and a research mentor, he had encountered many students with a love and passion for his discipline. Teaching students the fundamental and advanced aspects of a discipline they already love, or in which they have a keen interest, can be quite different from teaching them &quot;how&quot; to love a particular discipline or convincing them that a particular area is worthy of study.
Implementing a Dynamic Database-Driven Course Using LAMP
Author: Laverty, Joseph Packy
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Database Management Systems,Program Implementation,Web Based Instruction,Curriculum Development,Curriculum Design,Information Systems,Courseware,Database Design,Computer System Design,Higher Education

This paper documents the formulation of a database driven open source architecture web development course. The design of a web-based curriculum faces many challenges: a) relative emphasis of client and server-side technologies, b) choice of a server-side language, and c) the cost and efficient delivery of a dynamic web development, database-driven platform. This paper reviews alternative dynamic web development, database-driven platforms and presents a case study of integrating LAMP, an open source dynamic web data-base driven solution, in an Information Systems Curriculum. Three sections were presented over a three-year period. Information concerning course content, instructional delivery methods, alternative LAMP technological infrastructures, student retention and performance are also discussed.
More Technology, Less Learning?
Author: Kulesza, Justin
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Teaching Methods,Technology Integration,Barriers,Higher Education,Learning Processes,Student Interests,Student Participation,Information Dissemination

Modern information technologies (presentation software, wireless laptop computers, cell phones, etc.) are purported to enhance student learning. Research to date provides an ambivalent and often conflicting set of outcomes about the effectiveness of such technologies in the context of the college classroom. Anecdotal evidence further complicates this matter by presenting viewpoints which often conflict with existing studies and prevailing best practices. Do modern technologies belong in the classroom and to what extent? The answers to these questions are neither direct nor simple. This paper integrates the results of published studies, anecdotal evidence, and theory, and considers the potential drawbacks of an over reliance on modern technologies to the learning process in higher education.
Make It Relevant and They Just May Learn It
Author: Baugh, Jeanne M.
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Relevance (Education),Teaching Methods,Information Systems,Assignments,Student Centered Curriculum,Individualized Instruction,Student Attitudes,Course Organization,Database Management Systems,Computer Software Selection,Programming,Design Requirements,Introductory Courses,College Freshmen

There are many different approaches to teaching Information Systems courses. Studies have shown that if the student is interested in the topic, they just may have a more productive classroom experience. This paper documents the practice of structuring assignments around topics that are of interest to each individual student. This method has been successful in courses from the freshman level up to the doctoral level. For each of the classes described in this paper, the students are given a framework to follow for the assignments, and then asked to individualize the assignment relevant to their interests. Student attitudes toward the courses are discussed, along with recommendations for course structure and content.
Establishing and Applying Criteria for Evaluating the Ease of Use of Dynamic Platforms for Teaching Web Application Development
Author: Dehinbo, Johnson
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Internet,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Higher Education,Postsecondary Education,Client Server Architecture,Inquiry,Documentation,Content Analysis,Observation,Computer Software,Qualitative Research,Design

The widespread use of the Internet and the World Wide Web led to the availability of many platforms for developing dynamic Web application and the problem of choosing the most appropriate platform that will be easy to use for undergraduate students of web applications development in tertiary institutions. Students beginning to learn web application development would not perform at their best capacity level if the platform chosen by their institution is difficult to use. This is important given the recurrent write-compile-test-recompile efforts that take place in a timed students' practice session. As part of the framework for determining the most suitable platform(s) for teaching dynamic web applications development in tertiary institutions, this study adopted an interpretive research approach to establish a set of criteria from theory and practice for evaluating the ease of use of the platforms. These criteria were tested by evaluating four platforms namely Java Servlets, Java Server Pages (JSP), Active Server Pages (ASP) and PHP using various research methods including descriptive inquiry, document analysis and observations. While Java Servlet was found to be most suitable on applying the criteria, the significance of the study lies in the establishment of a comprehensive but specific set of criteria that can be used as a scientific basis for selection.
How Do Job Related Field Experiences Affect Job Readiness in Secondary Transition Students?
Author: Uetz, Michelle
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Experiential Learning,Job Skills,Employment Qualifications,Disabilities,Transitional Programs,Student Surveys,Skill Development,Caseworkers,Teacher Attitudes,Observation,Community Based Instruction (Disabilities),Program Effectiveness,Teacher Surveys,Educational Legislation,Equal Education,Federal Legislation,Pretests Posttests,High School Students

This research was conducted to determine if job related field experiences improved the confidence of secondary transition students. There were six students included in the study. The students ranged in disabilities from emotional and behavioral disability, borderline cognitive disability and severe (IQ under 60) disability. In addition, the case managers of the identified students and other transition teachers were surveyed. Students completed a survey about their ability to independently complete job seeking tasks. They then participated in field experiences to practice these skills. After practice and the opportunity to independently complete the skills, the students were asked to rate their level of independence again. The case managers of the students were asked to rate their abilities at the beginning of the study and again at the end. Transition teachers were asked to describe their observations and practices in regard to community involvement for secondary transition students. After practicing job related skills in the community students rated their ability to independently complete the tasks at a higher level than before the field experience. The case managers also rated the student ability levels higher after the experiences than before. In addition, the surveyed transition teachers reported benefits and practices in using field experiences.
Personal Epistemology and Self-Efficacy in the Special Education Teacher
Author: Johnson, Bradley W.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Epistemology,Self Efficacy,Special Education Teachers,Mastery Learning,Persuasive Discourse,Physiology,Affective Behavior,Social Cognition,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods

This report summarizes the personal epistemology and self-efficacy concepts and how they affect special education teachers. This report is based on the social cognitive theory, perceived and collective efficacy, and how the conceptual thoughts of a special education teacher affect their instructional focus in the classroom. Self-efficacy beliefs are identified from four principals of information: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological and affective states. These concepts are important for special education teachers and the administration alike to help the instructional and learning environment.