Association For Educational Communications And Technology Research Articles

Creating Interactive Books with Augmented Reality

This workshop helped educators to create interactive Augmented Reality (AR) books at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) conference. The goal of the workshop was to train participants to gain skills in integrating AR into their professional lives. All participants created an AR book or curriculum vitae during the workshop. This manuscript describes the specific activities, assigned times, and educational tools used during the workshop. This workshop was designed for participants with no previous knowledge or skills in developing AR materials. Educators interested in teaching educational technologies, especially AR, could be instructors for this lesson. Preservice teachers could also take this lesson.  

Assessment of technical and vocational trainers’ competence to adopt E-learning technologies into TVET curriculum implementation in higher education institutions

This study examined the level of expertise of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) educators to use e-learning technologies for the delivery of TVET curriculum at higher levels of education. Gender influence on the TVET educators’ competencies to use the technologies for their educational duties was also examined. The descriptive survey research design was adopted. Two research questions and one hypothesis were posed to guide the study. A total of Ninety Three (93) TVET educators made up of 67(72%) male and 26 (28%) female drawn from the authors of articles and participants in panels at all the proceedings and workshops of the International Conferences on e-learning technologies for innovative education organized by the: Online Learning consortium (OLC); Association for Talent Development (ATD) and Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) between the periods of 2010 to 2019 were screened and used through convenience random and purposive sampling methods. The data collected through questionnaire were analyzed and tested using frequency count, percentage, mean, standard deviation and T-test. The instrument had face validity and reliability co-efficient of 0.81 obtained using Cronbach Alpha formulas. The findings revealed that TVET educators were highly competent users to the use of most of the studied e-learning technologies (such as: Use of Projectors and power point presentation; Using Online networking sites..; Utilizing Learning Objects; Creating/delivering web-based instruction; etc) with average mean score greater than 3.5.However, the study reported a low level of expertise by the TVET educators in the use of smart (electronic) Board to deliver instruction (31.2%) with average Mean score of 1.96.In addition to this, the study revealed a significant difference between the level of expertise/competence of male and female TVET educators on the use of e-learning technologies (t-calculated (12.702) > t-tabulated (1.960) at 0.05 level of significant).Conclusively, the study recommended that more customized e-learning technologies for the teaching and learning of TVET courses should be made available in the higher education and TVET educators be professionally trained on how to use them for their core business of teaching.

Considering Educators’ Perceptions of Ethics and Safety in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs)

With the proliferation of students’ abilities to use technology, in particular virtual reality (VR) applications, teachers are experimenting with VR in virtual learning environments (VLE) to engage students; but clear ethics and safety guidelines are not available. Within the field of education additional research is needed to determine how VR is employed in VLEs. Additionally, what are the decision-making processes of educators for the VR programs chosen for classroom use based on ethics and student safety? Through qualitative inquiry, educators from K–12 and higher education shared their perceptions of ethics and safety concerns in VR applications for use in the classroom. We collected data from a sample of K–12 and higher education professionals from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) membership, an educational organization emphasizing technology integration and learning. Data analysis from the individual interviews with open-ended questions revealed five primary themes and twelve sub-themes. Participants agreed that they need ethical and safety guidelines as they embark on new horizons that influence student well-being. The findings from this study may provide an in-depth understanding of the importance of developing ethics and safety guidelines for educational VR programs when used by students.

Trends of Educational Technology in Korea and the U.S.: A Report on the AECT-Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET) Panel Discussion

The Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET) hosted its second panel discussion partnering with the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) at the 2019 AECT Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. A total of four panelists, two from Korea and two from the U.S., participated in the discussion on the trends of educational technology in Korea and in the U.S. for one hour. The topics covered were smart schools in a smart city of Korea, characteristics of mobile learning environments, learning analytics for instructional design, and artificial intelligence for learning sciences research.

Learning, Design, and Technology in South Korea: a Report on the AECT- Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET) Panel Discussion

This report synthesized a one-hour panel discussion at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) International Convention 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri, sponsored by the Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET). The theme of the panel discussion was “New Technology, Design, and Research Approaches for Innovative Education.” Four distinguished panelists and more than 20 AECT/KSET members participated in discussions on various topics, including rapid prototyping, instructional systems design, online support system development for creativity, microlearning, virtual reality/simulation, learning analytics, coding education and makerspaces in K-12 education.

Award-winning faculty online teaching practices: Course design, assessment and evaluation, and facilitation

The purpose of this study was to identify the course design, assessment and evaluation, and facilitation practices from the perspectives of award-winning online faculty. Aligned with this purpose, we developed a conceptual framework focused on online course design, assessment and evaluation, and facilitation; and review relevant literature in light of this framework. We interviewed eight award-winning online faculty members from across the United States. These faculty received online teaching awards from one of the following professional associations: Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), or United States Distance Learning Association. Based on the interviews, it was found that online instructors use a systematic design process, backwards design, considered learner needs, and designed learner interaction during the design process. Faculty recommended using a variety of assessments, using traditional and authentic assessments and used rubrics to assess students, course templates and quality assurance process and surveys, learning analytics, and peer reviews for assessment and evaluation. Timely response and feedback, availability and presence, and periodic communication were some facilitation strategies the award-winning instructors used. We discuss these findings and provide suggestions for future research and practice. These findings can add to what is known about effective online teaching best practices, standards, and competencies.

A Report on the AECT Sponsored Symposium Entitled “the Human-Technology Frontier: Understanding the Learning of Now to Prepare for the Work of the Future” at the Texas Center for Educational Technology (TCET)

We provide a summary report of a two-and-half-day symposium sponsored by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) and hosted by the Texas Center for Educational Technology at the University of North Texas on May 16–18, 2018. The theme of the symposium was “Human Intelligence 0.2 versus Artificial Intelligence 2.0 || The Human-Technology Frontier: Understanding the Learning of Now to Prepare for the Work of the Future.” Over 15 distinguished speakers and 80 participants engaged in discussions of a range of topics such as human and holistic learning as informed by new research in neuroscience, creativity, critical thinking, self-directed learning, artificial intelligence, learning analytics, and measurements. We discuss outcomes and plans for the next steps.

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT): Our Partnership with JSET

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT): Our Partnership with JSET

Ratings, Quality, and Accreditation: Policy Implications for Educational Communications and Technology Programs in a Digital Age

At a time when higher education is being pushed not only to increase efficiencies to provide greater value and to innovate to meet new global challenges, processes of accountability and accreditation to demonstrate quality may be leading to conformance and a one-size-fitsall model of what institutions and programs should be. Further, in the public marketplace, rankings are increasingly viewed as key quality indicators not only for students and their parents in making educational choices, but to administrators who perceive these as important for their institutions’ futures and funding. The influence of markets and accountability policy as increasingly major drivers of change impacting the field of educational technology are reviewed from historical and current perspectives. Leadership roles that the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) and its members might develop in response to these expanding pressures are proposed which may lead to higher visibility for the field, greater policy advocacy, and new research agendas. In particular, the issues of quality assessments and visibility are viewed for ensuring higher education programs in the educational technology field continue to provide excellence and value to future professionals.

Educational Technology and College Librarianship

ABSTRACT The fields of educational technology and librarianship interact in many significant areas: information literacy, distance learning, the design and management of instructional materials, etc. Given the congruence of concerns between the two disciplines, it is illustrative to relate the historical development of the definition of educational technology to librarianship. This article surveys briefly the development of the definition of educational technology and the relationship of college librarianship to these developments. Finally, the study places an explanation of librarianship within the 2008 definition of educational technology promulgated by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) and concludes that college librarianship is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources of many formats.

The Use of Task Analysis Procedures by Instructional Designers

The purpose of this study was to learn about the use of task analysis procedures by instructional designers. Task analysis is regarded by many to be the most integral part of the instructional design process and the most technical aspect of the instructional designer's job. It is also thought to be the most ambiguous of the instructional design, processes. A questionnaire was developed that surveyed 164 members of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) with instructional design responsibilities. This research learned what instructional design activities designers associate with task analysis and the percentage of time instructional designers devote to task analysis. It also learned what task analysis methods are most and least often used by instructional designers and identified those task analysis methods not known by instructional designers. Finally, this study determined how instructional designers learn to conduct task analyses and the factors that impact task analysis practices.

The Eye Meets ET: Animating Orlando

This promotional article reveals information about the International Visual Literacy Association (TVLA) past, discusses current concerns regarding the role visuals play in life and learning, and presents a challenge for the future growth and professional influence of our organization. IVLA has been an affiliate of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) for many years, and the coordination of their annual meetings this October in Orlando, Florida, provides numerous opportunities for discourse and collaboration. This article reminds us about some of these mutual interest areas and of our goals as professionals interested in the use of visuals for learning and life. Mostly, it is an inspirational essay meant to encourage people to attend the conference.

The Applications And Problems On The Distance Teacher Training in Turkey

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) officially adopted and approved the following definition of instructional technology: Instructional (educational) is the theory and practice of design, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning (Seels & Richey, 1994, p.1). Interestingly, the words technology or technological are never used in this definition. Distance education,which is a very important instructional technology, through open universities has increased in several countries. It includes two-way communication media that allow for direct interactions between teachers and remote students. It conquers restraints imposed on conventional education by time and space, and offers higher quality instructional design.

International Standards for College and University Technology Units: How Effective Could They Be?

Abstract In the summer of 1989, AECT (the Association for Educational Communications and Technology) published the second edition of a document which provides American colleges and universities with definitive standards to be applied to their learning resources programmes and centres. The author, who is also one of the co‐authors of the document, raises the question of applicability of the standards to Australian, Chinese or European institutions of higher education. This article is an extension of remarks made during the ICEM Congress ‘90, Media Efficiency, held in Vienna from 28 to 30 October 1990.

AECT's Technology in Instruction: Standards for college and university Learning Resources Programs... How viable for Australian institutions of higher education?

<span>In the autumn of 1988 AECT (the Association for Educational Communications and Technology) will publish the second edition of a document which provides American colleges and universities with definitive standards to be applied to their learning resources programs and centres. The author, having spent eighteen months in Australia, is also one of the co-authors of the document, and in this article raises the question of applicability of the Standards to Australian institutions of higher education.</span>

Preliminary Report on the New Information Technologies in Education: An International Mail Questionnaire Survey Study

Introduction The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) in Washington DC, in collaboration with the International Council for Educational Media (ICEM) in Paris, France has conducted this seminal international survey on the extent and the uses of new information technologies in education. Among these information media are micro and minicomputers, satellite telecommunications, videodisc and related video technologies.