Innovative Instructional Materials Research Articles

Calculus is the study of change, but differential equations students need help quantifying it

Students exit calculus with understandings of change that want for conceptual depth and are disconnected from real-world contexts. In this paper, we present a problem that will develop their skills in using change concepts for learning differential equations through modelling. The problem comes from a qualitative study of how STEM majors approach and think about differential equations as models for real-world scenarios. Our purpose is to inform faculty who are using open, authentic, scenario-driven instructional materials about the ways their students think about what are often taken-for-granted concepts in advanced mathematics and to support faculty in ensuring their students get the most from their innovative instructional materials.

Teaching root cause analysis in healthcare management with Grey's Anatomy

AbstractOver the past 20 years, root cause analysis (RCA) has become one of the most widely used retrospective methods for detecting safety hazards in medicine and healthcare. Despite its wide use in management practice and growing popularity in academic research, there is currently a dearth of coverage of RCA in popular healthcare management textbooks and pedagogical publications. This paper addresses this gap by presenting innovative instructional materials and recommendations for teaching RCA in healthcare management. Using an episode of Grey's Anatomy TV show, this experiential learning exercise takes students through the steps of RCA and makes use of a range of RCA tools, including high‐level flowchart, fishbone diagram, “five whys”, corrective action plan, and others. The exercise, which was classroom tested and received positive student feedback, can be adapted to a range of healthcare management classes. Because RCA can have widespread, lifesaving consequences, healthcare management courses can significantly benefit from integrating this exercise into classroom pedagogies.

Development of Mathematics Teaching Materials Using Didactical Design Research: A Study on Enhancing Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Quadratic Inequalities

This study presents the development of mathematics instructional materials using the Didactical Design Research (DDR) framework, aiming to enhance the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of prospective mathematics teachers in fractional number operations. The research adopted the ADDIE model and encompassed Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation phases. The evaluation involved expert validators specializing in Didactical Design Research (DDR), subject matter, media, and educators. The resulting Semester Lesson Plan (RPS) assessment scores and teaching materials demonstrated a "Very Good" categorization, indicating their validity and suitability for field testing. Notable findings highlight epistemological, ontogenetic, and didactic obstacles in students' understanding of quadratic inequalities. The instructional materials showed incremental effectiveness during classroom implementation, as evidenced by increasing percentages of successful sessions. This research's implications for the future include the potential adaptation of the DDR framework across diverse educational contexts, exploring technological integration, and enhancing educators' proficiency in implementing DDR-based pedagogies. By bridging theoretical foundations with practical application, this study contributes to advancing mathematics education by fostering innovative instructional materials grounded in Didactical Design Research.

Gamification of Statistics and Probability Education: A Mobile Courseware Approach

Aim/Purpose: The study examined how the developed mobile courseware can be used as instructional material to improve senior high school statistics and probability learning, particularly during distance learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also aims to assess the gamified mobile courseware’s engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and a researcher-made Gamified Mobile Courseware Assessment Tool (GMCET). Background: The need to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating game-based elements into mathematics courses through innovative instructional materials inspired the study. The COVID-19 pandemic has made distance learning a necessity, and gamified mobile courseware is a potential solution to improve learning outcomes and engagement in mathematics courses. Methodology: The study employed a descriptive-evaluative method with quantitative and qualitative data to achieve its objectives. Five IT practitioners assessed the developed courseware using the MARS regarding engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information. A researcher-made GMCET was also used to evaluate the app’s content quality, learning objectives, content presentation, learning assessment, and usability. Five math experts and 12 math teachers rated the app using the GMCET. The study used weighted mean to analyze the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data. Contribution: The study provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of gamified mobile courseware from the perspective of IT practitioners, math experts, and math teachers. The study’s findings can inform improvements in future iterations of courseware, and the study provides a valuable guide for practitioners looking to develop gamified mobile courseware for mathematics courses. Findings: The quantitative results based on the weighted mean indicate that the IT practitioners had a moderately positive perception of the developed courseware across all categories. At the same time, the math teachers and math experts showed highly positive perceptions of the gamified mobile courseware in Statistics and Probability, rating it highly across all categories. The qualitative data analysis through content analysis highlights the need for improving the user interface, usability, user experience design, user control, flexibility in interaction, data quality, reliability, and user privacy of the developed app. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners can use the study’s findings to improve the design of gamified mobile courseware for mathematics courses and other content areas. The study recommends that practitioners focus on improving the user interface, usability, user experience design, user control, flexibility in interaction, data quality, reliability, and user privacy of gamified mobile courseware. Recommendation for Researchers: Future research can build on this study’s findings by exploring the use of gamified mobile courseware in other mathematical courses and other subject areas. Further research can also examine how gamified mobile courseware can improve learning outcomes for students with different learning needs. Impact on Society: The study’s findings could improve the effectiveness of gamified mobile courseware in enhancing student learning outcomes in mathematics courses. This can lead to better student performance, improved engagement, and increased interest in mathematics courses, positively impacting society. Future Research: Future research can explore using gamified mobile courseware in other mathematics courses and other subject areas. Additionally, future studies can examine how gamified mobile courseware can improve learning outcomes for students with different learning needs. Further research can also investigate the impact of gamified mobile courseware on student motivation, interest, and performance in mathematics courses.

PENGENALAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN E-MODUL BAGI GURU- GURU SMAN 2 PADANG PANJANG

This society service was done in regard to request from teachers in SMAN 2 Padang Panjang who wanted to be given training on the development of e-module as one of innovative instructional materials that can be used in learning process and serves as a credit for career promotion as well. The designed e-module consisted of module components and was based on scientific approach suggested by curriculum 2013. E-module had interactive features with pictures, videos, hyperlinks, pop-up windows and interactive quizzes embedded. Data obtained from questionnaire and observation during training show that teachers were interested in e-module and wanted to use it in learning process. Teachers perceived e-module as instructional material having attractive design and one that could ease students to learn anywhere and anytime.

BIOINFORMATICS IN THE K-8 CLASSROOM: DESIGNING INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHER IMPLEMENTATION.

At the intersection of biology and computer science is the growing field of bioinformatics-the analysis of complex datasets of biological relevance. Despite the increasing importance of bioinformatics and associated practical applications, these are not standard topics in elementary and middle school classrooms. We report on a pilot project and its evolution to support implementation of bioinformatics-based activities in elementary and middle school classrooms. Specifically, we ultimately designed a multi-day summer teacher professional development workshop, in which teachers design innovative classroom activities. By focusing on teachers, our design leverages enhanced teacher knowledge and confidence to integrate innovative instructional materials into K-8 classrooms and contributes to capacity building in STEM instruction.

Use of Serious Games to Teach Engineering Design Fundamentals

There is a strong need to infuse engineering content and design principles for student learning into diverse K-12 technology education(Gattie etal., 2007; Hailey et al., 2005).Over the past decade, almost $3 billion has been invested in educational technology. In 2012, more than $1 billion was raised for educational technology to improve student motivation and learning processes (Nordin, 2013). With the investment in technology and the need for new instructional techniques to improve student learning, we investigate new innovative instructional materials like serious games and check their effectiveness at the K-12 level to infuse interest in the students to pursue STEM majors. Engineering design is hard to learn and harder to teach.Engineering design skills cannot be adequately taught in lectures alone; a more active learning experience is required (Albers et al., 2009).Serious games can be used for education at all levels, from preschool and elementary school, through middle school and high school, into colleges and universities, and even into the job market. In this paper, we talk about the design, development and implementation of an engineering design serious game developed by Toolwire,a company with expertise in educational technologies in partnership with the Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education (LITEE), a university center with extensive expertise in educational pedagogy and theories. The objective was to provide an active learning experience linking the engineering design process to a real-world simulation.A mixed methods approach (Creswell, 2013) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the serious game. Analysis of the results showed that the students enjoyedworkingwith the serious game and this experience helped them in understanding the design process in a more effective manner.

A Comparison of Virtual Lab Solutions for Online Cyber Security Education

INTRODUCTION Over past decade, there has been a rapid expansion of using practical laboratory exercises to instruct information security courses using online in both academic and commercial settings. WebCT/Blackboard, Desire to Learn, Pearson Learning Studio and proprietary systems such as UMUC's WebTycho, are just some examples of learning management systems (LMS) that have been used in support of online higher education degree programs. The primary advantages of LMS are to facilitate student learning by incorporating a variety of online technologies including web mail, chat rooms, group collaboration and discussion boards along with serving as central repository for course content. However, when it comes to instructing technology-based courses, including information security courses, online educational offerings have something in common with traditional face-to-face instructional methods (e.g., lectures, literature review, reading assignment, etc.) in that while being essential they are not sufficient in themselves. To supplement their online degree programs, several educational institutions have implemented hands-on labs (often called virtual labs) using virtualization (Burd, Seazzu, & Conway, 2009; Fuertes, Lopez de Vergara, & Meneses, 2009; Li, Jones, & Augustus, 2011; Li, Toderick & Lunsford, 2009; Rajendran, Veilumuthu, & Divya, 2010; Tao, Chen, & Lin, 2010; Willems & Meinel, 2008, 2012; Yen, 2010; Zenebe & Anyiwo, 2010). The use of hands on labs, in support of learning outcomes, is strongly supported by educational theory as a productive and effective pedagogical practice. Major theories that support use of this include Tomei's (2001) taxonomy and Gardner's (1993) theory of multiple intelligences. Tomei's taxonomy is a widely accepted educational model that provides framework for proper use of in classroom. The virtual lab touches on many of levels of Tomei's taxonomy and provides students with valuable higher order experiences. In exploration-teaching paradigm, students begin with a directed experience of fundamental principles underlying concepts being taught. This experience is then modified systematically to demonstrate refinements of these principles. Ultimately, students can use ways these refinements are structured to try out additional modifications on their own initiative. Tomei's Taxonomy is a widely accepted educational model that provides framework for proper use of in classroom (Powell et al., 2008). Instructional at this level of taxonomy offers numerous strategies that encourage learning by infusing into curriculum. The application of for integration represents the creation of new technology-based materials, combining otherwise disparate technologies to teach (Tomei, 2001, p. 20). The objective of integration is to develop new, previously non-existent, innovative instructional materials to enhance learning experience. For example, infusion aligns itself well with decision-making and integration levels of Tomei's taxonomy. At decision-making level, students must apply electronic tools for research and problem solving (Tomei, 2001, p. 20). Additionally, virtual lab exercises allow both students and instructors to consider consequences of inappropriate uses of technology and also allows them to assimilate into a personal learning style (Tomei, 2001, p. 20. These instructional activities align with Integration level of Tomei's Taxonomy and further reinforce higher order skills that provide students with an enriching online learning experience. Table 3 in Appendix B illustrates how infusion of virtual labs for two UMUC Cybersecurity courses corresponds to Tomei's taxonomy. …

An Evaluation of Use of Multimedia Case Studies to Improve an Introduction to Information Technology Course

For college graduates to be successful in today’s global economy there has been an increasing demand for them to possess business knowledge as well as technical knowledge. To meet the demand, curriculum designers have sought to integrate new technologies, applications, data, and business functions into classrooms so that non-information technology (IT) majors can realize the benefits of IT. This paper discusses the results of research conducted on the use of multimedia case studies to address the curriculum designers’ challenge. The authors have found that students, who are taught using multimedia case studies, perceived a comparatively greater improvement in their higher-order cognitive skills, ease of learning, team working skills, attitude toward information technology, and self-efficacy. This suggests a need for further research into adopting such instructional materials for teaching non-IT majors and for developing other innovative instructional materials.

Is it Time for the Motherland and the States in the Motherland to Rethink the System of Technical Education?

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsNannapaneni Narayana RaoNannapaneni Narayana Rao was born in Kakumanu, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Prior to going to United States in 1958, he attended high schools in Pedanandipadu and Nidubrolu; the Presidency College, Madras (now known as Chennai); and the Madras Institute of Technology. He completed high school from Nidubrolu in 1947, received the BSc. Degree in Physics from the University of Madras in 1952, and the Diploma in Electronics from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1955. In the United States, he attended the University of Washington, receiving the MS and PhD Degrees in Electrical Engineering in 1960 and 1965, respectively. In 1965, he joined the faculty of the Department of Electrical Engineering, now Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, serving as Associate Head of the Department since 1987.At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he carried out research in the general area of radiowave propagation in the ionosphere and authored the undergraduate textbook Basic Electromagnetics with Applications (Prentice Hall, 1972), and six editions of Elements of Engineering Electromagnetics (Prentice Hall, 1977, 1987, 1991, 1994, 2000 and 2004). The fifth edition of Elements of Engineering Electromagnetics was translated into Bahasa Indonesia, the language of Indonesia, by a professor of Physics at the Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung.Professor Rao has received numerous awards and honours for his teaching and curricular activities, and contributions to engineering education in India, USA and Indonesia. He received the IEEE Technical Field Award in Undergraduate Teaching in 1994 with the citation, “For inspirational teaching of undergraduate students and the development of innovative instructional materials for teaching courses in electromagnetics.”In Fall 2003, Professor Rao was named to be the first recipient of the the Edward C. Jordan Professorship in Electrical and Engineering, created to honor the memory of Professor Jordon, who served as department head for 25 years, and to be held by a “member of the faculty of the department who has demonstrated the qualities of Professor Jordan and whose work would best honor the legacy of Professor Jordan.”On March 5,2004, Prof Rao received the Gnana Ratna (Jewel of Knowledge) Award from His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee Maharaj at Viswanagar, Guntur, on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the Swamiji, “for rendering special services in his field”.

Video modelling to educate patients.

Changes in health care delivery in the United States of America due to economic pressures have required nurses to develop innovative instructional materials for educating patients and families. Educational materials such as videotapes, specifically designed to provide information and promote active participation in treatment decisions, can be effective tools for empowering patients. A comprehensive analysis in 1988 concluded that the concept of 'video modelling' or 'behavioural modelling' offered the greatest benefit of videotaped presentations. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to examine the concept of video modelling and its applications in clinical practice. A computer search of the electronic databases of Medline and CINHAL between 1990 and 1999 produced a total of 40 research studies on video instruction for patients. Based on criteria for inclusion, 18 research studies involving video modelling were reviewed and three major uses were identified: (1) assisting decision making regarding treatment options; (2) reducing pre-procedural anxiety and improving coping skills; and (3) teaching self-care practices. The studies reviewed included a variety of research designs, clinical settings, and patient populations. Despite these differences, several benefits to the use of video modelling were found. Patients who viewed videotapes regarding treatment options had a greater understanding of the risks and benefits of those choices and were more apt to be active participants in decision making. Collective results of the studies focusing on stress and coping revealed that preparatory videotapes using video modelling could have a positive effect on reducing anxiety and physiological arousal during stressful procedures. With self-care practices, several of the studies found that there was an increase in desired behaviours in people whose educational programmes included video modelling. The use of video modelling has potential benefits for clinical practice in facilitating knowledge acquisition, reducing preparatory anxiety, and improving self-care. Nurses must become more actively involved in evaluating various teaching approaches used with patients to enhance practice and outcomes.

The impact of science curricula on student views about the nature of science

AbstractThis review of the literature focused on three decades of research related to precollege student understandings about the nature of science. Various interpretations of what aspects characterize the nature of science were examined, revealing an agreement among scientists, science educators, and those involved in policy‐making arenas that the nature of science is multifaceted and an important component of scientific literacy. A summary of the research regarding the adequacies of student conceptions about the nature of science revealed inconsistent results. Although the majority of studies show that student understandings are less than desirable, there is research that indicates that student conceptions are acceptable. Research on the impact of instructional materials and techniques on student understandings was also reviewed. The effects of language in science instruction, the content emphasis of instructional materials, integrated science curricula, and instruction in general were curricular variables found to have a negative impact on student understandings about the nature of science. Empirical evidence about the success of innovative instructional materials and techniques designed to facilitate more adequate understandings of the nature of science is needed.

The importance of recorded communication

LIMITED DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Paralleling the limited concept of teaching objectives in general, the development of innovative instructional materials has been equally limited. A body of research related to cognitive processes and learning has been developing, but the theoretical ideas that have stimulated this research have not been tested in the development of teaching materials. Although the development of new materials has grown as a response to some of the main problems of education today, research on the cognitive processes has been little considered for the contribution it can make toward the writing of effective materials. Innovative materials have been written for many fields of study including mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, English, and some areas of social studies, but they are developed on the basis of dissatisfaction with present materials. A general theory for generating the materials does not exist.