Instructional Technology Course Research Articles

Enacting Collective Design Intentions in an Online Graduate Level Introductory Instructional Technology Course

This design case will introduce how collective design intentions shared by a group of three program faculty for an online Instructional Technology (IT) Master’s program at the University of Tennessee (UT) were collaboratively identified and further acted upon within the context of the first course in the program. The course that is the focus of this case is “IT521 Proseminar 1: Instructional Technology as a Profession” in which we explored collective design intentions. The article begins with an introduction of the collective design intentions that program faculty shared. Then the article introduces how the first author enacted those design intentions in IT521 while working closely with the second author. The purpose for sharing this case is to document critical decisions that were made by one faculty member about a course within the context of shared design intentions for the program. The article ends with a discussion of lessons learned about communicating collective and personal design intentions to future designers who may be involved in similar situations.

Pre-service teachers’ TPACK competencies for spreadsheet integration: insights from a mathematics-specific instructional technology course

This article explored the impact of strategies applied in a mathematics instructional technology course for developing technology integration competencies, in particular in the use of spreadsheets, in pre-service teachers. In this respect, 104 pre-service mathematics teachers from a teacher training programme in Ghana enrolled in the mathematics instructional technology course for one semester. Strategies applied in designing the course were: aligning theory and practice, collaborative design, learning technology by design, modelling how to use technology and scaffolding authentic technology experiences. The pre-service teachers’ technology integration competencies were assessed through analysis of lesson plans and lesson observations, their self-reported technological pedagogical content knowledge and attitudes towards technology. Findings show that pre-service teachers’ technology integration competencies improved after participation in the course. All strategies were considered important, but in particular, scaffolding authentic technology experiences including feedback from teaching try-outs made significant contributions to the pre-service teachers’ developed technology integration competencies. The study provides guidelines that can serve as a benchmark for implementing strategies in the design of a subject-specific teacher education programme in preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology in teaching.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Ease of Use and Intention to Use Selected E-learning Technologies in Designing Instruction

The process of teacher preparation and training is core to producing good and quality teachers in the classroom. This process is complex and demanding because teachers are agents of change that help shape the skills of future generation. The world is changing so also is the education system and studies have established the importance of using new and digital technologies in the teacher training process. However, the training of teachers, especially pre-service teachers in Nigeria to utilize these tools remain scarce. This study, therefore, examined the ease of use and intention to use new and digital technologies such as Interactive Whiteboard, Camstasia, Mindmapping tools and Microsoft suites in an Instructional Technology course in the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted an expo facto research design and purposive sampling technique was used to select 273 teacher trainees in five departments (Adult Education, Teacher Education, Guidance and Counseling, Special and Kinetics and Health Education). Three research questions were raised and answered in the study. The findings revealed that ease of use is 83%, which means that the teacher trainees find these technologies easy to use for the teaching and learning process. The result also indicated that the intention to use is 81.7%, which means that the teacher trainees intend to use these technologies in their future classroom. The teacher trainees are motivated to use these technologies, they feel it can enrich their teaching if adequate and proper training is given to them. They find these technologies exciting and flexible to design instructional activities.

The Effectiveness of an Educational Blog for the Instructional Technology Course in Developing Knowledge Achievement, Deep Learning Style and the Degree of Acceptance of the Educational Blog among Al-Aqsa University Female Students

The Effectiveness of an Educational Blog for the Instructional Technology Course in Developing Knowledge Achievement, Deep Learning Style and the Degree of Acceptance of the Educational Blog among Al-Aqsa University Female Students

Collaborative Instructional Strategies to Enhance Knowledge Convergence

To promote knowledge convergence through collaborative learning activities in groups, this qualitative case study involved a layered approach for the design and delivery of a highly collaborative learning environment incorporating various instructional technologies grounded in learning theory. In a graduate-level instructional technology course, research design focused on the learning environment structure, collaborative learning activities such as digital knowledge mapping, and the instructor’s role in scaffolding students’ learning to achieve shared knowledge. Content analysis of students’ work revealed four themes in the construction of collaborative concept maps: research, process, organization, and behavior. Student statements within the themes indicated use of specific critical thinking skills in the knowledge-sharing process.

The Effect of Instructional Technology and Material Design Course to Teacher Candidates’ Gaining of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Competencies

Accepted: 06.01.2015 The aim of this study is to determine Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Competencies of teacher candidates in Turkish Teaching department of Mevlana (Rumi) University and the effect of Instructional Technology and Material Design (ITMD) Course on TPACK. The study is a study of quantitative type and single-group pretest-posttest experimental design has been used. The study has been conducted in the spring semester of 2013/2014 academic year, candidates who are studying in 2nd class of Turkish teaching department in Education Faculty of Mevlana (Rumi) University. In this study, Sahin (2011)’s Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Survey has been used. The survey is a 5 point likert type survey and it has 47 items in total. This survey has been applied as pre-test in the classroom to the students who participated in the study. After a period of 10 weeks, the same survey has been applied again to the same students as post-test and thus, pre-test/posttest data has been obtained for the study. According to the findings of the study, TPACK levels of Turkish teacher candidates who participated in the study have been differentiated significantly in terms of all the subscales of the survey. In the light of this study, it can be said that TPACK model plays a leading role on the subject of teachers’ needs about technology, pedagogy and content in order to ensure professional development of teachers.

The role of technology‐based scaffolding in problem‐based online asynchronous discussion

AbstractThis study examined the effects of technology‐based scaffolds that were composed through the use of the seven‐stage, problem‐based learning strategy on knowledge construction in a problem‐based online asynchronous discussion. In a quasi‐experimental setting, 60 students in an undergraduate Instructional Technology and Material Design course were assigned to one of three groups. In one group, students posted messages using a prescribed set of message categories. Using the same message categories, another group completed their messages using suggested sentence openers. A control group received none of the above mentioned scaffolds. Using a multi‐method approach (content analysis, measurement of learning performance), the research results showed that technology‐based scaffolding in a problem‐based online asynchronous discussion improves students' task orientation and leads to more task‐related learning activity. Furthermore, using both message labels and sentence openers, which were composed through the use of the seven‐stage problem‐based learning process theoretical framework, offers an effective strategy for encouraging more elaboration and higher cognitive discourse.

Sociocultural Factors Influencing Online Instruction

Home computer ownership and Internet access have become essential to education, job security and economic opportunity. The digital divide remains greatest for ethnic/racial groups placing them at a disadvantage. The purpose of the study was to gain understanding and insight into the sociocultural factors influencing the digital divide as related to Latinos as a group, specifically a group of non-traditional Latina pre-service teachers from the midwest in a required online instructional media and technology course. The following sociocultural factors (1) generational status, (2) English language ability, (3) educational attainment, (4) socioeconomic status and (5) gender identity are defined and identified in relationship to the success of these participants. Of the five sociocultural factors explored in this study, only English language ability did not appear to have any direct influence on the success of these particular students. These sociocultural factors also influenced one another, particularly as generational status influences English language ability, educational attainment, gender roles, and ultimately socioeconomic status.

The Effectiveness of Mobile Learning SMS Service on Enhancing Mobile Learning Acceptance among the College of Education Students at Al-Aqsa University

The study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of mobile learning service SMS on enhancing mobile learning acceptance among Al-Aqsa University students. For the study objectives to be fulfilled, the researcher used experimental and descriptive approaches, analyzing the content of an instructional technology course so as to access the instructional technology concepts list including (37)concepts. The researcher also designed the study instrument (mobile learning acceptance measure). The sample of the study consisted of (140) students randomly selected from the whole population (1378) students. Data analysis revealed that there was an effective impact of the mobile learning SMS service on enhancing mobile learning acceptance among Al-Aqsa University students. Moreover, the effectiveness of mobile learning SMS service use on enhancing mobile learning acceptance among the Al-Aqsa University students exceeded 80%.

An investigation of the technological pedagogical content knowledge of pre-service teachers

This study investigates whether pre-service teachers’ learning approach and gender are related to their technological knowledge, their technological content knowledge, their technological pedagogical knowledge and their technological pedagogical content knowledge. The sample of the study consisted of 239 pre-service teachers. It was found that an instructional technology and material development course had a positive effect on pre-service teachers’ technological knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge and technological pedagogical content knowledge. Furthermore, technological knowledge, technological content knowledge, and technological pedagogical knowledge accounted for 82% of the variance in technological pedagogical content knowledge. Students having a deep learning approach and a deep surface learning approach had significantly higher technological knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge and technological pedagogical content knowledge scores after the course than before the course, but there were no significant differences between surface learning approach students’ scores before and after the course.

Activity systems as a framework for scaffolding participant reflections about distance education in an online instructional technology course

This study examines how student reflections guided by activity systems analysis in an online instructional technology graduate course can provide insights to participants and instructors for a better understanding of participant course activities. The course topic was about distance education and was facilitated in a blended format using Second Life and Blackboard for synchronous and asynchronous activities. Participants were introduced to the activity systems framework as a holistic tool for engaging in four periodic course reflections related to activities and learning experiences during the semester. We analyzed systematic issues that participants reported which influenced their learning experiences. Our research findings indicate that by using the activity systems framework as a guide in reflections, participants were able to demonstrate how they wrestled with becoming an active member of an online course while they explored how they could shape course experiences into optimal professional development.

Here and now mobile learning: An experimental study on the use of mobile technology

Mobile technology opens the door for a new kind of learning called here and now learning that occurs when learners have access to information anytime and anywhere to perform authentic activities in the context of their learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of here and now mobile learning on student achievement and attitude. The research questions addressed were (1) Does ''Here and Now'' mobile learning significantly improve student achievement when compared with Computer based Instruction? (2) Does ''Here and Now'' mobile learning significantly improve student attitude when compared with Computer based Instruction? (3) Are there differences in student achievement and attitudes when ''Here and Now'' mobile learning is delivered using a tablet versus ipod? 109 undergraduate students enrolled in preservice instructional design and instructional technology courses at a regional southeastern university participated in the study. Participants took a pretest at the beginning of the study, and then were assigned to one of the versions of an art lesson (CBI version and iPad/iPod version) which were developed using Lectora Inspire incorporating information on five different paintings in the education building. After the lesson, they completed the posttest and an attitude survey. ANOVA was conducted on data obtained from the achievement posttest and on the attitude survey results for the Likert type items (Items 1-12). Analyses on achievement and attitude data revealed positive significant differences. The CBI treatment achieved positive posttest scores on the posttest while the iPad/iPod treatments had positive attitudes. This study has implications for those designing and implementing mobile learning.

Changing preschool teacher candidates’ perceptions about technology integration in a TPACK-based material design course

Abstract This qualitative case study investigates how preschool teacher candidates’ perceptions about technology integration change during the technology-rich Material Design course that was based on the technology-pedagogical-content knowledge (TPACK) framework. Twelve preschool teacher candidates, enrolled in an Instructional Technology and Material Design course, participated in the study. Firstly, focus-group interviews were conducted and an open-ended questionnaire was administered. The results showed that the reasons of the preschool teacher candidates’ negative perceptions about technology integration pertained to their not knowing how to use technology and finding technology unnecessary to use in preschool teaching practice. Secondly, four activities based on TPACK were designed to provide preschool teacher candidates specific experience on technology use and show preschool technology use examples with the purpose of changing these negative beliefs. Data were gathered through journals, assignments...

Instructional Technology and Material Development Courses Motivation Scale

The aim of this research is to develop to determine universitystudents’ motivations against Instructional Technology and Material Development Course. The pre-trial form of Instructional Technology and Material Development scale (İTMDS) containing 46 item was administered to 464 university students an explanatory factor analyzing was conducted so as to determine construct validity. On the data, items that were not significant according to the t value results were deleted from the scale and item total correlation were calculated. For concurrent validity “curiosity index was used and Pearson Correlations coefficient having relation with the lack of curiosity sub-dimension İTMDS was found.78. Consequently, The Croanbach alpha internal consistency coefficient of the ultimate scale containing 33 items and six sub-dimension (competency, internal and external support, realizing the needs, performance improving, aiming the success, realizing the hardships) was calculated as 87. All the analyses conducted made it clear that İTMDS was valid and reliable as scale to determine motivation against Instructional Technology and Material Development course

Attending a Presentation at a Distance in Real-time via Skype

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” as the saying goes, and in this case, it surely was. A telecommuting faculty for a Midwest public university wanted to see a graduate student’s presentation as a guest speaker in an instructional technology course on campus. However, this faculty lives in another state, so that was impossible. As a daily user and enthusiast of Skype, she thought of using it to “attend” this presentation. Skype is a software-based Internet telephone and videophone service for making free, computerto-computer voice calls over the Internet Pcmag.com Encyclopedia (n.d.). to anyone else who is also using Skype. This article details the logistics involved in setting up and using Skype, with the assistance of an on-site faculty member, for attending a presentation in real-time at a distance.

Social cognitive predictors of pre-service teachers’ technology integration performance

The main objective of the study was to examine interrelationships among social cognitive variables (self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and performance goals) and their role in predicting pre-service teachers’ technology integration performance. Although researchers have examined the role of these variables in the teacher-education context, the present study was an examination of the manner in which variables may jointly function to predict technology integration performance. The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) served as the theoretic framework. Participants were 111 pre-service teachers enrolled in an introductory instructional technology course. Findings revealed that SCCT predictions were largely supported when the freshman students were excluded from the analyses. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations were related to each other and both contributed to the prediction of performance.

P2P: Assessing a Peer Evaluation Strategy

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of peer evaluation in a performance-based, Web-enhanced undergraduate instructional technology course. The results of a survey administered at the end of three semesters indicated that learners believe the peer evaluation process helped them improve the quality of their own work, both as a result of being a peer evaluator themselves and from the quality of the feedback received from their classmate-evaluators. Higher quality final projects with fewer mistakes corroborated the students’ assessment. These findings provide valuable information for instructors who are currently utilizing or considering the implementation of a peer evaluation process as a part of their instructional strategy. The results of this study indicate that including peer evaluation in the final project enhanced student performance. Significant technology integration was used to facilitate the projects.

Implementation and conceptual analysis of a double infusion model

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the double infusion (DI) model, which was developed to offer technology and multicultural teacher educators a systematic process for helping prospective teachers to become proficient in using technology to enhance student learning in K‐12 environments, while they work toward strengthening their own conceptions of critical multicultural education.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports on the implementation and conceptual analysis of this DI model, which was piloted in a 16‐week graduate level instructional technology course for future educators. Data collected for this analysis included student course projects, a focus group interview with students, and an interview with the course instructor.FindingsThe preliminary findings for this pilot project yielded that the participants had the critical dispositions needed to understand and make meaning of the “doubly infused” content, however, the opportunities they had in their graduate programs to reflect upon how these ways of thinking can be reflected in technology‐based applications were few to non‐existent.Originality/valueThe authors found that the organizational structure of teacher education programs plays a critical role in helping students to envision how technology can be used to support the learning goals of critical multicultural education, and conversely, how critical multicultural education, can be used to support learning within a technology context.

“All Work and No Play” Reconsidered: The Use of Games to Promote Motivation and Engagement in Instruction

Th is study examined the role of games in graduate-level instructional technology courses, where the curriculum includes complex abstract theory and hands-on, practical skills. A qualitative approach was used in the study, relying on classroom observations of student behavior (recorded by digital photographs), informal student verbal comments, formal written feedback, and analysis of student game projects, as sources of data. Participants had the opportunity to serve in one or both roles of ‘ed ucational game player’ and ‘ed ucational game designer’. Issues involved in adapting existing games to classroom use are also discussed. Study findings reveal that games can be very useful in the classroom, helping to stimulate student active participation in the learning process.

Scaffolding project-based learning with the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK ®)

This paper reports the results of a study of the extent to which processes and procedures from the discipline of project management can scaffold online project-based learning in a graduate-level instructional technology course, by facilitating intra-team interaction, enhancing project outcomes and promoting a positive project team experience. With one course section using tools and templates from project management and one section using only free-form text forms and instructor guidelines as project scaffolding tools, team interactions were compared via qualitative and quantitative analyses of team threaded discussions over an 8-week project lifecycle. Project outcomes were assessed by comparing project product scores using the t-test for independent samples, while project experience was assessed via a post-project survey using the University of Wisconsin-Madison Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) questionnaire. Results indicate that the project management methodology facilitates intra-team communication and positive collaborative behavior, but is not a critical factor for final product quality. The results provide a starting point for educators and researchers seeking to assess cross-disciplinary approaches to project-based learning.