<p> This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the teacher perceived barriers of using mobile devices in the K-5 classroom. Research confirms teachers face various types of variables and become reluctant to use technology within their curriculum driven lessons. This study sought to understand what teachers perceive as barriers, and how the perceived barriers interfere with the daily instruction through mobile devices in all subject areas. The problem guiding the study was based on the fact that teachers are given mobile devices, but do not fully integrate them into the classroom instruction. The study used a purposive sample of 12 elementary teachers. The findings from the study were derived from interviews using open-ended questions and an observation. Both were used to gather data based on the lived experiences of the participants. The data was analyzed and the following themes were discovered: Time constraints, management issues, inadequate number of devices, professional development/training concerns, and lack of knowledge. These findings may provide school leaders with specific areas to address, possibly reduce, or eliminate the barriers that cause teachers to limit their use of mobile devices.</p>

<p> The community college serves a diverse student population with numerous programs and degrees designed to complete general education requirements and prepare students for job placement. As these students enter their anticipated occupation, most are unprepared for the oral skill requirements of their new job. They lack confidence to navigate any number of scenarios demanding interpersonal poise, teamwork, conflict resolution, presentation skills, and other occupation-specific speaking tasks. Since many of these degrees and certificates are offered partially or completely online, this Project presents a practical means of introducing speaking skills into the coursework of the growing online learning environment. The research examined the ethos of the community college and the impact of oral proficiency on the academic, personal, and occupational lives of students. Expanding on the core required speaking course, the study and resultant project informed by a genre study, presented genre-specific oral skill activities in online coursework integrating the application of multimedia tools. Constructivist learning theory was foundational to the experiential and dialogical instructional design. Interviews and ethnographic studies in online and live courses informed the teaching and assessment rubrics integrated into the Project. Reducing perceived transactional distance in online learning is critical to student success and a relational approach to teaching engenders favorable student responses.</p>

<p> The enormous growth of online learning creates the need to develop a set of standards and guidelines for fully online programs. While many guidelines do exist, web-based programs still fall short in the recognition, adoption, or the implementation of these standards. One consequence is the high attrition rates associated with web-based distance learning programs. This poor outcome has a negative impact on the perceived quality of these programs which in turn limits the resources that are made available to academic institutions for implementation. Faculty plays a significant role in this dilemma. While academic administrators strive to enhance their online offerings for a number of reasons, faculty are faced with a number of barriers that deter them from adapting to this mode of delivery. </p><p> This report outlines how an in-depth analysis of these barriers was carried out. A mixed research synthesis design approach known as metasummary was used to synthesize the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research studies that address the issue. The outcome of the synthesis was a set of solutions and recommendations that can be used to increase faculty buy-in and ownership of online learning. Regulatory bodies responsible for accrediting distance programs can benefit from these recommendations by including specific guidelines that explicitly consider the level of faculty satisfaction as a measurement of effectiveness when evaluating fully online programs.</p>

<p> In the United States, K-12-12 online schools are growing, but research on the topic is limited. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine if there was a relationship between teacher perceptions of the Effective Schools Correlates and student achievement within two South Carolina online high schools. The independent variable was the Effective Schools correlates, and the dependent variable was the academic achievement of students. The Effective Schools Model provided the theoretical basis for this study because of the documented effectiveness of this model within traditional brick-and-mortar schools. The Effective Schools Survey was used to collect data by measuring South Carolina online high school teacher perceptions of the presence of the Effective Schools correlates. Archival standardized test data of grade 9-12 online students were collected from the South Carolina Department of Education to measure the dependent variables. Findings revealed few statistically significantly relationships between the Effective Schools correlates and student achievement. The findings of this study may interest educational leaders as they seek to identify specific factors or create models to effectively assess teaching and learning within online education.</p>

<p> Online learning has become a prevalent method of instruction in higher education. There are many reasons for this change in pedagogy, including rapid developments in technology, as well as the logistic challenges of enrolling in college, such as commuting and coordinating work schedules. The quality of online instruction and its impact on teacher preparation, however, has yet to be fully investigated. The purpose of this study is to add to the existing literature regarding online learning and its use in teacher preparation. This study, more specifically, compared the effects of differentiated use of a specific online learning environment, the IRIS Center for Training Enhancements (http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/index.html), on knowledge of teacher candidates in two sections of a <i>Teaching Exceptional Learners</i> course for general education undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates. Pre- and post-instructional concept maps were used to measure growth in knowledge in this counterbalanced study. Results indicate both methods of instruction, in-class and at-home, with the IRIS modules are effective for increasing the knowledge base of general education teacher candidates. Analysis of the data showed no significant differences in learning between the two methods. While preference of methods differed, overall, participants felt the IRIS modules were beneficial and made an impact on their learning.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine whether students associated with a generational group exhibit similar learning styles as identified by the Felder and Soloman Index of Learning Styles instrument. The secondary purpose was to determine to what degree these generational groups rate their satisfaction with online education through the use of the Distance Education Learning Environment Survey (DELES) instrument. </p><p> The instruments were administered to Montana University System students who were enrolled in one or more fully online courses. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and ANOVA. The collected data of 1426 (n) from a total surveyed population of 9,983 students revealed that generational learning styles indicated statistically significant differences with regard to visual-verbal learning style preferences, but no other statistically significant differences related to preferences were determined between the generational groups. Further analysis of the DELES results indicated that there were statistically significant mean difference score comparisons among the Millennial Generation, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. Specifically, the Millennial Generation reported lower scores on overall satisfaction survey components as compared with both Generation X and Baby Boomer respondents. </p><p> This study presents recommendations that may be used by faculty, instructional designers, and college leadership to address the continued growth and diversity of student populations. This increased awareness fostering an understanding on issues such as online program development, student satisfaction, and online student retention.</p>

<p> An understanding of the impact of user avatar alteration in relation to social presence is needed to fully realize the potential of Second Life for higher education usages, which the research literature reveals as an environment that provides increased social presence. Prior studies focused primarily on the impact of system design attributes on social presence. </p><p> A social presence measurement instrument was developed that includes the ITC-SOPI Social Presence Inventory by Lessiter, Freeman, Keogh, &amp; Davidoff, J.D. (2001), the Witmer/Singer Social Presence Inventory (2005), and a portion of the Slater (1994) Social Presence Inventory accompanied by researcher developed study specific queries. The comprehensive instrument was used to collect data from a volunteer sample of 65 Dakota State University students from Summer/Fall 2012, 100, 200, and 300 level Sioux Falls, South Dakota University Center computer classes. The quantitative measures were supported by qualitative statements from a fully immersive Second Life class conducted by Glendale Community College, AZ. Computed means and standard deviations from the pre avatar change survey revealed that the respondents did not articulate perceptions of social presence at a significant level. </p><p> Computed means and standard deviations of the pre/post avatar surveys change scores documented that none of the avatar change criteria resulted in significant changes in terms of perceived social presence. A subsequent one way analysis of variance was conducted and avatar attire, construction (body structure), gender or type, and physical appearance (facial structure) did not result in a statistically significant difference in terms of predicting social presence at the .05 level on the comprehensive social presence instrument. </p>

<p> The impact of instant message interruptions via computer on immediate lecture retention for college students was examined. While watching a 24&ndash;minute video of a classroom lecture, students received various numbers of related&ndash;to&ndash;lecture (&ldquo;Is consistent use of the eye contact method necessary for success?&rdquo;) versus not&ndash;related&ndash;to lecture (&ldquo;Have you ever missed class because you couldn't find parking?&rdquo;) instant messages in addition to note taking vs. no note taking. Student self&ndash;rating for multitasking ability, typical and maximum instant messaging activity, and classroom computer use were also measured. Contrary to cognitive models of information processing that suggest instant messages will disrupt student retention of lecture information, no effects were found for number of interruptions, presence or absence of notes, or relatedness of interruption on lecture retention. Students&rsquo; multitasking self&ndash;rating was negatively related to lecture retention. The implications of these results for classroom practice and future research are explored.</p>

<p> Too often, low socioeconomic school districts are associated with low performing students. The NCLB Act of 2001 dictates closure of the achievement gap by year 2014. Twenty-first century education must include instructional practices that use technology to enhance student learning. The non-experimental quantitative causal-comparative research study examined archival data from a Northwestern Arizona school district which included two dependent variables&mdash;the spring AIMS assessment and the spring ATI assessment. The statistical analysis used descriptive statistics to determine the effect of SRS on student academic achievement in mathematics. The data derived from 7th and 8th grade students to examine the ratio of the students&rsquo; scores in the highest category named Above, that included students&rsquo; scores which performed in the higher performance scale ranges on both assessments comparing the ratio of students&rsquo; scores in the Below category, that included students&rsquo; scores which performed in the lowest performance ranges on both assessments. Since the school district did not purchase the SRS technology until the 2010-2011 school year, the archival data from 2010 spring tests when students did not utilize SRS in the classroom was compared to the archival data from 2011 spring tests when students utilized SRS in the classroom environment. The data was compared horizontally from one year to the other: 7th grade to 7th grade and 8th grade to 8th grade on each test. In addition, the data was compared vertically from one year to the other: 7th grade to 8th grade on each test. The results of the research study can be used and replicated to help close the achievement gap.</p>

<p> The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if simulation training correlated with the decision-making abilities of firefighters from two departments (one in a mountain state and one in a southwest state). The other purposes were to determine if firefighter demographics were correlated with the completion of the simulation training and/or predicted decision-making abilities. The independent variables of this study were the completion simulation-training program and selected firefighter demographics with the naturalistic decision-making abilities of these firefighters as the dependent variable. Using purposive sampling, the participants selected were members of the two sample fire departments. The survey contained three categories: demographic information, simulation-based training program overview, and simulation-training assessment. The study produced some statistically significant findings which provided empirical evidence regarding the effective use of simulation training to the decision-making ability of firefighters. It also addresses the void in the existing knowledge base on the effectiveness in using simulation training on the decision-making ability on the fire ground, which firefighters need particularly.</p>