<p> E-learning modality is a viable choice for higher educational students and due to many associated features with e learning methodologies, it has become a desirable business option tool for incorporating into educational and organizational training structures. Using e learning platforms is an effective way to manage training costs for employees, enhance organizational knowledge, update employee skills, remain competitive, and meet overall organizational goals. The problem is in a high tech, knowledge based society, in order for organizations and institutions to remain competitive and effective, it is important that management identify e learning technology factors and models that influence organizational training structures and examine how those e learning factors and models can be adopted, synergized, and strategized into the overall organizational strategic planning process. The purpose of this qualitative multi case study was to examine and gaining a deeper understanding of e learning modalities, factors, and technologies that influence organizational training models, adoption, and integration into overall institutional strategies for employee training at teaching and learning facilities. The participants of the study were from a Southwestern Community College institution, and included directors and operational staff members from two employee training facilities. Both purposeful and convenience sampling selections were used with a targeted sample size of 13 participants. Of the 13 participants for the study, three were excluded, which left a total of 10 participants. To gain relevant data to address the purpose of this study, data gathering consisted of participants&rsquo; responses to 17 open ended interview questions that addressed two overarching research questions. Through conducting a thematic analysis of the interview responses, eight respective categories emerged which aligned to the study&rsquo;s two research questions. Key findings noted in this research study were the cost and challenges to acquire and update e-learning resources and to be innovative. In conclusion, the participants from the different sites viewed the importance differently on how e learning should be a part of the overall organizational strategic plan and noted several e-learning factor similarities and differences. Future research is needed to examine factors affecting the adoption and integration of e learning training into business strategies from an in-house corporate training environment.</p>

<p> This study focused on the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the use of instructional technology in the classroom. Participants in this study were from three school districts with student populations between 500-1,000 students in the southwest region of Missouri. Students were given a survey to determine a self-assessment of their own abilities to use certain technologies for learning purposes. Their teachers were given a correlated survey; however, teachers were asked to assess their students&rsquo; abilities to use certain technologies for learning purposes. A Mann-Whitney <i>U</i> test was conducted on the results of the surveys to determine if there was a statistical difference between the students&rsquo; and teachers&rsquo; responses. No statistical difference was calculated between students&rsquo; perceptions and teachers&rsquo; perceptions of students&rsquo; abilities to use instructional technology. Further, interviews were conducted with teachers to determine their perceptions of many aspects of the use of instructional technology, including the following: perceptions of teacher training regarding instructional technology, including preservice teacher training and professional development; pedagogical models teachers employ when using instructional technology; and barriers to the effective implementation of instructional technology in their respective classrooms. Findings revealed, overall, teachers think training regarding the use of instructional technology needs to be strengthened at both the preservice level and the professional development level. Further, teachers reported barriers to effective use of technology include a lack of viable equipment. Teachers were generally unfamiliar with pedagogical models regarding instructional technology.</p>

<p> This qualitative grounded theory study investigated the value of iPads in K-12 schools when used in one-to-one ratios. The purpose of the study was to understand the perspectives of teachers using iPads in one-to-one ratios for teaching and learning in the classroom and administrators responsible for the implementation of these devices. The problem was that little was known about the value iPads bring to teaching and learning when used in one-to-one configurations. Two research questions guided this study: From the viewpoint of a teacher, what is the perceived value of iPads when used in one-to-one settings for learning and instruction? and: From the viewpoint of an administrator, what is the perceived value of iPads when used in one-to-one settings for learning and instruction? In one phase, phenomenological interviews captured the lived experiences of 16 teachers using iPads to implement instruction. In a separate phase, a focus group with five administrators discussed their perceptions of the educational value of iPads. The findings of this study were uncovered through the analysis of transcripts of the interviews with teachers and two focus group sessions. The data were analyzed and coded to better understand the phenomenon. Through this analysis, six themes and related subthemes were discovered. These themes were (1) ease of use, (2) district support, (3) teacher mindset, (4) student-centered learning, and (5) evidence of the SAMR model of technology use. These findings may be useful for teachers who use the devices and administrators in school districts considering the adoption of the devices.</p>

<p>Makerspaces have experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, resulting in an influx of Maker education in K-12 settings. While Makerspaces have been studied abundantly in museums, libraries, and in after-school programs, little research has been conducted inside the K- 12 school day. The goal of this study is to discover insights of established Makerspaces inside the K-12 school environment. In this exploratory mixed methods study, educators were survived, examining school and participant demographics, Makerspace setup, as well as intersections of technology, content, and pedagogy. Next, the researcher conducted a follow-up interview with selected participants based on diversity in the following key demographic areas: teacher gender, professional background, and school environment. In order to better understand K-12 implementation of Makerspaces, the study examines seven characteristics of Makerspaces: setting, computational thinking, participant structures, teacher training, gender and racial issues, assessment, and sustainability. The data was examined through TPACK framework with a constructivist approach. Makerspaces can empower students to invent, prototype, and tinker with low-cost technology tools such as microcircuits and fabrication tools such as 3d printers. The goal of this study is to add to the body of literature regarding the role and potential value of Makerspaces in school environments. This exploration of Makerspaces in K-12 setting could be generalized to serve as a guide for teachers who want to establish their own Makerspace.

<p> The purpose of this research study was to determine K-12 school leaders&rsquo; concepts of ability and technology readiness. The Theories of Intelligence Scale (TIS) was used to analyze concepts of ability and the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) 2.0 was used to analyze the technology readiness of K-12 school leaders. Data from the two instruments were used to determine if there was any relationship between K-12 school leaders&rsquo; concept of ability and technology readiness. This analysis filled a blank spot in the research contributing to the literature on leadership, Mindset Theory (Dweck, 2006; Dweck, Chiu, &amp; Hong, 1995), and Technology Readiness (Lin &amp; Hsieh, 2012; Parasuraman, 2000). Furthermore it helped to determine the state of K-12 school leaders&rsquo; status as 21st century leaders. </p><p> The sample consisted of the school leaders of School District of Palm Beach County (SDPBC). This included 158 principals from 104 elementary, 31 middle, and 23 high schools. The researcher was a school district employee and therefore had access to the participants. </p><p> Each of the four null hypotheses were rejected as SDPBC school leaders scored significantly higher on the TIS (p&lt;.05) and TRI 2.0 (p&lt;.01), there was a significant (p&lt;.0125) positive relationship between TIS and the TRI 2.0, and that relationship was affected (p&lt;.05) by gender, race, and experience.</p>

<p> BACKGROUND AND METHOD: Medical students are generally considered to be a unique group of experienced learners, functioning under high levels of stress and fatigue. The use of multimedia in digital environments has become a standard feature in most medical schools, but it has met with limited success. A study was designed to investigate the impact of stress and fatigue on general study resource selection, with particular interest in multimedia, and its limited uptake by medical students. A series of 58 focus groups with 107 third and fourth year medical students at the NYU School of Medicine was conducted in the spring of 2015. A survey instrument was also administered. Quantitative data analysis was conducted in SPSS-23; the qualitative data analysis was conducted through open coding and grounded theory procedures in ATLAS.ti. </p><p> FINDINGS: Results produced a model of stress and fatigue for third-year medical students, and showed a statistically significant increase in multimedia usage under fatigue but not under stress alone, and a statistically significant decline in textbook preference under conditions of stress and/or fatigue. Practice questions (i.e., &ldquo;question banks&rdquo;) and text-based websites (evidence-based, clinical decision resources related to diagnosis and case management) were the preferred study resources under all conditions. Further analysis of the qualitative data regarding multimedia&rsquo;s strengths and weaknesses under stress and fatigue produced a series of 12 multimedia design and implementation factors.</p><p> DISCUSSION While these findings are based on the specific medical student population, there may be significant implications for the general learner population, which is also confronting increased stress and fatigue. As on-line learners and other populations of learners start to look more like medical students &ndash; trying to study when they are tired, stressed, and under severe time pressure &ndash; it&rsquo;s worth considering that many of the suggestions for making multimedia resources more appealing to medical students might also have the same effects with other populations.</p>

<p> This descriptive research study examined if the training for online class delivery that post-secondary faculty currently experience includes best practices for online design and delivery.</p><p> As of 2015 most colleges and universities had indicated that offering online course programming was necessary to achieve key strategic goals for their institution. Demand for online classes is strong, but enrollment and re-enrollment in these classes have not consistently increased since 2009. Dropout rates have increased and are reported at twice that of traditional classes with students blaming the school or faculty, and faculty and academic leadership blaming the student for lack of self-motivation, which is key to successful online learning. </p><p> As online programming has become ubiquitous, academic leadership is no longer wondering whether they should offer online courses, but rather have shifted focus to how to address and maintain the satisfaction of the online student. Faculty training in online delivery can impact student motivation and satisfaction. This study examined what type of training faculty experience and as a result, whether they were able to indicate knowledge of best practices in demonstrating Presence in an online class, understanding importance, and methods, of Interaction, whether they understood the best practices associated with the Design of an online class, how design can impact student motivation, as well as whether faculty felt confident in their ability to deliver an online class, or prepared to communicate virtually with their online students.</p><p> A self-report survey was administered to more than 2800 faculty and 254 responded. The majority of participants acknowledged having received some type of training and were more likely to indicate knowledge of best practices than those that had received no training at all. Those that indicated training that included both design and delivery of an online class were more knowledgeable in the best practices than those that had received training in the software alone. Finally, faculty that received training that included design and delivery elements were more likely to say they felt confident in their ability to deliver an online class and that they felt prepared to communicate virtually with their online students.</p>

<p> Despite high levels of global connectedness, which is characteristically representative of our 21st century society, United States citizens have been found to be significantly unaware of global affairs. Though the Department of Education has named social media as a viable option for improving the internationalization of classroom curricula, little research exists to quantitatively support such a claim. As what little research does exist exclusively investigates Facebook, no research looks into the viability of other popular social media platforms, such as Twitter or Instagram. The purpose of this study was be to probe, through an experimental design, the extent to which the presentation of globally-related information, textually-based in the case of Twitter and visually-based in the case of Instagram, as well as the source of such information, whether it be from a professional news outlet or a casual social media user, may play in effecting the way American college students consume and process digital information pertaining to global affairs. Such findings will help to pioneer the relatively under-investigated digital intersection of communication and education.</p>

<p> Educational technology can be a powerful tool and the advantages of using it in instruction are abundant. However, it is important that instructors use technology effectively. Recent rapid changes in technology have coincided with rapid growth in online learning. Since the 1990s, learning management systems (LMS) have been adopted in higher education as a means for providing instructors with educational technology tools to manage and facilitate their higher education classes. LMS tools play a significant role in the facilitation of online learning. The changes in educational technology and the growth in online learning have led educators in higher education to examine best practices for integrating technology in online learning. Retention is a major focus of higher education administrators. Thus, student satisfaction in online courses is a concern in order to decrease attrition and improve student persistence in online education. This study examines the relationships between student perception of the usefulness of LMS tools and student online course satisfaction in higher education.</p>

<p> This study is a hermeneutic phenomenology focused on a virtual high school in Central Louisiana. Because virtual education is growing quickly, and student performance in virtual high schools is inconsistent, the study seeks to provide a conceptual model from which to design virtual school curricula and develop virtual school teaches. The proposed model is grounded in three theoretical frameworks and validated through the experience of virtual school teachers. The theoretical frameworks informing the study are the Community of Inquiry model, Sense of Community theory, and the Theory of Transactional Distance. The research participants&rsquo; experiences are used to validate the proposed conceptual model for virtual high school course development. The result is a conceptual model that can be used by virtual high school course designers to guide the development of virtual school curricula. </p><p> The study can also be used to guide the development of strategies for delivering online courses and conducting professional development in a virtual learning environment. The study makes four major findings. The study finds virtual high school students vary in their motivation and autonomy. The study finds the teacher-student relationship to more individualized in the virtual school than in the traditional school. The study finds that virtual high school students do not perceive value in virtual learning communities. Finally, the study finds that virtual school teachers experience with technology is positive, but their students often experience trouble with technology. The study uses these findings to suggest a conceptual model from which to develop virtual high school curricula and teach virtual high school classes.</p>