Use of real, authentic whole tasks in training has been the focus of current instructional theories and practical educational approaches (Merrill, 2002; Reigeluth, 1999; van Merrienboer & Kirschner, 2001). However, teaching authentic tasks poses challenges because of the complex nature of these tasks and the limited capacity of working memory. To overcome these challenges, van Merrienboer and Paas (1996) proposed the Four Components of Instructional Design (4C/ID) model to teach authentic complex skills without overloading the working memory. The model has four components: learning tasks, supportive information, procedural information, and part-task practice. Basing the 4C/ID model, Kester et al. (2001) suggest that presenting supportive information before and supportive information during the task practice would lead to more effective and efficient instruction than presenting the procedural information before and supportive during the practice tasks. Even though the ‘supportive before, procedural during’ information presentation format has been hypothesized to be superior to the other information presentation formats (i.e., supportive before, procedural before; supportive during, procedural before; supportive during, procedural during), not all empirical studies and findings confirm this particular hypothesis (Kester et al., 2001; Kester, Kirschner, & van Merrienboer, 2004a; Kester, Kirschner, & van Merrienboer, 2006). To explain these conflicting findings, differences in the degree to which learners were allowed or not allowed to review information presented prior to the practice session (learner control) was tested in this study. The purposes of this study were to (a) investigate the effects of the information presentation format on practice tasks, posttest, transfer test, mental effort, instructional efficiency, and performance efficiency, (b) investigate the effects of the learner control on practice tasks, posttest, transfer test, mental effort, instructional efficiency, and performance efficiency, (c) reveal the interaction effects, if there is, between the information presentation format and learner control on the practice tasks, posttest, transfer test, mental effort, instructional efficiency, and performance efficiency, and (d) assess the students’ attitudes toward the instructional modules. To accomplish these purposes, the study used 2x2 (n=4) factorial design to compare the effects of presenting supportive information before procedural information during the practice tasks with learner control (PS_L); presenting supportive information before procedural information during the practice tasks with system control (PS_S); presenting supportive information before procedural information during the practice with learner control (SP_L); and presenting supportive information before procedural information during the practice tasks with system control (SP_S). The dependent variables were practice task scores, post-test, transfer test, mental effort, time-on-task, instructional efficiency, and performance efficiency. The students completed a demographic survey, two modules with practice tasks, post-test, transfer test, and an attitude survey. The learner control group was enabled the students to go back and review supportive information during task practice within the entire course while the system control group were not able to go back to review the procedural information they receive prior to starting the task practice. Overall, ninety-hundred participants from a southern city in the United States are assigned to one of four conditions. The results revealed that students in the PS group performed significantly better on the practice tasks and posttest than students in the SP group; students in the learner control group performed significantly better than students in the system control group on the practice tasks and posttest. Even though no interaction found between the timing of information presentation format and learner control on the dependent variables, the post hoc results showed that presenting procedural information before the practice tasks with learner control led to a greater performance on the practice tasks, posttest, and instructional efficiency. Regarding to the post study learners’ attitude survey, the SP_L group showed more positive attitude toward the instruction than the other groups even though the PS_L group performed significantly better than the other groups. Overall, the study found some evidence that presenting procedural information before practice task was more effective and efficient than presenting supportive information before practice task when given learner control. In cases where it is possible to provide learner control (such as an online self-paced instructions), the findings in this study suggest that instructors use the PS presentation format. Considering the limitations of this study, the findings in this study are not conclusive. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / July 17, 2017. / cognitive load theory, four components of instructional design, instructional design, just in time model, learner control, timing of information presentation / Includes bibliographical references. / Allan C. Jeong, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gordon Erlebacher, University Representative; Vanessa P. Dennen, Committee Member; James Klein, Committee Member.

Although blogs have been used in online learning environments with optimistic expectations, the distributed nature of blogs can pose some challenges. Currently, we do not have a robust collection of tested blogging strategies to help students interact more effectively with each other when blogs are used as a primary form of engagement in an online class. Prior studies have illuminated the need for effective strategies that will lead to greater active engagement on student blogs. Thus, the purpose of the study was to test an early iteration of an instructional blogging strategy, “Featured Student Profiles,” which is designed to help students become acquainted with each other better and encourage them to visit and comment on each other’s blogs. Eighteen undergraduate students who were enrolled in an online course for pre-service teachers in which student blogs are the primary medium of peer interactions, participated in the study. Using a case study design, seven students participated in interviews and all student blog interactions were analyzed. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the interview data and identify salient themes of students’ blogging experiences overall under the study strategy. The findings indicated that students took the most direct and efficient path they experienced to complete the blog task. Their peer interaction patterns varied, but several shifted from random to targeted relationships as the semester progressed. Although all students perceived the strategy as a positive approach to peer awareness, there was no clear evidence of its effect on student interactions. This study provides three suggestions that are needed to achieve more effective use of the strategy. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2018. / March 30, 2018. / Includes bibliographical references. / Vanessa P. Dennen, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jonathan Adams, University Representative; James D. Klein, Committee Member; Fengfeng Ke, Committee Member.

<p> Keywords: Gamification, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, academic performance, mathematics, test scores, <i>Edufocal</i>&copy; </p><p> Children have been playing computer games for many years. Today's children are very technologically savvy compared to 10 years ago. However, no concrete research was done in the Caribbean and in Jamaica to be specific, that investigates the impact of gamification on student academic scores and motivation. Gamification is used to describe the use of gaming mechanics in non-game contexts that can be used to influence behavior, improve motivation and increase engagement (Marczewski, 2013). The present study is an experiment to investigate the effects of a gamified software intervention in mathematics achievement among sixth-grade students.</p><p> The experimental method was used to collect data. A two-group pre and post-test design method was employed. The treatment involved a set of mathematical instructional games created using the Jamaican curriculum. Two sets of scores from standardized tests were analyzed; a diagnostic test and the final GSAT exam. An attitude survey was also conducted to investigate student motivation pre and post-gamification.</p><p> A Gain Score Analysis (GSA) with an independent sample <i>t-test </i> was conducted on the pre and final post-test scores. Upon analyzing the gain scores from students in the treatment group, the results saw (<i> M</i>=-2.67, <i>SD</i>=2.27) while in the control group, on the other hand, the mean difference was (<i>M</i>=-2.67, <i> SD</i> =2.39) and <i>t</i> (59) = -1.172. The results indicate that the intervention student scores had a negative correlation, and we fail to reject the null hypothesis as (<i>p</i>>.246). As such, the intervention did not statistically improve students performance in the short or long-term. The findings from the attitude analysis revealed that students in the gamified group had a more positive attitude towards math at the beginning of the year. At the end of the school year, students in the gamified group also had a more positive attitude toward math compared to the traditional control group. Based on the results from the test scores, the change in attitude was not consistent with the use of the gamified software.</p><p> This research is significant as an extensive study of this nature has never been done in Jamaica and by extension the Caribbean. The findings will be of benefit to educators, instructional technologists, administrators and the Ministry of Education in Jamaica. While the study focused on math scores, the results can be used to assist in future planning on whether or not to include some aspects of gamification in each institution as a way to improve student scores in other subjects.</p><p>

<p> An Investigation of Higher Education Faculty About Mobile Learning. Serena Brown, 2018; Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: mobile learning, mobile devices, technology integration, learning engagement, instructor perceptions, MLPS, UTAUT. </p><p> This applied dissertation was designed to investigate instructor perceptions about mobile learning among instructors in higher education. The study included the areas of influences of mobile technologies over the approaches of teaching and learning, use of mobile learning technologies to develop class instruction, use of mobile learning for professional learning, influences of mobile learning over the restrictions of time and space when acquiring knowledge anytime, anywhere, and mobile learning to facilitate teacher-student communications. An additional objective of this study was to add a more current literature source to the existing literature addressing instructor perceptions about mobile learning in higher education. </p><p> The writer used the Mobile Learning Perception Scale, a quantitative survey, using a cross-sectional survey design collecting data at one point in time during the study with nonprobability convenience sampling. </p><p> An overall analysis of the data revealed higher education instructors agreed (mean = 3.81, median = 4.00, mode = 4) with K12 teachers (mean = 4.09, median = 4.00, mode = 4) mobile learning techniques and tools were beneficial for use in the approaches to teaching and learning, influential in the development of classroom instruction strategies, useful for professional learning, influential over the restrictions of time when acquiring knowledge anytime, anywhere, and useful for facilitating teacher-student communication. </p><p> The results of this study provide administrators the benefit of insight into instructors&rsquo; perceptions and attitudes of mobile learning at the higher education level. Knowing higher education instructors&rsquo; perceptions and attitudes about mobile learning afford the institution a much-needed understanding of the direct determinants and influencing key moderators which inform behavioral intention and use of mobile learning technologies (Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, &amp; Davis, 2003).</p><p>

Distance learning has experienced a noteworthy increase in both the number of institutions offering alternatives to traditional classroom instruction, and the number of students participating in the various distant modalities. Accompanying the increase of students utilizing distance learning is the subsequent increase in students leaving their studies before completion. These two opposing increases have elevated the need to address retention in distance learning and specifically, online distance learning. This study utilizes the results of a Transfer Student Survey administered to criminal justice and nursing online students between 2006 and 2008. Survey results were used to determine if specific traits of persisters and non-persisters could be identified, in an effort to shine light on potential services that could be utilized to reverse attrition.;This quasi-qualitative study of online distance learners revealed some characteristic differences between persisters and non-persisters as well as between the majors of study. Outcomes of the survey were subdivided by nursing persisters and non-persisters, criminal justice persisters and non-persisters, and aggregate persisters and non-persisters. This data was further scrutinized by frequency of response as well as by mean and median scores. From that point, differences that might not have been evident through quantitative review were able to be brought to the forefront. Consequential conclusions were then utilized to provide recommendations to the institution regarding services that could be beneficial to overcome areas of deficiency with the ultimate goal of improving retention among distance learners. Additionally, suggestions were made pertaining to the challenges experienced by the limitations of the Transfer Student Survey.;Further study of distance learners, particularly in varying majors, is needed to ascertain whether there is a connection between field of study and attrition. Furthermore, results of this study alluded to time constraints and lack of priority being placed on studies as potential causes of departure. Additional research of distance learners should be done that supports or disputes these findings.

In the target district, instructional rounds (IR), were implemented to reform district-wide educational practices to increase student problem-solving skills over time. This evaluative case study investigated the perceived efficacy of IRs as a model to address student problem-solving. Specifically, the study examined the influences, if any, that the IR process has had on problem-solving, academics, and pedagogy since implementation. The study was framed by Bandura's social learning theory as it states that behavior is learned from one's environment through the process of observation. Qualitative data were collected from 86 stakeholders through a district-wide questionnaire, semi-structured interviews with 8 administrators, and a review of IR feedback notes and fundamental instructional practices. Data were analyzed and open coded to identify common themes and assess if there was perceived efficacy of the IR process. Findings showed that participants perceived the implementation of IRs as effective in improving academic, social, and pedagogical processes throughout the district. Participants shared the opinion that IR improved critical thinking among students, though there was no formal measure for this. A white paper was generated to inform the district of these changes, with recommendations for improvement in instructional rounds implementation. The project will promote social change by improving the teaching and learning process for students, teachers, and administrators at the target district. Based on what was reported about IR, continuing to improve the IR process can bring improvements to the teaching and learning process which will support stronger problem- solving, collaboration, and critical thinking among students.

Classroom Response Systems (CRS) are devices that are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, yet allow full and anonymous participation by students while providing immediate feedback to instructors. These devices have shown promise as a tool to increase engagement in learners, an outcome that would be particularly useful among middle level learners. This study assessed the ability of CRSs to promote content among suburban, middle level students in science class, and it is the first known study of CRSs that used an alternating treatments design to improve the reliability of the findings. The study also assessed the acceptability of the technology. Quiz results did not support claims that that students learn more when using CRSs, but acceptability responses indicated that students preferred CRSs to traditional questioning practices, that students perceived their learning as greater when using CRSs, and that students felt somewhat lower levels of anxiety when using CRSs for review. / School of Education / Instructional Technology (EdDIT) / EdD / Dissertation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the professional interaction and interpersonal communication factors in the management of biomedical instructional development projects which involved the use of electronic media. Reference is made, repeatedly, in instructional development literature to the need to include interpersonal communication skills in the education and training of present and future instructional systems developers. It has been suggested that subject specialist consultation is one of the most vital instructional design skills. However, this skill may not be taught in educational and training programs. Before specific skills can be identified and included in the professional preparation of ISDs, it is necessary to determine what the communication factors are, as well as exactly where and when interpersonal communication conflicts occur within the ISD process. To provide relevancy, these issues need to be linked to actual occurrences in actual settings. This study provides insight into actual roles, relationships and interpersonal communication factors in the context within which they occur. / Graduation date: 1995

Thesis (M.Arch.)(Prof.)--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

This research is based on Middle School Mathematics Project (MSMP) funded by the Interagency Educational Research Initiative through a grant to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Both teacher’s instructional representations and students’ written representations were coded and analyzed to investigate the nature and structure of the representations in teaching fractions, decimals and percents in middle school classrooms in three school districts in Texas. The study further explored the relationship between both the quality and quantity of instructional representations and students’ written representations, and the relationship between students’ written representations and their achievements. This dissertation used a mixed approach utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The data was collected in the first two years of a five-year study. A total of 14 sixth grade mathematics teachers from three school districts in Texas were selected from the MSMP project. Before the actual videotaping procedure, a professional development focusing on multiple representations was held for the teachers. Both pretests and posttests were used to examine the relationship between the structure of students’ written representations and their achievements. The results showed that the both the quantity and quality of teachers’ instructional representations varied a lot. Symbolic representations were the predominant representations in classroom teaching. Structures of instructional representations converge to content sub-constructs rather than format sub-constructs. Here subconstructs include part-whole, measure, quotient, multiplication by one and cross product. Instead, format sub-constructs include real world, manipulatives, pictures, spoken symbolic representations and written symbolic representations, however, connections between these sub-constructs were not statistically significant. Within the three content sub-constructs (part-whole, quotient, and multiplication by one) that revealed by students’ written representations, quotient and multiplication by one significantly predicated the students’ posttest scores. It was also found that, among the three quality criteria (accuracy, comprehensibility and connections) of instructional representations, the comprehensibility score significantly predicated students’ achievement in the posttests.