In recent years, institutions of higher education have dramatically increased the number of online courses and degree programs offered to students, and yet it remains unclear what factors determine student satisfaction with online course and instructor effectiveness. Accordingly, the purpose of this exploratory correlation study was to examine how factors related to courses and instructors contributed to student perceptions of course quality (CQ) and instructor effectiveness (IE). Six stepwise regression procedures assessed the effects of specific course and instructor characteristics on perceptions of CQ and IE across one year of course evaluation data collected in a northeastern 2-year college. Results revealed that IE, quality of readings and assignments, and quality of threaded discussions had significant effects on CQ. In turn, student ratings of CQ, instructor-inspired interest in course material, and instructor availability and helpfulness had significant effects on IE. The results of the study can allow higher education administrators to make more effective decisions regarding online instruction and course structure, thus leading to increases in student persistence and success within online courses and programs.

The relatively little amount of time that some college students spend reading their textbooks outside of lectures presents a significant threat to their academic success. One possible solution to this problem is the use of digital games as an alternative to outside-of-class textbook reading, but a review of previous research did not reveal much information on their efficacy when compared to traditional textbooks. Using Astin's theory of student engagement as a framework, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine whether a significant difference in engagement, as indicated by mental effort and time on task, existed for college students who used a digital game-based textbook versus students who used a traditional print-based textbook. The 54 undergraduate college students in this convenience sample were randomly assigned to one of the two textbook types and completed an activity session at an individual workstation. Time on task was measured with a stopwatch and mental effort with the Mental Effort Scale. The results showed a statistically significant difference in engagement between participants in the digital game-based and traditional print-based textbook groups, Hotelling's T2(2, 52) = 25.11, p < .001, D 2=1.86. In the post hoc analyses, the digital game-based group had significantly higher time on task scores than the traditional print-based textbook group (t = 34.61, p < .001). The mental effort difference was not significant, although the mean mental effort score was higher for the digital game-based group. These results provide evidence of a digital game-based textbook's utility, and may inform college educators in their efforts to support a more diverse group of learners.

In spite of increased use of technology in the history classroom, the impact of technology remains low on student retention and comprehension of historical information. This project study examined the manner in which PowerPoint slides in history classes are formatted and the elements they contain for effective use. The literature related to best methods was reviewed to reveal practices that lead to the highest levels of comprehension and retention and how those practices could be implemented in PowerPoint presentations. This grounded theory study in the field of cognition and instruction centered on a high school that successfully implements technology in the history classroom. Qualitative data were obtained from interviews with 4 history teachers who used presentation technology on a regular basis and surveys that asked for both qualitative data and some limited quantitative data for demographic and background purposes of students and other teachers. Data from the study were viewed through the lens of schema theory. Findings indicated that bullets promoted memorization, and, as a result, information was placed in a narrative format. Findings also suggested the effectiveness of visual images and interactive activities and they were incorporated extensively. The project study's impact and the resulting implications for social change include increased retention and comprehension of history for students.

The problem addressed in this study was to understand the knowledge gap between project management competencies available and those needed for successful implementation of technology projects at a community college. The purpose of the qualitative study was to evaluate, compare, and analyze the performance of project managers of 2 large technology projects in a specific community college with respect to each other and what was known about achieving project success at a public institution of higher education (IHE). The research questions for this study examined the competencies exhibited by the project leaders, the success parameters established for the projects, and how the individual project leaders were selected. The conceptual frameworks that supported this study were enterprise wide technology implementation, project management, success assessment, and public IHE operational structures. A comparative case study approach using responsive interviewing techniques with 10 stakeholders from each of the projects yielded dialog that was coded in combination with documentation and observation evidence using recognized competency standards. The relationships and significance of patterns found in this data were analyzed against the proposition that the level of project success is a function of the application of project management competencies of the project leader. The results identified 9 elements that characterized competencies specific to effective project outcome success within the context of the community college. The results contribute to positive social change include implementation of organizational project management initiatives that will enable community colleges to continue to serve a vital role in providing an affordable college education.

Currently, a problem exists in K-12 education related to the use of technology for the assessment of student learning. Specifically, due to the lack of access to and infrequent use of computers for middle school students, the rise in the use of high stakes computer-based tests may negatively impact student test scores in poor, urban schools. The conceptual framework of this study was informed by Albert Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, the work of The National Center for Fair and Open Testing regarding ending the misuses and flaws of standardized testing, and James Popham's research on quality assessment. The central research question explored the influence of socioeconomic status, computer access/use, attitudes towards computers, and student achievement levels on computerized tests. This research study was a case study involving 2 charter schools in Michigan. The researcher assumed the role of a non-participant observer and was the primary source for data collection and analysis. The participants for this study were students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 at one suburban and one urban charter school. Multiple sources of evidence were collected, including observations, surveys, and documents. Data analysis was conducted at two levels: category construction was used to examine data for each single case, and a cross-case analysis was used to examine the data for patterns and themes, using the research questions as a guide. A key finding was that home computer access coupled with sole use had a positive influence on student achievement, a positive influence on self-perceptions of computer ability, and significantly influenced the amount of computer usage. Implications for positive social change in education were that practitioners would become aware of the negative effects of computerized testing and implement strategies to mitigate the negative effects.

While research supports that formative assessment can improve student learning, it is rarely used and difficult to implement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the use of student handheld response systems (SRS) as a tool for formative assessment in high school classes as well as teachers' attitudes towards this emerging technology. Self-efficacy and motivation theories provide the theoretical framework for this study. To explore this phenomenon, data were collected via an online interview from high school teachers (n=11) and were analyzed using inductive coding. Three themes emerged from this analysis and served as a basis for a professional development plan that school districts may use to incorporate formative assessment via SRS into their curriculums. These themes included strong teacher and student satisfaction, improved formative assessment, and improved pace of instruction. This project study will contribute to the existing literature on formative assessment and student response systems. Additionally, it will also initiate social change by giving school districts a framework for how to implement the broader use of these devices in classrooms and may impact how these teachers use assessment. Shifting the focus of classroom assessment from simply measuring student learning to improving instruction can in turn increase student learning.

Numerous researchers have investigated distance education in postsecondary settings, but there is a paucity of research regarding the design and delivery of online professional development for K-12 educators. The goal of this mixed methods sequential exploratory study was to examine attitudes of middle grades educators toward an online professional development course held for teachers employed by one suburban school district in the southeast region of the United States. The theoretical framework is Knowles's theory of adult education (andragogy). The research questions addressed perceptions of connectedness and learning in an online professional development course. A structured interview protocol was used to collect qualitative data from 5 participants; data were coded and analyzed into 6 typologies. The Classroom Community Scale (CCS) that assessed perceptions of (a) connectedness and (b) learning effectiveness among 23 participants provided quantitative data to complement the interview findings. Mean ranks were used to prioritize 10 items within each of the 2 CCS subscales. Overall, participants felt like they could rely on others in the course yet were uncertain that others could depend on them. The study also identified a preference for immediate feedback and activities that required collaboration. These findings can be used to inform the design of online professional development courses for K-12 educators. This study contributes to positive social change by showing that online opportunities may allow teachers to collaborate with colleagues without the restrictions of time and travel by creating a community of learners through Web 2.0 tools.

Information literacy has become a priority in education. Elementary school library media specialists daily encounter the dilemma of having to teach information literacy skills without having time to do it adequately. With the proliferation of computers in schools, the possibility exists that students could use web-based information literacy tutorials or guides when teachers or librarians are not available. This study examines fifth grade students' perceptions of using on-line, web-based assistance to help them work through a research process, the Big6 . Qualitative research was conducted in 1998-1999 with ten students of diverse background and reading ability who were ten or eleven years old. Data collection instruments included questionnaires , interviews , observations , computer log files , student journals , researcher field notes , and student projects. The investigation raised new questions about the practice of inquiry with fifth grade students. Findings show that students were reluctant to use the on-line assistance, were looking for answers to factual questions, and had a "school research" mindset that did not result in disciplined inquiry . Although some students learned new research strategies, the on-line assistance did not prompt students to practice disciplined inquiry that begins with meaningful questions includes human mentoring and confrontation. Discussion revolves around the implications of the findings for information literacy standards, the Big6 approach on which the instructional intervention was designed, and classroom instruction for disciplined inquiry . Findings from this dissertation study suggest that students need to learn to use a framework or process to perform inquiry, guided by teachers and librarians who collaboratively follow students' processes with support and scaffolding through mentoring and social negotiation.

This study investigated the effects of Augmented Reality (AR) on learning, cognitive load and spatial abilities. More specifically, it measured learning gains, perceived cognitive load, and the role spatial abilities play with students engaged in an astronomy lesson about lunar phases. Research participants were 182 students from a public university in southeastern United States, and were recruited from psychology research pool. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (a) Augmented Reality and Text Astronomy Treatment (ARTAT); and (b) Images and Text Astronomy Treatment (ITAT). Upon entering the experimental classroom, participants were given (a) Paper Folding Test to measure their spatial abilities; (b) the Lunar Phases Concept Inventory (LPCI) pre-test; (c) lesson on Lunar Phases; (d) NASA-TLX to measure participants’ cognitive load; and (e) LPCI post-test. Statistical analysis found (a) no statistical difference for learning gains between the ARTAT and ITAT groups; (b) statistically significant difference for cognitive load; and (c) no significant difference for spatial abilities scores.

The problem of this study was that, with the impact of new media and delivery systems, principals and librarians must respond to copyright issues in order to remain informed about the copyright law and the legal use of media. The purpose of this study was to gather and evaluate educator response to issues related to copyright. The study was conducted with a sample of regionally accredited secondary schools in the following states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. A total of 1008 questionnaires were mailed to the principal and the librarian of the 504 schools of the sample. The data of the study were provided by 546 (54%) questionnaires. The first twenty items of the questionnaire provided the variables used to organize, test, and report the data. The second part of the questionnaire was a multiple choice copyright test used to determine the copyright knowledge of the respondent. The t test was used to test the mean copyright test scores of educator groups for significant differences. Groups were defined by professional position, years of experience, involvement or no involvement in job related litigation, and law class or workshop participation since the enactment of the 1976 Copyright Law. Chi-square was used to test the frequencies of reported exposure to the 1976 Copyright Law between professional groups, experience groups, and law class or workshop participation groups. Seven null hypotheses were tested at the.05 level. The mean copyright test score of the librarian group was significantly higher than the mean score of the principal group. The mean test score of the law class participation group was significantly higher than the mean test score of the non-participation group. Responses of exposure to the 1976 Copyright Law provided a five category hierarchy. There was no significant difference in the exposure reported by the principal and librarian groups. The difference of exposure reported by the law class participation group and the non-participation group was significant. Fourteen research questions, which comprised the periphery of the study, were reported. The findings of the study provided the basis for the conclusions and recommendations.