The first part of this study describes the synthesis of a research framework (known as the Transformation Framework) via the analysis of existing literature on technology-related transformation in learning and teaching. The Framework identified five Foundations that were desirable for any implementation of technology in an educational setting and also described three broad types of transformation that might be expected to occur (Institutional, Material and Behavioural). The remainder of the thesis contains a description of the application of the Framework to three science courses in the College of Science and Engineering at a large Scottish university at a point in time when they were attempting to initiate some transformation in learning and teaching, at least in part through the introduction of new technologies. The Framework was used to construct a series of specific interview questions that were designed to illuminate each possible area of transformation. Interviews were then conducted with the Undergraduate Deans who were responsible for the overall initiative of which these courses formed a part and the organisers of each of the three courses (Courses A, B and C). The interview questions were then used to construct an online survey that was used to poll the lecturers and teaching assistants involved in the delivery of each course. Finally, anonymised course marks were obtained for the three courses covering the years before, during and after the innovations were introduced. Using the Framework as a reference, the data sources were then analysed, primarily using NVivo (qualitative data) and SPSS (quantitative data), in order to identify where there may have been transformation perceived or observed, and the evidence supporting the existence of any such transformation was evaluated. Any identified transformations were then analysed further to ascertain any specific contribution that technology may have had to such change. The results provided broad support for the notion that the transformations that may occur are highly context-dependent, and are often influenced by the Foundations that are in place at the time. Course A could be described as “innovation-ready” and as such there was evidence to suggest that the technologies used had several Institutional, Material and Behavioural transformative effects. Course B was more cautious and perhaps less prepared, and yet some Institutional, Material and Behavioural transformations were observed, largely in those areas that were well attended at the Foundation stage. The Course C implementation was done at short notice, and hence with little preparation and as such was very low-key and only limited Material and Behavioural transformations were evident as a result. The research as described above highlights the fact that transformation is far more likely to occur if the proper Foundations have been put in place first, and the technology forms part of an implementation that is well thought-out by the organisers, well supported by the powers-that-be and well accepted by all those who will engage with it. The Framework itself has proved to be a useful and robust guide for this kind of study and it should have value in many different contexts in the future. Applications include not only the evaluation of existing implementations of technology in the classroom but also the planning and preparation of such implementations, informing both the design of a particular course and the choice of technology to achieve specific results.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 168-173).

This investigation was a synthesis of 35 research studies with a total sample size of 3,082 students selected on the basis of Witkin’s theory of Field Dependence-Independence. The Hunter-Schmidt approach to meta-analysis was used to determine if a difference in achievement exists between field dependent and field independent students within technology-based learning environments, and whether study, treatment or methodology variables influenced the effect size outcome. The results indicated an achievement difference in favor of field independent learners with a total mean weighted effect size of 0.426 and a pooled standard deviation of 0.311. However, a large proportion of population variance was not accounted for through statistical corrections. A subsequent moderator analysis indicated that the total heterogeneity for each moderator was significant; suggesting the variance among effect sizes was greater than could be expected by sampling error, and unidentified variables and study artifacts likely contributed to the overall effect size.

The purpose of the current study is to examine the contribution of technology to the teaching of music listening, to present a comprehensive account of the pertinent educational materials that have been developed in the past to assist teachers during the music listening activity, and to introduce a software application to make it easier for teachers to create music listening guides. The role of technology in the teaching of music listening can be examined in four major historical periods, each roughly corresponding to a quarter of the twentieth century. During the early 1900’s, the invention of the first devices that could reproduce sound – the player piano and the phonograph – allowed music teachers to include music listening activities in classroom music instruction. The largest companies in the player piano and phonograph industry formed educational departments that produced a plethora of educational materials that helped to spread the music appreciation movement throughout the country. The advent of the radio, followed by the television, constitutes the second historical period to be examined. Both inventions contributed to the establishment of music listening as an integral part of classroom instruction by broadcasting educational programs on a national scale, mostly in the form of youth concerts. Broadcasting companies also issued teacher guides and student workbooks to be used along with the programs. The third period in question concerns the second half of the past century, when several improvements in audio equipment made the production of extensive recorded listening libraries possible. At the same time, the development of new devices enabled the production of educational audiovisual materials, such as films, filmstrips, slides, and transparencies. The accessibility of personal computers marks the fourth and final historical period to be discussed. The new technology allowed the development of educational software for music listening. Most listening materials developed by publishers to accompany the new technologies dictate both the music literature and the musical concepts to be introduced to students. The author has programmed a pertinent computer application to help teachers create their own listening material - specifically, animated versions of listening maps. A description of the computer application and its capabilities are presented in the final chapter of the study. / text

No description available.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on February 29, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center; full text release delayed at author's request until 2006 Aug 15.

Institutions are looking to find the best learning technologies to deliver anatomy curricula to diverse student populations, often working with financial and time-based constraints. Visualization techniques, particularly the widespread use of virtual reality headsets, have made once-impossible learning experiences possible. This thesis explores the effect of different learning modalities (virtual reality headset, computer screen, and 3D-printed models) and environments (clinical context or context-free) on knowledge acquisition and learning experiences for a pelvic floor anatomy module. We investigated how these factors, along with mental rotation ability and stereoacuity, impact various aspects of learning, including performance on anatomy tests, perceived workload (measured using the NASA Task Load Index), cybersickness (measured using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire), and engagement during learning (measured using the User Engagement Scale). Significant interactions were found between modality and environment for test scores and workload, a significant main effect of modality and environment for cybersickness, and a significant main effect of modality for engagement. Importantly, though significant differences were found between modalities and environments, participants reported concerningly high levels of workload and cybersickness across all conditions. High levels of engagement were also reported across all learning conditions. The lack of meaningful differences between intervention groups emphasizes the importance of curricular design over the implementation of new technologies and the need to be critical of the impression that a one-size-fits-all solution exists. Theories of cognitive load, constructivism, syncretion, visuospatial ability, cybersickness, and embodied learning in the context of technology-enhanced anatomy education are discussed as the foundation upon which design decisions should be made. A multi-faceted approach focused on aligning learning objectives with learning activities is outlined as a means of driving more impactful research and improving anatomy education. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Institutions are looking to find the best learning technologies to deliver anatomy curricula to diverse student populations, often working with financial and time-based constraints. Visualization techniques have been at the forefront of this innovation, and the widespread use of virtual reality headsets has made once-impossible learning experiences achievable. This thesis explores the effect of different learning modalities and environments on learning with a pelvic floor anatomy module. We investigated how these factors, along with mental rotation ability and stereoacuity impact test performance and the perception of workload, cybersickness, and engagement. The results emphasize the importance of curricular design over the implementation of new technologies and the need to be critical of the impression that a one-size-fits-all solution exists.

This is a multiple-article format dissertation that explores methods for measuring student engagement in technology-mediated learning experiences. Student engagement is the committed, focused, and energetic involvement of students in learning. Student engagement is correlated with academic performance, student satisfaction, and persistence in learning, making it a valuable predictor of important learning outcomes. In order to identify which students need help or to evaluate how well an instructional interaction promotes student engagement, we need effective measures of student engagement. These measures should be scalable, cost effective, and minimally disruptive to learning. This dissertation examines different approaches to measure student engagement in technology-mediated learning environments that meet the identified measurement criteria. The first article is an extended literature review that examines how engagement has been measured in technology-mediated learning experiences. The second article is an instrument evaluation of an activity-level self-report measure of student engagement. The third article explores the relationships between learning management system user-activity data (log data) and results of the activity-level self-report measure of student engagement.

The interplay between learning and technology is a growing field that is often referred to as Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL). Within this context, learning applications are software components that are useful for learning purposes, such as textbook replacements, information gathering tools, communication and collaboration tools, knowledge modeling tools, rich lab environments that allows experiments etc. When developing learning applications, the choice of technology depends on many factors. For instance, who and how many the intended end-users are, if there are requirements to support in-application collaboration, platform restrictions, the expertise of the developers, requirements to inter-operate with other systems or applications etc. This thesis provides guidance on a how to develop learning applications based on Semantic Web technology. The focus on Semantic Web technology is due to its basic design that allows expression of knowledge at the web scale. It also allows keeping track of who said what, providing subjective expressions in parallel with more authoritative knowledge sources. The intended readers of this thesis include practitioners such as software architects and developers as well as researchers in TEL and other related fields. The empirical part of the this thesis is the experience from the design and development of two learning applications and two supporting frameworks. The first learning application is the web application Confolio/EntryScape which allows users to collect files and online material into personal and shared portfolios. The second learning application is the desktop application Conzilla, which provides a way to create and navigate a landscape of interconnected concepts. Based upon the experience of design and development as well as on more theoretical considerations outlined in this thesis, three major obstacles have been identified: The first obstacle is: lack of non-expert and user friendly solutions for presenting and editing Semantic Web data that is not hard-coded to use a specific vocabulary. The thesis presents five categories of tools that support editing and presentation of RDF. The thesis also discusses a concrete software solution together with a list of the most important features that have crystallized during six major iterations of development. The second obstacle is: lack of solutions that can handle both private and collaborative management of resources together with related Semantic Web data. The thesis presents five requirements for a reusable read/write RDF framework and a concrete software solution that fulfills these requirements. A list of features that have appeared during four major iterations of development is also presented. The third obstacle is: lack of recommendations for how to build learning applications based on Semantic Web technology. The thesis presents seven recommendations in terms of architectures, technologies, frameworks, and type of application to focus on. In addition, as part of the preparatory work to overcome the three obstacles, the thesis also presents a categorization of applications and a derivation of the relations between standards, technologies and application types. / <p>QC 20121105</p>