A five-year study of on-campus Internet use by undergraduate biomedical students

This paper reports on a five-year study (2005–2009) of biomedical students’ on-campus use of the Internet. Internet usage logs were used to investigate students’ sessional use of key websites and technologies. The most frequented sites and technologies included the university’s learning management system, Google, email and Facebook. Email was the primary method of electronic communication. However, its use declined over time, with a steep drop in use during 2006 and 2007 appearing to correspond with the rapid uptake of the social networking site Facebook. Both Google and Wikipedia gained in popularity over time while the use of other key information sources, including the library and biomedical portals, remained low throughout the study. With the notable exception of Facebook, most ‘Web 2.0’ technologies attracted little use. The ‘Net Generation’ students involved in this study were heavy users of generalist information retrieval tools and key online university services, and prefered to use externally hosted tools for online communication. These and other findings have important implications for the selection and provision of services by universities.     

Factors influencing skilled use of the computer mouse by school-aged children

Effective use of computers in education for children requires consideration of individual and developmental characteristics of users. There is limited empirical evidence, however, to guide educational programming when it comes to children and their acquisition of computing skills. This paper reports on the influence of previous experience and visual-motor coordination ability on computer mouse speed, accuracy and fluency of 221 five to ten year old children controlling for age and gender. Findings suggest that while speed and accuracy of mouse performance improves, as expected, with age and visual-motor proficiency, fluency appears to be influenced by task conditions and engagement. Findings are interpreted in the context of motor learning to assist in understanding the developmental pre-requisites of skilled mouse use and subsequent implications for educational programming.     

The need for virtual information managers in education

In this paper, the authors analyse how educational institutions behave in relation with the contents available through the Web. They also reflect on the features of the currently available information managers, from an educational point of view. They found there is a lack of tools for information management at low scale when it has to be used as a resource for teaching and learning whether at secondary or university level. Finally, they propose a solution, which consists of naming a ‘small virtual educational library’ (SVEL), and they show how it works in Physics education context.     

Effects of feedback in a computer-based assessment for learning

The effects of written feedback in a computer-based assessment for learning on students’ learning outcomes were investigated in an experiment at a Higher Education institute in the Netherlands. Students were randomly assigned to three groups, and were subjected to an assessment for learning with different kinds of feedback. These are immediate knowledge of correct response (KCR) + elaborated feedback (EF), delayed KCR + EF, and delayed knowledge of results (KR). A summative assessment was used as a post-test. No significant effect was found for the feedback condition on student achievement on the post-test. Results suggest that students paid more attention to immediate than to delayed feedback. Furthermore, the time spent reading feedback was positively influenced by students’ attitude and motivation. Students perceived immediate KCR + EF feedback to be more useful for learning than KR. Students also had a more positive attitude towards feedback in a CBA when they received KCR + EF rather than KR only.     

Is single or dual channel with different English proficiencies better for English listening comprehension,cognitive load and attitude in ubiquitous learning environment?

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of English proficiency (low vs. high) and material presentation mode (single channel vs. dual channel) on English listening comprehension, cognitive load and learning attitude in a ubiquitous learning environment. An experimental learning activity was implemented using PDA as a learning tool to facilitate learning. A quasi-experimental design was employed with university students participating in the experiment. The results revealed that (a) high English proficiency learners had significantly better English listening comprehension and lower intrinsic and extraneous load than low English proficiency learners; (b) both high and low English proficiency learners learning with dual channel had significantly better English listening comprehension and held more positive attitude toward the ubiquitous learning environment than learners learning with single channel; (c) for learners learning with single channel, low English proficiency learners had significantly higher extraneous load than high English proficiency learners; and (d) for low English proficiency learners, learners who learned with dual channel possessed significantly lower extraneous load than learners who learned with single channel. The suggestions for educators and instructional designers were also discussed in the present study.     

Effect of an interactive web-based instruction in the performance of undergraduate anatomy and physiology lab students

This study provides an understanding of how different interactive technology tools that are integrated into a Website can be used for teaching undergraduate human anatomy and physiology laboratory students. Technology tools refer to a Website that the authors created to teach the Cardiovascular System that includes dynamic tools such as the Pronunciation Corner and Spelling Bee, and an Interactive practice and test tool. The Cardiovascular System was chosen as the subject matter to modify based upon the results of a pilot study where students indicated difficulty in understanding this subject. In addition, a “Teacher Resources” tool on the Website allows any teacher to create their own Pronunciation Corner and Spelling Bee and use them for their classes. The statistical analyses showed that the experimental group students (who had access to the Website) took advantage of the technology tools provided and demonstrated significant improvement in their performance on the cardiovascular portion of the lab test.     

The effect of a computer-based cartooning tool on children’s cartoons and written stories

This paper reports a study assessing a new computer tool for cartoon storytelling, created by the authors for a target audience in the upper half of the English and Welsh Key Stage 2 (years 5 and 6, covering ages 9–11 years). The tool attempts to provide users with more opportunities for expressive visualisation than previous educational software; its design was motivated by earlier work connecting “moving image literacy” with print literacy, and it was used here in storywriting preparation work: users first visualised a known story, then wrote their versions of it based on the cartoons they had made. The stories produced are compared with stories written using two other preparation activities, one a pencil-and-paper cartooning exercise and the other a teacher’s normal planning session, which also resulted in a retelling of a known story.     

How science students can learn about unobservable phenomena using computer-based analogies

A novel instructional computer simulation that incorporates a dynamic analogy to represent Le Chatelier’s Principle was designed to investigate the contribution of this feature to students’ understanding. Two groups of 12th grade Chemistry students (n = 15) interacted with the computer simulation during the study. Both groups did the same pre-instructional and simulation activities except one of the groups interacted with the analogical example in the simulation and the other group was asked to recall an analogy that was presented in the form of text and pictures. A statistical analysis of the tests administered at the end of the study suggested that analogies that are dynamic, interactive, and integrated in a computer simulation may have a stronger effect on learning outcomes than analogies which are presented in the form of text and static pictures. The implication of this study for science educators is that dynamic computer-based analogies can enhance student learning of unobservable phenomena in science.     

Computer-based feedback in linear algebra: Effects on transfer performance and motivation

Two studies investigated the effects on students' perceptions (Study 1) and learning and motivation (Study 2) of different levels of feedback in mathematical problems. In these problems, an error made in one step of the problem-solving procedure will carry over to the following steps and consequently to the final solution. Providing immediate feedback after an error is made could prevent such carry-over effects. Feedback given on all problem-solving steps was hypothesized to yield higher motivation and better learning than feedback on the final problem-solving step. Study 1 investigated students' perceptions of three feedback types: ‘on the final solution step’; ‘on all the solution steps at once’; and ‘on all the solution steps successively’. Feedback on all solutions steps was perceived by learners more positively than feedback on the final solution step. Study 2 investigated the learning and motivational effects of two types of feedback, namely, ‘feedback on the final solution step’ and ‘feedback on all the solution steps’. The hypotheses that feedback on all problem-solving steps would lead to more effective learning and higher motivation than feedback on the final solution step were confirmed. Our results support current efforts to implement step-wise feedback. The implications for further research and for the design of feedback are discussed.     

Building virtual cities,inspiring intelligent citizens: Digital games for developing students’ problem solving and learning motivation

This study investigates the effectiveness digital game-based learning (DGBL) on students’ problem solving, learning motivation, and academic achievement. In order to provide substantive empirical evidence, a quasi-experimental design was implemented over the course of a full semester (23 weeks). Two ninth-grade Civics and Society classes, with a total of 44 students (15–16 years old), were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: an experimental group (incorporating DGBL) and a comparison group (taught using traditional instruction). Two-way mixed ANOVA was employed to evaluate changes in problem solving ability and compare the effectiveness the two strategies, while ANCOVA was used to analyze the effects on learning motivation and academic achievement. The results of this study are summarized as follows: (1) The DGBL strategy was clearly effective in promoting students’ problem solving skills, while the control group showed no improvement. Additionally, data from the mid-test and post-test demonstrate that, as a higher order thinking skill, problem-solving requires a full semester to develop. (2). DGBL resulted in better learning motivation for students in the experimental group as compared to learners receiving TI. (3) Contrary to some suggestions that digital games could inhibit academic achievement, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. Most importantly, the quantitative improvement in problem-solving and learning motivation suggest that DGBL can be exploited as a useful and productive tool to support students in effective learning while enhancing the classroom atmosphere. Future research in DGBL should emphasize the evaluation of other higher order elements of the cognitive domain in terms of academic achievement outcomes and skills, such as critical and creative thinking.     

Academic dishonesty and video game play: Is new media use changing conceptions of cheating?

In this study, an online survey was utilized to investigate relationships among participants' willingness to cheat in academic or business settings and the strategies they tend to utilize in video game play. 113 participants completed the survey, and 86 students (23 middle school, 44 high school, 8 college undergraduate, and 11 graduate) yielded complete data. Participants were located throughout the United States, with the majority located in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. The survey asked about participants' strategies and preferences in video game play, as well as their problem-solving strategies for homework and business scenarios. Categorical principal components analysis revealed factors that predict an individual will be more likely to cheat in academics or business. Those who were willing to cheat in school or the workplace tended to use similar problem-solving strategies in those two contexts, as well as in video game play. These were strategies to make problem-solving easier, and to bypass difficult tasks instead of working through them, as well as being more likely to give up when a task was difficult. This suggests that cheating behavior may be a pervasive approach that is more highly related to personality or habits than to any influence from video game play, though the strategies used in video games are reflective of the strategies used in other contexts.     

Here and now mobile learning: An experimental study on the use of mobile technology

Mobile technology opens the door for a new kind of learning called here and now learning that occurs when learners have access to information anytime and anywhere to perform authentic activities in the context of their learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of here and now mobile learning on student achievement and attitude. The research questions addressed were (1) Does “Here and Now” mobile learning significantly improve student achievement when compared with Computer based Instruction? (2) Does “Here and Now” mobile learning significantly improve student attitude when compared with Computer based Instruction? (3) Are there differences in student achievement and attitudes when “Here and Now” mobile learning is delivered using a tablet versus ipod? 109 undergraduate students enrolled in preservice instructional design and instructional technology courses at a regional southeastern university participated in the study. Participants took a pretest at the beginning of the study, and then were assigned to one of the versions of an art lesson (CBI version and iPad/iPod version) which were developed using Lectora Inspire incorporating information on five different paintings in the education building. After the lesson, they completed the posttest and an attitude survey. ANOVA was conducted on data obtained from the achievement posttest and on the attitude survey results for the Likert type items (Items 1–12). Analyses on achievement and attitude data revealed positive significant differences. The CBI treatment achieved positive posttest scores on the posttest while the iPad/iPod treatments had positive attitudes. This study has implications for those designing and implementing mobile learning.     

Information retention from PowerPoint and traditional lectures

The benefit of PowerPoint^™ is continuously debated, but both supporters and detractors have insufficient empirical evidence. Its use in university lectures has influenced investigations of PowerPoint’s effects on student performance (e.g., overall quiz/exam scores) in comparison to lectures based on overhead projectors, traditional lectures (e.g., “chalk-and-talk”), and online lectures. Thus far, comparisons of overall exam scores have yielded mixed results. The present study decomposes overall quiz scores into auditory, graphic, and alphanumeric scores to reveal new insights into effects of PowerPoint presentations on student performance. Analyses considered retention of lecture information presented to students without the presence of PowerPoint (i.e., traditional lecture), auditory information in the presence of PowerPoint, and visual (i.e., graphic and alphanumeric) information displayed on PowerPoint slides. Data were collected from 62 students via quiz and questionnaire. Students retained 15% less information delivered verbally by the lecturer during PowerPoint presentations, but they preferred PowerPoint presentations over traditional presentations.     

Technology uses and student achievement: A longitudinal study

Based on data collected from a middle school, this study investigates how the quantity and quality of technology use affect student learning outcomes. Specifically, this study examines how technologies are used by students, what technology uses are popular among students, and what technology uses are effective for increasing student academic achievement. Results suggest that the quantity of technology use alone is not critical to student learning. “How much” matters when “how” is identified. Moreover, when the quality of technology use is not ensured, more time on computers may cause more harm than benefit. With students’ change in GPA as an indicator, technology uses that had positive impact on students were those related to specific subject areas and focused on student construction. In addition, analysis of the frequency of technology uses found that, in general, technology uses that had positive impact were not popular; on the contrary, some of these technology uses were the least frequently used. Implications for practice and future research are discussed in this paper.     

Limits of PowerPoint’s Power: Enhancing students’ self-efficacy and attitudes but not their behavior

The effects of accompanying lectures with computer-mediated PowerPoint presentations or PowerPoint generated overheads on students’ self-efficacy, attitudes, course performance, and class-related behaviors were examined. Two Introduction to Developmental Psychology sections were initially taught with lectures accompanied by either overheads or computer-mediated presentations. The teaching format was switched halfway through the semester. Students reported higher self-efficacy and more positive attitudes toward the class with computer-mediated presentations. They also claimed that the website was more interesting and useful under these teaching conditions, indicating a halo effect of the computer-mediated presentations. However, the teaching format did not appear to affect course-related behavior, such as performance on exams, class attendance, participation in class discussions, or course website usage.     

Stochastic frontier estimation of efficient learning in video games

Stochastic Frontier Regression Analysis was used to investigate strategies and skills that are associated with the minimization of time required to achieve proficiency in video games among students in grades four and five. Students self-reported their video game play habits, including strategies and skills used to become good at the video games they play. Results indicated an association between game play time spent during vacation weeks and proficiency at the game, but no such association existed with game play time during typical weeks when school is in session. Several strategies and skills were associated with the minimization of time spent to achieve proficiency at the game, while a few strategies and skills held a negative association with efficient learning in games. Some of the findings paralleled those of prior research on formal education. Gender differences, as well as implications for games and learning are discussed.     

The impact of presentation graphics on students’ experience in the classroom

To investigate the benefits and perceived effectiveness of instructional technology, students enrolled in several courses were compared on student evaluations of instruction, grades and an attitudinal questionnaire. The instructors of the courses taught the same course across two successive semesters, using traditional “chalk-and-talk” methods the first semester, and PowerPoint the next; all other techniques (e.g., exams, lecture material) were held constant. Results suggest that organization and clarity, entertainment and interest, professor likeability, and good professor behaviors were enhanced with PowerPoint although final grades were not.     

Podcasting: A new technological tool to facilitate good practice in higher education

The literature has frequently highlighted the usefulness of podcasting in higher education; however, there is an important gap between the theory on good practice in higher education and empirical studies about podcasting. With this in mind, we carried out an empirical study on an undergraduate degree course in Information Systems Management. The study consisted of the creation and broadcast of 13 podcasts, distributed over four months in which ninety distance students took part. The analysis follows the suggestions proposed in previous literature about the evaluation of technologies in a university learning environment. The findings, discussed within the framework of principles for good practice in higher education, suggest some interesting issues in distance courses, such as: (1) podcasting is a powerful tool as a complement to the traditional resources on a course, but not a substitute for them; (2) the characteristics of podcasting increase the impression of permanent contact between students and teachers, increasing students’ motivation; (3) the use of podcasting allows for a diverse range of student skills and learning methods. Other secondary findings are discussed and some suggestions for future research are proposed at the end of this paper.