Effectiveness of Two Keyboarding Instructional Approaches on the Keyboarding Speed, Accuracy, and Technique of Elementary Students

Background: Keyboarding skill development is important for elementary students. Limited research exists to inform practice on effective keyboarding instruction methods. Method: Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined the effectiveness of Keyboarding Without Tears® (n = 786) in the experimental schools compared to the control schools who used the district standard instructional approach of free web-based activities (n = 953) on improving keyboarding skills (speed, accuracy, and technique) in elementary students. Results: The results showed significant improvements in keyboarding speed and accuracy in all schools for all grades favoring the experimental schools compared to the control schools. Significant differences in improvements in keyboarding technique were found with large effect sizes favoring the experimental schools for kindergarten to the second grade and small effect sizes favoring the control schools for the third to fifth grade. Conclusion: Professionals involved in assisting with keyboarding skill development in children are recommended to begin training in these skills in early elementary grades, especially to assist in proper keyboarding technique development. While using free web-based activities are beneficial to improving keyboarding speed and accuracy, as well as keyboarding technique, using a developmentally-based curriculum, such as Keyboarding Without Tears®, may further enhance improvements in the keyboarding skills of elementary students

Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes—measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation—was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions. This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se. An unexpected finding was the small number of rigorous published studies contrasting online and face-to-face learning conditions for K–12 students. In light of this small corpus, caution is required in generalizing to the K–12 population because the results are derived for the most part from studies in other settings (e.g., medical training, higher education)

Integrating Authentic Digital Resources in Support of Deep, Meaningful Learning

"Integrating Authentic Digital Resources in Support of Deep, Meaningful Learning," a white paper prepared for the Smithsonian by Interactive Educational Systems Design Inc., describes instructional approaches that apply to successful teaching with the Smithsonian Learning Lab.After defining its use of terms such as deeper learning and authentic resources the authors review the research basis of three broad approaches that support integrating digital resources into the classroom:Project-based learningGuided exploration of concepts and principlesGuided development of academic skillsThese approaches find practical application in the last section of the paper, which includes seven case studies. Examples range from first-grade science, to middle-school English (including ELL strategy) to a high-school American government class. In each example, students study and analyze digital resources, going on to apply their knowledge and deepen their understanding of a range of topics and problems

Integrating Technology With Student-Centered Learning

Reviews research on technology's role in personalizing learning, its integration into curriculum-based and school- or district-wide initiatives, and the potential of emerging digital technologies to expand student-centered learning. Outlines implications

Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts, and the Brain

Excerpts presentations and discussions from a May 2009 conference on the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, the arts, and learning -- the effects of early arts education on other aspects of cognition and implications for policy and practice

Learning Styles, Does it Cause the Differences of Students Achievement?

This research aims to examine the difference between the learning achievement of students with learning styles visual, auditory, and kinesthetic in Sub-district Sukun Malang. The type of this research was comparative quantitative. This research population was all 4th-grade students in Sub-district Sukun, which amount to 3250 students, while the technique of sample retrieval used random cluster sampling. Sample of this research amount to 338 of the 4th-grade students from 5 elementary schools in Sub-district Sukun. Data were collected by using learning style questionnaires and documents of students learning achievement. Data analysis of this research used quantitative statistics descriptive and analysis statistics nonparametric using the Kruskal-Wallis Test. The result of this research showed that the amount of significant value is 0.688, higher than 0.05, so it can be concluded that there is no difference in thematic learning achievement between a student who has visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles

Blended learning approach : a complementary method in the EFL primary classroom

Máster Universitario en Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera. Especialidad en Developing English Teaching Skills (M051

The Effect of a Math Emporium Course Redesign in Developmental and Introductory Mathematics Courses on Student Achievement and Students\u27 Attitudes Toward Mathematics at a Two-Year College

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of computer-based instruction on student mathematics achievement and students\u27 attitudes toward mathematics in developmental and introductory mathematics courses, namely Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, and College Algebra, at a community college. The researcher also examined the relationship between attitudes and achievement. The sample consisted of 112 students, and the study was conducted during the Spring 2010 semester at a community college in south Mississippi. The participants were enrolled in one of six classes taught by the researcher. The control group consisted of three classes (one Intermediate and two College Algebra sections) taught using traditional lecture instruction. The treatment group was comprised of three classes (one Beginning, one Intermediate, and one College Algebra section) that were taught using computer-based instruction via the interactive online software MathXL. Both the control and treatment groups were taught the same objectives and received instruction two days a week for 75 minutes per day. Mathematics achievement was measured by a comprehensive final exam that served as a pre-test and post-test. Achievement data were collected prior to any treatment and at the end of the study. Students\u27 attitudes toward mathematics were measured both pre-survey and post-survey using the Attitudes Toward Mathematics Inventory (ATMI). Analyses of Covariance ANCOVA were used to determine whether there were significant differences in attitudes in the control and treatment groups and significant differences in achievement in the control and treatment groups, while controlling for pre-ATMI survey and pre-test scores. A correlation was used to determine whether there was a significant relationship between student achievement in mathematics and students\u27 attitudes toward mathematics. Results of the statistical analysis on pre- and post-ATMI surveys indicated a statistically significant difference in students\u27 attitudes toward mathematics between the control and treatment groups. Students in the traditional lecture group had significantly higher attitudes than students in the computer-based classes. ANCOVA results of the pre- and post-tests showed no significant difference in achievement between the control and treatment groups. Results of the correlation showed a significant relationship between attitude and achievement in the traditional lecture control group

Advances in Teaching & Learning Day Abstracts 2004

Proceedings of the Advances in Teaching & Learning Day Regional Conference held at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2004

VCU Media Lab

We propose the establishment of a VCU Media Lab – a professional creative media technology unit whose mission is to support the development, design, production and delivery of innovative media, multimedia, computer-based instruction, publications and tools in support of VCU education, research and marketing initiatives. This centrally administered, budgeted and resourced facility will acknowledge, refine, focus and expand media services that are currently being provided at VCU in a decentralized manner