Analysis of Teacher Candidates and Faculty Evaluations of the Utility of a Single Digital Portfolio System

The Virtual Anthology Shell, a digital portfolio shell, was piloted tested in four programs in the University of Tennessee’s College Education, Health and Human Sciences. The University of Tennessee teacher education program is a five year program in which pre-service teachers enter into their internship year already having completed their undergraduate degrees in other disciplines. The sample of participants for the research was taken from the intern teacher population and faculty at the University of Tennessee for the 2003-2004 academic year. There were eight faculty members using the VAS with their interns during the 2003-2004 academic year. From these eight faculty members were from the areas of Special Education, Secondary English Education, Reading and Literacy, and the urban Multicultural program. The pre-service teachers who participated in the study were those enrolled in the aforementioned program areas. Each of the four programs received different types and levels of support. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the VAS as perceived by both the faculty and student users, 2) to determine types and levels of support needed by students completing an electronic portfolio, and 3) to investigate the technology skills needed by students to use the VAS

English Composition 100: Best Practices for Online Instruction

The objective of this dissertation is to explore the process of teaching English Composition in the asynchronous online format and to make recommendations for the best possible approach for continued student success. The teaching of English Composition is a complex subject and no two teachers will have the same approach. This matter is further complicated when online instruction is explored. An instructor cannot transplant an in-class course into the online format and expect the same results. This dissertation explores the best possible approach to teaching English Composition in an online environment with the use of multimedia applications. This exploration will address current methods of teaching English Composition online, will evaluate what seems to work well, will explore the concerns highlighted by educators and practitioners involved with English Composition online, and will highlight additional recommended advancements, both in methods of approach and technological innovations, that can bring to light instructional practices for further evaluation. This study will lead to an understanding of what these new emerging technologies are and the specifics of their use by both instructors and students alike online, and it will identify best practices in teaching English Composition online for the immediate future

Factors that influence pre-service teachers\u27 technology integration performance

The main objective of the study was to examine interrelationships among social cognitive variables (self-efficacy, outcome expectations and performance goals) and their role in predicting pre-service teachers\u27 technology integration performance. Although researchers have examined the role of these variables in the teacher education context, the present study was an examination of the manner in which they may jointly function to predict technology integration performance. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) served as the theoretical framework. Participants were 111 pre-service teachers\u27 enrolled in an introductory instructional technology course. Findings revealed that SCCT predictions were largely supported when the freshman students were excluded from the analyses. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations were related to each other and both contributed to the prediction of performance

The Effect of Instructional Methodology on Pre-Service Educators\u27 Level of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is presented by Mishra and Koehler (2006) as a form of complex, situated knowledge that is a prerequisite to seamless and successful technology integration into educational spaces. This form of knowledge is believed necessary for technology use to transform classrooms into vibrant, collaborative spaces that build 21st century skills – a transformation that has been elusive in K-16 spaces. Preservice education programs are poised to develop this type of knowledge in future teachers to contribute to the development of educators that can act as change agents. This study used a quasi-experimental, pre/post-test design to evaluate three different course experiences on preservice educators’ level of TPACK. Results indicated that candidates who participated in course design that explicitly modeled technology integration, created a digital space to extend the community of practice, challenged participants to create collaborative solutions using Web 2.0 platforms, and integrated content on Universal Design for Learning showed significant increases in Pedagogical Knowledge, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Technological Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Technological Knowledge, and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge when post scores were compared with pre-test scores. Multivariate analysis of variance between groups on each of the six TPACK subscales reviewed in this study indicated that this group also showed significantly higher gains in TPACK when compared to a fully online group and a face-to-face without technology-enhanced learning on Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Technological Content Knowledge, and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge

Information Technology Dominance at Florida Gulf Coast University

Accreditation guidelines usually dictate that information technology resources and systems shall be essential components of the university infrastructure. But, what is the competitive advantage of universities born in the information-age and the Internet revolution? As a Florida\u27s newest public university, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is known for its strategic use of technology and innovation, including use of information technology for distance learning delivery as well as internal administration and student-service processes. At FGCU, information technology is intertwined with academic and administrative operations, such as curriculum-design, course-delivery, resource-allocation, and everyday decision-making. The objective of this paper is to examine the developmental decisions, including policy, computer hardware and software, communications networks, and user services that led to the University\u27s accreditation in record time. It illustrates sample technology-driven course-delivery tools like the WebClassroom of the Future. The paper examines the outcomes, problems and solutions and provides a framework for next-generation universities

VIDEO PROMPTS FOR SELF-REGULATED LEARNING: METACOGNITION AND REFLECTION ACTIVITY

This study explored video metacognitive prompts as a method of engaging students in self-regulated learning. The study was completed in the naturalistic setting of fully online learning. Such learning environments imply a distance between faculty and students that makes student self-direction vital to success. However students are only infrequently practicing self-regulated learning skills

The Information Edge - Library Newsletter - Fall 2003 Issue

OpenURL, Federated Search Tools, One-Stop Shop and Why Libraries are Crazy About Them Changing Library Instruction Sessions to Complement the New Core Gone Fishin\u27: Librarian Thomas Snyder Retires After 30 Years of Service Proquest Update! New Enhancements & Features - Fall 2003 Hello My Name is..

The effect of intensively using web-based resources on the performance and attitude of high school biology students

Includes bibliographical references