An Assessment Comparing Community College Students’ Computer Self-Efficacy and Task Based Computer Knowledge

This quantitative research study explored the relationship between students perceived computer self-efficacy and actual knowledge of computer related skills in computer hardware/technology, windows, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and whether gender, race, and education level affected the research findings. The participants in this study were students enrolled in an introductory computer concepts course at a community college located in the southeastern region of the United States. The computer course was a required for all students to receive an Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degree. Data was collected in traditional face-to-face class sections and consisted of a pre- and post-computer self-efficacy survey and a pre- and post-test skills assessment on three different campuses. The scores in the area of computer hardware/technology, windows, Word, Excel, and Power Point were compared to determine whether a relationship exists between Computer self-efficacy and actual knowledge in the area of computers. In addition to a series of a one-way Analysis of Variance, a Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance and a Bivariate Correlation, the study also utilized descriptive analysis of demographic data and responses to a questionnaire regarding participant’s prior technology experience and usage. Findings of the study indicated that students’ computer self-efficacy was much greater than actual knowledge in the area of computers. Findings of the study did show no significant difference in computer self-efficacy concerning gender, race, and education. No significant differences were found in the education level and skill level of the participants at the beginning of the CSC 1113 course. A significant difference was found in skill level among the different races at the beginning of the CSC 1113 course with the exception of Power Point. The study did show that there was no significant difference in skill level for gender except in the area of technology. The study found a positive correlation in the numbers of computer courses students completed in high school to computer self-efficacy at the beginning of the semester in the course CSC 1113. At the completion of the course CSC 1113, Computer Concepts, computer self-efficacy scores were significantly higher. Findings also showed a significant increase in the skill levels, Windows, Word, Excel, and Power Point at the completion of the CSC 1113 course. The study had not shown significant difference in hardware/technology skills at the completion of the CSC 1113 course

iReach Blended Learning Model and Reading Lexile Growth of Freshmen in Maryville City Schools

The Maryville City School system has implemented the first year of the iReach blended learning model for which all students in the school district have access to either a laptop or an iPad to support their learning every day. The availability of research on the impact of iReach is limited because the blended learning instructional model is relatively new and has not yet been subjected to numerous research studies. The purpose of this ex post facto quasi-experimental quantitative study was to compare student reading Lexile growth data collected through the use of the Reading Comprehension Assessment before and after iReach implementation to determine if there was a correlation between the implementation of iReach and reading Lexile growth of students in Maryville City Schools. Paired-samples t test results based on data collected from the 2015-2016 freshman cohort as well as subgroups (males, females, economically disadvantaged, and noneconomically disadvantaged) depict significantly more reading Lexile score growth during the eighth grade year before the school system implemented the iReach blended learning initiative than during the ninth grade, the first full year of iReach implementation. Paired-samples t test results based on data collected from the 2015-2016 sophomore cohort to use for comparison to the freshman cohort demonstrated the same significant pattern of growth. These findings suggest that the implementation of iReach is not a sole factor affecting the reading Lexile growth of students. Results from a 2-way contingency table analysis reflect that the freshmen cohort had significantly more students than expected who increased their reading Lexile scores from eighth grade pretest to ninth grade posttest than the expected frequency of students in the sophomore cohort who increased their scores. These significant findings indicate that either the implementation of iReach, another variable, or a combination of variables worked better for the freshman cohort and attributed to the higher than expected frequency of students whose scores increased

A descriptive case study: Investigating the implementation of web based, automated grading and tutorial software in a freshman computer literacy course

Students in higher education require satisfactory computer skills to be successful. While today’s students may have greater exposure to technology, research shows that their actual computer knowledge and skills are superficial and narrow. As a result, the freshman computer literacy course remains an important curricular component. This study investigates the implementation of an innovative Web-based technology for delivering software proficiency training for Microsoft Office. Building upon decades of end-user computing satisfaction and technology acceptance research, the purpose of the study is to describe the instructor and student experiences that result from the implementation and use of MyITLab educational software. The nature of the study is descriptive, rather than evaluative, with the following goals: (a) to describe instructors’ experiences with the software, (b) to identify patterns of technology usage and utility, and (c) to elucidate levels of computing satisfaction and technology acceptance among users. The study applies a mixed-method, single-unit, embedded case study design to focus the inquiry on an introductory computer applications course, offered in the Fall 2011 semester at a college in western Canada. The embedded units consist of five instructors, with 322 students enrolled across 10 sections. Data were analyzed from course documents, classroom observations, instructor interviews, and a student survey that produced 149 satisfactory responses. The survey was constructed by adapting instruments based on the Wixom and Todd (2005) integrated research model and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. Results of the study are summarized into five assertions: 1) MyITLab effectively eliminates or, at least, reduces instructor grading workloads for assignments, 2) MyITLab provides students with frequent corrective feedback on assignments, 3) the step-by-step presentation of instructions in MyITLab may not solely meet the needs of solution-based learning outcomes, 4) instructors should be trained on MyITLab to maximize the software’s utility, and 5) the MyITLab solution bank of acceptable responses should be expanded to reduce potential grading inaccuracies. An enhanced Wixom and Todd (2005) model is also presented for future research of educational software. Lastly, the reader is encouraged to reconsider the information presented and generalize it for their own purposes

Tablet personal computer integration in higher education: Applying the unified theory of acceptance and use technology model to understand supporting factors

Many educational institutions have implemented ubiquitous or required laptop, notebook, or tablet personal computing programs for their students. Yet, limited evidence exists to validate integration and acceptance of the technology among student populations. This research examines student acceptance of mobile computing devices using a modification of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) recently developed by leading researchers in the technology acceptance field. The objective of the study is to identify the variance of selected acceptance elements that contribute to the overall behavioral intent to use Tablet PCs (TPC). These outcomes are then used as a means to forecast, explain, and improve integration of the technology in the higher education context. The research also contributes to UTAUT\u27s theoretical validity and empirical applicability and to the management of information technology (IT) based initiatives in education. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.

High School Students Activities And Learning Experiences: Students’ Views Of An Ipad Initiative

With the increase of technology in classrooms today, school districts are using devices to prepare students to be literate in the digital world. Besides using computers, schools are introducing iPads as a way to give their students experiences with digital learning. One district embarked on a district-issued one-to-one iPad initiative in which every student was given an iPad to use for their academic and personal use. Despite iPads infiltrating high school classrooms, little research exists on the students’ perspectives of the use of the iPad for personal and academic use and the impact they have on student learning. In this study, students were interviewed about their experiences with the iPads and observed using the iPads in class. After the observations, the students were interviewed in a follow-up interview in which the students shared a work sample that was created using the iPad. These students were studied to understand how they were using the iPads and how the devices impacted their learning in the digital age. Using the constructivist theory and the SAMA model as guides, this study found that the students not only enjoyed using the iPads but were also able to navigate their education to effectively learn using the iPads. Although most of their implementation was at the substitution level, some students have used the iPads for higher-level activities in which they could produce items at the redefinition level that were never thought possible years ago

UNO STEM Annual Report 2015

The following document is a brief Annual Report for the STEM Priority at UNO as of May 1, 2015. The document builds upon past strategic planning discussions, meetings,and conversations and aligns with the UNO STEM Strategic Plan, as first published in the Fall of 2013. It is important to note that the annual report is essentially a“work in progress” and will be continually refined during the next year and updated as initiatives progress. It is also a “springboard” for a continued and strategic review of our local STEM statistics and the professional literature on STEM learning, and it serves as a frame of reference for our interpretations of what other universities are doing to enhance STEM learning. The annual report is intended to be a very dynamic document that will be revisited yearly as we continue to move steadily forward. As a STEM Leadership Team, we are certainly appreciative of the many ideas, suggestions, and thoughts that are shared with us, and we continue to move forward to an increasingly bright and collaborative future for UNO STEM education initiatives and efforts

Nontraditional Students’ Perceptions of Using Google Docs in Traditional Settings

The problem this qualitative phenomenological study addressed was the lack of understanding of the experiences of adult learners and their perceptions of online tools and interactivity as they engaged in the use of Google Docs in a traditional entry-level writing course. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into adult learners’ perceptions of online tools and interactivity as they engaged in the use of Google Docs in an entry-level writing course. Knowles’s theory of andragogy and Puentedura’s model of substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition (SAMR) provided the conceptual framework. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with nine adult learners from two small liberal arts colleges in metropolitan Atlanta. The research question focused on the classroom experiences of adult learners in Freshmen composition using Google Docs and how their experiences affected their writing process. Notes and interview transcriptions were coded using a priori codes from SAMR and andragogy. Themes that emerged included a collaborative experience, engagement with peers, productivity from collaboration, and writing motivation. Positive and negative experiences in the themes of collaborative experience and productivity from collaboration were reported. Findings may inform the development of evidence-based strategies to support education and training programs for faculty, writing programs, and staff to better meet the unique needs of the growing population of adult learners

The implementation of a one-to-one iPAD program in an urban high school

The purpose of this qualitative study was to apply the lessons learned from the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow studies, the SAMR model, and Diffusion of Innovations theory to explore stakeholder perceptions of iPad integration at an urban high school in Massachusetts. The implementation was viewed through the lenses of the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) studies (Baker, Gearhart, & Herman, 1990; Dwyer, Ringstaff, & Haymore Sandholtz, 1990a; Dwyer, Ringstaff, & Haymore Sandholtz, 1990b), Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Model, and Puentedura’s (2012) Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) Model. The researcher used qualitative analysis to code the data. Through data analysis, five themes emerged: communication, control, division, distraction, and workflow. The iPads changed how and when students and teachers communicated. Teachers sought more control over the iPads in the classroom. Control over learning shifted toward the students with the introduction of the iPads. Divisions became apparent with iPad use: new teachers versus veteran teachers and upperclassman versus underclassman. Distractions were rampant. The iPads influenced the workflow of how teachers taught and how students accessed the curriculum