Regional assessment of general education quality in Tomsk region

Abstract—From 1998 Tomsk region holds the regiona

A Phenomenology of Teachers\u27 Experiences Using One-to-One Technology in Rural North Carolina Middle Schools

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of middle school teachers using one-to-one technology in schools in rural North Carolina. The guiding theory, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), is a framework for interweaving technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. The 12 participants in this study were middle school teachers from three schools in a rural North Carolina school district. The central research question for this study is: how do middle school teachers describe their daily experiences using one-to-one technology in schools in rural North Carolina. The supporting questions posed were: how do participants describe their self-efficacy regarding technology, their experiences regarding technology and its integration with pedagogy, their experiences regarding technology and its integration with the content they teach, how do participants describe the challenges and benefits of having one-to-one technology in the classroom, and how do participants describe the professional development opportunities they have or desire to have regarding the use of one-to-one technology in the classroom. Data collection methods included conducting interviews, generating focus group discussions, and an open-ended questionnaire. Data analysis procedures used were phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and a synthesis of textural and structural descriptions. Triangulation of data using interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires was used to establish credibility. Dependability was confirmed through epoche, member checks, and peer reviews. Rich thick descriptions of the participants’ experiences using one-to-one technology in the classroom increased transferability

An Information Systems Design Theory for E-learning

This thesis seeks to offer an answer to the problem of how to design, implement and support information systems that effectively and efficiently support e-learning within universities. This problem is increasingly prevalent and important to the operation of universities. It is also a problem where existing solutions are limited in terms of variety, quality and explicit theoretical guidance. This thesis formulates a specific Information Systems Design Theory (ISDT) “An Information Systems Design Theory for Emergent University E-learning Systems“ as one answer to this problem. The ISDT is formulated using an iterative action research cycle that encompasses the design, support and evolution of the Webfuse information system at Central Queensland University (CQU) from 1996 through 2009. The Webfuse system was used by tens of thousands of staff and students. It is the knowledge gained through this experience that, in two separate stages, is used to formulate design theory. The final ISDT recognises that diversity and rapid on-going change are for a number of reasons, the key characteristics of e-learning within universities. Consequently, the ISDT specifies both process and product models that aim to enable the e-learning information systems to be emergent. In particular the ISDT proposes that emergent e-learning information systems will encourage and enable greater levels of e-learning adoption in terms of quantity, quality and diversity; as well as providing a level of differentiation and competitive advantage for the institution. This thesis makes two additional contributions. First, the Ps Framework is developed and used to analyse the current, dominant practice of providing elearning information systems within universities. The resulting analysis reveals a significant mismatch between the requirements of e-learning within universities and the characteristics of the product and process models used by the dominant approach to supporting e-learning within universities. It is this mismatch that the ISDT seeks to address. Second, is the formulation of an alternate method for specifying the components of an ISDT. This alternate specification arose from difficulties faced with using existing ISDT specifications

On becoming a Web site

The course Web site is a critical mediator between the instructor and students in online classes. This requires a shift in how instructors think of their presence and influence on the classroom. This essay, based on the author’s personal experience in designing and teaching online, argues that the design of the course Web site needs to carefully reflect the passions and pedagogical philosophy that drive the instructor. It is also an argument against one–size–fits–all approaches to online course design as instantiated in most course management systems