#SocialMediaEd: Perspectives on Teaching about and with Social Media in Higher Education

Within the field of education and informational technology, technologies like social media — near ubiquitous in the lives of today’s high school and college students — raise interesting questions about learning, teaching, literacy, design and democracy for researchers and educators. In this panel we considered multiple perspectives on teaching with and about social media from researchers at five different institutions. Three panelists: Greenhow, Gleason and Krutka all teach variations of a Social Media in Education course within graduate programs at their respective universities and each presented an overview of their course goals and curriculum. Description of these courses was enriched by commentary from the panel chair and moderator, also social media in education researchers. The session was organized for maximum audience participation to advance conversations about an essential social media in higher education curriculum across institutions and how to implement and evaluate it

Social Media & Teacher Professional Development

The idea of social media’s existing application and future potential for professional development drives a growing subset of academic research. As we encourage preservice and inservice teachers to engage in these platforms to hone or refine their classroom practice, a number of questions emerge: How do we assess participation in these spaces? What uses in particular should we recommend? Further, the very notion of conducting research in these spaces also poses interesting questions. From methodologies to frameworks, commonly accepted practices help shape the future of the field. Lastly, the issue of privacy and policy poses perhaps the most significant area for attention. The intent of this panel discussion is generate conversation on how future research and application on social media usage and research might evolve over time

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

Usage and awareness of the online Texas Common Application by students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53).Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.The impact of telecommunications on post-secondary education has quickly moved to the spotlight in the past five years. In 1997, the Texas Senate passed a resolution that amended the education code and resulted in the online Texas Common Application (TCA). With the onset of this new and improved process, there has been little to no research to analyze the progress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate usage and awareness of the online TCA at Texas A&M University within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (COALS). The objectives for the thesis include an opportunity to evaluate potential characteristics that might indicate usage or awareness patterns among students in COALS. Relating demographic information as well as usage of the online application for Federal Financial Aid to usage and awareness of the TCA is elaborated upon in terms of frequencies and relationship coefficients. The more universities know what populations are using the TCA, the better the state can market this tool to secondary schools and increase its usefulness

Usage and awareness of the online Texas Common Application by students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53).Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.The impact of telecommunications on post-secondary education has quickly moved to the spotlight in the past five years. In 1997, the Texas Senate passed a resolution that amended the education code and resulted in the online Texas Common Application (TCA). With the onset of this new and improved process, there has been little to no research to analyze the progress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate usage and awareness of the online TCA at Texas A&M University within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (COALS). The objectives for the thesis include an opportunity to evaluate potential characteristics that might indicate usage or awareness patterns among students in COALS. Relating demographic information as well as usage of the online application for Federal Financial Aid to usage and awareness of the TCA is elaborated upon in terms of frequencies and relationship coefficients. The more universities know what populations are using the TCA, the better the state can market this tool to secondary schools and increase its usefulness

El día del juicio final : activando actividades de pensamiento computacional con la cultura popular

Interest as a learning construct provides more than inspiration for innovation. Dewey recognized the role of interest as a powerful tool to engage learners. Yet, despite contemporary efforts to study the phenomenon, few learning designs recognize this potential. The current paper presents a conceptual framework for integrating popular culture into STEM, using computational thinking competencies as both a critical mechanism and context for application and testing. Interest contributes to motivation through self-regulation, and self-regulation has the power to enhance the cycle of learning achievement and interest. Through this framework, Merrill’s Activation Principle provides guidance on why and how we should attend to this cycle. By evoking positive memories related to learner interests, we can enhance other stages of learning disconnected from the initial learning experience. STEM educators and scholars can use this framework and confidently design and evaluate learning activities targeting computational thinking development using popular media and culture.El interés como construcción de aprendizaje proporciona más que inspiración para la innovación. Dewey reconoció el papel del interés como una herramienta poderosa para involucrar a los estudiantes. Sin embargo, a pesar de los esfuerzos contemporáneos por estudiar el fenómeno, pocos diseños de aprendizaje reconocen este potencial. El presente artículo presenta un marco conceptual para la integración de la cultura popular en STEM, utilizando las competencias de pensamiento computacional como un mecanismo crítico y un contexto para la aplicación y las pruebas. El interés contribuye a la motivación a través de la autorregulación, y la autorregulación tiene el poder de mejorar el ciclo de logro e interés en el aprendizaje. A través de este marco, el Principio de activación de Merrill brinda orientación sobre por qué y cómo debemos atender este ciclo. Al evocar recuerdos positivos relacionados con los intereses del alumno, podemos mejorar otras etapas del aprendizaje desconectadas de la experiencia de aprendizaje inicial. Los educadores y académicos de STEM pueden usar este marco y diseñar y evaluar con confianza actividades de aprendizaje dirigidas al desarrollo del pensamiento computacional utilizando los medios y la cultura populare

Multimedia design for learner interest and achievement: a visual guide to pharmacology

Abstract Background Medical education increasingly relies on digital learning materials. Despite recognition by the Association of American Medical Colleges Institute for Improving Medical Education, medical education design often fails to consider quality multimedia design principles. Further, the AAMC-IIME issued a call to study the role of design principles in medical education. Thus, the current study investigated the cognitive and affective effects of redesigning PowerPoint slides used to support pharmacology content during the preclinical years of medical school training. Methods Researchers implemented a quasi-experimental design, using traditionally-designed (original) slides with a Traditional group (n = 100) and slides redesigned to follow principles from the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning with an Experimental group (n = 40). Participants in the Experimental group completed a post-survey incorporating the Situational Interest Survey for Multimedia to indicate motivational engagement with the media. Students in the Experimental group also responded to additional preference questions. Researchers analyzed survey responses and students’ scores in pharmacology-related coursework across the preclinical Foundations Phase of training to determine the impact on achievement and motivation. Results Findings related to learner achievement showed a modest but significant increase in the Experimental group compared to the Traditional group in the Cardiac, Pulmonary, and Renal (CPR) educational block (105%, normalized to Traditional group, p = 0.013) and cumulative pharmacology grades (101%, normalized to Traditional group, p = 0.043). Additionally, participants in the Experimental group indicated a significantly higher average triggered situational interest in redesigned slides (M = 4.85, SD = 0.25) than the original slides (M = 3.23, SD = 1.40, t=-6.33, p < 0.001). Similarly, the interest rating of the redesigned slides (M = 4.87, SD = 0.24) was significantly greater than that of the original slides (M = 3.89, SD = 0.86, t=-6.824, p < 0.001). Moreover, results further indicated significant differences in the maintained-feeling and maintained-value constructs, and all participants in the Experimental group indicated a preference for the redesigned slides. Conclusions The findings provide strong evidence in support of using the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning design principles to intentionally design media in medical education. In addition to increased achievement scores, students in the Experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of situational interest in the redesigned slides, especially triggered interest and maintained-feeling interest. Medical education learning designers should seriously consider redesigning media to achieve similar results