Users not Watchers: Motivation and the use of discussion boards in online learning

College students will participate in any learning activity when they feel it helps. Students have an uncanny sense of a tipping point of use. Is it worth my time? Will it help me get a better grade? Discussion boards only work if they help and not hinder online learning. Discussing course content online can be as useful as discussing it among physical classmates. In fact, actively using discussion boards can encourage students to be active users not passive watchers. Users are motivated to engage. Watchers disengage. The present paper provides six examples of how DB motivated online learning. These examples are not exhaustive, but include DB as a way to organize teams, use other tools, file share, mentor, share experiences, and create a small learning community within a larger class. The advantages and disadvantages of using discussion boards are then presented along with some conclusions about motivation theory. The main purposes of this paper are to: 1) provide examples of the use of DB that illustrate the impact of emotion and motivation on successful online learning and 2) connect these examples to current theory. Active users learn, passive watchers don’t. Discussion boards can be a very effective learning tool, but only if the professor wields the power of motivation

Using Hands-on Experiences including Various Forms of ARTS to Increase Ninth-Grade Female Students’ Interest in STEM – Final Results

Due to the ever-growing number of employment opportunities in the science technology engineering and math fields increasing emphasis is placed on STEM education at all levels This paper reports on research focused on increasing STEM interest and awareness in ninth- grade minority female students primarily from a low socioeconomic background Thirty-seven female students participated in this research study They attended fifteen hour-long sessions of STEM-infused hands-on workshops presented by university professors in the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences The workshops took place during school hours adding to their regular curriculum The school does not currently have an arts program although the founder of the school is a music artist Therefore the workshops incorporated the arts as the central theme while the lessons were delivered in biology chemistry engineering and mathematics The study is motivated by the need to close the achievement gap and improve the representation of women and minorities in STEM fields Data were collected through surveys assessments and interviews and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods The significance of the study lies in the potential to inspire underserved females to enter the STEM field

Using Hands-on Experiences Including Various Forms of ARTS to Increase Ninth-Grade Female Students’ Interest in STEM

Aim: The research aims to increase interest and a greater awareness of STEM fields among female minority students by providing hands-on STEM-infused workshops incorporating the arts as a central theme. Methodology: The research methodology involved conducting workshops for thirty-seven female students, primarily from low socioeconomic backgrounds, who attended fifteen-hour-long STEM-infused hands-on workshops presented by university professors in the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences. Findings: The study’s results revealed that the 15-week STEM workshops positively impacted the female students’ attitudes toward STEM. In addition, the post-survey results showed a significant increase in their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The data from the results is a promising finding, as it indicates that targeted interventions can effectively increase STEM interest among young female students from underrepresented backgrounds. Implications/Novel Contribution: The implications of this research are significant as it addresses the underrepresentation of female minority students in STEM. In addition, the project enabled students to participate in STEM education inclusively and innovatively. Our aspiration is that through this initiative, students will be able to contribute to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the STEM fields. In addition, the results of this research may provide insights into practical strategies for increasing diversity and inclusivity in STEM fields

Developing and Implementing an Online Course Framework

Integration of technology tools and resources is imperative when working with today’s students as many are expecting to encounter various apps and media-based software in the curriculum. It is important, however, to have a clear purpose for integrating technology into the classroom; technology should not be integrated into the curriculum simply for the sake of doing so! To assist with purposeful integration, faculty members from Nova Southeastern University and St. Thomas University created a Technology Integration Learning Community (TILC); an online professional learning community where members teach each other about the latest and greatest technological tools and share ideas for integration into the curriculum. Anytime an instructor is thinking of integrating technology into a classroom, it is important to use a model or framework as a guide to enhance the objectives or outcomes as well as ensure accessibility for all students. Therefore, the TILC developed The TILC Online Course Framework (TOCF), based on the ASSURE model (Smaldino, Lowther, Russell, & Mims, 2016), to guide this technology integration

Developing and Implementing an Online Course Framework

Integration of technology tools and resources is imperative when working with today’s students as many are expecting to encounter various apps and media-based software in the curriculum. It is important, however, to have a clear purpose for integrating technology into the classroom; technology should not be integrated into the curriculum simply for the sake of doing so! To assist with purposeful integration, faculty members from Nova Southeastern University and St. Thomas University created a Technology Integration Learning Community (TILC); an online professional learning community where members teach each other about the latest and greatest technological tools and share ideas for integration into the curriculum. Anytime an instructor is thinking of integrating technology into a classroom, it is important to use a model or framework as a guide to enhance the objectives or outcomes as well as ensure accessibility for all students. Therefore, the TILC developed The TILC Online Course Framework (TOCF), based on the ASSURE model (Smaldino, Lowther, Russell, & Mims, 2016), to guide this technology integration

Developing and Implementing an Online Course Framework

Integration of technology tools and resources is imperative when working with today’s students as many are expecting to encounter various apps and media-based software in the curriculum. It is important, however, to have a clear purpose for integrating technology into the classroom; technology should not be integrated into the curriculum simply for the sake of doing so! To assist with purposeful integration, faculty members from Nova Southeastern University and St. Thomas University created a Technology Integration Learning Community (TILC); an online professional learning community where members teach each other about the latest and greatest technological tools and share ideas for integration into the curriculum. Anytime an instructor is thinking of integrating technology into a classroom, it is important to use a model or framework as a guide to enhance the objectives or outcomes as well as ensure accessibility for all students. Therefore, the TILC developed The TILC Online Course Framework (TOCF), based on the ASSURE model (Smaldino, Lowther, Russell, & Mims, 2016), to guide this technology integration

Building an Online Learning Community for Technology Integration in Education

Our professional learning community (PLC), or the Technology Integration Learning Community (TILC), consists of nine professors from the Fischler College of Education at Nova Southeastern University who embody a wide range of knowledge and skills related to instruction, research, and technology. Our TILC provides a supportive, collaborative, safe, and non-judgmental environment for sharing that knowledge (and questions) about technology tools and ideas that can be used to enhance both instruction and learning. Through a self-study, the TILC developed a framework for members to improve their own effectiveness when working with students enrolled in their courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels