Instructional Film Research: Some Notes on Methodology

Instructional films, especially in primary and secondary education, are not just supposed to attain learning goals in a strict sense, as for example performance in objective criterion tests. The present paper however is only concerned with instructional films as learning aids in such a narrow sense. This restriction seems to have advantages on the grounds that most experimental research on instructional films has been carried out under this restricted aspect. As a further restriction this article is not meant to be a comprehensive review. The reference to some studies is only intended to shed some light upon some methodological problems that go along with research in this particular field.     

How to use animation in computer assisted learning

While animation has been used in some form since the beginning of microcomputer-based instruction, there has been only limited research concerning appropriate strategies for integrating this instructional option with a specific lesson. The author provides a summary of research on the effectiveness of animation as an instructional tool, suggests general guidelines concerning methods for implementing animation within specific materials delivered by computer, and lists a number of examples where the use of this strategy is warranted.     

“There’s got to be a better way to do this”: a qualitative investigation of informal learning among instructional designers

This study employed a qualitative research design to investigate informal learning among practicing instructional designers. Prior research has examined how instructional designers spend their time, make decisions, use theory, solve problems, and so on, but no published research has explored the nature and role of informal learning in instructional design work. Based on intensive interviews of practitioners in the field, this study produced eight themes organized according to two metathemes: (a) the nature of informal learning in instructional design practice and (b) instructional design as informal learning. Specific themes concerned what instructional designers learn through informal practical experience, how they learn it, and the meaning of this kind of learning for various aspects of their work. Overall, these results suggest that informal learning is a vital part of instructional design practice and that design itself can be thought of as a specialized type of informal learning. Other conclusions regarding informal learning in design are discussed and future directions for research are offered.     

A Psychometric Framework for the Evaluation of Instructional Sensitivity

Although there is a common understanding of instructional sensitivity, it lacks a common operationalization. Various approaches have been proposed, some focusing on item responses, others on test scores. As approaches often do not produce consistent results, previous research has created the impression that approaches to instructional sensitivity are noticeably fragmented. To counter this impression, we present an item response theory–based framework that can help us to understand similarities and differences between existing approaches. Using empirical data for illustration, this article identifies three perspectives on instructional sensitivity: One perspective views instructional sensitivity as the capacity to detect differences in students' stages of learning across points of time. A second perspective treats instructional sensitivity as the capacity to detect differences between groups that have received different instruction. For a third perspective, the previous two are combined to consider differences between both time points and groups. We discuss linking sensitivity indices to measures of instruction.     

Attitudes and perceptions of academic authors to the preparation of distance education materials at the University of Tasmania

This study addresses three issues in the provision of distance education at the University of Tasmania. First, it examines the nature of the instructional designer/ academic author relationship; secondly, it further explores the role of the instructional designer by comparing the perceptions of academic authors with those of the instructional designers themselves and, thirdly, it identifies some institutional factors perceived by authors as impeding the development of quality instructional materials. Finally, the paper suggests steps that might be taken to alleviate some of the problems that emerge from the research.     

现代教学论生成发展之思——怀特海过程哲学的方法论启示

现代教学论的生成发展，必须解决研究方法论问题。通过借鉴怀特海过程哲学所提供的方法论启示，在对主流教学论批判分析基础上，提出了对现代教学论生成发展的研究范式的几点思考。     

知识技术视野中的教育技术思想简史

作为探究教育教学系统构造的技术过程的学科,教育技术学包括教学设计与课程开发两方面的内容,教育技术的历史进步表现为教学设计和课程开发技术原理和技术效应件的进化。教学设计的整体原理至今仍为加涅的"教学—学习映射表",局部效应件的进化则包括教学目标、学习结果分类、教学策略制定等。在课程开发领域,至今尚未出现整体性的课程开发技术原理;虽然博比特、查特斯、加涅等人对活动设计、课程任务有过一些研究,但社会角色的分析技术、课程知识的组织、课程目标的分类等技术效应件也都不够成熟。     

Identifying costs of instructional technology in higher education

Abstract

The current advocacy for rapidly increasing the use of instructional technologies has not been accompanied by sufficient research on the costs of these modes of instruction. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the need for more comprehensive research on instructional technology costs and to provide a framework for examining these costs. First, to provide context, some current assumptions about the growing use of instructional technology are discussed. Then various categories of costs are described.     

Identifying Costs of Instructional Technology in Higher Education

The current advocacy for rapidly increasing theuse of instructional technologies has not been accompanied bysufficient research on the costs of these modes of instruction. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the need for morecomprehensive research on instructional technology costs and toprovide a framework for examining these costs. First, to providecontext, some current assumptions about the growing use ofinstructional technology are discussed. Then various categoriesof costs are described.     

校本教研与信息技术的关系研究

随着教育改革的不断深入,校本教研提到了一个十分重要的位置。在信息时代。陈旧的教研方式已成为历史,利用信息技术构建信息平台引领的校本教研能使教师真正成为教育研究的主体．从根本上解决长期以来教育研究与教育行动分离,教育理论与教育实践脱节的状况。     

走出教学设计研究的现实困境：创建可用的教学设计理论

当前教学设计研究面临两大现实困境：一方面由于其受心理学以及心理学实验的影响较深。研究成果不能有效反映现实情境,对教学实践的指导作用受到质疑;另一方面已有的教学设计研究集中在描述性问题和因果性问题上,缺乏对“如何设计”这一机制性或过程性问题的深入思考。当前国际有关学习与教学设计研究的发展趋势表明,教学设计研究需要创建可用的、境脉申的、聚焦学习的教学设计理论。在创建和改进教学设计理论过程中,“前设性”与“涌现性”的理论创建与改进研究路线是两条可能的研究路线。这种研究路线必须扎根于真实课堂情境,在真实教学境脉中发现和解决问题,并将革新的学习环境设计活动与基于证据的经验研究结合起来。这是创建可用的教学设计理论、走出教学设计现实困境的必由之路。     

从麦克卢汉思想看教育技术学的发展

传播学理论作为教育技术学的理论基础之一,在20世纪60年代为教育技术学理论基础的形成与发展起到了积极、重要的作用,但随后其影响逐渐减弱,学科发展呈现出过多依赖于心理学的研究与进展的态势,因此该文以解读麦克卢汉传播理论的核心观点为切入点,希望为丰富和发展教育技术学理论基础带来一点启示。     

The effectiveness of blended online learning courses at the community college level

Whether through the use of online-only or hybrid/blended formats, colleges and universities across the country are increasingly utilizing online platforms as a medium for the delivery of instruction. At the same time, we know little about how student learning outcomes are related to students’ engagement with online instructional formats. In particular, few studies have evaluated online learning in community colleges, and fewer yet have employed an experimental or quasi-experimental design to do so. In this research, we use propensity score matching to compare learning gains between community college students enrolled in blended courses, (courses that combine online instructional delivery with traditional classroom-based instruction) with gains experienced by students receiving only classroom-based instruction. Among students enrolled in blended courses, we also consider which aspects of student use of online instructional materials are most strongly associated with student learning. While some evidence has suggested significantly poorer outcomes for community college students enrolled in online-only courses, our results suggest that students enrolled in blended courses perform similarly, if not better, relative to students in a traditional instructional setting. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

教师同伴互助的校本教研模式探析

国外的研究显示教师同伴互助是促进教师专业发展的重要手段之一,教师同伴互助的质量和效果是影响校本教研效果的重要因素。鉴于教师同伴互助对于教师专业发展和校本教研效果的重要作用,本文试图从目标、特点、组织结构和实施四个方面对教师同伴互助的校本教研模式进行研究。目的是想为推进我国基础教育课程改革,提高校本教研的效果,促进教师专业发展提供借鉴。     

实践性教学环节教学资源建设的探索与实践

实践性教学已经成为了当今高等职业教育专业建设与改革的焦点。本文从实践性教学环节的基本框架入手,分析了实践性教学环节应具备的特点;并且分别从课程实践性教学环节和专业实践性教学环节入手,提出了实践性教学环节教学资源建设的基本思路。     

Validity Evidence Supporting Use of Anchoring Vignettes to Measure Teaching Practice

High-quality measures of instructional practice are essential for research and evaluation of innovative instructional policies and programs. However, existing measures have generally proven inadequate because of cost and validity issues. This paper addresses two potential drawbacks of survey self-report measures: variation in teachers’ interpretation of response scales and their interpretation of survey questions. To address these drawbacks, researchers tested out use of “anchoring vignettes“ in teacher surveys to capture information about teaching practice, and they gathered validity evidence in regard to their use as a tool for adjusting teachers’ survey self-reports about their instructional practices for research purposes, or potentially to inform professional development. Data from 65 teachers in grades 4-9 responding to our survey suggested that vignette adjustments were reliable and valid for some instructional practices more than others. For some instructional practices, researchers found significant and high correlations between teachers’ adjusted survey self-rating, through use of anchoring vignettes, and previous observation ratings of teachers’ instruction, including ratings from several widely-used observation rubrics. These results suggest that anchoring vignettes may provide an efficient, cost-effective method for gathering data on teachers’ instruction.     

The priorities established among data sources when instructional designers revise written materials

The objective of the study was to investigate the priorities instructional designers establish among data sources when they revise written materials and the relationship of their practice to standard models of formative evaluation. Two modules of printed instructional material were revised by each of eight experienced instructional designers under three treatment conditions, using a counterbalanced design. Data were collected using a think-aloud procedure. The think-aloud protocol was segmented, coded and analysed. Results show that instructional designers were significantly more likely to incorporate their own knowledge into revisions than to use feedback data, and when they did use feedback data, they preferred learner comments. They did not accurately assess their use of their own knowledge or of feedback data; they thought they used feedback data more than the results showed. These instructional designers reflected some aspects of the standard instructional design model when they revised instructional materials, but their experience has caused many of the procedures to become internalized, so they are invisible in the protocols. This research was funded in part by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.     

Instructional development for teachers in higher education: impact on teaching approach

Although instructional development for teachers has become an important topic in higher education, little is known about the impact it has on daily teaching practice. The lack of systematic programme evaluation is an ongoing concern. In this study we investigate by use of a quasi-experimental design, the impact of an instructional development program for beginning university teachers on their teaching approach. Quantitative pre-test as well as post-test data were assembled from 20 experimental teachers and 20 control teachers. At the post-test qualitative data were gathered too: 17 teachers of the experimental group and 12 teachers of the control group were interviewed. Paired t-tests and analysis of covariance with the pre-test scores as a covariate showed some effect of instructional development on teaching approach. The analysis of the qualitative data sustained this result. Our results reveal the influence of instructional development on teachers’ teaching approach being slightly different for teachers belonging to distinct disciplines. Several interpretations and perspectives for further research are discussed.     

教学媒体研究的实证传统与历史反思

文章对教育技术学研究的重要一支——教学媒体研究的实证主义研究传统进行了历史回顾。研究表明,早期教学媒体研究的实证主义深受当时学术背景的影响,在其问题与方法的嬗变过程中又经历了一个从粗放到不断精致的过程。论文最后对教学媒体研究中,实证主义长期“一统天下”的现象进行了历史反思,并做出了新的解读。     

网络教育的知情分析

本文就网络教育中的知情关系进行分析，探索知情矛盾的成因，提出网络教育不仅要加强认知的培养，同时也要对情感给予较多的关怀，并就如何在网络教育中实现知情统一、和谐发展提出了对策。