Using Online Studio Groups to Improve Writing Competency: A Pilot Study in a Quality Improvement Methods Course

Communication skills are a significant contributor to an individual's success in the workplace. Unfortunately, students often have trouble expressing their ideas in written form and the poor quality of students’ written work often impedes the learning process. This pilot study investigates the use of online writing studios within a quality improvement methods course and the impact of this intervention on students’ writing competency and perceptions about the writing process. The impact of this approach on student performance is evaluated within and across semesters using comparative statistical analyses. Results show that students who participated in online writing studios performed better (i.e., at least one rubric level higher) on their final written assignments for the course compared to students who did not, and that this approach is associated with improved students’ perceptions about the writing process. This research suggests that the use of online writing studios within a content‐specific course can incrementally improve students’ writing competency over the course of one semester, and can positively affect the learning of written communication skills and change students’ perceptions about various aspects of the writing process.     

Tool-use in a content management system: a matter of timing?

Given the rising popularity of content management systems (CMSs) in higher education, we investigated how students use the available CMS tools, as well as whether the moment of using a CMS tool affects students’ learning. This temporal dimension has been neglected in current research on CMS use. More insight into students’ tool-use is particularly important from an instructional design perspective because research has repeatedly revealed that a learning environments’ effectiveness depends heavily on students’ adaptive tool-use. Data were collected by logging the frequency and the time students (158) use the available tools within a CMS. Repeated-measures analyses revealed that students’ tool-use changed throughout the course, a dynamism that was different for each tool and was related to course-specific deadlines. Significant temporal student differences were found for some types of tools. Furthermore, students’ course performance was significantly impacted by the moment students used the course material outlines and the discussion board. In line with expectations, effects were different dependent on the tool. Hence, by examining students’ tool-use from a temporal perspective, this study highlighted that the timing of use matters. Furthermore, this timing depends on tool functionality. Consequently, the results have interesting implications for designing CMSs and they suggest implications for releasing some type of CMS tools at specific moments in the learning process.     

E-learning by design

Teachers in higher education throughout the world are making use of course-management systems (CMS) to support their courses. None of these teachers grew up with using a CMS; they must themselves learn how to use them effectively at the same time that they are using them with their students. While institutions commonly provide some sort of introductory workshop for CMS use, these workshops have limitations in terms of their transfer value into practice. In this paper we discuss an example of embedded justin-time support within the CMS itself to help teachers learn how to use a CMS efficiently but also so that both they and their students can take on new roles in the learning process. A new form of computer-based support for teaching and learning has emerged since the late 1990s. It is a system of integrated tools that makes use of both database and web functionalities in order to make a web environment available to support a course or learning event. One name for such a system is a course-management system (CMS). Course-management systems are new tools for teachers and thus teachers must learn how to use them in a technical sense as well as in a meaningful sense. By meaningful, we mean not only to increase the efficiency of participating in a course but also to enrich and extend learning processes.     

Factors relted to breadth of use in course management systems

A unique resource in course management systems (CMSs) is that they offer faculty members convenient access to a variety of integrated features. Some featurs allow faculty members to provide information to students, and others allow students to interact with each other or a computer. This diverse set of features can be used to help meet the variety of learning goals that are part of college classes. Currently, most CMS research has analyzed how and why individual CMS features are used, instead of analyzing how and why multiple features are used. The study described here reports how and why faculty members use multiple CMS features, in resident college classes. Results show that nearly half of faculty members use one feature or less. Those who use multiple features are significantly more likely to have experience with interactive technologies. Implications for using and encouraging the use of multiple CMS features are provided.     

External factors associated with adopting a CMS in resident college courses

Course management systems (CMSs) have become a common resource for resident courses at colleges and universities. Researchers have analyzed which CMS features faculty members use most primarily by asking them which features are used. The study described builds on previous research by counting the number of CMS features a faculty member used and by analyzing how three external factors are related to the use of CMS features. The external factors are (a) the college in which a course was offered, (b) class size, and (c) the level of a class—such as 100 or 200. The only external factor showing a statistically significant relationship to the use of CMS features was the college in which a course was offered. Another finding was that CMSs are primarily used to transmit information to students. Implications are described for using external factors to increase effective use of more complex CMS features.     

Double-edged sword: social media use in the classroom

The purpose of this research is to identify the students’ perceptions of social media use in a classroom setting. Knowing students’ perceptions of social media can help the instructor build a course that both student and teacher can find effective. Using focus groups this study found a model to determine if social media is an appropriate or inappropriate tool to incorporate into the classroom. The findings showed that social media can be a double-edged sword. Students are willing to accept social media use for class purposes under circumstances they perceive as appropriate. Students deem social media use as appropriate if it can be used without providing personal information, is the most effective tool available, can be engaged in voluntarily, is used for the purpose of announcements, and is perceived by the students as a convenience.     

Using peer feedback in a Master's programme: a multiple case study

This article draws on the findings of a longitudinal case study, which investigated the writing experiences of five students who spoke English as an additional language (EAL). The major interest was in examining what it was like to be an EAL writer and what changes occurred in EAL students' perceptions of academic writing and of themselves as academic writers during their one-year Taught Masters course at a major UK University. This article reflects on the perceptions of peer feedback held by research participants and their engagement with providing and receiving peer comments. Although peer feedback is often viewed as an attractive tool for supporting student writing, most participants did not fully capitalise on the benefits of these practices. Such factors as students' lack of prior peer feedback and their perceptions of peers' ability to provide valid feedback constituted potential barriers to the success of peer feedback. The article suggests that the use of well-structured collaborative activities and tutors' intervention are required for peer feedback to be effective.     

Rubrics as a Tool for Learning and Assessment: What Do Baccalaureate Students Think?

Rubrics are increasingly used as tools to evaluate student work. This study examined BSW students' perceptions of the benefits and challenges of using rubrics. Pre- and posttest questionnaires were administered to 35 students in two sections of a diversity course. Students judged the use of rubrics favorably. Rubrics communicated the instructors' expectations, clarified how to write course assignments, explained grade and point deductions and, in general, made course expectations clearer. Students suggested that the rubric design should be self-explanatory and easy to follow. If carefully developed, rubrics may be a useful tool for advancing student learning in social work programs.     

Using Student Journals for Course Evaluation

The evaluation of courses has become more important than ever in the higher education sector. Information is commonly collected from students on their perceptions of a course using questionnaires, discussions or interviews. This paper discusses the use of a student learning journal as a means of collecting data on the effectiveness of a course. Students in a graduate diploma course at the University of Technology, Sydney use learning journals to record and reflect on their development as a teacher/trainer over one semester. The evaluator of the course obtains qualitative data from the journals regarding students’ perceptions of the course content, structure, activities and assessment. The main advantages of this technique include the longitudinal perspective it gives on students perceptions of a course and also that it provides information on the whole course, particularly on whether whole course outcomes are being met. Collecting information from student journals also has the advantage that the data were not written specifically for course evaluation. Issues regarding validity, confidentiality and data analysis using student journals are addressed in this paper as is the place of this technique in a quality assurance scheme for a course.     

An Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions of Which Classroom Policies Are Fairest

Fairness is a critical issue in the educational setting, and the research is unified in the view that professors need to be fair in setting course policies and procedures. However, many unanswered questions still remain as to which specific classroom policies and procedures students find fair or unfair. This study explores student perceptions of which course policies provide the fairest treatment for all students in a college class. In addition, we also investigate the presence of a relationship between students' locus of control and their perceptions of the fairest course policies. Data were provided by 254 undergraduate students enrolled in sections of an introductory operations management course or an introductory management information systems course. As an initial, exploratory study in this specific area, eight common classroom policy situations were investigated. Although, not surprisingly, all students did not agree on which policy was the fairest for any given classroom situation, we were able to identify those policies considered fairest by the most students. The results can help professors develop course policies that improve students' perceptions of fairness in the college classroom.     

What effect does flipping the classroom have on undergraduate student perceptions and grades?

There is a lack of consensus of the effects on student perceptions and performance in flipping the classroom and its possible value over the traditional face-to-face (FTF) classroom approach. This research examines the expectation that flipping an undergraduate, introductory level, information concepts and skills class would benefit student learning and evaluates the results of flipping this type of course. The study showed a significant difference in student perceptions about the course itself between web-enhanced, FTF and hybrid, flipped classrooms, but this may be dependent upon the level of technology integration rather than the approach. In addition, students who were required to work in groups on a weekly basis had more positive responses toward the flipped classroom improving their soft skills than those who did not. Finally, for written content exams it seems the flipped class approach is at least as effective as the traditional classroom in terms of grades. However, it appears teaching software skills may be better with at least some direct instruction over just the use of simulation software.     

Differential learning outcomes in an instructional simulation: Exploring the relationship between designated role and perceived learning outcome

One set of instructional strategies which has not been examined vis‐a‐vis learning outcome is instructional simulations. The present study is an exploratory study designed to examine the possible relationship between designated roles and learning outcome. It was designed to explore the possibility that if differential learning outcomes existed they might be related to the designated role of the learner in the interactive simulation. The study found that students cast in the roles of managers in the SIMCORP SIMULATION reported different perceptions about learning than did students cast in the roles of workers.     

Students’ perceptions of clickers as an instructional tool to promote active learning

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of clickers as an instructional tool to promote active learning in a Physical Geography undergraduate class. A convenience sample of 24 undergraduate students registered in a physical geography course was assigned clickers to answer chapter quizzes in class for 15 weeks during the semester. Data from student interviews, student surveys, and exam grades were used to analyze the findings. Overall, students were satisfied and gave high approval ratings for the use of clickers, particularly for enhancing their participation and engagement in class lectures. The study findings show that clickers promote student engagement in the teaching and learning process. However, students did not find clickers to be a motivating factor to study more for the course. The implications for the use of clickers as instructional tools to improve active teaching and learning in technology-rich classrooms are also discussed.     

An Exploratory Study of Minority Students’ Technology Usage and Perceptions of Technology: Nontraditional Adult Students in Technology-Based Environments

Abstract

The study examines nontraditional, African-American adult students’ use of technologies and their perceptions toward this in technology-based environments. Technology perceptions included computer self-efficacy, Internet self-efficacy, user attitude, and computer anxiety. The effects of student characteristics on these factors and the relationships between these factors were examined throughout this study. Participants included minority students who participated in face-to-face or online undergraduate courses offered in continuing education. A quantitative approach was undertaken to analyze the collected data. Results indicated that nontraditional minority students utilized basic software tools more frequently than the advanced ones, suggesting that many of them may lack the knowledge or skills for advanced technologies. Age, hours spent online, and previous online course experiences influenced students’ technology perceptions. Gender did not have an impact on technology perceptions. Internet self-efficacy was affected by most of the student characteristics variables. Computer self-efficacy was found to be a good predictor for both user attitude and computer anxiety. (Keywords: technology usage, technology perceptions, student characteristics, computer and Internet self-efficacy, minority students)     

Unspoken social dynamics in an online discussion group: the disconnect between attitudes and overt behavior of English language teaching graduate students

Course instructors across a wide range of disciplines have implemented computer-based learning resources such as online discussion boards. While the benefits of implementing an online discussion board in teaching have been well-documented, investigation into the social aspects of online learning environments is still needed in order to develop a deeper understanding of how group dynamics affect the overall learning experience. Accordingly, this action research project was designed to explore the perceptions of graduate students concerning the use of an online discussion board, focusing on whether the character of the interactions evidenced in the content of the discussion was reflected in the participants’ views of their experiences. The messages posted to the discussion forum were examined via discourse analysis, while the perceptions of the participants were interrogated through self-administered interviews. The results revealed that while positive group dynamics appeared to be prevalent in the discussion, the perceptions of the individual class members did not always agree with this view. In light of the findings, the researcher outlines some possible solutions for creating an online environment that is conducive to learning for members of a discussion forum with disparate levels of experience, as well as some suggestions for further research.     

Writing to Learn: Benefits and Limitations

Writing to learn is a pedagogical approach grounded in the belief that the reasoning required to write about a topic or concept will help students gain understanding. However, research indicates that the impact writing has on student learning depends on context. Using a mixed-method, quasi-experimental, repeated measures design, we examined how embedding writing-to-learn pedagogy in a required college course impacted students’ learning as well as their perceptions of writing to learn. Our quantitative analysis revealed that writing to learn did not have a differential effect on student achievement of course goals. However, qualitative analysis revealed evidence indicating students valued writing to learn as a way to make sense of course content by reasoning through their ideas and responses to class experiences. From the instructor's perspective, writing to learn also helped build rapport with students. Our results indicated that in our context, writing to learn pedagogy had benefits and limitations. We offer practical implications and pedagogical suggestions based on our experiences and findings.     

Classroom justice: Perceptions of fairness as a predictor of student motivation,learning, and aggression

The present study examined the relationship between students’ perceptions of distributive and procedural justice in a college course and student motivation concerning the course, affective learning in the course, and aggression toward the course instructor. Although student perceptions of both distributive and procedural justice were positively correlated with student motivation and affective learning and negatively correlated with student aggression toward the course instructor, multiple regression analyses indicated that only perceptions of procedural justice predicted the three criterion variables at a statistically significant level while distributive justice perceptions did not. Implications and suggestions for future research in classroom justice are offered.     

Undergraduate project work: can directed tutor support enhance skills development?

Students' perceptions of their skills development and the overall value of their undergraduate project work were evaluated using data derived from questionnaires. Thirty‐nine students completing their second year of study (i.e. prior to the commencement of project work) and 42 students completing their third‐year project work took part. Thirteen tutors also completed questionnaires. They were asked to give their perceptions as to what skills project students developed and what attributes of project work enhanced both students' personal development and students' assessment grades. Results showed a shift in students' perceptions of the types of skills reinforced, developed and assessed within project work during the course of their third‐year project. Their perceived views did not fully coincide with tutors' perceptions of student skills development, although evaluation of both the assessment and personal importance of particular aspects of project work showed some interesting relationships between students and tutors. The diversity of opinion shown in these results may be due to lack of clarification of assessment criteria rather than a ‘hidden curriculum’. For example, the distinction between presentation of work and scientific writing may not be clear from an initial reading of the criteria. The outcomes of this study, with particular reference to the relationship between scientific writing and thinking, have implications regarding tutor and student discussion, the development of marking criteria and the use of plenary project support sessions.     

Student perceptions of the classroom environment: Relations to motivation and achievement in mathematics

This study examined the relationship of 979 middle school students’ perceptions of their mathematics classroom environment to their motivation and achievement. Structural equation modeling indicated that motivational variables (utility, personal achievement goals, efficacy) mediated the influence of perceived teacher expectations, teacher support and use of reform practices on mathematics standardised test scores. Our study provides empirical evidence that students’ perceptions that their teachers believe that they are capable of learning and understanding mathematics positively relate to their Mastery and Performance Goal orientations and mathematics Utility. Further, we found an interaction between students’ perceptions of the frequency of reform practice use in their mathematics classroom and mathematics efficacy. For students with lower mathematics efficacy, their perceptions of more frequent use of reform practices in their mathematics class related to higher standardised test performance. For students with higher mathematics efficacy, perceived use of reform practices did not significantly relate to standardised test performance. These data suggest that frequent exposure to reform practices is especially critical for students who judge themselves as being less capable in mathematics and who are lower performers. This finding differs from prior research that has suggested that reform practice use benefits higher achievers but not lower achievers. An important implication of our study is the need for coordinated, ongoing professional development that highlights reform pedagogy and beliefs while also focusing on student motivation theories and strategies.     

The Value-Added Nature of Service-Learning

This research explores the benefits of service-learning among a group of Midwestern college students. Students enrolled in a section of a Juvenile Delinquency course served as volunteers at a juvenile detention facility and were studied using a pre-test/post-test survey design. This pilot project also included a comparison group of students in a section of the course which did not involve service-learning. The study compared service-learning to non-service-learning students in terms of attitudes regarding juvenile delinquency, punishment, and attributions of criminal behavior. We also examined any possible effects of service-learning on student academic skills, career goals, and comfort level with delinquents. Overall, we found that the service-learning project was a valuable educational tool having a positive impact on a number of student outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for service-learning research and practice.