The effects of practice and orienting activities on learning from interactive video

The purpose of this study was to examine the combined effects of orienting activities and levels of practice on learning from interactive video. Participants were 72 college students. Each participant was randomly assigned to an orienting activity group and to one of three practice groups: No Practice, Limited Practice, or Elaborate Practice. The lesson, which focused on characteristics of various artists and art periods, included practice for one half of the facts and applications cued initially via the orienting activity. The posttest included both new and repeated items for both facts and applications taught during the lesson. Results indicated significant main effect differences related to item familiarity and practice. In addition, interactions were detected between type of learning and practice, and item familiarity and practice.     

Networked interactive video for group training*

The National Computing Centre (NCC) has developed an interactive video training system for the Scottish Police College to help train police supervisory officers in crowd control at major spectator events, such as football matches. This approach involves technology‐enhanced training in a group‐learning environment, and may have significant impact on management training methods.     

A framework for climate change engagement through video games

Abstract

Video games have the potential to educate and engage people—especially young people—in climate change and energy issues by facilitating the development of helpful thoughts, feelings, and actions. The objective of the present article is to propose a set of game attributes that could maximise the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement of players, and lay the foundations for future work. We have used semi-structured interviews with experts to identify a set of game attributes and a group discussion with teenagers to validate them. By applying grounded theory in our analysis of the experts’ responses, we have developed a framework for climate change engagement through serious games. It consists of 15?key attributes that we have classified in three dimensions: cognitive, emotional, and behavioural. Literature review drawn on sources in social psychology, communication and education has contributed to further explain and justify the inclusion of each of the attributes.     

Evolving strategies for using interactive video resources in mathematics classrooms

In order to understand the role of interactive video (IV) in mathematics classrooms, teachers were given a set of IV resources which were very mixed in character and style, and from which they could freely select. These were used in lessons over an extended period, in some cases two years or longer. By interviewing and by observing lessons, it has been possible to draw some tentative conclusions about the relative merits of different styles of IV in mathematics classrooms. IV resources are often managed in a similar way to computers and this similarity seems to have influenced teachers' opinions and choices. However, the affective impact of video was also evident in teachers' choices. A complex picture emerges with no one style dominating.     

Empirical issues in the study of computer-assisted interactive video

Interactive instructional technologies, such as computer-assisted interactive video, appear to offer unique capabilities. However, little research exists to support the instructional applications of interactive video. The purposes of this paper are: a) to evaluate the relevance of existing research in the component technologies to interactive video; b) to describe several important assumptions and issues associated with the use of interactive video; and c) to propose a propositional framework for use in the study of computer-assisted interactive video.     

A framework for designing interactive multimedia to scaffold young children's understanding of historical chronology

Young children's understanding of thehistorical past is often characterised by alack of temporal differentiation and a sense oftotal discontinuity with the present. Researchhas suggested that this situation may be causedin part by their formation of inappropriaterepresentations when solving problems ofchronology. To help children construct moreappropriate external representations forparticular tasks and reason more effectivelywith them about chronological concepts, weinvestigated the role that interactivemultimedia might play in scaffoldingteacher-led activities in the classroom. Inthis paper we report on our conceptual designand pedagogical approach to developingeffective dynamic, interactive representationsand activities at the computer interface, aimedat bridging the conceptual gap between concreteexperience and abstract concepts. Evaluationsof the software built using this frameworkshowed that the program was well received bychildren and teachers alike, and that it wasable to facilitate children's understanding of,and ability to reason about, chronology.     

EPIC: a framework for using video games in ethics education

Ethics education can potentially be supplemented through the use of video games. This article proposes a novel framework (Ethics Practice and Implementation Categorization [EPIC] Framework), which helps educators choose games to be used for ethics education purposes. The EPIC Framework is derived from a number of classic moral development, learning, and ethical decision-making models, including frameworks and theories associated with games and ethics, as well as prior empirical and theoretical research literature. The EPIC Framework consists of seven ethics education goals (e.g., building ethical awareness, practicing reflection, and enhancing character), and 12 strategies associated with ethics education, which are also present in video games (e.g., role-play, modeling, and simulation). Each of the framework’s categories is described in detail, and the limitations of the framework are also discussed.     

Methods for studying the processes of interaction and collaborative activity in computer-based educational activities

Abstract

Drawing on the work of researchers in several disciplines, this article describes and discusses methods which can be used for analysing joint activity during computer-based, side-by-side, collaborative activity in educational settings. It is argued that the choice of methods in any particular study should take into account the range of well-founded methods which are available, rather than being guided only by researchers' established affinities for particular methods and paradigms. The positive and negative features of qualitative and quantitative methods are discussed. The complementary use of different types of methods is also discussed and exemplified.     

Using technology to explore mathematical relationships: a framework for orienting mathematics courses for prospective teachers

The technological revolution that has finally permeated K-12 education has direct implications for modern teacher educators whose “Hippocratic oath” is to best prepare future teachers for twenty-first-century classrooms. The goal of this article is to suggest that the heart of sound technological implementation is to encourage students to use whatever tools are available to explain the mathematical relations that underlie what they observe on the screen. We suggest ways in which Mishra and Koehler’s construct of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge may be customized to provide a framework for guiding prospective teachers’ efforts to develop and assess lesson plans that use technology in novel and effective ways. Data are presented in the form of two contrasting case studies to illustrate the differing degrees to which prospective mathematics teachers leveraged technology to teach themselves and their future students to explain the mathematics behind various topics.     

Levels of questions: A framework for the exploration of processing activities

This article examines the research on different levels of questions inserted in prose. The first section defines the level of questions and presents a number of theoretical issues important to the research. The second section discusses a number of methodological issues which arise in the studies, such as inadequate directions to subjects. The final section provides recommendations for further research.     

A methodology for characterizing computer-based learning environments

This paper presents a methodology for characterizing computer-based learning environments, focusing on the cognitive, pedagogical, and interactive features. The framework for this characterization is explained in relation to the relevant theories and findings in cognitive and instructional research. The methodology is illustrated by a characterization of computer-based learning environments developed by student teachers and professionals. The usability of these environments is analyzed along the dimensions of the framework presented. The results showed that this methodology can systematically and precisely characterize the cognitive, pedagogical, and interactive features of computer-based learning environments. It can be used to predict and explain the success or failure that a given software program promotes for learning particular types of knowledge. The applications of this methodology for the evaluation and design of computer-based learning environments, for instructional research in various instructional contexts, as well as for the study of expertise in the development of computer-based learning environments, are discussed.     

Participant interaction in a course delivered by interactive compressed video technology

Abstract

Fully interactive learning environments have been demonstrated to increase student satisfaction, learning, and retention in the educational environment. Using Moore's (1989) framework for interaction in distance education settings, this study investigated participant interactions in a course delivered to five sites by interactive compressed video (ICV) technology. The purpose of this study was two‐fold—to determine the extent to which participants took advantage of opportunities for interaction and to note their perceived barriers to interaction. The participants failed to take full advantage of the opportunities for interaction provided in the course context. Seven barriers to interaction, which focused on ICV technology limitations and student situational and dispositional characteristics, were identified. Implications for practice and future research are discussed at the conclusion of the study.