Improving the quality and effectiveness of computer-mediated instruction through usability evaluations

Brigham Young University's Center for Instructional Design (CID) creates online courses and multimedia instructional applications for university faculty. This paper asserts that including usability testing as a part of evaluation improves the quality and effectiveness of computer‐mediated instruction. The paper describes the fundamental purpose and functions of usability testing, and also distinguishes between different forms of evaluation: accessibility, quality assurance (QA), usability and implementation. Through a detailed case study, we describe how usability testing improved the quality of a computer‐based chemistry course and facilitated a clearer analysis of the learning effectiveness of this course.     

Fidelity of implementation framework: A critical need for response to intervention models

Response to Intervention (RtI) has gained increased attention with the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Since RtI was introduced at the policy level as a mechanism for use in the learning disability identification process, much of the implementation work has focused on this application. School‐based implementation of RtI has occurred quickly in response to federal legislation, with little focus on fidelity. Regular and consistent monitoring of implementation fidelity can provide the data required to improve implementation and student performance. This discussion will include a brief review of the literature regarding implementation fidelity and then provide a framework for designing a fidelity system for RtI models. Further systematic research in this area is needed to support the RtI implementation that is currently under way in schools across the country. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

《美国高等教育经典著作百种》导论

这是一本由我们四位长期从事高等教育的研究者编注的小书,它列出了1 0 0本我们认为2 0世纪以来关于美国大学与学院最重要和最有影响的著作。2 0世纪即将结束,越来越多的人相信,在我们这个以知识为基础的社会里,大学已经变成了社会的中心机构。这本小书也许可以为对美国大学有兴趣的读者和学生提供一些指导。担此任务,我们诚惶诚恐。虽然眼下各种杂志热衷于罗列1 0个、2 0个、5 0个最佳餐馆、电影、医生、海滩、或网页的排行榜,但一些教授却对编撰所谓“经典”或由某种权威认可的伟大著作的任何企图严加批评。我们四人十分敏感,对此忐忑不安…     

Public Funding and Budgetary Challenges To Providing Universal Access To Primary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

Budgetary capacity that would allow for the public funding of the provision of universal access to primary education is lacking in many sub-Saharan economies. National revenues significantly lag behind the overall economic productivity measure of GDP. Analysis of data derived from UNESCO and UNDP for 2004 shows that governments in the region spend far less in US dollars per unit cost on primary education than do developed countries. Increasing the unit cost of education in order to enable a government to guarantee universal primary education would take away resources from other tiers of the education system in many countries in the region. The alternative is to universalise access, despite existing budget allocation constraints, and thereby further compound the problems of poor infrastructure and limited human resource capacity that continue to compromise education quality in sub-Saharan Africa.     

Developing Interdepartmental Integration: An Evaluation of Three Strategic Approaches for Performance Improvement

Interdepartmental integration, the melding together of disparate functional areas within an organization, is believed to be associated with superior firm performance. However, the particular approach that human resource development practitioners should focus on to improve performance is not well‐understood. Our research assesses three alternative approaches to interdepartmental integration: the interaction, collaboration, and combination views. The interaction view suggests that successful interdepartmental integration is achieved primarily by increasing the volume of meetings and documented information exchange; the collaboration view prescribes teamwork, sharing, and the achievement of collective goals. The third view suggests that Successful integration involves a combination of interaction and collaboration. The results of a recent survey of functional managers are presented. The findings indicate that interaction and collaboration are both positively associated with performance and extendi previous empirical work by suggesting that, when viewed collectively, collaboration mediates the relationship between interaction and performance. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on physical activity in U.S. children

BackgroundDaily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is vital to the physical, mental, and social well-being of children. Early restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic included the closure of schools and physical activity (PA) amenities across the US. This study aimed to examine the impact of the pandemic on the PA and play behavior of U.S. children and to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve their PA.MethodsA cross-sectional, online, parent-reported survey was conducted of children aged 3–18 years between April and June 2020 to assess light PA and MVPA using a modified Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. Additional items included family/child socioeconomic demographics, child adaptability to the pandemic, and community access. The survey was shared through social media and snowball sampling distribution.ResultsAnalysis of 1310 surveys indicated child PA scores declined significantly during the pandemic (from 56.6 to 44.6, max 119, p < 0.001). Specifically, MVPA score decreased (from 46.7 to 34.7, max 98, p < 0.001) while light PA remained the same. Age-based changes were seen in the quantity, variety, and intensity of PA, with the lowest pandemic-related impact seen in preschoolers and the highest in high schoolers (–4.7 vs. –17.2, p < 0.001). Community-based peer PA decreased across all age groups.ConclusionThis study shows decreased PA levels in U.S. children, according to parent reporting, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations for community leaders, educators, and parents to improve PA in children are provided. With continued spread of COVID-19, these results and recommendations may be imperative to the physical well-being of U.S. children.