Are contextual and designed student–student interaction treatments equally effective in distance education?

This systematic review draws from and builds upon the results of a meta-analysis of the achievement effects of three types of interaction treatments in distance education: student–student, student–teacher, and student–content (Bernard et al., Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289, 2009). This follow-up study considers two forms of student–student interaction treatments, contextual interaction and designed interaction. Typical contextual interaction treatments contain the necessary conditions for student–student interaction to occur, but are not intentionally designed to create collaborative learning environments. By contrast, designed interaction treatments are intentionally implemented collaborative instructional conditions for increasing student learning. Our meta-analysis compared the effect of these two types of interaction treatments on student achievement outcomes. The results favored designed interaction treatments over contextual interaction treatments. Examples of designed interaction treatments and a discussion of study results and their potential implications for research and instruction in distance education and online learning are presented.     

Whither thee, Educational Technology? Suggesting a Critical Expansion of Our Epistemology for Emerging Leaders

It is possible that some outdated ideas about ‘management’ in our field are constraining our preparation of new educational technologists to lead education organizations in the Knowledge Age? This paper takes an interdisciplinary stance to examine educational administration, education technology and complexivist thinking about leadership in our field. It begins with a critical analysis using one of six educational leadership/administration knowledge “contexts” - leadership vs. management - to unpack our field’s existing position on the topic (English, 2011). For parsimony, the other five contexts are mentioned briefly throughout this paper: (2) organizing and institutions and (3) Policy and governance. (4) Finance and Human Resources; (5) Change and Innovation and (6) Learning and technology. Other articles in this Special Edition of Tech Trends testify that outstanding, effective leadership exists in small, medium and large organizations every day around the world because of educational technologists doing amazing work in various contexts. This article suggests a frame for expanding our field’s epistemology for in-program and emerging educational technologists to build their capability to lead organizations that learn in a Knowledge Age.     

The Impact of Field Trips and Family Involvement on Mental Models of the Desert Environment

This study examined the mental models of the desert environment held by fourth‐ and seventh‐grade students in the USA and whether those mental models could be affected by: (1) classroom field trips to a desert riparian preserve, and (2) interaction with family members at the same preserve. Results generally indicated that students in this study were resolute in their models and that field trips did not impact the types of models students adhered to. Twenty‐three seventh‐grade students who self‐selected to participate in a Family Science Club with their parents did demonstrate a shift in their mental models and developed significantly more sophisticated models over time. A critical implication of the study is that unless transformation of mental models of the environment is an explicit goal of instruction, simple exposure to the environment (even within the context of life science instruction) will not transform understandings of how organisms within an environment act and interact interdependently.     

THE BUREAU — VALUABLE TODAY AND EVEN MORE SO TOMORROW

In order to reflect on the present status and future challenge of the central agency for Jewish education as it confronts the last decade of the 20th century and enters into the 21st, it is important to define the role and activities of the central agency as they exist at present.