Educational Technology | O

Oberlander, Judith; Talbert-Johnson, Carolyn (2007).  Envisioning the Foundations of Technology Integration in Pre-Service Education  [Online Submission, Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators (33rd, San Diego, CA, Feb 2007)] 

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the perceptions of technology integration by 90 entry level students in a teacher education program. During their field experience placement, candidates observed teachers' integration of technology in the classroom. During the final week of observation, the candidates completed a modified version of BETA 04-05 Teacher Survey (Biennial Educational Technology Assessment). The BETA Teacher Survey is a self-report online instrument developed by eTech Ohio (2004) to assess how technology supports classroom curricular needs. Demographic information was reported and the second part of the survey identified strategies for technology integration. Candidates ranked the frequency of technology use by K-12 teachers and students in the classrooms. A university statistician unfamiliar with the candidates or the course analyzed the data statistically using the SPSS software program. Results indicate that teaching experience had a significant effect on use of technology for data manipulation/organization because teachers with less experience were more apt to use technology for data management. This study illustrates that if teachers possess the requisite technology skills they are more likely to integrate educational technologies in their instructional repertoires which can enhance the learning of all students. It also sheds light on the impact of technological advancements in a variety of academic environments and areas as well as how changes in practice are occurring (or not occurring) in these settings. It is imperative that teacher education ensure that preservice candidates are indeed provided the opportunity to explore and develop effective uses of technology in K-12 classrooms. Additionally, teacher education must promote technology use in authentic contexts through curriculum-based, technology-enhanced field experiences. | [FULL TEXT]

Ozgun-Koca, S. Asli (2001).  The Graphing Skills of Students in Mathematics and Science Education. ERIC Digest. 

Graphical representations play an important role in both science and mathematics education. Graphs can summarize very complex information or relationships very effectively. Although graphs are explicitly taught in mathematics classrooms as an end in themselves, many subject areas such as science or social studies utilize graphs to represent and interpret relationships. So being able to interpret or construct graphical representations is a crucial skill for every student whether or not they want to pursue science- or mathematics-related careers. However, many researchers detected that many students lack graphing skills. This digest explains research findings and contains a brief annotated bibliography of Internet sites on how to improve graphing skills. | [FULL TEXT]

Ozgur, Aydin Ziya; Kiray, Huseyin Selcuk (2007).  Evaluating Audio Books as Supported Course Materials in Distance Education: The Experiences of the Blind Learners  [Online Submission] 

Anadolu University has a technical infrastructure, well-qualified faculty, and operates in an innovative and flexible frame. It takes an initiative role to meet the needs of higher education in Turkey by providing equal opportunity not only to satisfy those who value the principle of lifelong education but also seeks new information via distance education with the help of information and communication technologies. Anadolu University Open Education System utilizes all the facilities of contemporary education technology as well as traditional methods in its practices of distance education. Moreover, it provides the learners with the individualized, diversified and enriched services and the opportunities of contemporary education and communication technologies. The audio-book project is designed and based on individualized learning principles, notably for the blind students, in the scope of Anadolu University Open Education System. This project enables the blind learners to study on their own, exempting them from the requirement of studying with someone else, and provides them with the opportunity to study any subjects in the book at their suitable convenience. There are approximately 300 blind students involved in this system. There are 14 course books tailored for the blind students needs whereas more than 21 books of the process of recording are still utilized. The Faculty of School of Music and Drama of Anadolu University vocalize these course books in a radiophonic way. Each course book is numbered according to the order of units, the access to the subjects is simplified, the subjects are distinguished from each other by music and the narration is enriched via emphasizing the important sentences in the topic. By the help of these resource materials, the blind learners can be able to study more effectively, and the learning will be long lasting. The audio course books are designed and delivered to the blind students in an MP3 format. In doing so, the goal is to reach the other learners of the Open Education on the Internet. Approximately 70.000 learners have been benefiting from this service so far. Moreover, the audio books can be designed in audio CD formats and/or audiotapes based on the request from the blind learners. The aim of this study is to evaluate these audio course books based on the experiences of the blind learners.  | [FULL TEXT]

Ozgur, Sami; Pelitoglu, Fatma Cildir (2008).  The Investigation of 6th Grade Student Misconceptions Originated from Didactic about the "Digestive System" Subject  Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 8, 1. 

In this study, the misconceptions emerged as a result of instruction were examined from the viewpoint of the Didactic Transposition Theory. To this end, two randomly selected sample groups (n = 33 and n = 31) from the students of two nearby schools in downtown Balikesir were included in the study. It was observed that different knowledge references had been selected according to the targets of the schools and the instructors. As a result, the transpositions of the teachers affected the "Instructed Knowledge." The differences in the "Instructed Knowledge" affected the "Assimilated Knowledge" of students. Therefore, different misconceptions were observed in each sampling group. In other words, the differences in teachers' transpositions were reflected to the "Assimilated Knowledge" and the misconceptions of students.

Olsen, Florence (2001).  Bringing a University, a State, and a Region into the Networking Era.  Chronicle of Higher Education, 47, 17. 

Describes technological advances at North Dakota State University under the direction of Bonnie M. Neas, formerly the director of information-technology services and currently the head of Internet research. Campus networks were in their infancy when she began her programs, but now the university is part of a consortium building a high-speed research network.

Olsen, Walter R.; Sommers, William A. (2005).  Energizing Staff Development Using Film Clips: Memorable Movie Moments that Promote Reflection, Conversation, and Action  [Corwin Press] 

Video and DVD clips give participants an opportunity to explore values and ideas, learn about one another, and, in the process, build a stronger learning community. "Energizing Staff Development Using Film Clips" is a collection of film and television clips that staff developers can use to encourage discussion and reflection on pertinent, common themes, including courage, communication, change, conflict, creativity, and leadership. Each chapter includes real-life examples of how clips may be used in staff development settings, quotes for extending thinking and discussion, and articles and books that relate to the chapter theme. Each film clip section includes: (1) A synopsis of the scene; (2) An explanation of critical themes; (3) Start and stop times; (4) The length of the clip; (5) Suggested discussion questions; and (6) Contexts for use. These instructive film clips lead to helpful conversations, create positive plans of action, and promote learning through reflection. Whether planning a team meeting, a faculty meeting, or a training program, leaders and organizations will find a clip to generate conversations about many of the most pressing issues in education. Following an introduction, this book is divided into six chapters: (1) Film Clips That Explore Conflict; (2) Film Clips That Explore Courage and Ethics; (3) Film Clips That Explore Persistence, Commitment, and Values; (4) Film Clips That Explore Creativity and Building Capacity; (5) Film Clips That Explore Keeping Hope Alive; and (6) Film Clips That Explore Change. An afterword; Resource: Some Pretty Firm Guidelines for Using Film Clips in Training; and an index conclude the book.

Olson, Allan (2002).  Technology Solutions for Testing.  School Administrator, 4, 59. 

Northwest Evaluation Association in Portland, Oregon, consults with state and local educators on assessment issues. Describes several approaches in place at school districts that are using some combination of computer-based tests to measure student growth. The computerized adaptive test adjusts items based on a student's answer in "real time." On-demand testing provides almost instant scoring.

Olson, Allan (2003).  The Answer To Getting Better Test Data: Ask the Right Questions.  MultiMedia Schools, 10, 3. 

Focuses on weighing the options to find the right technology-based assessment tool in schools and discusses questions to ask: "Do our state tests meet our needs?"; "What type of data is of most value?"; "How do today's assessment choices compare?"; "How important is support?"; and "Which criteria are most important in choosing the right test?"

Olson, Carol Booth; Land, Robert (2008).  Taking a Reading/Writing Intervention for Secondary English Language Learners on the Road: Lessons Learned from the Pathway Project  Research in the Teaching of English, 42, 3. 

These two recipients of this year's Alan C. Purves Award reflect on their work (reported in "RTE" Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 269-303) on "A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for English Language Learners in Secondary School" and the lessons they learned from their original research study as they tried to replicate the project in two additional districts outside their service area, to determine if the implications of their study would hold beyond the local context. The Alan C. Purves Award is given to the "RTE" article in the previous volume year judged most likely to impact educational practice.

Olson, Gary A. (2007).  The Ethics of Technology  Chronicle of Higher Education, 54, 8. 

Many professors, staff members, and even administrators see campus computers and e-mail accounts as their own private property--a type of employment benefit provided with no constraints on use. The fact is, universities "assign" computer equipment to personnel as tools to help them perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently, in the same way that institutions assign offices to faculty members, laboratory space to scientists, or photocopy machines to departments. Computer equipment, far from being personal property, is owned and maintained by the university, with restrictions on how it may be used. In this article, the author highlights some important legal and ethical considerations related to personal use of university computers and discusses examples in which the line was crossed.

Olswang, Lesley B.; Svensson, Liselotte; Coggins, Truman E.; Beilinson, Jill S.; Donaldson, Amy L. (2006).  Reliability Issues and Solutions for Coding Social Communication Performance in Classroom Settings  Journal of Speech. 

Purpose: To explore the utility of time-interval analysis for documenting the reliability of coding social communication performance of children in classroom settings. Of particular interest was finding a method for determining whether independent observers could reliably judge both occurrence and duration of ongoing behavioral dimensions for describing social communication performance. Method: Four coders participated in this study. They observed and independently coded 6 social communication behavioral dimensions using handheld computers. The dimensions were mutually exclusive and accounted for all verbal and nonverbal productions during a specified time frame. The technology allowed for coding frequency and duration for each entered code. Data were collected from 20 different 2-min video segments of children in kindergarten through 3rd-grade classrooms. Data were analyzed for interobserver and intraobserver agreements using time-interval sorting and Cohen's kappa. Further, interval size and total observation length were manipulated to determine their influence on reliability. Results: The data revealed interval sorting and kappa to be a suitable method for examining reliability of occurrence and duration of ongoing social communication behavioral dimensions. Nearly all comparisons yielded medium to large kappa values; interval size and length of observation minimally affected results. Implications: The analysis procedure described in this research solves a challenge in reliability: comparing coding by independent observers of both occurrence and duration of behaviors. Results indicate the utility of a new coding taxonomy and technology for application in online observations of social communication in a classroom setting.

Ozdamli, Fezile (2007).  An Evaluation of Open Source Learning Management Systems According to Administration Tools and Curriculum Design  [Online Submission] 

Distance education is becoming more important in the universities and schools. The aim of this research is to evaluate the current existing Open Source Learning Management Systems according to Administration tool and Curriculum Design. For this, seventy two Open Source Learning Management Systems have been subjected to a general evaluation. After that, among them the eight, most demanded software, were chosen: Atutor, Bazaar, Bodington, Claroline, Coursemanager, ILIAS, Moodle and Sakai. Those software chosen were investigated in detail according to features of the Administration Tools and Curriculum Design respectively. Software have been evaluated by being members of websites, using demo programs and in accordance to the features of given at the internet website. | [FULL TEXT]

Ozdemir, Sarem (2006).  Affects of Television as a Natural Educator: Can Television be a Tool as an Informal Educator? A TRNC Sample  [Online Submission] 

The major objective of this study is to discuss the effects of television on children and adolescents. Our children are spending many hours in front of the television. This study examined the viewing habits and personal opinions of Turkish Cypriot children. The participants were 250 children and adolescents whose ages varied between 4-17. This study revealed that children and adolescents are spending most of their time in front of the TV. Besides most of them admire a character and want to act like their famous character. It is one of the most important finding of some certain studies about the role of television on socialisation and shaping values. In this study, viewing habits and personal opinions of children and adolescents are revealed. From that point of view, some suggestions are put forward in order to benefit more from TV. Also a comparison about viewing habits, effects of watching TV is made between other cultures and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.  | [FULL TEXT]

Ozdener, Nesrin; Biyik, Reha (2007).  Development of a New Curriculum for Computer Education and Comparison with the Current Curriculum of the Turkish Ministry of National Education  [Online Submission] 

The aim of this study is to develop a new curriculum, which meets the standards of today's computer literacy and enables the students to apply the MS Excel program in their daily lives as a tool, for the spreadsheet courses in computer lessons in the 6th, 7th, 8th grades of the current curriculum of the Turkish Ministry of National Education, which is considered requiring improvements. During the study, the new curriculum developed for use in computer lessons was compared with the curriculum, which is currently applied by the Turkish Ministry of National Education, in accordance with the EU standards. Total of 80 students participated in the study. The students were divided into two groups. The spreadsheet curriculum was applied to the first group during the computer lessons. On the other hand, the curriculum for the elective computer course 4 of the Ministry of National Education was applied to the second group. The results of the Spreadsheet Application Tests developed by the researchers were utilized in collection of the necessary data. The t-test and single-factor analysis of variance methods were used in the analysis of the data obtained. The results of the study indicate that the newly developed spreadsheet curriculum is more effective compared to the curriculum of the Ministry of National Education for the computer courses in the primary education. This study will serve as a guide for reviewing and revising the Turkish Ministry of National Education's primary education curriculum for the elective computer courses in line with the EU standards and in the light of the new curriculum developed. The following are appended: (1) Newly Developed Curriculum; and (2) A Sample of Worksheets Used.  [Abstract is provided in both English and Turkish.] | [FULL TEXT]

Ocak, Mehmet (2008).  The Relationship between Gender and Students' Attitude and Experience of Using a Computer Algebra System  Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 27, 3. 

This correlational study examined the relationship between gender and the students' attitude and prior knowledge of using one of the mathematical software programs (MATLAB). Participants were selected from one community college, one state university and one private college. Students were volunteers from three Calculus I classrooms (one class from each school) in which MATLAB was used extensively. A survey regarding students' attitude and experience on using the MATLAB program was administered to classes. The findings of the study indicated that gender differences are not related to students' attitude and experience on the program. The results revealed slightly positive correlation between and students' attitude and experience on the program. The implications of this study shows that teachers who use MATLAB in their instruction and classroom practices must pay attention on how much students use it, the obstacles students had to overcome to succeed in its use, and their general issues and concerns regarding MATLAB use.

Ocaya, R. O. (2000).  A Simple Computer Interface To Time Relatively Slow Physical Events.  Physics Education, 35, 4. 

Describes a simple computer interface that can be used to make reliable time measurements, such as when timing the swings of a pendulum. Presents a sample experiment involving a form of pendulum known as the compound pendulum.

O'Bannon, Blanche; Judge, Sharon (2005).  Implementing Partnerships Across the Curriculum with Technology  Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37, 2. 

As the number of computers accessible to students and teachers has increased, there has been a growing emphasis on integrating technology across the curriculum. Even though schools increasingly invest in new technologies, the actual use of computers in classrooms remains limited. This paper examines a model developed to guide the implementation of a Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to use Technology (PT[3]) project and its capacity to promote improvement of teachers' ability to integrate technologies into their instructional practice. The essential conditions, identified by ISTE, provided the foundation on which this model was developed. Emphasis was placed on access, professional development, support, incentives, and assessment, with the remaining conditions embedded within. The findings indicate that the model was effective in improving teachers' technical skills and their ability to integrate technology into instructional practice. | [FULL TEXT]

O'Bannon, Blanche; Puckett, Kathleen; Rakes, Glenda (2006).  Using Technology to Support Visual Learning Strategies  Computers in the Schools, 23, 1-2. 

Visual learning is a strategy for visually representing the structure of information and for representing the ways in which concepts are related. Based on the work of Ausubel, these hierarchical maps facilitate student learning of unfamiliar information in the K-12 classroom. This paper presents the research base for this Type II computer tool, as well as the alignment of the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS*S) and the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T). In addition, basic information is provided regarding use of visual tools as diagrams and outlines, along with multiple K-12 lesson ideas, adaptations for special populations, software options, and useful Web links.

Onder, Alev; Dagal, Asude Balaban (2007).  Turkish Parents' Views on Quality Standards for Children's Television Programmes  [Online Submission] 

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the opinions of parents of pre-school children about children's programmes on TV. The study had two phases: In the first step "The Evaluation Scale for Children's Programmes" was translated into Turkish, the reliability and validity of the scale was tested through analyzing of the data collected from parents of preschool children. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient of the whole scale was: a=0,95; p less than 0,001. Thus it was concluded that the Turkish version of the scale had sufficient internal reliability. Test-retest reliability of the scale was found to be high (r=0.99; p less than 0,0001). Content validity of the scale was calculated by relating each item to other items in the relevant subscale and the correlation coefficients were found statistically significant as changing between 0.01 and 0.05. In the second step of the study; 189 parents were asked to evaluate the Turkish TV programmes for children on the basis of 9 quality criteria (credibility, comprehensibility, entertainment, aesthetic quality, involvement, presence of role models, innocuousness, restfulness, thought provocation) of the scale. The variables of educational level of parents, the gender and age of children, socio-economic-status of the families were assessed in relation to parents' opinions about the quality of TV programmes for children. The data were analyzed by ANOVA'S. The results indicated that, the educational level of the mother and the gender of the child were found to be related to the "thought provocation" criteria evaluated by parents. In addition, the age of children was related to the quality criteria of "entertainment" and "involvement". The results were discussed in terms of the suitability and the importance of quality criteria for TV programmes produced for children. Besides, the opinions of parents on those criteria were also discussed.  | [FULL TEXT]

Ozogul, Gamze; Olina, Zane; Sullivan, Howard (2008).  Teacher, Self and Peer Evaluation of Lesson Plans Written by Preservice Teachers  Educational Technology Research and Development, 56, 2. 

The study investigated the effects of three types of evaluation on preservice teachers' performance, knowledge and attitudes related to writing lesson plans that incorporate technology. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment conditions: teacher-evaluation, self-evaluation or peer-evaluation. All groups completed three class periods of instruction on writing lesson plans, then each subject submitted his/her draft lesson plan. The drafts were evaluated by assigned evaluators (teacher, self or peer), who provided scores and written feedback on a 15-item rubric. Students then revised their lesson plans into final form. All three treatment groups improved their lesson plans significantly from draft version to final version, with the teacher-evaluation group showing significantly greater improvement and writing significantly better final lesson plans than each of the other two groups. Teacher-evaluation and self-evaluation groups had significantly higher scores on a knowledge-based posttest than the peer-evaluation group. Several suggestions are discussed for making further improvements in the self-evaluation and peer-evaluation processes.

Ozel, Serkan; Yetkiner, Zeynep Ebrar; Capraro, Robert M. (2008).  Technology in K-12 Mathematics Classrooms  School Science and Mathematics, 108, 2. 

Technology integration in mathematics classrooms is important to the field of education, not only because today's society is becoming more and more advanced and reliant upon technology but also because schools are beginning to embrace technology as an essential part of their curricula. The Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2000) and the National Educational Technology Standards (International Society of Technology in Education [ISTE], 2005) for both teachers and students emphasize the importance of technology in teaching and learning for K-12. There is a variety of technologies integrated into mathematics classrooms that support different teaching and learning strategies and objectives. This article discusses the educational technologies used in K-12 mathematics classrooms and their effects on instruction and student learning.

Ozen, Rasit (2008).  Inservice Training (INSET) Programs via Distance Education: Primary School Teachers' Opinions  [Online Submission] 

The aim of this study is to investigate primary school teachers' opinions in relation to inservice training (INSET) programs via distance education. The subjects of this study were primary school teachers (n=70) working in the city center of Bolu-Turkey in the spring semester of 2006-2007 academic year. During the study, the qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews held with primary school teachers by the researcher. The results of the interviews revealed that the INSET needs of the participants should be analyzed before these programs start, the instructional activities of these programs should emphasize the application of the topic areas studied during these programs, should emphasize the active participation of the participants to the program in order to meet their INSET needs and an evaluation of the program should be made when these programs are over in order to examine to what extent the objectives of the program are achieved.  | [FULL TEXT]

Ozkan, Betul C. (2005).  Pros and Cons of Internet2 Videoconferencing as a New Generation Distance Education Tool  Computers in the Schools, 22, 1-2. 

Internet2 is one of the newer ways of videoconferencing in American universities. Over 200 universities in the United States collaborate with each other through these high-quality Internet lines. K-12 schools and libraries nationwide have also started taking advantage of this fiber optic, high-capacity speedy network. However, the term Internet2, still remains obscure to many. This paper addresses pros and cons of using Internet2 as a means of videoconferencing.

Ozkan, Betul C.; Davis, Niki; Johnson, Natalie (2006).  An Innovative Approach on Holistic Analysis of Interview Data: The Case of Iowa State University's Simultaneous Renewal of Teacher Education  [Online Submission] 

In this study, we discuss the use of generative evaluation as an innovative approach in the analysis of qualitative interview data for evaluating simultaneous renewal of Iowa State University's PT3 grant. Goodlad's (1994) simultaneous renewal framework forms the basis of our argument. We focused on the CREATER+ model designed to explain the complexities of understanding simultaneous renewal in this multifaceted university/K-12 partnership. TechCo (Technology Collaborators for Simultaneous Renewal), Iowa State University's (ISU) Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) implementation grant project is aimed at developing systemic change in K-12 schools and teacher education programs through simultaneous renewal. A working definition of educational renewal is an ongoing process of self-examination, reflection, and change (Rafferty, 2003). In this regard the project is focused on renewing teacher education programs through the extensive and effective use and integration of technology in student-centered learning environments. John Goodlad's (1994) theory of simultaneous renewal and constructivist theory in learning and teaching provide the two major frameworks of TechCo.  | [FULL TEXT]

Ozkan, Betul C.; Gunay, Vedat (2004).  Minimizing Security Vulnerabilities in High-Tech Classrooms  T.H.E. Journal, 32, 1. 

Emerging technologies are quickly becoming part of daily learning and teaching endeavors in academia. Due to the access to certain high-tech tools educators must learn how to integrate these tools in educational settings. However, many also encounter problems and weaknesses in the same high-tech environment that uses and delivers information through computer networks. Issues range from maintaining secure networks in classrooms to having a better quality learning environment for students and faculty to use and share information systems. Today, it is a common practice for most universities to use networked computers that enable users to communicate freely with each other. However, only a few students, faculty members and administrators are aware of the risks and vulnerabilities that exist in their network operating systems. In this article, the authors address how students, faculty and administrators can become more knowledgeable of the vulnerabilities in high-tech classrooms.

Ozkan, Betul C.; McKenzie, Barbara K. (2006).  Evaluating Educational Technologies: Technology Connoisseurs in the Campus  [Online Submission, Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of Eastern Educational Research Association (Hilton Head, SC, Feb 22-25, 2006)] 

This paper explores a new approach to the evaluation of educational technologies by using Eisner's connoisseurship model. This model has two essential features in program evaluation: holistic approach to the analysis and interpretation of data and multiple perspectives in the evaluative tasks (Eisner, 1998). Using Eisner's model, the key technology connoisseurs at a state university in the Southeast were interviewed to shed light on the evaluation practices of educational technologies. The results of this study are summarized for those who are interested in alternative evaluation models. The findings should also serve as a guide for technology leaders in making educational improvements.  | [FULL TEXT]

Oncu, Semiral; Delialioglu, Omer; Brown, Catherine A. (2008).  Critical Components for Technology Integration: How do Instructors Make Decisions?  Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 27, 1. 

This article examines how teachers decide which technologies to use in their classrooms and what they expect to gain from adopting technology. Observation, interviews, and document collection were used to collect data as a part of a research project in a Midwestern state. Subjects were 15 to 25 mathematics professionals participating in the project between 2001 and 2003. Results indicated that there were five criteria affecting teachers: (1) accessibility and availability, (2) applicability, (3) influence of colleagues, (4) teachers' skills/knowledge, and (5) students' skills/knowledge. The findings are discussed in a model of technology adoption in relation to the existing literature.

Orhan, Feza (2008).  Redesigning a Course for Blended Learning Environment  [Online Submission] 

This article describes a collaborative study of the blended learning approach, designed to pave the way for higher education students to integrate online and face-to-face learning environments in an "Instructional Technology and Material Development" course at the University of Yildiz Technic in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to investigate the students' perceptions of the blended learning environment and to trace the integration between online and face-to-face learning environments. For this purpose, 30 students were given statements on the redesigned course, which they rated on a 5-point Likert scale. To probe more deeply into their positive and negative responses, a focus group discussion was held to gather the students' views. The findings are reveal that the majority of the students (90%) enjoyed being in the blended learning environment. However, improvement in methods of application and online study materials are needed. Additionally, other factors that may be salient in blended learning environment are also discussed.  | [FULL TEXT]

_____. (2000).  @ONE Summary Report, 2000: Faculty Instructional Technology Survey Results. 

Summarizes the results of the recent statewide @ONE Instructional Technology Survey of full- and part-time faculty at California Community Colleges and highlights policy implications based on the data collected. The @ONE project is funded by the Chancellor's office to enhance instruction and services through expanded uses of technology. Results suggest that faculty continue to have positive attitudes regarding the potential for technology to improve instruction and that they are interested in learning how to use technology to reach instructional goals that benefit students. Faculty use of technology is increasing in a number of areas, especially in the use of the Internet and email. Skills are improving, but data still indicate a need for ongoing training in uses of technology that reflect best practice. Almost half of the responding faculty reported that their departments do not have an adequate budget to purchase needed software. The changing workload of faculty, new roles necessary to support technology mediated instruction, and sufficient infrastructure must be addressed before the California Community Colleges and their students will reap the benefits of technological advances. The survey results point to local training as being most desirable and effective. Strategies to reach and support part-time faculty must be a priority. There must be comprehensive, ongoing funding for technology in the colleges. Appendices include the survey instrument used in this study. | [FULL TEXT]

O'Neal, Judy (2001).  Y=mx+b Really Is Found in Real-Life Situations.  Ohio Journal of School Mathematics. 

O'Neal, Kelly; Jones, W. Paul; Miller, Susan P.; Campbell, Pamela; Pierce, Thomas (2007).  Comparing Web-Based to Traditional Instruction for Teaching Special Education Content  Teacher Education and Special Education, 30, 1. 

Web-based instruction, including both online courses and online degree programs, offer flexibility to students and instructors and are now typical in higher education programs. Researchers compared WBI to traditional instruction for teaching undergraduate students about students with disabilities. Forty-four students participated in this study. Half were enrolled in the Web-based section of the course; half were enrolled in the traditional section. Researchers measured students' achievement and opinions. For pretest and posttest scores, significant differences were found within groups; no significant differences were found between groups. Results indicated that the two groups of students began the course with similar knowledge and completed the course with similar knowledge gains. No significant differences in opinions were found between the two groups. Findings indicated that Web-based instruction is effective for disseminating special education course content to preservice teachers.

O'Neil, A. Fred (2008).  The Current Status of Instructional Design Theories in Relation to Today's Authoring Systems  British Journal of Educational Technology, 39, 2. 

It is of course very difficult to accurately project important characteristics of the future state of any rapidly evolving field, and the field of authoring systems for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is no exception. However, strong trends in evolving CAI systems of today would seem to indicate some important characteristics of the software systems underlying tomorrow's automated instructional systems. Under the premise that form follows function, this paper will explore the functional impetus of some of the most important trends extant in terms of their roots in a powerful, emerging technology of instructional design. This technology promises to complement the advancing hardware and software technologies, by supplying that "sine qua non" of successful instructional materials. It is inevitable that systems of the future will make (and indeed are making) significant accommodations of this vital technology as it matures, and therefore some important characteristics of tomorrow's systems can be predicated upon what is already known of this technology of instructional design. [This paper was first published in two parts in "Interactive Learning International," Vol. 2, nos 3 & 4, 1985, 23-26 and 29-33, by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.]

O'Neil, Harold F.; Chuang, San-hui; Chung, Gregory K. W. K. (2004).  Issues in the Computer-Based Assessment of Collaborative Problem Solving. CSE Report 620  [National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST)] 

Collaborative problem-solving skills are considered necessary skills for success in today's world of work and school. Cooperative learning refers to learning environments in which small groups of people work together to achieve a common goal, and problem solving is defined as "cognitive processing directed at achieving a common goal when no solution method is obvious to the problem solver" (R. E. Mayer & M. C. Wittrock, 1996, p. 47). Thus, collaborative problem solving is defined as problem-solving activities that involve interactions among a group of individuals. This paper will address several key issues (e.g., theory and measurement of collaborative problem solving and issues in measuring problem-solving processes). People rely on computerization of the administration, scoring, and reporting of collaborative problem-solving skills, thus potentially increasing reliability and validity.  | [FULL TEXT]

O'neill, D. K.; Weiler, M. J. (2006).  Cognitive Tools for Understanding History: What More Do We Need?  Journal of Educational Computing Research, 35, 2. 

O'Neill, D. Kevin; Harris, Judith B. (2005).  Bridging the Perspectives and Developmental Needs of All Participants in Curriculum-Based Telementoring Programs  Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37, 2. 

Telementoring, also referred to as e-mentoring or online mentoring, has been carried out in a wide range of K-12 environments and continues to grow in popularity. Through a review of several studies, we argue that the potential for telementoring to support deeper and more authentic school learning will not be fully realized unless researchers pay more conscious attention to the developmental character of telementoring relationships. We discuss the flaws of up-front training as an approach to improving program outcomes, and compare three other strategies (iteration, facilitation, and open access to models) that can be used in combination to supplement training. | [FULL TEXT]

O'Neill, D. Kevin; Polman, Joseph L. (2004).  Why Educate "Little Scientists?" Examining the Potential of Practice-Based Scientific Literacy  Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41, 3. 

O'Neill, R.; Colley, A. (2006).  Gender and Status Effects in Student E-Mails to Staff  Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22, 5. 

Okamoto, Toshio; Cristea, Alexandra (2001).  A Distance Ecological Model for Individual and Collaborative-Learning Support.  Educational Technology & Society, 4, 2. 

Discussion of the need for training in new information technologies focuses on the development of a distance education model for training teachers in computer literacy. Explains individual and collaborative learning support and the authoring module, and presents the results of preliminary evaluations.

Okan, Zuhal (2003).  Edutainment: Is Learning at Risk?  British Journal of Educational Technology, 34, 3. 

This article begins with a definition of "edutainment," a hybrid genre that relies heavily on visual material, on narrative or game-like formats, and on more informal, less didactic styles of address. It examines what technology and education entail. Discussion then focuses on a critique of problems with edutainment, drawing on the findings of educational psychology.

Okan, Zuhal (2007).  Towards a Critical Theory of Educational Technology  [Online Submission] 

The purpose of this study is to offer a critical consideration of current initiatives, and common sense discourses, forcing educators to adopt and integrate educational technology on a large scale. This study argues that it is time, in the relative absence of a critical debate, to ask questions that should precede a wholesale adoption of technology. It will first provide various definitions of technology including determinist and instrumentalist approaches. Then it will move towards a critical theory of technology in which the discussion is broadened to a critique of promises of technology drawing on technopositivism as a marketed ideology. The study cites research, computer-assisted language learning in particular, to show whether the implementation of information technologies has been able to match their promises. It calls for critical awareness of how technology is impacting education and at the same time for the engagement of teachers in exploring the relevant political, economic, and cultural contexts that help shape classroom learning and teaching. | [FULL TEXT]

Olina, Zane; Dwyer, Herb; Savenye, Wilhelmina (2000).  Support and Training for High-School Faculty Who Will Teach Using the Web. 

Over a six-year period, a team of staff members in a high school in the Phoenix, Arizona area explored ways to improve student success while simultaneously reducing instructional costs. Technology as a tool for change played a significant role in most of the solutions that were explored. Increasing access to computers and the Internet by students both at school and off-campus resulted in a proposal for implementing both Web-supplemented and Web-based instruction on a school-wide basis. Based on the preliminary work of the school-district technology personnel, it was decided to conduct a thorough review of approaches and strategies for teacher professional development and support in technology integration. It was envisioned that this study would further inform the decision-making process regarding the implementation of Web-based and Web-supplemented instruction at the high school and across the district. The investigation was carried out as a class project in an advanced graduate-level instructional design class at Arizona State University. The class project represents the beginning of a district-university collaborative effort. This paper describes the major findings of the investigation and offers practical strategies for teacher professional development and support. | [FULL TEXT]

Olina, Zane; Sullivan, Howard J. (2002).  Effects of Classroom Evaluation Strategies on Student Achievement and Attitudes.  Educational Technology Research and Development, 50, 3. 

This study investigated the effects of teacher evaluation and the combination of teacher evaluation and student self-evaluation on student performance and attitudes. Participants were 189 Latvian high school students and six teachers. Students in the teacher-evaluation and the self-plus-teacher evaluation groups received significantly higher ratings on their final projects than those in the no-evaluation group.

Olina, Zane; Sullivan, Howard J. (2004).  Student Self-Evaluation, Teacher Evaluation, and Learner Performance  Educational Technology Research and Development, 52, 3. 

A total of 341 Latvian students and eight teachers participated in this study of student self-evaluation and teacher evaluation. Students completed a 12-lesson teacher-directed instructional program on conducting and writing a report of their own experimental research. Sixteen classes were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: (1) no in-program evaluation, (2) self-evaluation and revision at the research design and draft final report stages, (3) teacher evaluation and student revision at both stages, (4) self-plus-teacher evaluation and student revision at both stages. Students in the teacher-evaluation and self-plus-teacher evaluation conditions received significantly higher ratings from an independent rater on their final research reports. However, students under the self-evaluation conditions had greater confidence in their ability to conduct future experiments.

Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Sadler, Troy D. (2008).  Interactive Patterns and Conceptual Convergence during Student Collaborations in Science  Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45, 5. 

This study examines cognitive and social processes in group interactions that shape collaborative learning in science classrooms. Three small groups of students were observed while working collaboratively on explaining the burning of a candle under a jar. The learning environment served as a context for examination of conceptual convergence, a process wherein students construct shared meanings for science concepts through gradual refinement of ambiguous, partial meanings presented in group space. Despite engaging in the same activity with very similar instructional supports, the groups displayed very different patterns of interaction and achieved varied degrees of conceptual convergence. One group collaborated effectively and displayed evidence of individual conceptualizations of science content converging to establish a more well-informed shared conceptualization. The other groups were not as successful, each for unique reasons. Problems demonstrated in one group included lack of self-confidence, poor monitoring of group learning, and active avoidance of potentially fruitful conceptual conflicts. The other group struggled primarily because of a combative social context. The major educational significance of this study was the identification of social context and interactive patterns, group approaches to conceptual conflicts, and instructors' roles in collaborative activities as crucial aspects of productive group learning.

Oliver, Kevin; Hannafin, Michael (2001).  Developing and Refining Mental Models in Open-Ended Learning Environments: A Case Study.  Educational Technology Research and Development, 49, 4. 

This qualitative case study focused on the nature of science learning through open-ended problem solving with eighth graders. Discusses results of interviews and observation that suggested students only partially derived accurate mental models, and makes recommendations for improving student understanding in open-ended environments. .

Oliver, Martin (2000).  Evaluating Online Teaching and Learning.  Information Services & Use, 20, 2-3. 

Considers the issues facing the evaluation of online teaching and learning in higher education, based on experiences in the United Kingdom. Topics include characteristics of distance learning; evaluating learning technology; formative evaluation; summative evaluation; illuminative evaluation; integrative evaluation; evaluation for quality assurance; and costs.

Oliver, Martin (2002).  What Do Learning Technologists Do?  Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 39, 4. 

Examines who learning technologists are, what they do, and how they do it, based on interviews with practicing learning technologists. Highlights include working with academics on sustained curriculum development activities; staff development; descriptions of roles; collaboration as pedagogy; and a theoretical model of learning technologists' practice.

Oliver, Martin; Harvey, Jen (2002).  What Does 'Impact' Mean in the Evaluation of Learning Technology?  Educational Technology & Society, 5, 3. 

Considers how projects in higher education must often demonstrate their impact through measurement and evaluation and describes experiences in the EFFECTS (Effective Framework for Embedding C&IT through Targeted Support) project that focused on the use of communications and information technology (C&IT). Highlights include impact on students and academics; institutional impact; and national impact.

Oliver, Martin; MacBean, J.; Conole, G.; Harvey, J. (2002).  Using a Toolkit To Support the Evaluation of Learning.  Journal of Computer-Assisted Learning, 18, 2. 

Describes a toolkit that was developed to help faculty members evaluate learning that uses information and communication technologies. Presents a two-part evaluation of the toolkit's impact which demonstrates that this approach enhances design, supports reflection, and prompts users to consider the most appropriate approach to evaluation.

Oliver, R. (2006).  Exploring a Technology-Facilitated Solution to Cater for Advanced Students in Large Undergraduate Classes  Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22, 1. 

Often with large classes of students it is difficult to cater for individual needs. Large classes hold many students, some of whom may be under-prepared for the course they are taking and some who will already have a high degree of familiarity with much of the planned content and learning outcomes. In catering for the diversity of students, teachers often teach to the lowest common denominator, catering for the former, but failing to provide a challenging and fulfilling learning programme for the latter. This paper describes a project undertaken in an Australian university where students enrolled in a large class were provided with the opportunity and incentive to undertake a technology-facilitated individual authentic learning project in place of the more structured coursework pathway. The purpose of the activity was to enable advanced students to extend their learning through an independent project. An inquiry was undertaken to explore the effectiveness of such an approach as a means to cater for diversity in the cohort and to investigate the factors influencing the learning outcomes that were achieved.

Oliver, Ron; Herrington, Jan (2003).  Exploring Technology-Mediated Learning from a Pedagogical Perspective  Interactive Learning Environments, 11, 2. 

A considerable amount of the effort and enthusiasm that goes into the development and implementation of technology-mediated learning environments often fails to create effective settings for learning. Too often the opportunities and advantages of the use of technology in the learning process are poorly exploited. This paper explores ways in which contemporary pedagogical principles can inform and guide the design of technology-mediated learning environments. The paper argues the need to plan learning settings based on meaningful and relevant activities and tasks which are supported in deliberate and proactive ways by the tutor. The paper presents and describes a framework which supports a design process comprising three critical strategies: the selection of learning tasks; the selection of learning supports; and the selection of learning supports as a strategy for the development of online learning settings that promote knowledge construction.

Oliver-Hoyo, Maria (2001).  Problem Analysis: Lesson Scripts and Their Potential Applications.  Journal of Chemical Education, 78, 10. 

Basic data collection can be used to provide information on what kind of teaching strategies can be used to teach students who are solving chemistry problems. Recommends using lesson scripts that challenge students to find the right answer.

Olivero, Federica; John, Peter; Sutherland, Rosamund (2004).  Seeing Is Believing: Using Videopapers to Transform Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Practice  Cambridge Journal of Education, 34, 2. 

Gaps, barriers, boundaries and walls are words often used to describe the separation between educational research and practice. They account for the differences that are said to exist between the 'two cultures'; the members of which appear to occupy different worlds, have different mindsets and express themselves in different discourses. The purpose of this paper is to suggest ways of overcoming this divide by presenting a new genre of publication, videopaper, that integrates and synchronizes different forms of representation, such as text, video and images, in one cohesive document. We argue that this has the potential to end the elision in the educational community which sees researchers as knowledge generators and teachers as knowledge translators. We contend that videopaper has a range of affordances that may help the professional and academic communities to find new ways of seeing, creating and using educational research.

Olivero, Federica; Robutti, Ornella (2007).  Measuring in Dynamic Geometry Environments as a Tool for Conjecturing and Proving  International Journal of Computers for Mathematical Learning, 12, 2. 

This paper sits within the research on the affordances of new technologies in the mathematics classroom and focuses on a specific feature that is available in dynamic geometry environments, i.e. measuring tools, within the context of conjecturing and proving in open geometry problems. We develop a classification of different modalities of measuring, based on our previous work on dragging. The modalities are illustrated through the analysis of 15-16 year-old students' proving processes, which focuses on how these modalities relate to the moves between the spatio-graphical field and the theoretical field and may either support or hinder the proving process. The classification of the modalities of measuring enables researchers to access students' cognitive processes and teachers to be aware of the different possible uses and interpretation of measuring, giving them tools to support students when difficulties arise.

Olivier, Bill (2007).  Having Your Cake and Eating It: The e-Framework's Service-Oriented Approach to IT in Higher Education  EDUCAUSE Review, 42 n4 p58-60, 62. 

Over the last ten years, the use of the Internet has moved from a small number of specialists to the population at large, including all ages and social groups. More recently, for those with access to computers and broadband, the Internet has become almost ubiquitous, with people using it at work, on the move, and for all sorts of leisure and personal activities. A new context is needed for higher education: a world in which technology plays a role in supporting people in whatever they want to do; a world in which technology is flexible, responsive, and easily adaptable to needs; a world in which technology no longer determines, or constrains, what people can do. The new software-design paradigm focuses on the use of small components that can easily exchange data with each other and that can be mixed and matched. This is the essential characteristic of a "service-oriented approach." In this article, the author looks more closely at the issues to apply this approach to the higher education context. He talks about applying the service-oriented approach to the issues of cost, performance, and control. He discusses several underpinning principles as well as the benefits of the e-Framework.

Olivier, Elsabe (2007).  The Efficacy of Institutional Repositories: Reflections on the Development of a Personalised Collection on UPSpace  Perspectives in Education, 25, 1. 

There is much speculation that the development of institutional repositories will impact on or even change the traditional scholarly communication process. The purpose of this conversation is to introduce the reader to the use of and response to institutional repositories which were initiated by the Open Access Initiative. The concept of institutional repositories will be described, as well as their advantages and uses in institutions, specifically a personalised academic collection (the Jonathan Jansen Collection) which was developed on UPSpace, the institutional repository of the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

O'Day, Danton H. (2008).  Using Animations to Teach Biology: Past & Future Research on the Attributes that Underlie Pedagogically Sound Animations  American Biology Teacher, 70, 5. 

The most effective teachers use a diversity of methods and approaches to assist their students in the learning process. Multiple technical resources (commonly referred to as multimedia) are currently used by many instructors to communicate difficult topics and concepts to their students in meaningful ways. The issue that arises is not only how to use the various multimedia but how to use them effectively. One area of rapid development is in the area of short instructional animations that can be used in class or made available online. An extensive literature exists on the value of animations in teaching in many different disciplines, but studies in biology are few. Various sources have shown that animations are more effective than static sequential images. In this article, the author evaluates how animations can be and have been used as effective teaching and learning tools in biology and what more needs to be done to understand their true value.

Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral; Sengul-Turgut, Gulsen (2008).  Does Constructivist Teaching Help Students Move Their Epistemological Beliefs in Physics through Uppers Levels?  [Online Submission, Paper presented at the Conference of Asian Science Education (CASE) (Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Feb 20-23, 2008)] 

The examination of the development of students' epistemological beliefs is important. There is little empirical evidence for precisely how epistemological beliefs are altered. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of constructivist teaching on students' epistemological beliefs in physics. One-group pretest-posttest research design was utilized for the study. The participants were 15 nine-grade students. The participants were interviewed before and after the instruction where constructivist teaching was employed. Results indicated that teaching methods and strategies based on constructivist approach helped the students move their epistemological beliefs in physics through upper levels.  [This paper was published in: The Proceedings of the Conference of Asian Science Education (CASE) (Kaohsiung, Taiwan, February 20-23, 2008).] | [FULL TEXT]

Oldknow, Adrian (2000).  Micromaths: Removing Euclid from the Shackles.  Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications, 19, 3. 

Attempts to lay the groundwork for a study of curves produced as loci using dynamic geometry. Provides some sketches of ways Cabri may be used to enhance the teaching of geometry with particular reference to synthetic plane Euclidean geometry, locus, and the conics.

Oldknow, Adrian (2001).  The Graphic Calculator Is Dead, Long Live Hand Held Technology.  Micromath, 17, 3. 

Explores the broader potential of hand held technology. Presents web resources with descriptions of new technologies and applications that include graphing calculators and classroom communication systems.

Oldknow, Adrian (2006).  Let's Get the Show on the Road!  Mathematics Teaching Incorporating Micromath. 

Over the last three years the Government strategy on ICT in education has been refocused on getting ICT embedded in subject teaching. The DfES has been working closely with subject professional associations such as ATM and the Mathematical Association (MA) to help with this objective. In November 2004, the Department's ICT in Schools Division (now the Technology Group) worked with subject associations to set up a number of "roadshows" showcasing the best of what ICT was currently available to support teaching and learning. The rationale is that there is now a very extensive range of appropriate mathematical content (software, files, resource materials, tutorials, guides, etc.)--much of it free or at very low cost--as well as a good experience base of using appropriate hardware and classroom management. However, it appears that not only is much of this not finding its way into classroom teaching but also that many teachers are unaware of just what is currently available. The purpose of the pilot regional events is to make sure that those who have a role in supporting mathematics teachers in schools are themselves fully informed. The purpose of this article is to provide a convenient summary of the kinds of materials now available to support the embedding of the ICT in mathematics teaching and learning.

Oldknow, Adrian (2008).  Cubism and "Cabri"  Mathematics Teaching Incorporating Micromath. 

Prague, as many people will know, is a beautiful and very accessible city with many architectural gems. One of its lesser-known features is its architectural link with cubism. These include a remarkable streetlamp hidden in a small square, Jungmannovo namesti, just a stone's throw from the main Mustek metro station at the top of Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske namesti). This article illustrates some of the ways in which teachers can use dynamic geometry software, such as "Cabri 3D" and "Cabri II Plus," to help model structures both to give good fits to images taken from photographs and to perform analyses on them using measures, scales and calculations.

(2004).  Oracle Academy: Four Success Stories Model the Competitive Edge of CTE  Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers, 79, 8. 

"Vocational Education's" transformation to "Career and Technical Education" (CTE) is clearly underway as evidenced by the increased number of advanced topics and knowledge depth being taught in courses today. Technology advances across all industry sectors impact all CTE departments--from Agricultural Science to Business and Marketing. Building off a tradition of "real world" learning, Oracle Corporation via its Oracle Academy is a model business/education partnership taking CTE to the next level. The Oracle Academy partners with high schools to provide curriculum, professional development, Oracle technology and expertise valued at more than $130,000 per school. Students, in turn, receive a high-touch, high-quality learning experience on skills all employers require. The business/IT curriculum emphasizes both high-tech and professional skills--such as critical thinking, problem solving, debate, negotiation, presentation and organizational skills--necessary for all future careers. The four stories presented in this article highlight the innovative ways high schools are leveraging CTE partnerships with Oracle Corporation.

Oral, Behcet (2008).  The Evaluation of the Student Teachers' Attitudes toward Internet and Democracy  Computers & Education, 50, 1. 

The aims of this study are to find out (1) how student teachers' attitudes toward Internet affect their attitudes toward democracy, (2) how student teachers' attitudes toward democracy are in terms of their purpose of using Internet and (3) benefits provided by the Internet. The research is carried out in Ziya Gokalp Education Faculty at Dicle University during 2005-2006 academic year by the participation of 440 student teachers in total. "Likert Type Attitude Scale Toward the Use of Internet," was used to determine the student teachers' attitudes toward the Internet and "The Attitude Scale Toward Democracy" was used to find out the attitudes of the student teachers toward democracy. The data are analyzed by using variance analysis and correlation (Pearson) techniques. Scheffe test is used for significance test. A positive significant correlation was determined between subscales ("using Internet in teaching," "using Internet in research," "liking to use Internet in teaching," "using Internet in communication" and "using Internet in sharing information") of attitude scale towards using Internet and subscales ("inclination to democracy," "devotion to democracy"and "qualities of democracy") of attitude scale towards democracy. However, a negative significant correlation is found between the attitudes of student teachers toward "using Internet in teaching," "using Internet in research," "liking to use Internet in teaching" and "negative view to democracy." According to student teachers' purpose of using Internet, the difference between their attitudes towards "devotion to democracy" and "qualities of democracy" is significant. In addition, the difference between their attitudes toward "devotion to democracy" is significant in terms of the benefits provided by Internet.

O'Connell, David J.; McCarthy, John F.; Hall, Douglas T. (2004).  Print, Video, or the CEO: The Impact of Media in Teaching Leadership with the Case Method  Journal of Management Education, 28, 3. 

Case teaching has the potential to involve students in complex decision settings, enhancing their identification with protagonists facing difficult challenges. This article explores the impact of teaching a printed leadership case study with and without the appearance of the CEO in class--by video or in person. Our investigation shows, via qualitative and quantitative means, that the leader's presence, even through video, significantly affects student engagement and can substantially enhance impressions of leadership effectiveness. We offer implications for teachers and propose future research directions.

O'Connell, John; Phye, Gary (2005).  Creating Strategies for Improved Teaching and Learning  T.H.E. Journal, 32, 12. 

Like so many other states, Iowa faces the acute challenge of improving teacher quality. To address this problem, the state has been conducting and procuring a system over the last two years that will move Iowa into compliance with No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requirements in the areas of teacher quality and the core subjects of reading, mathematics, and science. Building on experiences and lessons learned from previous state efforts, Iowa is now focusing on teaching pedagogy and best practices in the previously mentioned academic areas, teacher technology support, and the creation of learning communities. Specifically, the state is attempting to: (1) Address the NCLB requirements within the context of the federal government's educational entitlement programs as a rural state; (2) Discuss the problem of evaluating the effectiveness of technology and teacher fidelity in implementing pedagogy in meeting the NCLB requirements; and (3) Develop and evaluate a communication plan and support system in order to disseminate effective strategies and best practices to other schools both within and outside of Iowa. This article discusses the combination of technology and the greater involvement of administrators in changing the previous cycle of ineffectiveness to one that makes a real difference in teaching and learning.

O'Connell, Susan, Ed. (2007).  Math Process Standards Series, Grades PreK-2 [with CD-ROMs]  [Heinemann] 

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)'s Process Standards support teaching that helps children develop independent, effective mathematical thinking. The books in the Heinemann Math Process Standards Series give every primary teacher the opportunity to explore each standard in depth. With language and examples that don't require prior math training to understand, the series offers friendly, reassuring advice and ready-to-use examples to any teacher ready to embrace the Process Standards. Each book includes a CD-ROM with customizable activities and a correlation guide that helps you match mathematical content with process. The complete Math Process Standards Series, Grades PreK-2 includes: (1) Introduction to Communication, Grades PreK-2 (Susan O'Connell and Kelly O'Connor); (2) Introduction to Connections, Grades PreK-2 (Honi J. Bamberger and Christine Oberdorf); (3) Introduction to Problem Solving, Grades PreK-2 (Susan O'Connell); (4) Introduction to Reasoning and Proof, Grades PreK-2 (Karren Schultz-Ferrell, Brenda Hammond, and Josepha Robles); and (5) Introduction to Representation, Grades PreK-2 (Kimberly S. Witeck and Bonnie H. Ennis).

O'Connell, Susan, Ed. (2008).  Math Process Standards Series, Grades 3-5  [Heinemann] 

NCTM's Process Standards support teaching that helps upper elementary level children develop independent, effective mathematical thinking. The books in the Heinemann Math Process Standards Series give every intermediate-grades teacher the opportunity to explore each standard in depth. With language and examples that don't require prior math training to understand, the series offers friendly, reassuring advice and ready-to-use examples to any teacher ready to embrace the Process Standards. Each book includes a CD-ROM with customizable activities and a correlation guide that helps you match mathematical content with process.

O'Connell, Susan; Croskey, Suzanne G. (2008).  Introduction to Communication, Grades 6-8 [with CD-ROM]. The Math Process Standards, Grades 6-8 Series  [Heinemann] 

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM's) Process Standards support teaching that helps students develop independent, effective mathematical thinking. The books in the Heinemann Math Process Standards Series give every middle grades math teacher the opportunity to explore each standard in depth. The series offers friendly, reassuring advice and ready-to-use examples to any teacher ready to embrace the Process Standards. In "Introduction to Communication," Susan O'Connell and Suzanne Croskey show ways to help students explore, express, and better understand mathematical content through talking and writing. They offer an array of entry points for understanding, planning, and teaching, including strategies that help students put their ideas into words, clarify them, elaborate on them, and ultimately produce clear and organized math writing. The book and accompanying CD-ROM are filled with activities that are: (1) Modifiable for immediate use with students of all levels; and (2) Customizable to match your specific lessons. In addition, a correlation guide helps users match the math content you teach with the mathematical processes it utilizes. If your students struggle to describe their mathematical thinking, or if you're simply looking for new ways to work the communication standard into your curriculum, read, dog-ear, and teach with "Introduction to Communication." And if you'd like to learn about any of NCTM's process standards, or if you're looking for new, classroom-tested ways to address them in your math teaching, look no further than Heinemann's Math Process Standards Series. You'll find them explained in the most understandable and practical way: from one teacher to another. The book contains eight chapters: (1) Exploring the Role of Communication in Middle Grades Mathematics; (2) Providing a Context for Math Talk; (3) Orchestrating Math Talk; (4) Developing the Language of Math; (5) Writing to Learn and Learning to Write; (6) Supporting Students as They Write; (7) Reading about Math; and (8) Assessing Math Communication across the Content Standards.

O'Connor, Bridget N. (2007).  Innovative Research Strategies for Business Education  Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 49, 1. 

An internal, ongoing debate that all professional areas of study have is how to understand the impact of shifting economies, demographics, technologies, and globalization. Much business education research focuses on describing current practices. To this end, issues are often addressed by using surveys that are analyzed using descriptive analysis techniques to describe what is happening at a given time, e.g., the software tools being taught at the high school level, or descriptions of what practitioners believe are the most useful concepts to be included in a curriculum. Such snapshots of trends or perspectives are useful in that they describe current practices or attitudes that can help one understand "what is," and are incredibly helpful foundations for a profession during its early establishment phase. At this point in time, however, business education may (emphasize "may") be suffering from not going beyond borders to understand how the economy, demographics, technology, and globalization is affecting one's relevance. In this article, the author sparks some methodological inventiveness, discusses (mostly) qualitative research methods that require one to reach outside of his traditional circles or expand his inner circles to better understand phenomena. Included in this article are a few examples of how these methods have been used to address old problems in new ways.

O'Connor, Debra (2003).  Application Sharing in K-12 Education: Teaching and Learning with Rube Goldberg.  TechTrends, 47, 5. 

Describes development and implementation of "Rube-o-Rama," a videoconferencing project conducted during the fall of 2001 between graduate students at Purdue University (Indiana) and a classroom of fifth grade students in Indianapolis (Indiana) that had Rube Goldberg as the encompassing topic.

O'Connor, Eileen A. (2007).  A Case Study of the Approach to Teaching and to Technology of Three New Teachers in an Alternative Teacher Certification Program  Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35, 3. 

The Master of Arts in Teaching program at Empire State College, a new alternative teacher certification program focused on bringing career-changing adults to high-needs schools, provides a unique opportunity to understand the challenges facing new teachers, in their content area and in their use of technology. This article describes aspects of three new science teachers' graduate course work that aligned with their first semester as alternatively-certified teachers, examining their teaching practice, their general use of instructional technology, and their self-chosen technology project (in response to a course requirement). It attempts to determine what aspects of their backgrounds, circumstances, and approaches might be influencing their instruction and their use of instructional technology including their implicit epistemological beliefs, their expectations of students, their ways of interacting socially-professionally, their prior professional experiences, their knowledge of technology, the availability of technology, and the availability and type of collegial support. An emerging conceptual framework is proposed. It also considers how this clinical model of teacher education with the direct K12-classroom involvement of graduate instructors, the building of a collegial cohort, and its hybrid course design coupled with this particular instructor's educational philosophy (that supports trust-building, selfreporting and self-reflection) has enabled a rich and honest understanding of these new teachers' beliefs, which is a starting point for any fruitful analysis. It calls tor a deeper and more expansive study to determine if findings from this preliminary investigation could be generalized to the larger population of career-changing teachers and to new teachers in general. Considering the well-documented need to close the gap between teacher education and classroom practice, the ability to closely examine new teachers in their actual practice (as naturally afforded to instructors in a clinical model of teacher education) suggests that studies directly within this type of MAT program can provide insights for teacher education practice itself.

O'Connor-Petruso, Sharon Anne (2003).  S.U.N.Y. Students Successfully Integrate Mathematics and Technology in the Intermediate Elementary Science Inquiry Classroom. 

Since the inception of "GOALS 2000: Educate America Act" (1994), the nation at large has been implementing standards for systematic reform. Teachers and teacher candidates must become "techno-savvy" overnight in order to comply with these reform initiatives as their level of expertise in educational technology will ostensibly affect their lesson planning and their students' involvement with the global highway. It is believed that the level of technology skills is embryonic and not in sync with ISTE standards. There is no "bell shaped curve" on the continuum of "techno-savvy" teachers--the majority of teachers and teacher candidates nationwide are in the rudimentary stages. Using current educational standards and theoretical frameworks, a pragmatic model called "Constructual Multi-Modalities Model for MST Inquiry Units" has been developed. The goals for teachers/teacher candidates include: (1) to acquire the skills and knowledge required of a competent and pragmatic pedagogue in the information age in the teaching of elementary school mathematics, science, and technology; (2) to experience through hands-on activities how the disciplines of mathematics and science are integrated and can be enhanced through the highly motivational medium of technology; and (3) to construct their own math-science-technology (MST) Science Inquiry Units in order to turnkey the skills and strategies they master to their prospective students.  | [FULL TEXT]

Otte, Michael (2007).  Mathematical History, Philosophy and Education  Educational Studies in Mathematics, 66, 2. 

History of mathematics occupies itself describing processes of growth and development, whereas philosophy of mathematics is concerned with questions of justification. Both play an essential role within the educational context. But there is a problem because genuine historical studies necessitate ever greater particularity whereas mathematics and philosophy require generality and abstraction. The paper offers some methodological reflections about these matters together with two case studies from nineteenth century history of arithmetic and integration theory, respectively, which try to strike a balance between the directly opposed requirements.

Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Anne; Cullen, Theresa A. (2006).  Preserving the Legacy of PT3 Tools, Strategies & Resources: Knowledge Capture Artifacts  TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 50, 3. 

The federal Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) grant program produced a variety of tools, strategies and resources which different grantee sites designed for educating preservice teachers on the integration of technology in K-12 classrooms. These tools, strategies and resources are referred to as knowledge capture artifacts, since their design typically represents a collection of an individual's or organization's representative knowledge. In this case, the knowledge capture artifacts focus on pedagogy-related content and technology integration. Although most artifacts were designed for local use, many are currently available to preservice teacher educators at any institution. Unfortunately, these artifacts are becoming less accessible due to the lack of maintenance and funding associated with the termination of the PT3 project. The opportunity to use these well-developed resources to support and enhance preservice teacher education is fading. Therefore, as preservice teacher educators, the authors present highlighted knowledge capture artifacts which they found useful for their own preservice education courses. In addition, brief descriptions of the selected artifacts, their value and utility for educating preservice teachers are provided. The authors strongly encourage preservice teacher educators to use, publicize and develop new ideas from these artifacts in order to continue to improve preservice teacher education in the areas of technology use and integration.

O'Leary, Patrick F.; Quinlan, Thomas J., Jr. (2007).  Learner-Instructor Telephone Interaction: Effects on Satisfaction and Achievement of Online Students  American Journal of Distance Education, 21, 3. 

The telephone has a long history as a distance learning technology. This study investigated its impact on the satisfaction and achievement of online students. To measure satisfaction, the expectancy disconfirmation paradigm was used. Online students completed an instrument based on this paradigm at the beginning and end of the semester. A randomly selected treatment group received one telephone call from their instructor during the first two weeks of the semester. Achievement was measured by course grade. The study found that the telephone call had no significant effect on the level of satisfaction reported and that grades of the treatment group were slightly lower than those of the control group. Despite these findings, the majority of students (65%) rated their online experience as having exceeded their expectations.

Okojie, Mabel C. P. O.; Olinzock, Anthony (2006).  Developing a Positive Mind-Set toward the Use of Technology for Classroom Instruction  International Journal of Instructional Media, 33, 1. 

The aim of this paper is to examine various indicators associated with the development of a positive mind-set toward the use of technology for instruction. The paper also examines the resources available to help teachers keep pace with technological innovation. Electronic classrooms have some complexities associated with them; therefore, support systems are very important to maintain a reasonable degree of functionality. Consequently, this paper explores the nature of the support system that will help teachers to remain current both in theoretical knowledge and technical skills. Schools do not exist in a vacuum; the economic superstructure supports them. As a result, the paper discusses how schools should collaborate with businesses and industries for guidance in terms of developing appropriate technologies that will be relevant and meet workplace demands.

Okolo, Cynthia M.; Englert, Carol Sue; Bouck, Emily C.; Heutsche, Anne M. (2007).  Web-Based History Learning Environments: Helping All Students Learn and Like History  Intervention in School and Clinic, 43, 1. 

This article explores the benefits of the Internet to enhance history instruction for all learners. The authors describe a Web-based learning environment, the Virtual History Museum (VHM), that helps teachers create motivating, inquiry-based history units. VHM also allows teachers to build supports for learners with disabilities or other learning challenges. A pilot study that demonstrated the impact of the VHM on history learning and participation of eighth-grade students with mild disabilities is discussed.

O'Halloran, Theresa M.; McCartney, Teri J. (2004).  An Evaluation of the Use of Technology as a Tool to Meet Group Training Standards  Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 29, 1. 

Effectively covering Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) and Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards in a three-credit hour course is perhaps the greatest challenge in teaching group counseling. This study explores the use of an electronic course tool to deliver group theory, while using face-to-face class contact time to develop students' group counseling skills. Graduate students in an M.A. counselor education program participated in this study. Performance data and student and instructor perceptions were collected and analyzed using a qualitative design. Review of these data suggests several successes with the format, primarily that time spent learning and discussing theories online provided the opportunity for skill development during face-to-face class time.

O'Hanlon, Charlene (2007).  1-to-1 Computing: A Measure of Success  T.H.E. Journal, 34, 2. 

When Texas' Technology Immersion Project began in the spring of 2004, a grant from the US Department of Education allowed a parallel project to launch--eTxTIP--to evaluate and measure the success of the program, which equips middle school students in high-risk, high-need areas with laptops. Data is beginning to come in on several of the first 1-to-1 initiatives that were launched three or more years ago, an adequate time frame for obtaining measurable results. Just as expected, formal analysis shows that students are learning more through this new, collaborative instruction that opens the doors of communication and takes education beyond the classroom and into the community at large. Anecdotal success--accounts of positive transformations in the classroom from students, teachers, administrators, and parents--only serves to bolster the formal evaluations of these programs, which for most, were mandated when the programs were implemented.

O'Hanlon, Charlene (2007).  Board Certified  T.H.E. Journal, 34, 6. 

Tom Reardon, a mathematics teacher at Austintown Fitch High School in Ohio, is among the rising number of teachers who use interactive whiteboards in their classes. He uses the device to record his class lectures and offer sample tests that he posts on his personal website for students to download. Reardon found that the results of his students' performances using the technology were quantifiable. Reardon's work demonstrates the full power of an interactive whiteboard when it is in the hands of an expert user. It is because of this potential that school districts across the country are outfitting every classroom in every school with one, throwing their weight behind a technology they believe enhances not only the teaching experience, but also the interaction between teacher and student. However, interactive whiteboards are only as effective as the instructors using them. To use the boards to their full effect, teachers must receive proper training. This article features the positive outcomes of using interactive whiteboards and describes what some school districts are doing to train their instructors with the technology.

Orvis, Kara L., Ed.; Lassiter, Andrea L. R., Ed. (2008).  Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Best Practices and Principles for Instructors  [Information Science Publishing] 

Decades of research have shown that student collaboration in groups doesn't just happen; rather it needs to be a deliberate process facilitated by the instructor. Promoting collaboration in virtual learning environments presents a variety of challenges. This book answers the demand for a thorough resource on techniques to facilitate effective collaborative learning in virtual environments. This book provides must-have information on the role of the instructor in computer-supported collaborative learning, real-world perspectives on virtual learning group collaboration, and supporting learning group motivation. This book contains fourteen chapters: (1) Designing Web-Based Training Courses to Maximize Learning (Traci Sitzmann, Katherine Ely, and Robert Wisher); (2) Collaborative versus Cooperative Learning: The Instructor's Role in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (Orlando J. Olivares); (3) Developing a Community of Practice in an Online Research Lab (Stephanie W. Cawthon and Alycia L. Harris); (4) The Case Method and Collaborative Learning (Stephanie L. Brooke); (5) Preparing Online Instructors: Beyond Using the Technology (Evelyn S. Johnson and Jane Pitcock); (6) Collaborative Work in Online Learning Environments: Critical Issues, Dynamics and Challenges (Erman Yukselturk and Kursat Cagiltay); (7) The Social Psychology of On-line Collaborative Learning: The Good, the Bad, and the Awkward (Donna Ashcraft and Thomas Treadwell); (8) Collaborative Learning Among Faculty: Using Course Management Systems to Support Faculty Development (Ellen L. Nuffer); (9) Development of Online Distributed Training: Practical Considerations and Lessons Learned (Eileen B. Entin, Jason Sidman, and Lisa Neal); (10) Gender and Diversity in Collaborative Virtual Teams (Anna Michailidou and Anastasios Economides); (11) Student Motivation in International Collaboration: To Participate or Not to Participate? (Janice Whatley, Elena Zaitseva, and Danuta Zakrzewska); (12) Help Me, Help You: A Triple Track Approach to Maximizing Collaborative Learning in Complex, Cross-National Virtual Teams (Derrick L. Cogburn and Nanette S. Levinson); (13) Developing Shared Mental Models in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (Marissa L. Shuffler and Gerald F. Goodwin); and (14) Practical Strategies for Assessing the Quality of Collaborative Learner Engagement (John LeBaron and Carol Bennett).

Osguthorpe, Russell T.; Graham, Charles R. (2003).  Blended Learning Environments: Definitions and Directions.  Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 4, 3. 

This discussion of blended learning environments covers: (1) background; (2) why the term "blended" is used, and what can be blended; (3) goals of blended learning environments, including pedagogical richness, access to knowledge, social interaction, personal agency, cost effectiveness, and ease of revision; and (4) characteristics of five case studies.

Osguthorpe, Russell T.; Osguthorpe, Richard D. (2007).  Instructional Design as a Living Practice: Toward a Conscience of Craft  Educational Technology Magazine: The Magazine for Managers of Change in Education, 47, 4. 

Instructional design scholars have emphasized the development of theories and models more than the study of professional practice. Although both theoretical and practical knowledge are essential in a professional discipline, the field has not yet articulated the relationship between the two types of knowledge and how understanding this relationship can lead to improved professional practice. In this article, the authors describe the roles of theoretical and practical knowledge in the field, offer a framework for examining the foundational assumptions and personal beliefs associated with these types of knowledge, and suggest a way for designers and theorists alike to engage in forms of reasoning that lead to the development of a conscience of craft. They continue by arguing that the more one develops a conscience of craft, the more effective and alive one's practice becomes. The article concludes with implications for educational programs that prepare instructional designers.

Osguthorpe, Russell T.; Osguthorpe, Richard D.; Jacob, W. James; Davies, Randy (2003).  The Moral Dimensions of Instructional Design.  Educational Technology, 43, 2. 

Presents a case for viewing instructional design as a moral endeavor; offers a framework for discussing the moral dimensions of the profession, including conscience formation and competency development; and discusses ways the framework can be used to improve the practice of instructional design.

O'Brien, David; Beach, Richard; Scharber, Cassandra (2007).  "Struggling" Middle Schoolers: Engagement and Literate Competence in a Reading Writing Intervention Class  Reading Psychology, 28, 1. 

In a report of a two-year study of seventh- and eighth-grade struggling readers, researchers employed a mixed research design to address the following guiding questions: (a) how do students' perceptions of the value and purpose of different media-rich projects, in comparison to more traditional pedagogy, relate to their levels of engagement in those projects; and (b) how do the media-rich activities help learners connect their various lived worlds and how do these activities transform their sense of competence and agency, particularly as competence has been defined in relation to traditional print-based activities? Findings indicated that participants found new literacies practices focusing on digital media more engaging than traditional practices. The class created tensions between the juxtaposed official sanctioning of these new literacies which promoted agency with traditional literacies that amplified incompetence and a deficit notion of performance.

O'Brien, Linda; Sidorko, Peter (2000).  Integrating Information, Education and Technology Services. 

The higher education environment is undergoing significant change as it enters a global knowledge-based economy. Technology now enables students to undertake studies that are time and place independent. To thrive in a networked learner environment, new strategic relationships must be created between library and information professionals, information and education technologists, trainers and staff developers, instructional designers and media designers and producers. The University of Newcastle sought strategic advantage through integrating its information, education and technology services in early 1997. This paper explores the rationale for the formation of the division and the strengths and weaknesses of this approach as highlighted through a recent external review. Contains 11 endnotes.  | [FULL TEXT]

O'Brien, Mark; Burton, Diana; Campbell, Anne; Qualter, Anne; Varga-Atkins, Tunde (2006).  Learning Networks for Schools: Keeping up with the Times or a Leap into the Unknown?  Curriculum Journal, 17, 4. 

This article seeks to explore the "fit" of "the network" as an organizational form being implemented in schools in England. It considers current trends within education policy, pedagogy and educational technology in the context of these new service delivery models and relates these to the current interest in learning networks. The article draws upon the experience of school networks as it has been discussed in evaluation research and literature surveys, to highlight the issues around their implementation. The purpose, typology and potential tensions of educational networks are reviewed, with a particular focus on the Networked Learning Communities (NLCs) pioneered by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL). Although, on the face of things, the position of the "school network" as a structural model seems logical, there are significant tensions which suggest that the implementation and development of meaningful and high quality networks is far more challenging than the government may appreciate.

O'Lawrence, Henry (2006).  The Influences of Distance Learning on Adult Learners  Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers, 81, 5. 

Distance learning is any type of instruction in which the student and instructor are separated by physical distance (not in the same room) (Wahlstrom, Williams & Shea, 2003). It is a medium of teaching and learning using modern technology so that teachers or students do not have to be together in the classroom. With the growth of distance learning programs, the online format has led to a growing interest in learning among adult learners and in continuing pursuit of their educational goals. The author discovered that many students, administrators and even faculty did not understand that the definition and the role of distance education is very broad. For the purpose of this study, an instrumental case study was conducted as an in-depth inquiry that observes historical facts and development occurrences, and presents conditions and environmental interactions that are instrumental in accomplishing something other than understanding (O'Lawrence, 1999). This study focuses more on insight, discovery, and interpretation and understanding of the perceptions of adult learners participating in distance learning education. Its objective is to develop an understanding of the dynamics and influence of distance learning on adult learners.

Olafsen, Runar Normark; Cetindamar, Dilek (2005).  E-Learning in a Competitive Firm Setting  Innovations in Education & Teaching International, 42, 4. 

This paper explores the use of e-learning technologies for organisational learning within a commercial environment. A model has been developed to represent those factors that determine organisational learning. This model has been embedded within a case study based on the use of an e-learning program that was developed in order to enhance employees' knowledge and endorse corporate values within a Norwegian company. The results of the study reflect the high performance of the e-learning program. They also highlight critical issues concerning the successful implementation of e-learning technologies to achieve the knowledge sharing that is required for organisational learning.

Olafson, Lori; Quinn, Linda F.; Hall, Gene E. (2005).  Accumulating Gains and Diminishing Risks during the Implementation of Best Practices in a Teacher Education Course  Teacher Education Quarterly, 32, 3. 

"Strategies for Effective Elementary Classroom Teaching" is an introductory course offered at the authors' university that impart instructional techniques and management strategies for the elementary classroom. Due to the course's limitations, the authors revised it in two ways: (1) Establish more strongly the connection between theory and practice, and (2) Integrate technology into teaching and learning. In this paper, the authors describe their experiences with the program implementation, report the teacher education candidates' perceptions of the innovations, and provide evidence about the effectiveness of the course. The four research questions included: (1) Is there an identifiable pattern to teacher education candidates' perceptions of an innovation as it is being implemented? (2) What are the concerns that emerge for both candidates and instructors as an innovation is implemented? (3) What is the relationship between the candidates' course evaluations and the innovations implemented by the instructors? and (4) What is the relationship between candidates' perceptions of the course and their concerns? After describing the data collection and analyses procedures, two main findings are discussed. The article concludes with implications of the study.

Olakulehin, Felix Kayode (2007).  Information and Communication Technologies in Teacher Training and Professional Development in Nigeria  [Online Submission] 

This paper examined the contemporary teacher training and professional development in Nigeria as an example of the experiences in developing countries of the world. Against the background of the ascendancy of information and communications technologies in all aspects of human life this study attempted to situate the concept of Information and Communication technology at the centre of the pre-service training and continuing professional development of the Nigerian teacher. A review of some of the major challenges confronting the nation in terms of adopting a technology driven teacher education model was carried out. It also explored the potentials of ICTs for and in teachers' professional development in Nigeria and developing countries of the world. Consequently, proposing a model of a sustainable teacher training and professional development for Nigeria and other developing countries, within the functional framework of the Information and Communication Technologies was developed to indicate how ICTs could be gradually introduced into the school systems. The study conclude by further highlighting the benefits that Nigeria and other developing countries stand to gain by adopting an ICT driven approach for the pre-service and in-service training and professional development of teachers.  | [FULL TEXT]

Olaniran, Bolanle (2003).  Computer-Mediated Communication: A Test of the Impact of Social Cues on the Choice of Medium for Resolving Misunderstandings.  Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 31, 2. 

Discussion of text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) focuses on a study that explored CMC in communication misunderstandings. Considers the lack of nonverbal cues, language and cultural barriers, and differences from face-to-face communication, and includes a copy of the questionnaire used in the study.

O'Meara, KerryAnn (2007).  Graduate Education and Civic Engagement. NERCHE Brief  [New England Resource Center for Higher Education] 

New attention is being paid to graduate education and civic engagement. For decades college campuses have worked diligently to connect undergraduate academic study with public service in order to enhance learning and meet community needs, a connection often referred to as service-learning or civic engagement. This brief explores the importance and challenges of integrating civic engagement into graduate education, and offers several key questions that might help guide campus efforts to prepare future academics and professionals for effective civic engagement. | [FULL TEXT]

Okur, Mehmet Cudi; Basarici, Samsun Mustafa; Rana, Tohid Ahmed (2007).  Improving Student Learning Using State of the Art IT Equipment  [Online Submission] 

Fast growth of computer related technology both in software-hardware and application areas, brings new challenges to be faced when using computers for supporting education. In this paper some experiences and the results of a survey are presented in teaching computer topics using computer as a teaching tool. Our teaching activities are related to both computer engineering and vocational school computer programming students and also to students from different areas like marketing, foreign trade, etc. The students in the second category learn computers as a tool for their daily work, whereas students of the first group learn computers as part of their professional education. Although the students come from different departments, there are many common pedagogical problems. In this paper, relationships between the efficiency of learning and the ownership of personal computers have been investigated. For this purpose, we conducted a survey on the students of Yasar University and evaluated the results together with their exam grades. The outcomes are presented and some conclusions are drawn, which concern the influence of computer ownership and usage patterns on the learning curve of students.  | [FULL TEXT]

Orleans, Antriman V. (2007).  The Condition of Secondary School Physics Education in the Philippines: Recent Developments and Remaining Challenges for Substantive Improvements  Australian Educational Researcher, 34, 1. 

This study is aimed at assessing the state of Philippine secondary school physics education using data from a nationwide survey of 464 schools and 767 physics teachers and at identifying challenges for substantive improvements. Teacher-related indicators revealed academic qualification deficiency, low continuing professional involvements, substantial physics teaching experience, and good licensure status. Academic environment indices revealed that the number of physics classes per teacher is manageable, but the individual classes are large. Results also showed limited instructional materials and technologies, the unpopularity of professional mentoring, and favorable library and internet access. Based on these findings, challenges to developing a larger pool of competent physics teachers and equipping schools with relevant instructional devices were identified.  | [FULL TEXT]

Oatman, Eric (2005).  Blogomania!  School Library Journal, 51, 8. 

"Do you blog?" That's a question educators are hearing frequently these days, and more and more are responding with an enthusiastic "yes!" The reason? Teachers have discovered that technologies like weblogs--Web sites that are a snap to update--can be powerful teaching tools. And librarians are gearing up to help them. The educational community's infatuation with blogging isn't an isolated phenomenon. It's part of a quiet revolution in the way people relate to one another online. Around the world, millions of people are creating online communities among people of like interests. And they are doing it with a passion so intense that the term "blogomania" has been invented to describe it.

Oatman, Eric (2005).  Make Way for Wikis  School Library Journal, 51, 11. 

"Wiki", the Hawaiian word for quick, can refer to either a Web site or the software that runs it. Ward Cunningham, a Portland, OR, programmer, invented and named the wiki in 1995. He wanted to help a virtual community of programmers communicate efficiently. Teachers and librarians nationwide have begun to explore the role of wikis in classroom settings--and the possibilities do appear endless. Wikis have also been used to help students gain insights into world events. Wikis hold so much promise that motivated K-12 teachers and librarians throughout Virginia will soon be wiki literate, thanks to a program designed to bring them up to speed on technology-enhanced learning as defined by the National Educational Technology Standards. Led by education professor Richard Ingram of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, the program is being largely supported by a sizable four-year Partners in Learning grant from Microsoft. One benefit of wikis, according to Jimmy Wales, who founded Wikipedia in 2001, is the willingness of kids who use them to try to understand views that may differ from theirs. Wikis are helping young people develop "writing skills and social skills by learning about group consensus and compromise--all the virtues needed to be a reasonable and productive member of society." Others like the way that wikis let everyone play.

Overbay, Amy Stephens; Grable, Lisa Leonor; Vasu, Ellen Storey (2006).  Evidence-Based Education: Postcards from the Edge  Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 14, 3. 

This article reports on the research design and implications stemming from a statewide evaluation developed during a Department of Education Title IID (EETT) grant. This article introduces critical issues to consider while developing research and evaluation methods for technology integration projects. The North Carolina IMPACT project, an evaluation of 11 technology-infused schools in low income districts, serves as a case illustrating the complexity of research under No Child Left Behind legislation. In this article, the authors explore the practical challenges involved in research that complies with new federal standards. This work is supported in part by a grant from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title II, D.

Overland, Kym; Mindt, Tiffany (2002).  Technology and Texts: Hearing the Student Voice. 

Technology is becoming a viable supplement to lectures, printed textbooks, and even courses, which are being designed around technology. A study of 123 public speaking fundamental students found that the current technologically focused classroom is not equal for both males and females. Students would enjoy using technological supplements if instructors implemented the technology into the classroom for enhancement. This research found that the presumption of more technology equaling a higher level of learning does not always hold true.   | [FULL TEXT]

Ortega-Tudela, J. M.; Gomez-Ariza, C. J. (2006).  Computer-Assisted Teaching and Mathematical Learning in Down Syndrome Children  Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22, 4. 

The present study aims to explore the extent to which computer-assisted teaching facilitates the learning of basic mathematical concepts and skills in children with Down Syndrome (DS). Thus, the effectiveness of a multimedia teaching method is compared with a traditional one in the teaching of counting and cardinality abilities and concepts. In our study, two groups of DS children were trained. One of them was taught by using mathematical multimedia software whereas the other learned by means of pencil-paper-based tasks on the same material as the multimedia group. The children of both groups were evaluated before and after training sessions. The multimedia group showed a higher performance than the paper and pencil assisted teaching group on a variety of tasks and measures, suggesting a clear relation between teaching method and mathematical learning in DS children. These findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical as well as applied relevance.

Ou, Chaohua; Zhang, Ke (2006).  Begin with the Internet  TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 50, 5. 

Databases can be used as cognitive tools to help students integrate and interrelate content areas and thus make learning more meaningful. Sound applications of databases in teaching may actively engage students in analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information and constructing knowledge. Through building and exploring databases, students ask meaningful questions, find and interpret information, generate logical and causal formulae, and find answers. These learning activities thus foster students' critical thinking and knowledge construction. Abundant Internet resources bring both challenges and opportunities to teachers for teaching with databases as cognitive tools. In this article, the authors introduce practical classroom applications of the Internet into various learning activities with databases. The authors also discuss instructional strategies for database-supported lessons.

Orrell, Janice (2006).  Feedback on Learning Achievement: Rhetoric and Reality  Teaching in Higher Education, 11, 4. 

Assessment theorists and academics alike espouse the importance of feedback on performance assessment tasks for supporting improvement and progress in student learning achievement. Despite these espoused ideals, students claim a lack of adequate, timely feedback and their teachers claim that students fail to heed the advice given. This paper reports observations of experienced academics' thinking while they assess their students' learning products. It focuses in particular academics' written feedback on their students' written assignments, and compares this "actual practice" with the same academics' personal practical "espoused theories and practice" about feedback. This snapshot of "everyday" academic practice is considered in the theoretical context of what constitutes feedback that promotes learning.

Orrill, Chandra Hawley (2000).  Designing a PBL Experience for Online Delivery in a Six-Week Course. 

This paper describes and evaluates the design process involved in creating a single problem for online delivery in a problem-based learning (PBL) situation. The paper attempts to highlight the issues involved with implementing the problem in a completely distributed environment through a narrative about the design of the problem within an instructional design model. The problem was developed for a graduate-level course titled "Integrating the Internet across the Curriculum." The Theoretical Model for the Design of Open-Ended Learning Environments (OELE) (J. Hill and S. Land, 1998) was used, and following this model, the first steps were analyses of the environment and the participants. Goals were defined, with the PBL approach chosen to provide students with a rich opportunity to explore elements of technology integration. The selection of delivery media was easier because of the researchers' access to an asynchronous conferencing tool that had been developed to support PBL in a distributed environment. The one area of OELE that was different for this delivery was the inclusion of all course supporting material on the Web site. The design phase concluded with the development of an evaluation plan and a plan for maintenance of the online PBL experience. | [FULL TEXT]

Orrill, Chandra Hawley (2001).  Building Technology-based, Learner-Centered Classrooms: The Evolution of a Professional Development Framework.  Educational Technology Research and Development, 49, 1. 

This study examined issues in supporting middle school teachers to become more learner centered when implementing computer-based, workplace simulations in their classrooms. Focuses on a participant observation study of two teachers to develop and evolve a framework for professional development that included reflective skills and proximal goals.

Orrill, Chandra Hawley; Galloway, Chad (2001).  Developing a Scaffolding System To Support Mathematical Investigations. 

This paper looks at the analysis leading to and design of a Web-based "hint system." The hints are designed to help middle-grade teachers participating in a mathematics professional development effort, called InterMath, achieve a high degree of success when working open-ended mathematical investigations. The model upon which InterMath is based assumes that teachers who experience learning in a rich, exploration-based environment will more readily transfer these kinds of experiences to their classrooms. The centerpiece of the InterMath experience and Web site is an extensive set of open-ended mathematical investigations that can be explored using various technologies. These investigations form the central experience of the 15-week workshop as teachers are encouraged to explore a particular set of explorations, choose problems that intrigue them, work those investigations, and write-up the solutions, along with extensive activities. The paper discusses the issues and processes involved with designing this system, paying special attention to the different types of hints and the limitations of the system. It concludes that the use of a Web-based hints system is a potentially valuable tool for supporting teachers in tackling complex math problems, that there are limitations with this plan, but the just-in-time help of a static system can be combined with the asynchronous support of a wider community as a viable option for promoting the development of mathematical thinking.   | [FULL TEXT]

Ong, James (2007).  Automated Performance Assessment and Feedback for Free-Play Simulation-Based Training  Performance Improvement, 46, 10. 

Practice and experience, whether simulated or on the job, are not enough to ensure effective learning. Learners must be able to make sense of those experiences to identify poor decisions and actions, missing knowledge, and weak skills that deserve attention. Using instructors to provide one-on-one instruction is effective but also expensive. This article describes ways of using intelligent software to assess student performance and provide feedback automatically in free-play simulations. Case studies describe applications of these methods.

Ong, S. K.; Mannan, M. A. (2004).  Virtual Reality Simulations and Animations in a Web-Based Interactive Manufacturing Engineering Module  Computers and Education, 43, 4. 

This paper presents a web-based interactive teaching package that provides a comprehensive and conducive yet dynamic and interactive environment for a module on automated machine tools in the Manufacturing Division at the National University of Singapore. The use of Internet technologies in this teaching tool makes it possible to conjure visualisations that cannot be achieved using traditional teaching materials such as transparencies. Virtual reality simulations and animations were developed and appropriately placed in the teaching materials to enhance the student understanding of complex concepts. This is especially useful in teaching automated machine tools, which deals primarily with the numerical control (NC) of the motions of automated machine tools. These virtual reality simulations and animations provide the capability of training students in NC programming and operations without the need to work on actual NC machines in the laboratory. The simulations are suitably placed in the package to engage the students and enhance their concentration, while at the same time generate interactions. Customised question types were also designed and implemented with a tutorial monitoring application.

Osman, Gihan; Herring, Susan C. (2007).  Interaction, Facilitation, and Deep Learning in Cross-Cultural Chat: A Case Study  Internet and Higher Education, 10, 2. 

This case study evaluates the potential of synchronous chat for deep learning in the context of a distance education program between two universities in different cultural contexts, with a focus on interaction and facilitation. Three rubrics--functional moves, social construction of knowledge, and teaching presence--were applied in a longitudinal content analysis of chat sessions between four adult learners in Azerbaijan and their two facilitators in the U.S. The findings reveal that although the quality of the interaction was limited by the nature of the task, language difficulties, and differing cultural expectations about instruction, conceptual negotiative activity increased over time. In conjunction with previous research on constructivist learning, these results support the view that synchronous chat can facilitate deep learning, but also suggest that the cost may outweigh the benefits, especially when language and cultural barriers must be overcome.

Oppenheimer, Todd (2007).  Selling Software: How Vendors Manipulate Research and Cheat Students  Education Next, 7, 2. 

Educational software makers are often rebuffed by educational authorities, whose endorsements could lead to governmental stamps of approval, and thus explosive sales. But they usually get warmer receptions in the offices of the nation's school superintendents, who are, after all, their primary customers. The system was not supposed to work this way. President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) famously requires that any instructional materials supported by federal aid be proven to work through "scientifically based research." But not everyone reads the bulletins from the Department of Education that explain what it means for research to be scientifically based, or interprets them the same way. Purveyors of education products of all kinds make claims that their goods are based on scientific proof, and thus "aligned" to federal requirements. A good many trot out studies, sometimes great numbers of them, that appear to have followed one or more steps that are hallmarks of gold standard scientific research. Frequently, they are actually pulling the wool over customers' eyes. Soon, the government will begin releasing scientific studies of its own, enabling the marketplace to embrace high scientific standards. In the meantime, the author discusses two important lessons to keep in mind when approached by software vendors: (1) beware of the seemingly persuasive numbers; and (2) researchers who evaluate classroom exercises and educators who work inside those classrooms represent two often conflicting cultures.

Orsini-Jones, Marina; Jones, David (2007).  Supporting Collaborative Grammar Learning via a Virtual Learning Environment  Arts and Humanities in Higher Education: An International Journal of Theory. 

This article reports the results of an investigation into the issues encountered by undergraduate language students while engaging in "the Grammar Project"--a collaborative assessment task for the module Academic and Professional Skills for Language Learning--and shows how encouraging students to take ownership of their learning process with the support of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) can increase their motivation and their understanding of the subject matter. It shows that students' beliefs may hinder their learning experience, while maintaining that an effective social-interactive environment can help them understand subject-specific concepts, particularly if this is supported by recording their reflections both within the VLE and in a portfolio.

(2005).  Online Tools Allow Distant Students to Collaborate on Research Projects  T.H.E. Journal, 32, 10. 

The Wesleyan Academy and Moravian School in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, recently joined forces with Evergreen Elementary in Fort Lewis, Wash., to collaborate on a research project using My eCoach Online (http://myecoach.com) as the primary medium to share information, post ideas and findings, and develop inquiry projects on 10 topics about water. "Involving students at distant locations encourages exploration outside of their own environment," says project coordinator and teacher Meredith Blanche, who went to the Virgin Islands for several months along with co-coordinator and teacher Vicki Albrecht to help complete the project. "Through project-based learning and using technology as a tool to complete their projects, the students absorbed so much more knowledge about their subject compared to what they are accustomed to with a textbook alone. The students' overall response to the program was extremely positive," says Blache. They truly learned much more about their topics and enjoyed sharing their understanding through their hands-on projects and demonstrations."

_____. (2001).  Online Learning. ARIS Information Sheet. 

The adult literacy community is undergoing a period of rapid change due to the expanding role of information and communication technologies (ICT). Developments in instructional and educational design and enhanced technical capabilities have impacted on the range of online learning being offered. The online learning environment has evolved into a place where ideas and information can be exchanged, modified, and challenged. These four major features of online learning that inform the different approaches to online learning across courses in academic settings, but that are equally relevant in adult literacy education, have been identified: dialogue, involvement, support, and control. In each feature, the role of the teacher is being redefined and the dynamics of the learning environment are being reframed. In recent discussions about evolving online pedagogy, there has been a move away from didactic, teacher-centered learning toward "constructivist," learner-directed learning. Students' increased ICT confidence leads to changing identities and roles in family and society. Teachers must develop ICT skills and move through levels of skill development with an understanding of their links and progress. The challenge is to keep access and equity in ICT at the forefront for adult literacy students and practitioners across community and institutional education settings. (15 references) | [FULL TEXT]

_____. (2002).  Online Learning. Symposium. 

This document contains three papers from a symposium on online learning that was conducted as part of a conference on human resource development (HRD). "An Instructional Strategy Framework for Online Learning Environments" (Scott D. Johnson, Steven R. Aragon) discusses the pitfalls of modeling online courses after traditional instruction instead of incorporating a design that takes advantage of the unique capabilities of web-based learning environments and presents a conceptual framework to guide the development of online courses that includes specific, detailed examples of instructional strategies that fit the framework. "Using Online Learning to Meet Workforce Demand: A Case Study of Stakeholder Influence" (Angela Benson) investigates how stakeholder interests influenced one large southeastern state's efforts to provide online, undergraduate degree programs to meet workforce needs and demonstrates how the negotiation of consenting and conflicting stakeholder group interests resulted in the prevailing of the interests of some stakeholder groups at the expense of the interests of others. "Models for Human Resource Development Online Programs" (Phoebe E. Lenear, Scott D. Johnson) examined the student support services, educational technologies, and program models used to deliver and support online HRD programs in six higher education institutions across the United States. The first and second papers contain substantial bibliographies. | [FULL TEXT]

Ogiegbaen, S. E. Aduwa (2006).  Assessment of Teachers' Perception of Instructional Media Use in Colleges of Education in Southern Nigeria  International Journal of Instructional Media, 33, 2. 

The blueprint which the Federal Government rolled out for guiding educational technology practice which was based on the report of the Joint Consultative Committee on Educational Technology in 1991 is a relatively new innovation in educational institutions in Nigeria. However, the adoption of new innovation depends on the perception of teachers about the use of instructional media. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the perception of College of Education teachers about instructional media use in the classroom. The population of the study comprised of Colleges of Education teachers in Southern Nigeria in three academic disciplines, namely, Arts, Social Sciences, and Science subjects. The study used a structured questionnaire designed to derive the perception of these teachers about instructional media use. The data collected for this study are collated and analyzed using means, z-test and analysis of variance. The results of a one way-analysis of variance shows that there is a significant difference among the arts, science and social science teachers in their perception about media. The study indicated that teachers have positive attitude towards the use of instructional media for Instructional purposes.

O'Byrne, B.; Securro, S.; Jones, J.; Cadle, C. (2006).  Making the Cut: The Impact of an Integrated Learning System on Low Achieving Middle School Students  Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22, 3. 

Research in integrated learning systems has demonstrated a need for rigorous studies that identify how such systems influence learning, and in particular that of low achieving students. No Child Left Behind legislation mandated evidence-based interventions as the standard for instructional approaches in American public schools. This quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of Merit literacy software on students in West Virginia. The study confirmed that the software supported the reading and language arts curriculum and significantly improved the scores of low achieving middle school students on three variables of the WESTEST, a criterion-referenced state test: reading and language arts, science, and social science. This integrated learning system was effective with rural and urban school populations.

O'Reilly, Daniel J.; Brandenburg, Dale C. (2006).  Simulation and Learning in Disaster Preparedness: A Research and Theory Review  [Online Submission, Paper presented at the Academy of Human Resource Development International Conference (AHRD) (Columbus, OH, Feb 22-26, 2006) p763-770 (Symp. 37-1)] 

Because of perceived advantages, simulations are increasingly being used for performance-based training. This is a review of computer simulation as a learning tool, and its application within the context of disaster preparedness. Concepts from established learning theory are examined and research verifiable by empirical data is referenced. To summarize, this review found, despite a lack of empirical evidence, there exists wide support for computer simulation as a preferred tool in disaster preparedness.  [For complete proceedings, see ED491487.] | [FULL TEXT]

O'Reilly, Meg; Newton, Diane (2002).  Interaction Online: Above and beyond Requirements of Assessment.  Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 18, 1. 

Discussion of computer mediated communication for interactive learning focuses on a study of social science students conducted at Southern Cross University (Australia) that investigated students' perceptions of the importance of online discussion. Topics include social cohesion; social constructivism; benchmarking; student motivation and confidence; and networked intelligence.

Orey, Michael; Koenecke, Lynne; Snider, Richard C.; Perkins, Ross A.; Holmes, Glen A.; Lockee, Barbara B.; Moller, Leslie A.; Harvey, Douglas; Downs, Margaret; Godshalk, Veronica M. (2003).  Distance Learning.  Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, 28. 

Contains four articles covering trends and issues on distance learning including: the experience of two learners learning via the Internet; a systematic approach to determining the scalability of a distance education program; identifying factors that affect learning community development and performance in asynchronous distance education; and streaming video in a teacher preparation program. Each article contains references.

Orey, Michael; Kwinn, Ann; Reeves, Thomas C.; Ely, Donald P.; Russell, James D. (2002).  Leadership Profiles. Introduction; Robert J. Casey, Jr.: Professor, Humanitarian, Tinker; Tribute to Kent L. Gustafson: Professor of Instructional Technology, The University of Georgia; Tjeerd Plomp: A Citizen of the World; Allow Me To Introduce Walter Dick.  Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, 27. 

This section of "Educational Media and Technology Yearbook" profiles individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of instructional technology. Leaders profiled in the "Yearbook" have either held prominent offices, written important works, or made significant contributions that have in some way influenced the contemporary vision of the field.

Orey, Michael; Moore, David M.; Reeves, Thomas (2003).  Leadership Profiles.  Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, 28. 

Contains the following two leadership profiles of individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of instructional technology: "Francis M. Dwyer: Visual Researcher Extraordinaire" (David M. Moore); and "Tribute to John G. Hedberg: Professor of Education, University of Wollongong" (Thomas Reeves).

Orey, Michael; Sullivan, Michael; Molenda, Michael; Foley, Anne L.; Morgan, Janet; McKenney, Susan; Harada, Violet H.; Lee, Jung (2003).  Trends and Issues.  Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, 28. 

Contains five articles covering general trends and issues in instructional technology, including: developments in corporate training, higher education, and K-12 education; women's contributions to the leading instructional technology journals; developing science education materials via computer-based support; learning in the Information Age; and user control in computer-based instruction. Each article contains references.

Orey, Michael; Tinker, Robert; McClintock, Robbie (2002).  Technology Centers and Institutes for Learning. Introduction; The Concord Consortium, Inc.: Implementing the Educational Promise of Technology; Relevance [and] Scale: Challenges to the Institute for Learning Technologies.  Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, 27. 

This section of "Educational Media and Technology Yearbook" profiles centers and institutes that carry out research and development in the field of instructional technology. Both the Concord Consortium and the Institute for Learning Technology at Columbia University are working hard to use media and technology to transform teaching and learning experiences for many people.

Ohland, Matthew W.; Stephan, Elizabeth A. (2005).  Using Laptops in Engineering Courses for Real-Time Data Collection and Analysis  New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2005, 101. 

Teaching first-year engineering students in a laptop environment requires carefully choosing and then adapting teaching methods. This chapter describes how laptops were used, how the students responded, and what the group of participating faculty learned in the process.

Ohler, Jason (2001).  Art: The 4th "R."  Instructor, 110, 5. 

The Internet's multimedia environment requires students to work as designers and artists. In this multimedia world, art is a basic literacy, and students need education in art literacy. This paper recommends that schools: rename and demystify art; hire more art teachers; increase fourth-literacy requirements in teacher education; and schedule one school day when art is infused throughout the curriculum.

Ohler, Jason (2005).  Photo Surfing in Blade Runner  Technology & Learning, 25, 8. 

This month's "Mining Movies" looks at Blade Runner, Ridley Scott's film set in the year 2019. It is a sad time for Earth, which is in the midst of environmental degradation so severe that other planets are being prepared for colonization. The main source of labor for this preparation work are "replicants," organic robots that look and behave like humans, except for their inability to express real emotions. They have been banned from Earth because they staged a revolt in one of the colonies. Enter Harrison Ford as detective Rick Deckard. He is a "blade runner," a cop who specializes in determining who is human and who is replicant. It is up to him to enforce the ban. Computer technology appears in Blade Runner as many futurists of today predict it will: invisibly. It is implied, but rarely overtly shown, except for one particular piece of technology that Deckard uses to catch the bad guy--in this case, a rogue replicant. This technology is briefly described in this article.

Ohler, Jason (2006).  The World of Digital Storytelling  Educational Leadership, 63, 4. 

Ohler describes the practice of making a digital story, which he defines as a brief narrative usually told in first person, combining writing with digital images and sound, and presented as a short movie. The art of digital storytelling, he asserts, enhances the teaching power of storytelling by teaching students valuable technical skills, engaging student interest, expanding the audience for student stories, and sharpening skills of critical thinking, expository writing, and media literacy. He emphasizes that to make quality digital stories, teachers must focus on story before technology. He suggests ways to guide students in planning, writing, and orally telling their story before they begin creating the digital presentation. The article provides examples of well-crafted digital stories, some of which tie into academic content in math and science.

Oslington, Paul (2004).  The Impact of Uncertainty and Irreversibility on Investments in Online Learning  Distance Education, 25, 2. 

Uncertainty and irreversibility are central to online learning projects, but have been neglected in the existing educational cost-benefit analysis literature. This paper builds some simple illustrative models of the impact of irreversibility and uncertainty, and shows how different types of cost and demand uncertainty can have substantial impacts on investment decisions. The techniques used are drawn from the financial option pricing literature. In some situations uncertainty should lead decision makers to delay projects which would be accepted under the usual rule "invest if the net present value (NPV) is positive," and in other situations it suggests that projects with negative NPVs should be undertaken. The application of one of these models will then be illustrated in relation to a new online course: the Master of Educational Technology offered by the University of British Columbia.

Oslington, Paul (2005).  Incentives in On-Line Education  Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 27, 1. 

A major problem with on-line education in contemporary universities is securing cooperation of academics. This paper argues that even if the benefits of on-line learning are widely recognised, several incentive problems inhibit academic staff participation. These incentive problems include unverifiability of expertise in on-line learning, the firm-specific nature of investments in on-line learning and the team nature of on-line learning. Suggestions are made for remedying each of these problems by correcting the distorted incentives faced by academics and administrators.

Olwell, Russell B. (2005).  James Conant's Uncompleted Revolution: Methods Faculty and the Historical Profession, 1978-2004  History Teacher, 39, 1. 

When James Conant, former president of Harvard University, took on the topic of teacher preparation in his 1963 report "The Education of American Teachers," he demanded sweeping change. Conant's reform agenda, which focused on reshaping the educational establishment in America, took on the National Education Association and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. He sought to end the monopoly of colleges of education and locate more teacher preparation coursework in subject matter departments, such as history, in colleges of arts and sciences. Conant insisted that teacher preparation was an "all university responsibility" with roles for an education faculty, psychology professors, college of arts and sciences departments, and "clinical" faculty members who specialized in training teachers. Since Conant's book was published, many external factors have pushed history departments into educational fields. These developments, while promising greater attention to history teaching, miss Conant's aim. He believed that academic departments and disciplines needed to be involved in teacher preparation for reasons of intrinsic motivation--to better train the next generation of secondary teachers, and to increase student achievement in K-12 schools. Revolutionary change was needed and for this change to be accomplished, adopting a new commitment to training teachers by departments was essential. In order to quantify the extent to which this revolutionary change in the profession has taken place, the author looked for a way to measure the number of history departments with methods teachers and the status of these faculty within their departments. For lack of a more sophisticated tool, he turned to four volumes of the American Historical Association's "Directory of History Departments and Organizations in the United States and Canada"--1978, 1988, 1998 and 2004. This article discusses the extent of Conant's influence as shown by the data from this source.

Orme, Michelle P.; Monroe, Eula Ewing (2005).  The Nature of Discourse as Students Collaborate on a Mathematics WebQuest  Computers in the Schools, 22, 1-2. 

Students were audio taped while working in teams on a WebQuest. Although gender-segregated, each team included both fifth- and sixth-graders. Interactions from two tasks were analyzed according to categories (exploratory, cumulative, disputational, tutorial) defined by the Spoken Language and New Technology (SLANT) project (e.g., Wegerif & Scrimshaw, 1997) and were coded as either mathematical or task-procedural. Findings emerged related to three major themes: task, gender, and power. For one task, student discourse was largely mathematical, with cumulative and tutorial discourse patterns predominant; for the other task, interactions were primarily task-procedural and followed mostly cumulative and disputational patterns. Exploratory discourse, considered to be the most educationally useful (Fisher, 1997), occurred during both tasks. Largely, girls' interactions were characterized by cooperation and boys' interactions by disputations. Disputations also occurred between team members of differing grade levels regarding how power was held and used.

O'Donnell, Donna J. (2005).  Promoting Self-Esteem. Leaders Sharing--Special Needs  Learning and Leading with Technology, 32, 5. 

Many of today's teachers are taking strides toward effectively incorporating technology into the classroom curriculum. Although most are aware of the benefits technology use can have on reinforcing learned material and promoting understanding, the positive effect that carefully selected software can have on a student's self-esteem--especially a student with special needs--often goes unnoticed and underused. Although it is common practice for teachers to use software in the classroom to provide practice for the lessons presented, the other benefits of technology are not always considered. When presented with a student who demonstrates low self-esteem and poor self-confidence that affects academic success, carefully selected software can provide the student with an additional means for receiving positive feedback and encouragement. The software selections discussed are certainly not the only available titles that can be used in the classroom. Rather, they are a sampling of what is available to the educator for inspiring students to view themselves in a positive light. | [FULL TEXT]

O'Donoghue, John; Singh, Gurmak; Dorward, Lisa (2001).  Virtual Education in Universities: A Technological Imperative.  British Journal of Educational Technology, 32, 5. 

Discusses virtual universities and virtual classrooms, exploring both the benefits and the disadvantages of technology-based delivery systems. Highlights include competitive pressures to use technology; impacts on students; the need for flexibility to meet unique student needs and learning styles; learning environments; impact on society; and changes in university structure and management.

Odom, A. Louis; Settlage, John; Pedersen, Jon E. (2002).  Technology Knowledge and Use: A Survey of Science Educators.  Journal of Science Education and Technology, 11, 4. 

Investigates the current state of technology use and know-how among members of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS). Examines the differences between current and desired levels of knowledge about using technology as an instructional tool to enhance productivity in classroom applications and data collection and analysis. 

Olkun, Sinan; Altun, Arif; Smith, Glenn (2005).  Computers and 2D Geometric Learning of Turkish Fourth and Fifth Graders  British Journal of Educational Technology, 36, 2. 

This research investigated the possible impacts of computers on Turkish fourth-grade students geometry scores and further geometric learning. The study used a pretestinterventionposttest experimental design. Results showed that students who did not have computers at home initially had lower geometry scores. However, these differences were minimised with an appropriate intervention containing computer-based Tangram puzzles. This suggests that at schools, it seems more effective to integrate mathematical content and technology in a manner that enables students to do playful mathematical discoveries.

Obler, Susan; Schiorring, Eva (2002).  Ethnographic Study: @ONE Technology Training Project Study. 

This report presents findings from an ethnographic study of technology integration and diffusion in two California community colleges. The study was commissioned to examine whether faculty behavior and student learning outcomes have changed as a result of @ONE instructional technology training and resources. The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office funded the @ONE project for a 5-year period to assess faculty training needs, build a statewide training infrastructure, and develop and deliver instructional technology training. The findings of this study (the first of three parts) were generated through site visits conducted in May 2002 to Santa Monica College (SMC) and Fresno City College (FCC) by researchers from the Center for Student Success. In comparing the level and pace of technology integration at SMC and FCC, the research team found a contrasting pattern of development. While SMC has enjoyed steady growth since 1985, FCC's path to technology integration was truncated until the late 1990s. The report makes recommendations, based on the site visits, including (1) a faculty-driven initiative to identify what technology can do for student learning, by discipline and program; (2) a comprehensive cyclical planning process with a written, flexible technology plan; and (3) local training and faculty development activities. | [FULL TEXT]

Oblinger, Diana G. (2005).  Asking the Right Question  EDUCAUSE Review, 40, 2. 

When it comes to teaching, learning, technology, and students, it is very easy to ask the wrong question. Because students in the current generation seem to be technologically savvy, we often want to know how they use technology. So as part of the NLII?s focus on the next generation of learners -- the Net Generation --NLII started talking to students. When asking students what technology they used, interviewers received blank stares. They weren?t sure what was meant by the word technology. The way responses were phrased was interesting. They spoke about "talking" on e-mail, about "IMing," about "being slashdotted." Whereas students were expected to talk about things (nouns), they talked about actions (verbs). Their conversations focused on the activity; for them, the technology itself has disappeared. As interviewers listened to the words that students were using to describe their desired learning environment, they kept hearing interaction, as well as hands-on. As one student said: "Doing hands-on work and working in groups, students get a better grasp of concepts the professor is trying to teach. Using technology only enhances the hands-on experience, but does not-- and cannot?replace human interaction. '

Oblinger, Diana G. (2005).  Learners, Learning, and Technology: The EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative  EDUCAUSE Review, 40, 5. 

Information technology has had a striking impact on learners and learning. The world of learning technology today is radically different from that of just a decade ago, and the world of learning technology a decade from now will be radically different from that of today. Learning technologies are in a state of "interpretive flexibility": the technology itself is subject to change, as is also its application. However, learning technologies are affected not just by the possibilities of the technology but by the understanding of learning as well. This article discusses the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI), a leading-edge teaching and learning initiative whose mission is to help institutions advance learning through IT innovation. ELI helps demystify both the technology and the pedagogy. Individuals throughout the institution are encouraged to use technologies and pedagogies to advance learning. ELI also provides professional development opportunities, tools, and techniques, in a range of formats. In addition to organizing location-specific conferences, ELI provides audio files, Webcasts, podcasts, blogs, publications, and tools online so that users can choose the time, place, and format convenient to them.

Oblinger, Diana G. (2006).  Sharing Educational Resources Worldwide: An Interview with Shimizu Yasutaka  EDUCAUSE Review, 41 n4 p44, 46-48 Jul-Aug 2006. 

Shimizu Yasutaka is President of the National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME) and Professor Emeritus at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. After meeting with Shimizu in December 2005 in Washington, D.C., and in January 2006 in Tokyo, Japan, EDUCAUSE Vice President Diana G. Oblinger asked him some questions about NIME, about IT in Japanese colleges and universities, and about issues facing higher education worldwide. Among the topics discussed were: (1) the history of NIME and its goals in serving Japan's changing educational needs; (2) how NIME defines and guarantees quality in online learning as compared to other countries; and (3) NIME's proactivity in investigating the kinds of graduates needed by high-tech businesses and the competencies that companies require of them. Yasutaka, while impressed with the activities of EDUCAUSE, states that establishing a similar type of organization in Japan would be difficult, and that what NIME seeks is to engage in sharing the results of its research and development with other countries and to consider areas of joint development.

Oblinger, Diana G.; Hawkins, Brian L. (2005).  The Myth about Students  EDUCAUSE Review, 40, 5. 

In this article, the authors discuss the reality of today's current students and their expectations of the institutions they attend. Specifically, they describe the current generation, the Net Generation, of traditional-age college students who have grown up with computers and the Internet, living in a rapid-response, multimedia, anytime-anywhere networked world that has shaped their worldview, their reaction times, and how they learn. Though these students may be multitaskers who favor graphics over text, communicate with equal ease in person and online, expect instantaneous responses, and who prefer Google to the library, their comfort with technology may not be synonymous with competency. Faculty and administrators, from earlier generations, do not understand their students' IT preferences. This article compares the differences between these generations. When asked what they deem most important in an optimal learning milieu, students place faculty expertise at the top of their list. The authors suggest that university faculty and administrators should not assume that they understand their students simply because they were once students, but need to understand that times, technologies, and students change. Faculty and administrators need to ask: (1) Do we know our students and their preferences, or do we assume we know? (2) How are we adapting programs to students' needs? (3) What balance of physical and virtual will best serve our student population? (4) Are our building and renovation plans based on outdated assumptions? and (5) What is the proper balance between student and faculty perspectives?

Oblinger, Diana G.; Hawkins, Brian L. (2006).  The Myth about Online Course Development: "A Faculty Member Can Individually Develop and Deliver an Effective Online Course"  EDUCAUSE Review, 41, 1. 

In the early days of online courses, a widespread production model was to provide faculty members with release time and/or stipends in return for developing and delivering their own courses. These early online courses were developed by a cadre of faculty "zealots" who believed that information technology could transform learning. Such faculty were willing--and able--to master the required skills, whether that meant learning Java, HTML, or a graphics package. Often re-creating the lecture, the resulting courses frequently had an idiosyncratic structure and might--or might not--use good instructional design. This often meant figuring things out alone, so solutions were stitched together with whatever resources were available to the faculty member. Today, developing and delivering an online course requires numerous and varied skills--skills that are more likely to be found in an "executive team" rather than a single individual. For any institution that wants to develop and deliver online courses, the author suggests that members of the executive team should ask themselves the following strategic questions: (1) What is the best use of the faculty member?; (2) Is there a process for strategically investing in course development?; (3) Is providing content being confused with creating a learning environment or delivering a course?; and (4) What is expected return from the investment in course development?

Oblinger, James L. (2006).  Ensuring Students' Success  EDUCAUSE Review, 41, 3. 

James L. Oblinger, Chancellor of North Carolina State University, argues that higher education must continually evolve new methods of teaching and learning to support students' lifelong skills and impending careers. Part of ensuring students' success lies in finding alternative learning models, such as the Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project, designed by Dr. Robert Beichner at North Carolina (NC) State. Intended to boost students' success in large-enrollment science classes, SCALE-UP utilizes technology to integrate lab work and lectures to engage students in collaborative, hands-on learning. SCALE-UP demonstrates that creative instructional strategies that engage students increase their interest and their success. Educators must accept that today's students are self-learners who will learn on their own. Students also learn well in peer-to-peer situations, such as that exemplified at NC State, where women science and engineering students live and study together through the WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) program. Oblinger states that educators in higher education must not focus on their own institutions in isolation, but must improve and support education from kindergarten through graduate school. Faculty and students from across our campuses can participate in programs in local schools. Higher education must also focus on training more qualified teachers, particularly in such disciplines as science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as supporting those teachers who are already in the classroom.

O'Dwyer, Laura M.; Russell, Michael; Bebell, Damian (2005).  Identifying Teacher, School, and District Characteristics Associated with Middle and High School Teachers' Use of Technology: A Multilevel Perspective  Journal of Educational Computing Research, 33, 4. 

Investment in educational technology has increased rapidly in recent years and many observers have begun to question whether, and how technology is being used as a teaching and learning tool. In order to address this issue, this research used survey data collected from 1,404 "middle and high school teachers" in 52 schools across 22 Massachusetts school districts to examine how technology is being used by upper grade teachers, and examines the school and district organizational characteristics that are associated with increased use of technology as a teaching and learning tool. Specifically, this research used hierarchical linear regression (HLM) techniques to model the teacher, school and district characteristics associated with five specific teacher uses of educational technology. This research found that both teacher and organizational characteristics were each found to be associated with the five technology uses, and characteristics varied in their ability to predict the five different uses.

_____. (2002).  Outreach and Technical Assistance Network: Twelfth Year Annual Report, July 1, 2001-June 30, 2002. 

This report reviews in detail the accomplishments of the third year of the 1999-2002 contract of the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN). It describes and quantifies the services--electronic collaboration, access to information services, and research, development, and assistance in using technology--provided by the entire three-year period. The 14 sections are grouped into 3 categories of services. Each section begins with a narrative that describes the service followed by charts, graphs, reports, presentations, guides, and other print materials developed by OTAN. The first service, Electronic Communication, consists of five sections: OTAN Web Site; Technical Support/Training; Marketing; Adult Learner Web Sites; and Develop Online Courses for Adult Education. The second service, Information and Reference Services, has six sections: Adult Education Collections, Reference Services, For Teachers Expansion, Regional Resource Centers Support, California Adult Education Archives, and Workplace. The third section, Instructional Technology, is comprised of three sections: Technology Learning Resources, Implement Instructional Technology, and Local Agency Intervention. Appendixes include OTAN 01-02 Quarterly Progress Reports. | [FULL TEXT]

_____. (2005).  Outlook. Number 305  [Council for American Private Education] 

This document presents the May 2005 issue of the Council for American Private Education's (CAPE's) monthly newsletter, "Outlook." Articles in this issue include: (1) Government Report Profiles U.S. High School Sophomores; (2) Private Schools Value Federal Programs; (3) Pennsylvania Teacher Tapped for Hall of Fame; (4) DC Scholarship Demand Exceeds Supply; and (5) CAPENotes.

O'Shea, Sheryl (2005).  Building A Help Desk System  Learning and Leading with Technology, 32, 7. 

Are you trying to support an entire school district full of computers with just a few hardware technicians? Do you have a non-technical person answering the phone? Are the teachers getting upset because of the length of time it takes to resolve their issues? Unfortunately, I had to answer yes to all three questions. Our school district includes 3,000 computers distributed among 14 physical locations. We averaged 375 calls per month and had a support staff of only five technicians. Teachers and other school-level staff expressed their unhappiness to whomever would listen, and my staff was starting to show signs of burnout. | [FULL TEXT]

O'Sullivan, Mary F. (2001).  What Belongs on an Instructional Website: A Discussion and Checklist. 

This document provides a checklist for the development of effective instructional Web sites that promote student learning and enable instructors to enact the principles of good teaching. The information presented is valuable for instructors of online courses and faculty members who utilize instructional sites to supplement face-to-face classroom interaction. The essential components outlined in the document include: (1) introductions of class participants; (2) course orientation; (3) information on assignments and assessments; and (4) opportunities for communication. Elements of the introduction section include a biography of the instructor, contact information, and a list of students enrolled in the course. Class orientation materials include course policies, the syllabus, textbook information, course objectives, and a list of supplemental resources. The author asserts that an effective course orientation is essential for fostering the development of independent learners. In the discussion of assignments and assessment, the author highlights the importance of developing assignments that explicitly state the expectations, evaluation criteria, and whenever possible, offer examples of model assignments. With respect to fostering communication via instructional Web sites, the author suggests using electronic class discussion lists or bulletin boards to foster dialogue and reflection. | [FULL TEXT]

Osuji, Sydney N. (2005).  The Mass Media in Distance Education in Nigeria in the 21st Century  [Online Submission] 

This paper aims at investigating the use of mass media in distance education in Nigeria with a view to making suggestions for their effective use during the 21st century. Distance education programmes, especially those of the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos are examined. These two institutions made bold and commendable efforts. However, while the print media seemed successfully made use of, unfortunately the electronic media were beyond the capabilities of the two institutions. Based on the findings, for effective use of the mass media in distance education in Nigeria, suggestions are proffered. These include, establishment of a separate tertiary institution for the purpose, assigning special radio and television channels or establishment of separate radio and television stations. | [FULL TEXT]

Oss, Stefano (2005).  Computers with Wings: Flight Simulation and Personalized Landscapes  Journal of Science Education and Technology, 14, 1. 

We propose, as a special way to explore the physics of flying objects, to use a flight simulator with a personalized scenery to reproduce the territory where students live. This approach increases the participation and attention of students to physics classes but also creates several opportunities for addressing side activities and arguments of various nature, from history to geography, computer science, and much more.

Owen, Alice; Farsaii, Sam; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda (2006).  Teaching in the One-to-One Classroom: It's Not about Laptops, It's about Empowerment!  Learning and Leading with Technology, 33, 4. 

No longer do students need to wait for us to be the purveyors of information. They now have the world at their fingertips. Putting a laptop in the hands of every student has far reaching implications on the way we educators have to think about our classrooms. Old models of stand and deliver are no longer effective. We must learn to be facilitators to guide student choices and learning experiences. This sets the stage for differentiated instruction and engaging work, but only if we let go of old paradigms. If we do not, our one-to-one classrooms are likely to be chaotic and meaningless. This article describes the laptop program implemented by the Irving Independent School District (IISD), an urban public school district in north Texas. | [FULL TEXT]

Owen, Dennis O. (2001).  Simple Techniques for Using the Internet as a Supplemental Course Resource. 

With the wide acceptance of the Internet as an information and communication source, students have come to expect it to supply supplemental course material and other enhancements to their traditional classroom activities. The World Wide Web has become so integrated into all aspects of computer usage that most personal productivity applications provide Web tools as part of the software. The degree of this integration varies with the application and the vendor, but these rudimentary Internet tools exist in much of the software educators use in course preparation and delivery. Through the application of these simple tools to the documents, spreadsheets, communications, and presentation currently generated, they can easily be made available to students through a Web page. Lecture notes, presentation slides, study guides, practice quizzes, solutions, and homework guides are just a few of the documents educators generate with a word processor. These can easily be converted to a format that is viewable over the Web. Grade postings and other data generated with a spreadsheet can be made available via the Web in a similar manner. The on-demand availability of the Internet offers several advantages. Students can access information when they are ready to study, and when specific information is needed to finish an assignment. As a result of this information availability, the instructor will spend less time redistributing lost or missed information, and less time answering the same question from several different students. On-demand information availability is beneficial to both traditional and non-traditional learners. Traditional students maintain the structure and control of traditional instructional methodologies while having increased access to support information. Non-traditional students are provided a mechanism that places them personally in control of what they learn, and when they learn it. This control is a necessary component of successful learning in the non-traditional student population. The Internet offers the student more timely access to specific course-related information with less effort on the part of the instructor. Add in the wide acceptance and availability of the Web, and new opportunities for course and learning improvement become evident. With minimal effort, the Internet can enhance almost any course.  | [FULL TEXT]

Owen, Jane; Yarrow, David; Appleby, Alex (2002).  Learning Probe: Benchmarking for Excellence. Questionnaire. Second Edition. 

This document is a questionnaire designed for work-based learning providers. It is a diagnostic benchmarking tool developed to give organizations a snapshot of their current state. Following a brief introduction, there are instructions for filling in the questionnaire, which includes both open-ended response and scoring according to a pre-determined scale. Participants are asked to consider both motivating influences or drivers and results. The following categories are motivating influences or drivers: (1) management style; (2) service culture; (3) staff management; (4) understanding the customer; (5) service design and development; (6) delivery system and processes; (7) instructional technology and electronic communication; (8) working with suppliers; (9) managing for improvement; (10) service recovery; flexibility/responsiveness; (11) cost and value; and (12) service standards. Results categories are: (1) internal service quality; (2) service effectiveness; (3) service quality; (4) customer satisfaction and value; (5) customer loyalty; and (6) business performance. A glossary of terms used in the questionnaire is included. | [FULL TEXT]

Owen, Polly S.; Demb, Ada (2004).  Change Dynamics and Leadership in Technology Implementation  Journal of Higher Education, 75, 6. 

The study presented in this article focuses on three questions: (1) What elements of current leadership models appear most salient in guiding large-scale technology implementation efforts? (2) Which factors affecting the change process seem most important to participants in the context of technology change, and how do they describe them? and (3) What are the distinctive dynamics of change involving technology implementation? The study used an instrumental case study that examined the experience of a community college known nationally as an exemplar for its learner-centered approach to education and integration of technology into pedagogy. The dynamic interaction between technology and higher education, leadership, organization change, and community college environments was investigated by listening to individual perceptions and stories. A qualitative approach was used because this methodology is best suited for analyzing detailed case data in order to frame issues and formulate emerging themes. All interviews were conducted using open-ended questions adjusted in three separate guides (one each for students, faculty, and administrators) to accommodate the different roles of the interviewees. Emerging from the data was a broad array of leadership strategies that was consistent with and broadened the scope of the key dimensions of the Carter and Alfred model.

Owens, Douglas T.; Demana, Franklin; Abrahamson, A. Louis; Meagher, Michael; Herman, Marlena (2002).  Developing Pedagogy for Wireless Calculator Networks--and Researching Teacher Professional Development. Final Report. Part 2--Technical Report and Research Description to the National Science Foundation. 

This project was designed to investigate the potential of classroom communication systems (CCSs) for facilitating effective teaching and creating effective learning environments. The study was specifically designed to examine the extent to which teachers use CCSs in their classrooms to facilitate environments which are learner-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment-centered, and community-centered and whether such a result might be possible after only a typical brief teacher inservice summer training program. The specific CCSs used for this study were prototypes of the TI-Navigator, the teacher's computer, and the internet. Selected mathematics and science teachers were trained in effective pedagogical techniques for using the technology and integrating it into their classrooms. Thirty-four teachers attended a week long-workshop at the Ohio State University in August 2001. Ten teachers used the techniques in their classrooms during spring semester in 2002. Toward the end of the semester, researchers associated with this project visited these classrooms as part of a comprehensive assessment effort that included surveys of all students and teachers, select student focus groups, and teacher interviews. It was observed that the use of CCSs in classrooms by teachers tended to facilitate educational environments which were learner-, knowledge-, assessment-, and community-centered. | [FULL TEXT]

Owens, Heather, Ed.; Thompson, Carole, Ed. (2001).  Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Adult and Continuing Education Research Conference (5th, Indiana, Pennsylvania, March 17, 2001). 

This document contains papers from a Pennsylvania conference on adult and continuing education research. The following papers are included: "Violence against Women: Looking behind the Mask of Incarcerated Batterers" (Irene C. Baird); "Refocusing Faculty Development: The View from an Adult Learning Perspective" (Patricia A. Lawler, Kathleen P. King); "Living and Learning with HIV/AIDS: Transformational Tales Continued" (Lisa M. Baumgartner); "Gender Differences in Distance Education and Technology: Familiarity, Comfortability, and Receptivity in the Hotel and Restaurant Industry" (David S. Bender, James A. Bardi); "Using Qualitative Case Study to Evaluate a Pre-employment Training Program for Adults" (Susan C. Biro); "Assessing the Effectiveness of a Faith-Based Learning Environment for Adults: A Case Study and Comparative Analysis" (Anthony L. Blair); "Evaluating the Value of Internships for Adult Learners" (Gary J. Dean, Kurt P. Dudt); "The Value of Higher Education: A Latino Perspective" (Denise K. Hay); "The Intricacies of Initiate-Response-Evaluate in Adult Literacy Education" (Patsy Medina); "Where Cancer Patients Receive Information: A Comparative Study with Patients and the Perception of Health Care Professionals" (Eileen Milakovic); "Adult Students Speak Out; A Focus Group Research Project" (Sherry Miller Brown); "Identifying the State of the Art: Measures Used to Assess Adult Learners in Even Start Family Literacy Programs" (Joe Norden Jr., Gary J. Dean); "Family Literacy and Adult Education: Informing Practices That Encourage Participation" (Stephanie Wexler-Robock, Kathleen P. King); and "More Than Just Reading and Math: Women in Adult Basic Education" (Lisa J. Wright, Kathleen P. King). Most papers include substantial bibliographies. | [FULL TEXT]

Owens, Russ; Dwyer, Francis (2005).  The Effect of Varied Cueing Strategies in Complementing Animated Visual Imagery in Facilitating Achievement of Different Educational Objectives  International Journal of Instructional Media, 32, 4. 

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of varied visual cueing strategies, used to complement animation, on cognitive processing and achievement of specific educational objectives. An instructional heart material was utilized in this study. Four criterion tests were used in this study, namely: (1) Drawing Test; (2) Identification Test; (3) Terminology Test; and (4) Comprehension Test. The items contained in the above noted individual Criterion Tests were combined into a composite test score (Total Criterion Test). Two item analysis studies and one pilot study were conducted to facilitate the development of the instructional treatments. Insignificant differences in achievement were found to exist among, students receiving the selected cueing, strategies on the four tests measuring different educational objective. The inclusion of the selected cueing strategies was supported by the literature, but not by the scores of the criterion tests for the participants in this study. The use of animation and added cueing strategies needs to be evaluated in further research.

Ogren, Paul J.; Deibel, Michael; Kelly, Ian; Mulnix, Amy B.; Peck, Charlie (2004).  Web Camera Use in Developing Biology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Laboratories  American Biology Teacher, 66, 1. 

The use of a network-ready color camera is described which is primarily marketed as a security device and is used for experiments in developmental biology, genetics and biochemistry laboratories and in special student research projects. Acquiring and analyzing project and archiving images is very important in microscopy, electrophoresis and chromatography.

Ogrinc, Greg; Splaine, Mark E.; Foster, Tina; Regan-Smith, Martha; Batalden, Paul (2003).  Exploring and Embracing Complexity in a Distance-Learning Curriculum for Physicians.  Academic Medicine, 78, 3. 

Describes the VA National Quality Scholars Fellowship's decision to use interactive video (IV) as its primary medium for delivering the curriculum to its six sites around the nation. Describes how this disruption to the education system helped to fashion an adaptable learning environment.

Otero, Valerie; Peressini, Dominic; Meymaris, Kirsten Anderson; Ford, Pamela; Garvin, Tabitha; Harlow, Danielle; Reidel, Michelle; Waite, Bryan; Mears, Carolyn (2005).  Integrating Technology into Teacher Education: A Critical Framework for Implementing Reform  Journal of Teacher Education, 56, 1. 

Teacher education programs around the nation continue to be challenged to prepare prospective teachers to use technology "meaningfully" in their instruction. This implies that university faculty in teacher education programs must become proficient at technology use and must come to understand content-specific, pedagogical uses of technology for their own instruction. In this article, the authors present a model for technological change driven by the notion of situated practice and communities of discourse in their school of education. They also describe a critical framework for facilitating discourse among teacher education faculty from which understandings of why, when, and how to use technology emerged. Several cases of situated practice are discussed with particular attention to how an understanding of meaningful technology use was negotiated through interactions between faculty and graduate students. Implicit in this model for technological change is a strategy for sustainability. This is elaborated as the authors discuss their results.

Obi, Samuel C. (2004).  Laboratory Resources Management in Manufacturing Systems Programs  Tech Directions, 64, 5. 

Most, if not all, industrial technology (IT) programs have laboratories or workshops. Often equipped with modern equipment, tools, materials, and measurement and test instruments, these facilities constitute a major investment for IT programs. Improper use or over use of program facilities may result in dirty lab equipment, lost or damaged tools, misplaced instruments, and improper management of these resources. This can create a chaotic and unsafe learning environment. One way to ensure order in such an environment involves proper organization and management of important resources. In this article, the author describes some steps they have taken at one of San Jose State University's (SJSU) manufacturing systems laboratories to improve lab management. They initiated a creative, systematic approach that involved five major steps: (1) Grouping and categorizing the laboratory's resources; (2) Developing a laboratory layout; (3) Generating a tool inventory and matching tools with proper cribs; (4) Training students and other instructors on system use; and (5) Proposing future improvement plans for a tool inventory control system. Laboratory resources are an important component of manufacturing systems programs. Students who major in this important program should learn about proper and responsible management of the key resources used in their technical field of study.

Obi, Sunday O.; Obiakor, Festus E. (2000).  Rural Students with Exceptionalities: Refocusing in the New Millennium. 

This paper examined issues that affect rural students with exceptionalities and identified effective techniques to reverse problems confronting these students. Following an introductory section, an overview of rural special education programs identifies consistent problems of misidentification, mistakes in assessment, misclassification, misplacement, and lapses in instruction for reasons such as lack of qualified personnel, inflexible funding formulas, and geographic remoteness. The following section notes special problems such as difficulty serving students with low incidence disabilities (students with moderate or severe retardation, multiple disabilities, vision or hearing impairments, orthopedic disabilities, emotional disturbances, and those requiring related services). The next section, on innovative strategies, urges collaborative transdisciplinary teaming approaches, increased staff development that involves the community, and provision of services based on principles of inclusion, community-referenced curriculum, and student-centered educational planning. The role of state departments of education is discussed with examples from Utah. Examples are also provided of innovative efforts by local rural school districts and of teacher education programs in Utah. Ways that technology can address the special problems of this population are considered with 10 examples of successful uses of technology in rural settings with diverse groups of students. | [FULL TEXT]

Offir, Baruch; Lev, Yossi; Lev, Yael; Barth, Ingrid (2002).  Using Interaction Content Analysis Instruments to Assess Distance Learning  Computers in the Schools, 18, 2-3. 

Utilizing the full potential of distance education requires an understanding of how the absence of face-to-face communication affects the relationship between teaching behaviors and learning outcomes. Teachers' awareness of how their teaching behaviors change across distance and conventional contexts can assist them in overcoming the limitations of distance learning. This paper describes the development of two content analysis instruments for analyzing teacher-learner interaction patterns in order to enable educators to (a) identify the effect of separation from learners by space and/or time, (b) examine the relationship between interaction patterns and learning outcomes, (c) identify teacher-learner interactions which comprise essential elements of effective distance education, (d) increase the effectiveness of the instructional design, (e) plan more effective staff development programs, and (f) enable decision makers to assess the effectiveness of distance learning programs.

Offir, Baruch; Lev, Yossi; Lev, Yael; Barth, Ingrid; Shteinbok, Arkadi (2004).  An Integrated Analysis of Verbal and Nonverbal Interaction in Conventional and Distance Learning Environments  Journal of Educational Computing Research, 31, 2. 

As increasing numbers of educational institutions implement distance learning (DL) programs, educators need to know how teaching and learning processes change when teachers and learners are no longer in the same place at the same time. Understanding the theoretical and practical implications of these changes can help teachers to compensate learners for the limitations that often characterize a DL environment. In this article, we describe how we used content analysis to identify how university lecturers' verbal and nonverbal dialogue patterns changed when they taught in both conventional and DL environments. Data, indicating significant cross-context changes in teacher-student interaction patterns, validate Moore's (1972, 1993) transactional distance theory. This theory predicts that the increased psychological and communicative space, which needs to be crossed in a DL environment, has a potentially negative effect on teaching and learning. Empirical evidence of changes in specific categories of interaction also expands the conceptualization of the dialogue variable in Moore's theory. The focus of this article on verbal dialogue and nonverbal interactions was intended to clarify possible causes and effects of increased transactional distance in a DL environment. Our integrated analysis of verbal and nonverbal interactions was intended to identify types of compensatory strategies adopted by teachers in an attempt to reduce transactional distance. Teachers could use these results to manage the dialogue variable more effectively in both DL and conventional learning environments.

Ogle, Thomas (2004).  Racing to Success: Using Professional 3-D Design Software to Build CO[2]-Powered Cars in Middle School Science. In the Curriculum--Technology/Education/Science  Learning and Leading with Technology, 31, 5. 

In 1995, the Farmington Board of Education (Michigan) adopted a new student profile it hoped to achieve by 2007, the year students then in kindergarten would graduate from high school. This article describes a course named "2007"--named so because the 10-week, Grade 8 course was designed to address some of the profile's key attributes: Knowledgeable Thinker, Thoughtful Problem Solver, Quality Producer, Effective Communicator, and Collaborative Team Member. In this class, students explore and evaluate academic subject matter via informational technology. Students bring recorded data from their 2007 class to evaluate in our classroom as their culminating project. The skills that the students learn are real-world applications of informational technology. The author concludes keeping a portfolio to document the design process developed the students' organizational and communication skills that are essential in virtually any career path. Creating their designs with 3-D CAD software helped them to think in three dimensions, while capturing their imaginations, building self-esteem and leveling the playing field among children with varying drawing abilities. Analyzing the winning vehicle after the race reinforced throughout this unit the students' understanding of the science concepts that underpinned everything. The following are discussed: A Flight of Imagination; The Design Portfolio; Race and Postmortem; and Conclusions. Appended materials include: Course Outline for 8th Grade Academic Extension; 8th Grade Academic Extension "2007" Instructions for Final Analysis of the CO2 Dragster; Directions for the Informational Technology Teacher Grade/Subject: 8th Grade 2007 Rotation-Informational Technology Section; and Analysis of the CO2 Dragster via Informational Technology. | [FULL TEXT]

Ogle, Todd; Byers, Al (2000).  Evaluating Teacher's Perceptions of Technology Use in the K-8 Classroom. 

This study analyzes data from a recent survey conducted for a national educational video series to measure teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of technology, video and Web-based materials. Research questions focused on perceptions of K-12 classroom educators on: the role technology plays in enhancing learning and learning environments; whether technology facilitates the learning of classroom content as aligned with national mathematics and/or science standards; whether the school administration provides adequate support with respect to training in the use of technology for the classroom; and whether school administrators provide adequate support with respect to access to technology in the classroom. Following the introductory section that outlines the background, rationale, and research questions of the study, the paper presents a review of the literature, describes the methodology, and briefly discusses the two phases of analysis. Sample survey questions are appended. | [FULL TEXT]

Ogle, Tom; Branch, Morgan; Canada, Bethann; Christmas, Oren; Clement, John; Fillion, Judith; Goddard, Ed; Loudat, N. Blair; Purwin, Tom; Rogers, Andy; Schmitt, Carl; Vinson, Mike (2002).  Technology in Schools: Suggestions, Tools and Guidelines for Assessing Technology in Elementary and Secondary Education. 

This handbook is intended to facilitate the assessment of technology used to support elementary and secondary education in the United States. It is designed to help decision makers and technology users prepare, collect and assess information about whether and how technology is being used in their school systems. To make assessments that will be the basis for good decisions about the distribution and use of computers in the educational environment, well-focused data are necessary. The guide is organized around key questions pertaining to the type, availability, and use of technology in education systems. The key questions are grouped into seven primary topics, each with a chapter: technology planning and policies; finance; equipment and infrastructure; technology applications (software and systems); maintenance and support; professional development and training; and technology integration. For each topic, authors identified key questions and how they could best be answered. A measure, the result of which answers the key question, is called an indicator and more than one indicator can be provided for a given key question. After listing key questions for the topic and an overview, each chapter defines the topic precisely in order to delimit the area of assessment and then discusses the indicators that provide answers to key questions. A master list of key questions is provided at the beginning of the guide. Includes a glossary and two appendixes, "Data Elements and Term Definitions" and "Creating Indicators from Unit Records and Data Elements: Some Examples." | [FULL TEXT]

Oriogun, Peter K.; Cook, John (2003).  Transcript Reliability Cleaning Percentage: An Alternative Interrater Reliability Measure of Message Transcripts in Online Learning  American Journal of Distance Education, 17, 4. 

In this article, we extend previous work with respect to interrater reliability measure of computer-mediated conferencing and suggest coding categories relevant to problem-based learning. Calculating interrater reliability agreement by using a Transcript Reliability Cleaning Percentage (TRCP) approach is simple for academics with limited mathematical background and can provide insights into the nature of the learning process from the perspective of categorization of online discourse. TRCP enhances interrater reliability (percentage agreement between coders) of the rating of online transcripts.

Oriogun, Peter K.; Ravenscroft, Andrew; Cook, John (2005).  Validating an Approach to Examining Cognitive Engagement within Online Groups  American Journal of Distance Education, 19, 4. 

Tools for measuring cognitive engagement within online groups have been concerned only with measuring an individual participant's cognitive engagement, without any concern for measuring cognitive engagement within groups. There remains a serious need for a scheme that measures cognitive engagement of groups and the validation of such a scheme against existing methods. The SQUAD (coding categories that are being measured, a semistructured approach for scaffolding online groups' engagement) approach to computer-mediated communication (CMC) discourse invites students within their respective groups to post messages based on five given categories: (a) suggestion, (b) question, (c) unclassified, (d) answer, and (e) delivery. In this article, the authors validated the SQUAD approach at the message level with an established framework called the practical inquiry model for assessing cognitive presence of CMC discourse. They adopted the alignments suggested by one of the developers of the Transcript Analysis Tool at sentence level to assess students' cognitive engagement within online groups in three case studies presented in this article. The authors argue that the cognitive presence attributed to the SQUAD approach has been empirically validated with respect to cognitive engagement within groups online.

Oddou, Gary R. (2005).  A Cross-Cultural Exercise: Expat in the Marketplace  Journal of Management Education, 29, 5. 

With the increasing importance of the global marketplace, students need to be more effectively prepared to manage themselves in the context of different cultures. This article explains an effective cross-cultural exercise that is simple to set up yet effective in its simulation of a cross-cultural interaction. Debriefing notes are included to help maximize the effectiveness of the learning.

A growing body of research evidence indicates that implementing CREDE's Five Standards for Effective Pedagogy promotes positive learning outcomes for students. The Five Standards are: (1) Joint Productive Activity (JPA); (2) Language and Literacy Development (LLD); (3) Contextualization: Connecting School to Students' Lives (CTX); (4) Challenging Activities (CA); and (5) Instructional Conversation (IC). They are principles critical for improving the teaching and learning of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Each standard facilitates the construction of knowledge by teacher and students and promotes conceptual elaboration. Through multi-year partnerships with demonstration schools, CREDE researchers and coaches work with teachers on the Five Standards over a sustained period of time. At these sites, CREDE coaches and teachers collaborate to conduct and improve instruction: the Five Standards are integrated into classroom activities structured into multiple, simultaneous activity centers. Student learning outcomes at demonstration schools are reflective of exemplary instruction guided by the standards. The Standards Performance Continuum (SPC) is a 5-level rubric that measures implementation of the Five Standards and is used at demonstration schools to guide and assess professional development activities. Coaches, teachers, and researchers use SPC data to focus and refine instruction, guide and assess the effectiveness of professional development activities, and examine the relationship between teachers' use of the standards and student achievement. This brief discusses the development of the SPC, recent research in which the instrument was used, and areas of application.  | [FULL TEXT]

Oswald, Daniel F. (2002).  A Conversation with Charles M. Reigeluth.  Educational Technology, 42, 3. 

This first in a series of interviews with leaders in the field of educational technology focuses on Charles Reigeluth and his career choice; educational background; mentors; important topics to study; trends in the field of instructional technology and instructional theory; and performance and elementary and secondary education.

Oswald, Daniel F. (2002).  A Conversation with Bela H. Banathy.  Educational Technology, 42, 4. 

This interview with Bela Banathy, a leader in educational technology, discusses educational background; instructional technology and instructional systems; mentors; current directions in the field; expansionism; the International Systems Institute; the information age; and new paradigms of instructional theory.

Oswald, Daniel F. (2002).  A Conversation with Glenn E. Snelbecker.  Educational Technology, 42, 5. 

This interview with Glenn Snelbecker, a leader in the field of educational technology, includes educational background; integrating theories of psychology; the use of theories; mentors; important reading for doctoral students; and the future of instructional technology.

Oswald, Daniel F. (2002).  A Conversation with Michael J. Hannafin.  Educational Technology, 42, 6. 

This interview with Michael Hannafin, a leader in the field of educational technology, discusses experiences in the instructional technology field and relationships between work and research; academic and professional mentors; writings on educational technology; current trends in the field; advice for doctoral students; and research agenda.

Oswald, Daniel F. (2003).  A Conversation with Todd Hoover.  Educational Technology, 43, 4. 

The sixth in a series, this article presents an interview with Dr. Todd Hoover, Associate Professor of Curriculum Instruction and Educational Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, whose work has included designing developing, and assessing major initiatives for the integration of technology into learning and teaching.

Oswald, Daniel F. (2003).  A Conversation with David Jonassen.  Educational Technology, 43, 5. 

This interview with David Jonassen discusses his role in the field of educational technology; his background as a student in higher education; mentors; practical work and research; important writings; research agenda; current direction of the field; and future possibilities.

Oswald, Patricia A., Ed.; Zaromatidis, Katherine, Ed.; Levine, Judith R., Ed.; Indenbaum, Gene, Ed. (2004).  Teaching of Psychology: Ideas and Innovations. Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Undergraduate Teaching of Psychology (18th, Monticello, New York, March 24-26, 2004)  [Online Submission, Proceedings of the Annual Meeting on Undergraduate Teaching of Psychology (18th, Monticello, NY, Mar 24-26, 2004)] 

This document includes the proceedings and papers of the 18th Annual Conference on Undergraduate Teaching of Psychology, which was held on March 24-26, 2004 in Monticello, NY. The conference, which dealt with ideas and innovations in the teaching of psychology, was sponsored by the Psychology Department of the Farmingdale State University. The conference featured paper presentations on various topics related to teaching psychology at the undergraduate level. Some topics include: using technology in the classroom, dealing with textbook plagiarism in introductory psychology, sending students into the world wide web, and developing learning goals and performance outcomes in the psychology curriculum. Sixteen papers are included herein. (Individual papers contain references. For the year 2000 proceedings, see ED450632.) | [FULL TEXT]

Oh, Jeong-Eun (2003).  Handling Missing Data in Research Studies of Instructional Technology. 

Missing data is an important issue that is discussed across many fields. In order to understand the issues caused by missing data, this paper reviews the types of missing data and problems caused by missing data. Also, to understand how missing data are handled in instructional technology research, articles published in "Educational Media International,""Educational Technology Research and Development," and "Performance Improvement Quarterly" for the last 5 years are reviewed. A total of 84 quantitative research articles were identified in the 3 journals. About 42% of the reviewed studies had incomplete data sets, and in most of them, information about data completeness was clearly presented through comparisons of usable data points with the intended sample size. Overall, it was found that the awareness of missing data issues was low among the researchers in the field of instructional technology. Findings are discussed in terms of missing data mechanisms, and recommendations are presented. An appendix shows missing data methods in the three journals in table form.   | [FULL TEXT]

Otsuki, Yoko; Bandoh, Hirokazu; Kato, Naoki; Indurkhya, Bipin; Nakagawa, Masaki (2004).  Educational Software Employing Group Competition Using an Interactive Electronic Whiteboard  Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 15, 3. 

This article presents a design of educational software employing group competition using a large interactive electronic whiteboard, and a report on its experimental use. Group competition and collaboration are useful methods to cultivate originality and communication skills. To share the same space, the same large screen, and face-to-face communication with others is very important in a group competition. By employing a large interactive electronic whiteboard, we can also introduce the benefits of IT into this environment. We have designed a group competition application, i.e., Kanji pairing software using an interactive electronic whiteboard. Through experimental use of the application at two elementary schools, we confirmed the necessity of selecting competitive elements according to the children's personalities, the teacher's leadership style, as well as the potential to motivate children to learn. Moreover, the children kept their concentration and the teacher grasped children's study processes. Therefore, we have found that an interactive electronic whiteboard and group competitive software can be effectively employed in classroom learning.

Oxenham, John (2002).  "Including the Excluded" and International Development Co-Operation. A Report from the Meeting of the International Working Group on Education (IWGE) (Lisbon, Portugal, June 19-21, 2001). 

The International Working Group on Education (IWGE) met in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 2001. Participants came from 26 institutions representing 10 international agencies or institutions, 4 foundations, and 12 bilateral agencies. This publication is a summary of the proceedings of that meeting. It begins with opening and welcoming keynote addresses. Each subsequent chapter is devoted to a summary of a major theme of the meeting. Theme 1 gave representatives of the various institutions the opportunity to brief the meeting on any significant changes, actual or prospective, in policy, organization, and working procedures since the previous meeting. Theme 2 focused on measures to ensure that groups often denied or excluded from educational opportunities gain access to them. The discussion also examined ways of alleviating the cost of education for the poor. Theme 3 surveyed experiences and issues in effect to establish sector-wide approaches to developing policies and programs in education as well as progress in enabling countries to reduce their debt burden and devote more resources to education and health. Theme 4 focused on the effects, implications, and prognosis of the HIV/AIDS emergency and the challenges it poses for education policy and action.

Olliver, James (2004).  Twelve Maxims for Creating and Sustaining a Successful E-Learning Enterprise  New Directions for Community Colleges, 2004, 128. 

E-learning programs bring new challenges and opportunities to community colleges. This chapter identifies twelve maxims for developing and sustaining a successful program, and illustrates the ways in which one community college has applied them.

Ouzts, Dan T.; Palombo, Mark J. (2004).  Technology in Higher Education: A Study of Perceptions of College Professors  TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 48 n5 p19-24, 84 2004. 

In an effort to examine the current status of technology at the university level, researchers developed, administered and analyzed the survey presented in this article. This survey was constructed and administered to college professors in an attempt to examine and reflect on a framework for subsequent delivery of technology workshops that would enhance student learning. The goal was to enhance both educator and, subsequently, student learning using technology. However, the effective use of technology requires: (a) an understanding of the basic characteristics of available alternatives; and (b) a willingness to fit and adapt them to meet the special needs of learners and circumstances. An examination of the survey indicated that there were strengths, weaknesses and general perceptions regarding technology use by the college professors who completed the survey. The findings of the study found that, while professors are becoming more self-proficient using technology, they are not yet at the point of enhancing their pedagogy.

Ono, Yumiko; Hurley, Casey; Petrovitch-Mwaniki, Lois (2001).  Global Partnership Schools: What U.S. and Japanese Teachers Value Most in the Other Culture of Teaching and Curriculum. 

This paper presents information from a project that examined what Japanese and U.S. teachers valued most about the culture of teaching and learning in each others' countries. Teachers participated in global partnership schools in which they had the opportunity to directly observe all facets of school operation in the other country. Data come from journals and a research report prepared by a Japanese cohort in 1999, focusing on observations by three high school teachers. The observations and reflections from three journals and reports illustrate several features of U.S. high school education that the Japanese teachers agreed upon: emphasis on school discipline, intensive and extensive use of technology, individualized instruction, variety of content and delivery methods, classroom management by the teacher, emphasis on self-initiative and self-direction, clear and precise descriptions of responsibility, differentiated support staff for teaching and learning, and student, teacher, and school accountability measured by achievement.

O'Driscoll, Tony (2003).  Proposing an Optimal Learning Architecture for the Digital Enterprise.  Educational Technology, 43, 1. 

Discusses the strategic role of learning in information age organizations; analyzes parallels between the application of technology to business and the application of technology to learning; and proposes a learning architecture that aligns with the knowledge-based view of the firm and optimizes the application of technology to achieve proficiency levels of core competencies.

O'Droma, Mairtin S.; Ganchev, Ivan; McDonnell, Fergal (2003).  Architectural and Functional Design and Evaluation of E-Learning VUIS Based on the Proposed IEEE LTSA Reference Model.  Internet and Higher Education, 6, 3. 

Presents a comparative analysis from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Learning Technology Standards Committee's (LTSC) of the architectural and functional design of e-learning delivery platforms and applications, e-learning course authoring tools, and learning management systems (LMSs), with a view of assessing how their functionality meets the requirements of a comprehensive e-learning Virtual University Information System (VUIS). Includes five figures.

Olmsted, Jodi L. (2001).  Longitudinal Analysis of Student Performance between Host and Cooperating College Learners in the Dental Hygiene Program at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wisconsin. 

The academic performance of students enrolled in a distance education dental hygiene program at Northcentral Technical College (NTC) in Wausau, Wisconsin, was analyzed in a comparative, quasi-experimental study. The study sample consisted of five cohorts of program graduates (students graduating in 1997-2001). The experiment groups were divided based upon whether they pursued the program at the host college or one of the cooperating college (distance) sites with which NTC shares its dental hygiene program. The achievement of the learners at the host and cooperating college sites was compared based on their grade-point averages (GPAs) and their performance on the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). No statistically significant differences between the scores achieved by the two groups of learners on the NBDHE were identified. Neither were any significant differences between students' GPAs in 10 of the 11 core dental hygiene courses found. It was concluded that the distance educational technology of interactive television used in NTC's dental technology program resulted in acceptable levels of learner performance. | [FULL TEXT]

Owings, William A., Ed.; Kaplan, Leslie S., Ed. (2003).  Best Practices, Best Thinking, and Emerging Issues in School Leadership. 

This collection of writings presents leading research and key considerations to assist educational leaders in making decisions about new programs and new directions for their schools. Twenty-six chapters make up the book: (1) "Changing Demographics: A Call for Leadership" (Bud Hodgkinson); (2) "Media and Political Misrepresentation of Public Education" (Gerald W. Bracey); (3) "Implementing Change at the Building Level" (Michael Fullan); (4) "Challenges to Leading and Sustaining School Change" (William Patterson); (5) "The New Effective Schools" (Gordon Cawelti); (6) "Politics and Education: A Conundrum for School Leadership" (Gerald N. Tirozzi); (7) "Curriculum and Instruction: Critical and Emerging Issues for Educational Leadership" (Robert J. Marzano); (8) "Enhancing Teaching" (Linda Darling-Hammond); (9) "Teacher Quality" (Thomas S. Mawhinney and Laura L. Sagan); (10) "Using Technology to Change School Learning Culture" (Alan November); (11) "Integrating Technology into Instructional Design" (Frank M. Betts); (12) "Professional Development in Instructional Technology" (Richard W. Shelly); (13) "What Instructional Leaders Need to Know About Special Education" (Chriss Walther-Thomas and Michael F. DiPaola); (14) "Making Inclusion Work" (Patricia Jordan Rea); (15) "Talent Development with English Language Learners" (Nora G. Friedman); (16) "Connecting Authentic Knowledge and Academic Accountability" (Kelly Clark/Keefe, Patricia Morgan, and Susan Brody Hasazi); (17) "Severely and Profoundly Disabled Students in the School Community" (Phyllis Milne); (18) "Working with Special Education Advocates" (Marguerite A. Pittman); (19) "Technology and Gifted Learners" (Sandra L. Berger); (20) "High-Stakes Testing" (Ronald S. Brandt); (21) "Are Standards the Answer?" (Linda Nathan); (22) "Critical Issues in School Law" (Jennifer A. Sughrue and M. David Alexander); (23) "Emerging Issues in Special Education Law" (Kathleen S. Mehfoud); (24) "Sustaining the Investment: Technology or Teachers?" (Kenneth A. Engebretson); (25) "Changes in Educational Practice" (Gene R. Carter); and (26) "Changes in the Educational Landscape" (Paul D. Houston). The book concludes with an epilogue by Leslie S. Kaplan and William A. Owings.

Ommerborn, Rainer; Schuemer, Rudolf (2002).  Using Computers in Distance Study: Results of a Survey amongst Disabled Distance Students.  Indian Journal of Open Learning, 11, 1. 

In the euphoria about new technologies in distance education there exists the danger of not sufficiently considering how ever increasing "virtualization" may exclude some student groups. An explorative study was conducted that asked disabled students about their experiences with using computers and the Internet. Overall, those questioned mentioned more advantages than disadvantages; they do, however, also mention the dangers. 

Opitz, Christine (2002).  Online Course Accessibility: A Call for Responsibility and Necessity.  Educational Technology Review, 10, 1. 

Discussion of online distance learners with disabilities focuses on the essential components of a Web-based course, the learning advantages that arise from equal access Web formatting, and design strategies that lead to creating accessible, online materials. Highlights include legal mandates, including Americans with Disabilities Act; assistive devices; and validation practices.

Osborn, Viola (2001).  Identifying At-Risk Students in Videoconferencing and Web-Based Distance Education.  American Journal of Distance Education, 15, 1. 

Based on the multivariate framework of student attrition developed by leading researcher, this study centers on a method of assessing the ability of a student to complete a distance learning course. Focuses on construction and validation of a survey instrument to identify at-risk students enrolled in Web-based and videoconferencing courses.

Osborne, Jonathan; Collins, Sue (2000).  Pupil's and Parents' Views of the School Science Curriculum.  School Science Review, 82, 298. 

Investigates parents' and students' view of science education and its success. Uses focus groups for data collection, which provides an environment for the challenge of different participant views. Includes recommendations for the improvement of schools science. 

Or-Bach, Rachel (2000).  Courseware Design by College Students: The Educational Gains.  Journal of Interactive Instruction Development, 13, 2. 

Describes the experience gained during several years of teaching courses on CBT (computer-based training) design to undergraduate students with varying backgrounds and interests. Discusses the theoretical background for the potential benefits; preparation for lifelong learning; information technology literacy and teaching multimedia development; a strategy for teaching more than courseware design; and results from a survey of potential benefits.

O'Rourke, Jennifer (2000).  Print.  New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 

In an electronic age, print remains a sophisticated technology that features durabiilty, flexibility, and accessibility. Learners learn from, with, and beside print. Good design and thoughtful application can make the best use of its assets.

Olgren, Christine H. (2000).  Learning Strategies for Learning Technologies.  New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 

Underpinning the use of old or new learning technologies is what a learner has to do to process information effectively. A learner-centered approach should connect learning strategies (orientation, management, information processing, evaluation of outcomes) to learning technologies.