Browsing by Author "Potter, Kenneth R."
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- Assessing Visual Literacy: A Review and An AttemptLi, Mingyu (Virginia Tech, 2021-07-23)This dissertation was driven by a lack of evidence substantiating the current state of visual literacy knowledge and skills of instructional design professionals and the continuing call for visual literacy assessment research. The project has contributed two manuscripts that examine the existing visual literacy assessment research and document an attempt at designing and developing an evidence-based visual literacy assessment product. The first manuscript, a comprehensive literature review, offers insights into how visual literacy has been assessed over the years and the challenges associated with establishing a research agenda for visual literacy assessment as revealed by current research and practice. The second manuscript, adopting the design and development research methodology, aims to design and develop a product that instructional designers can use to assess or diagnose the strengths and weaknesses in their knowledge regarding a fundamental vocabulary of visual literacy.
- The Assessment Agent System: Assessing Comprehensive Understanding Based on Concept MapsLiu, Jianhua (Virginia Tech, 2010-09-10)This dissertation explores the feasibility of employing software agent technology to support large-scale assessment. The research included the design, development, and evaluation of the Assessment Agent System for assessing comprehensive understanding based on concept maps. The system was designed by following an agent-oriented software design method. The Assessment Agent System is composed of five types of software agents: instructor agent, student agent, management agent, assessment agent, and reporting agent. Each of these agents was designed to possess different capabilities. Software agents in the system, through communication and cooperation, collectively provide the functionalities of user-system interaction, user management, task authoring and management, assessment delivery, task presentation, response collection, automatic assessing with feedback, and reporting. Through the process of design, development, and evaluation of the Assessment Agent System, this study demonstrates an approach that employs an agent-oriented software design method to produce sophisticated educational software applications. Furthermore, this study explored the concept map assessing method for the Assessment Agent System. When node terms and linking phrases are provided, assessing student concept maps can be automated by comparing student concept maps with assessment criteria, proposition by proposition. However, the usefulness of the proposition-comparing method depends heavily on the accuracy and thoroughness of the criterion propositions. Therefore, assessment criteria need to be continually refined and improved through examining student-created propositions.
- Autonomy Supportive Instruction as it relates to Students' Motivational Beliefs on an ePortfolio Project: The Moderating Role of Culturally Based Learning PreferencesWoodyard, Jacquelyn Claire (Virginia Tech, 2016-11-07)This study investigated students' perceptions of autonomy support from an instructor in relation to students' motivational beliefs on an ePortfolio project. The motivational beliefs of interest included: Effort/Importance, felt Pressure/Tension, and Value/Usefulness. These relationships were further examined with particular focus on the potential moderating role of students' culturally based learning preferences as outlined in Parrish and Linder-VanBerschot's (2010) Cultural Dimensions of Learning Framework (CDLF). This study was quasi-experimental, survey-based research supported by self-reported data collected from a convenience sample of graduate and undergraduate students. Students enrolled in a variety of courses that assigned an ePortfolio assignment received an email invitation from their instructor and self-selected to participate. Based on the responses of 35 students, the findings from this research showed significant relationships between three culturally based learning preferences and the motivational belief of Value/Usefulness. A summary of findings, limitations, and implications for further research are discussed.
- Blending cognitive rule-based, process-based, and context-based theories in the development of online grammar instructionZaldivar, Marc Robert (Virginia Tech, 2008-10-28)This study proposes to blend contemporary educational research in order to design an online instructional environment. The goal was to create an environment that would better educate learners about grammar use in higher education, given the complexity of the rule learning that was being asked of them. By blending approaches from tested educational research on cognitive information processing theories, schema theories, and situated cognitive theories in order to determine how language rules are best learned, eight design principles were derived for the instructional environment. A prototype of the environment was then developed. Two series of formative evaluations, one with a group of subject-matter experts (teachers, linguists, and instructional designers) and one with a group of students, were run against the instruction. Overall, it was found that a database-driven website employing user-defined variables to customize the instruction for each individual user was a useful way to achieve the goals of the study.
- The Comparability of Typographic and Substrate Variables in Legibility and Readability Research: An Integrative ReviewKamandhari, Helen Hendaria (Virginia Tech, 2018-05-02)This study focuses on the ability, or inability, to replicate or compare the design of text-related research from the perspective of the independent or dependent variables employed in such designs. Prior text-related research has used variables that were not clearly described or defined, could not be directly compared from one study or time period to the next, or were applied inappropriately. Measurements of typography-related and substrate-related variables may have absolute or relative values, and confusion can arise if the variables are not clearly identified and defined. The study is an integrative review with mixed methods research design investigating 44 books and two websites (part 1), and 83 journal articles and four theses/dissertations (part 2). The integrative review shows that the sources investigated present neither essential information on typographic and substrate characteristics nor consistent definitions of legibility and readability in order to allow comparable replication from one study to another. Findings are displayed in Chapter 4. Discussion and the related details are presented in Chapter 5.
- Comparing the Legibility and Comprehension of Type Size, Font Selection and Rendering Technology of Onscreen TypeChandler, Scott Bondurant (Virginia Tech, 2001-10-08)This experimental study investigated the relationship between the independent measures of font selection, type size, and type rendering technology and the dependent measures of legibility, as measured by the Chapman-Cook speed of reading test, as well as comprehension, as measured by a series of questions from the verbal comprehension section of the Graduate Record Exam. An electronic instrument presented test items in 12 different typographic styles. The study tested 117 college students at a university in southwestern Virginia. Each participant encountered anti-alias type rendering style and the orthochromatic type rendering style while participants were randomly assigned to either Helvetica or Palatino (font selection) and 8, 10 or 12 point type size. Results indicated that the 12 point type size was read more quickly than either 8 point type or 10 point type. There was also an interaction between font selection and type rendering technology for speed of reading: Helvetica without an anti-alias was read more quickly than Helvetica with an anti-alias and more quickly than Palatino without an anti-alias. These findings contradict an earlier, similar study. There were no significant results with regard to comprehension. [Vita removed Oct. 13, 2010. GMc]
- Comparison and Contrast of Undergraduate and Graduate IDT Course Syllabi across CountriesYang, Zhenhuan (Virginia Tech, 2023-08-28)The growing trend of internationalization in higher education underscores the importance of cross-national studies, particularly in the area of curricula, to facilitate learning and understanding among nations. This study examined undergraduate and graduate course syllabi from around the world to compare and contrast their components and subcomponents related to instructional design and technology. The aim was to identify major components and subcomponents and investigate their similarities and differences across continents. Additionally, the study explored the theories, principles, and concepts reflected in the syllabi and compared and contrasted them across the continents. The research analyzed 147 syllabi from 99 schools in 37 countries worldwide. The study identified eight major components that were present in the syllabi from all six continents, which include basic information, course information, course assessment, course resources, learning results, course schedule, course policies, and course expectations. The theories, principles, and concepts reflected in the syllabi included self-regulated learning, learner-centered pedagogy, universal design for learning, backward design, Bloom's taxonomy, and course objectives. However, the study also found significant differences in the specific components and subcomponents across continents. Therefore, when designing and creating a syllabus, it is essential to consider factors such as student readiness, instructor expertise, cultural practices, available resources, and educational policies, etc.
- The Conceptualization, Utilization, Benefts and Adoption of Learning ObjectsKim, Sunha (Virginia Tech, 2009-12-07)Learning objects have received attention because of their potential to improve current methods of teaching and learning. Despite perceived importance, there has been lack of studies that examine the use of learning objects across various contexts. In response, this study examined the actual use of learning objects and their perceptions among Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) practitioners in U.S. This study was based on the data from 191 IDT practitioners from various sectors, including higher education, business, government, and K-12. The study results contribute to the body of knowledge on learning objects in terms of four areas: conceptualization, utilization, benefits, and adoption. First, the study results should allay the concern that the conceptualization of learning objects focuses too much on technical aspects. IDT practitioners emphasized both technical and learning aspects in conceptualizing learning objects. In conclusion, the present study laid the foundation for a working definition of learning objects. Second, the study showed that IDT practitioners were utilizing learning objects to empower learners to have control over their own learning. The current study identified design strategies that IDT practitioners were frequently using. The most frequently utilized strategy was the provision of concrete, authentic examples and problems. Along with design strategies, this study identified the frequently adopted granularity levels: assets, combined media, one complete instructional unit, lesson or module, and course. Combined media, which consists of content and optional media, was the most frequently utilized granularity level of the five levels. The study provided empirical data to help determine formal design strategies and optimal granularity levels in utilizing learning objects based on the frequent use among IDT practitioners. Third, this study filled the research gap on the benefits of learning objects from an IDT perspective. Study results showed that IDT practitioners were positive about the overall benefits for the ID process, along with reusability and the support for the motivation and interactivity features. However, they were less convinced of the time and cost savings. Generally, IDT practitioners were satisfied with the benefits of learning objects. Fourth, the present study improved the understanding of the adoption status of learning objects. Currently, many of the participants' organizations were adopting or exploring the implementation of learning objects. The adoption of learning objects has a promising future, as IDT practitioners were positive about their organizations' intentions to use learning objects in the future. At the individual level, IDT practitioners were found to use learning objects for their professional role and across various projects. As an adoption factor, IDT practitioners showed the positive reactions to learning objects' perceived usefulness.
- Considerations for Instructional Message Design in Mobile Learning: A Design and Development StudyOfori, Eunice (Virginia Tech, 2018-12-03)In the past decades, teaching and learning has undergone rapid transformation partly because of advances in technology and access to such technology (Sung, Chang, and Liu, 2016). Mobile technologies (i.e. tablets, smartphones, and access to Internet) have become widespread, and is visible, even in the developing world (Aguayo, Cochrane, and Narayan , 2017). Mobile technologies allow for online learners to access learning resources on the go (McQuiggan, McQuiggan, Sabourin, and Kosturko, 2015). Instructional message design principles advance empirical tools aimed at producing lessons that allow for effective learning (Bishop, 2014). The purpose of this study was to develop a set of considerations for designing messages for mobile learning primarily through literature review and expert reviewers' feedback. The research methodology employed in the study is based on design and development research methodology (Richey and Klein, 2007). The study utilized Clark and Mayer's (2016) multimedia principles, Center for Universal Design's (1997) universal design for instruction (UDI) and mobile interface design best practices. Five expert reviewers with varied expertise in human computer interaction, special education, mobile learning, and instructional design were sought to review the considerations and provide feedback on its effectiveness for instructional message design. Overall the expert reviewers agreed that the considerations were effective and will be helpful to instructional designers, instructors of instructional design and content developers. They provided several helpful recommendations which were used to revise the considerations for designing content for mobile phones.
- Constructing an instructional design framework that incorporates re-purposing popular media to enhance mathematics and science instructionFotiyeva, Izolda S. (Virginia Tech, 2013-11-08)This study was an effort to construct and validate an instructional design framework for media content selection that incorporates re-purposing popular media to enhance mathematics and science instruction. The study resulted in the development and validation of a framework that was applicable with novice and expert instructional designers to be used as a stand - alone model or as a supplement to widely-used instructional design models. The framework was developed based on the literature review of four constructs: instructional design models, re-purposing popular media, learning theories and the new generation learners' characteristics, and multidisciplinary or integrated approaches to instruction. The findings of the literature review were used as the theoretical foundation for the construction of the framework for media content selection. During the final step of the study's Phase One, the researcher used the first iteration of the framework to develop a short instructional module that incorporated the re-purposing of popular media. This instruction focused on early mathematics (K-2) and the re-purposing of full-feature children animated films. The goal of this step was the development of documentation to record the process for media content selection that was later used to modify and revise the framework. As the next step, the framework was validated by subject matter experts in the field of instructional design. The framework was then further revised and modified. The findings of this study have implications on the areas that pertain to (a) instructional design models, (b) media selection, (c) media content selection, and (d) curriculum integration. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations to practitioners choosing to use the framework for media content selection were suggested and suggestions for future research were provided.
- Constructing Guidelines for Practicing Professionals Teaching Continuing Professional Development in Online EnvironmentsArnold, Amy Joan (Virginia Tech, 2020-06-18)Professionals called upon to design and deliver online professional development face unique challenges in fulfilling those roles when they may have little or no training experience within the online medium. Using research-based recommendations from the literature via a design and development methodology, this study operationalizes findings into Gilbert's (1978) Behavior Engineering Model to create guidelines for designing and delivering continuing professional development within the online medium. An expert review serves to validate and lead the revision process for the guidelines. This study describes the literature, guideline development, experts' reviews, and the validation of the guidelines.
- Creating an Online Tool for Assessing the Readiness of Teacher Training Colleges in Developing Countries to Implement the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers: A Design and Development StudyAnsong-Gyimah, Kwame (Virginia Tech, 2017-06-08)Information and Communications Technology play prominent roles in all aspects of human life today. School curricula is continually being revised to take advantage of the opportunities that ICTs offer to improve teaching and learning. Using the tool development type of design and development research, this study translates the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (UNESCO ICT-CFT) into an online survey that is capable of detecting if computer labs of teacher training colleges in developing countries have the capability to be used to train teachers to exhibit the UNESCO ICT competencies. By employing design and development techniques of expert review and field tests, an online tool was developed that was able to provide feedback on the capability of selected computer labs to be used as centers for training teachers on the UNESCO ICT-CFT. This report provides a detailed account of the tool development process, including expert review and field tests.
- Creating Guidelines for Integrating Technology in English Foreign Language Classrooms in Saudi ArabiaAl Zahrani, Turki Saad (Virginia Tech, 2019-01-02)The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education (MoE) has implemented new policies and reform programs for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to integrate technology in their classrooms. Creating a set of guidelines may provide a solution to guide EFL teachers through implementing technology to teach EFL skills in their classroom. Using a developmental study, comprised of three phases (analysis, design and development, and evaluation and revision), research-based instructional strategies were operationalized using a set of guidelines instruction to guide EFL teachers to integrate technology in their EFL classroom. Using a comprehensive literature review and evaluation by expert reviewers and users, guidelines were designed and evaluated to provide EFL teachers with instructional strategies and supporting technology solutions to implement in their EFL classrooms. This study describes the development process of the guidelines, the expert review and users, and the validation and usability of the final product in the Saudi context.
- Creation of a Support Tool for the Needs Assessment Process: A Design and Development StudyTrotman, Carmalita (Virginia Tech, 2020-04-10)Organizations in the private and public sector provide employee training for different reasons and cover a variety of subject and skill areas. In some cases, training is provided without implementing the complete instructional design process, omitting the needs assessment and analysis step, which can result in less than desired training outcomes. Research details challenges that private and public sector organizations encounter related to needs assessments, along with the benefits of assessing needs prior to the design of a training program. This development study and research supports these details. As a part of this research, a needs assessment tool was designed to assist instructional designers and training managers gather key information to better determine if training is needed and to identify the best means for moving through the instructional design process. An expert review of the needs assessment tool validated the tool and provided feedback for further development of the tool. This study presents the challenges and benefits of identifying needs, describes the development of a needs assessment tool, analyzes and summarizes expert review and feedback, and suggests potential revisions to the tool.
- Description of Instructional Design Framework Usage in the Development of Learning ObjectsMoseley, Brian Isles (Virginia Tech, 2013-05-13)The present study used a case study approach to gather information about learning object usage from multiple instructional design contexts. The study examined three case contexts: A non-profit organization, a corporate organization, and a military organization. The research obtained information from two sources within each context -- interviews conducted with current instructional design practitioners and documentation used within the process of developing learning objects -- to find out if, when, and how, instructional design processes are modified to accommodate learning objects as defined in publications reviewed in this study. The interview of the practitioners identified issues of instructional design process structure, context, and methods that were used in the context of their professional practice, as well as solicited their opinions on learning object uses for their particular context. A document analysis approach was then used to identify issues and themes within learning object development. Document analysis was also used to further explain and clarify the findings of the interview of the research participants.
- Design and Development of a Metadata-Driven Search Tool for use with Digital RecordingsRadke, Annemarie Katherine (Virginia Tech, 2019-06-19)It is becoming more common for researchers to use existing recordings as a source for data rather than to generate new media for research. Prior to the examination of recordings, data must be extracted from the recordings and the recordings must be described with metadata to allow users to search for the recordings and to search information within the recordings. The purpose of this small-scale study was to develop a web based search tool that will permit a comprehensive search of spoken information within a collection of existing digital recordings archived in an open-access digital repository. The study is significant to the field of instructional design and technology (IDT) as the digital recordings used in this study are interviews, which contain personal histories and insight from leaders and scholars who have influenced and advanced the field of IDT. This study explored and used design and development research methods for the development of a search tool for use with digital video interviews. The study applied speech recognition technology, tool prototypes, usability testing, expert review, and the skills of a program developer. Results from the study determined that the produced tool provided a more comprehensive and flexible search for users to locate content from within AECT Legends and Legacies Project video interviews.
- Design and Development of a Performance Support Tool for the Digital Curation of Non-Textual Learning ObjectsErvine, Michelle D. (Virginia Tech, 2016-05-05)As more artifacts are created in a digital format, there is a need to have metadata associated with the artifacts to increase the chance for resource discovery by others. This is especially the case with non-textual artifacts. Once these artifacts have descriptive metadata associated with them, they have the potential to become learning objects which can be used by others in their own teaching and research. This study explored the design and development of a performance support tool to create descriptive metadata by users that are most familiar with the non-textual learning objects, yet may not have an understanding of the various metadata schemas and standards required by other institutional/knowledge repositories and search engines. In order to create such a tool, certain features need to be included in order for users to create appropriate metadata. The tool needs to have Unicode character support in order metadata entry, display and searching. Research found that characteristics such as controlled vocabularies, tooltips, validation rules, and having a relevant image on the same screen as the metadata form help users to create appropriate and accurate metadata; yet, no existing tool was found that contained all of these features to assist faculty in describing their non-textual learning objects. These characteristics were operationalized in the design and development of the performance support tool. Findings from the evaluation of the tool indicate that the owner of the learning objects was able to create a customized, non-standard metadata form that users were then able to use to create appropriate and accurate descriptive metadata.
- The Design and Development of a Theory Driven Process for the Creation of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in an Online EnvironmentBlack, Aprille Noe (Virginia Tech, 2009-04-02)Educators are struggling to meet the ever-increasing challenges of preparing students to meet the demands of a global society. The importance of collaboration and social interaction in online education has been well documented (Berge, 1998; Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989, Fulford & Zhang, 1993; Gunawardena & McIssac, 2003; Kanuka & Anderson, 1998; Kearsley & Schneiderman, 1999; Sardamalia & Bereiter, 1994). Teachers and instructional designers are struggling to change the academic environment to meet the needs of millennial learners. The purpose of this study is to develop a theory driven process for designing computer-supported collaborative learning in an online environment. A careful analysis of the process for creating collaborative online instruction is conducted and a design strategy for the process is developed. The study provides suggested guidelines for practitioners to create collaborative online instruction. The design procedures emphasize social interaction to allow learners opportunities to explore, discover, and negotiate meaning in an authentic context. Online instruction requires the coupling of multiple areas of expertise to be successful. Although the pedagogical principles are the same, the global implications of "flat world" technology require an important weaving of collaborative interaction, graphic design, and pedagogy. Technology provides the transportation for achieving a collaborative environment; and, quality pedagogical practices provide the GPS (guidance positioning system) to direct collaborative instruction to its ultimate destination–knowledge building.
- Design and Development of an Electronic Performance Enhancement Tool for Creating and Maintaining Information Management Web SitesBowden, Todd H. (Virginia Tech, 2011-03-02)This study explored the design and development of an electronic performance enhancement tool that can assist a person with limited programming skills to create a variety of simple customized information management websites. In particular, this study was modeled after needs within an Instruction Technology department in which individuals were able to create pre-functional web pages with various elements such as textboxes and dropdown menus but lacked the programming skills necessary to add functionality to these web forms. Skilled programmers could add functionality to these pre-functioning web forms or create customized information management websites from scratch. However, programmers are not always available when needed. At the time of this study, there was no readily available way for persons to create customized information management websites without the services of a programmer or without needing to learn programming skills themselves. This study sought to determine what functionalities, characteristics and capabilities could be included in an electronic performance enhancement tool to assist non-programmers to create simple customized information management websites and how a tool with such functionalities, characteristics and capabilities could be designed and developed. A prototype version of such tool (named the Form And DataBase Interaction Tool or "FADBIT") was designed and developed in this study. This tool asks users who have created simple pre-functional web forms to answer a series of questions related to those webforms. Given the user's responses to these questions, this tool is able to form a metalanguage representation of the user's intentions for the web form and can translate this representation into useful programming code to add the desired functionality. The tool was successfully designed and developed using a generalized modular framework, and a Create-Adapt-Generalize model, with each module addressing one or more patterns common to web programming. The prototype tool successfully allowed non-programmers to create functional information websites for two structured evaluation projects, and achieved some level of success and encountered some difficulties with an unstructured project. Proposed modifications and extensions to the tool to address the difficulties encountered are presented.
- The Design and Development of an Online Database-Driven Peer Assessment Tool Using Division Rule TheoryLian, Hongri (Virginia Tech, 2014-04-11)Peer assessment has been adopted as a means of fair and equitable measurement of individual contributions to group work (Cheng and Warren, 2000; Conway and Kember, 1993; Gatfield, 1999; Goldfinch and Raeside, 1990; Lejk and Wyvill, 2001; Lejk, Wyvill, and Farrow, 1996) and it usually requires a certain mechanism or formula to quantify peer assessment criteria. The problem, however, is that it leads to circumstances where a student can be strategic and be easily able to obtain a higher score by simply giving lower scores to other members within a group. The need is to find a new mechanism and the purpose of this study is to develop an Online Database-Driven Peer Assessment Tool (ODDPAT) using the Division Rule mechanism as its core computational algorithm. This developmental study used modified Collaborative Create-Adapt-Generalize (CAG) model (Hicks, Potter, Snider, and Holmes, 2004) as its design and developmental framework. The process of design, development, and evaluation of the entire project was documented. Three experts were interviewed and detailed analysis of data was discussed. Finally, recommendations were made for its implementation and future research.