Dr. Correia presents at the 2019 American Educational Research Association annual meeting

Dr. Ana-Paula Correia presented two papers at the 2019 American Educational Research Association annual meeting, which took place on 5-9 April in Toronto, Canada.

In the first paper “Examining Online Learning Experiences in Collectivist Cultures through the Community of Inquiry Framework,” Dr. Correia extended the existing research on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. Traditionally, studies have applied the CoI framework within North American online learning environments, which tend to have students from individualist cultures. Dr. Correia considered how CoI applied to collectivist cultures, such as Portugal, Brazil, Chile, and Costa Rica. She discovered that high percentages of agreement for social, teaching, and cognitive presence resulted in a significant level of student engagement in online learning within these cultures. She also observed that the members of the community felt a need for additional ways to show affection and care towards the other people within it.

Session promo flyer

In the second paper “Investigating Students’ Perceptions of Educational Technology Use in College Teaching”, Dr. Correia and her co-author Dr. Karly Good drew on a large set of institutional data to understand how college students’ perceptions of educational technology related to other key instructional elements. In particular, they examined the relationship between educational technology use and important elements such as teaching methods, progress on learning objectives, and course features. Their study showed that an increase in the use of educational technology corresponds to an increase in effective teaching methods and higher scores on the overall quality of the teaching and the course offered. These results are exciting, because they can help universities and colleges to offer more timely and targeted faculty development, based on data-driven decision-making.

In addition, Dr. Correia hosted the AERA Special Interest Group Online Learning and Teaching Business meeting, and shared her vision for the SIG as the incoming Chair as she interacted with members and guests. She will continue contributing to AERA as SIG chair, presenter and reviewer. Her extensive national and international leadership in educational technology adds much value to the SIG and the association.

Colleagues and friends at 2019 AERA annual meeting

References:

Correia, A.-P. (2019). Examining Online Learning Experiences in Collectivist Cultures through the Community of Inquiry Framework. Presented at American Educational Research Association 2019 Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 5-9, 2019.

Correia, A.-P., & Good, K. (2019). Investigating Students’ Perceptions of Educational Technology Use in College Teaching. Presented at American Educational Research Association 2019 Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 5-9, 2019.

Correia’s new article in “Research in Science and Technological Education”

Ana-Paula Correia published “The application of PhET simulation to teach gas behavior on the submicroscopic level: secondary school students’ perceptions” with her co-authors Natalya Koehler, Ann Thompson and Gary Phye, in Research in Science and Technological Education, a Taylor & Francis journal,

The article is available at: 

ABSTRACT
Background: A multimedia software designed as a Computer-Assisted Scaffolding system was used to teach gas behavior on the submicroscopic level using Physics Education Technology Project (PhET) simulation. PhET is a set of interactive, research-based science and mathematics online simulations.

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate secondary school students’ perceptions of the simulation-based learning system and how it supported their cognitive processing of chemistry target concepts. Identifying its most (and least) helpful features and instructional strategies was also an objective of this study.

Simulation-based learning system description: The Computer-Assisted Scaffolding system (Program) combined with the PhET simulation were meant to facilitate learners’ conceptual understanding of gas behavior on the submicroscopic level, which would serve as a foundation for learning gas laws on the macroscopic and symbolic level. Chemistry target concepts included causes for gas pressure, relationship between gas pressure and volume/temperature changes, and relationship between gas pressure and the number of particles.

Sample: One hundred and fourteen secondary school students participated in this study as part of their science curriculum.

Design and methods: Data on the students’ perceptions of the overall learning experience and specific Program features were collected and analyzed. Students responded to three open-ended questions and provided ratings of the Program features, such as pop-up explanations, images, model explorations, guiding questions, diagrams and feedback. They used a paper-based survey that was administered during the last 8 min of class.

Results: The results provide preliminary evidence of the benefits of this approach in chemistry education. For instance, the changing variables in the simulation helped students understand gas behavior, the multiple images and working with the simulation lab helped students visualize gas behavior, and the design of the system made it easy for students to understand gas behavior on the submicroscopic level.

Conclusions: The vast majority of the students reported a positive learning experience and described it as worth spending their time.

Obsession Story by Karen Bruce Wallace Featured on the English Department Website

Karen Bruce Wallace had the pleasure of writing a piece for the English Department’s Obsession Story series, in which members of faculty and staff share one of their passions with the rest of the University. Bruce Wallace wrote about her love for crosswords, which arises out of the passion for words and games that also informs her learning design practices. This article was later selected for College of Arts and Sciences’ “Daily Post” e-mail.