Awards

LED research group was highly represented at the AECT 2023 International Convention

By Mimi Adjei (adjei.39@buckeyemail.osu.edu)

AECT2023 banner

#AECT2023

All roads led to Orlando, Florida, this October as the LED research group had the opportunity to present its groundbreaking research and celebrate the accomplishments of its members at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) 2023 International Convention. The 2023 convention marked 100 years for the AECT as an organization.

Sean Hickey, Dr. Ana-Paula Correia, Katherine Fergus, and the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) received the 2023 AECT Outstanding Book Chapter Award from the Division of Distance Learning (DDL) for their book chapter, The DACUM Virtual Institute: A Case Study in Designing for Adult Learners*.  This award recognizes a book chapter in a print or digital book published in English with a copyright date within the last three years (2020-2023) that describes important theoretical or practical aspects of distance education that can help others involved in distance education or those researching an important aspect of distance education.

Fan Xu received the DDL award on behalf of Sean Hickey, Ana-Paula Correia and CETE

Fan Xu (middle) received the DDL award on behalf of Sean Hickey, Dr. Ana-Paula Correia, and Kate Fergus.

Jiarui Xie, Mimi Adjei, and Dr. Ana-Paula Correia also presented their poster at the AECT 2023 International Convention on their study titled Teacher Interaction in Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Comparison of Discussion Board Replies and Grade Page Comments as part of the DDL’s program.

Abstract: This study compared the effects of two instructor participation approaches: replying to student posts on discussion boards and commenting on student posts on grade pages. The study examined the impact on both the quantity of student participation and the quality of student posts. The findings revealed that when the instructor replied on discussion boards, there was significantly more interaction between students than when the instructor commented on the grade pages. However, the number of student posts had no significant difference between the two approaches. Notably, both approaches contributed to a gradual improvement in the quality of student posts over time.

Jiarui Xie (left) & Mimi Adjei at their poster presentation at the AECT 2023 convention

Jiarui Xie (left) & Mimi Adjei at their poster presentation during the AECT 2023 convention.

Dr. Chenxi Liu, Yixi Wang, Dr. Marvin Evans, and Dr. Ana-Paula Correia also contributed to the Division Emerging Learning Technologies program with their study, Uncovering the Drivers of Mobile Learning Acceptance: A Meta-Analysis of Critical Influencing Factors. Dr. Evans led the presentation on Mobile Learning Acceptance f on behalf of the rest of the team.

Mobile Learning Acceptance

Liu et al.’s study on mobile learning acceptance.

Abstract: This meta-analysis employs the Technology Acceptance Model to examine the factors influencing mobile learning acceptance and moderation effects of education level and region. Using a one-stage meta-analysis structural equation model, we developed an integrating model revealing the significant impacts of subjective norm, self-efficacy, enjoyment, and system quality on mobile learning acceptance. Our findings show that these impacts are weaker in higher education compared to non-higher education and stronger in Asia-Pacific compared to non-Asia-Pacific regions.

Dr. Evans also successfully led a practice session for the Design and Development program on Creating Online Learning With Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development Using Articulate 360.

Left to right: Fan Xu, Mimi Adjei, Jiarui Xie and Marvin Evans

LED members who were at the AECT convention. Left to right: Dr. Fan Xu, Mimi Adjei, Jiarui Xie, and Dr. Marvin Evans.

The LED research group is excited and looks forward to presenting more of its research at the AECT 2024 International Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Hope to see you there!

AECT24 - Kansas City

*Cite as: Hickey, S., Correia, A.-P., & Fergus, K. (2022). The DACUM Virtual Institute: A Case Study in Designing for Adult Learners. In P. Sullivan, B. Sullivan, & J. Lantz (Eds.), Cases on innovative and successful uses of digital resources for online learning (pp. 262-284). IGI Global.

North and Hickey Win National Award in Instructional Design

Cara North and Sean Hickey received the “Best in Show” award for their eLearning game entitled Multiple-Choice Mayhem at the Learning Solutions conference in March 2019.

Multiple-Choice Mayhem teaches the user how to identify common item-writing flaws that make the answer apparent or allows a test-taker to easily eliminate several choices. This eLearning game was designed to prepare subject-matter experts for creating more effective multiple-choice assessments. Hickey and North created the game while working collaboratively at the Center on Education and Training for Employment and after realizing the existing teaching tools were not effective and contained information that was outdated.

Designed in the style of a 1970’s television game show, Multiple-Choice Mayhem presents users with 7 multiple-choice trivia questions. Users may miss one or two but will generally find the questions easy. After answering the questions, the user will then learn through a brief animation and explanation of why the item was easy to answer. Hickey and North designed the game to have the player to learn the consequences of bad item-writing firsthand to help them recognize the value of following item-writing standards and to avoid pitfalls. Since its launch in September 2017, Multiple-Choice Mayhem has been viewed and played by more than 600 people.

“Best in Show” award at the Learning Solutions conference, March 2019.

The Learning Solutions conference is an annual conference from the eLearning Guild, a professional organization for those in the field of learning and development. More than 1,500 human resources, learning and development, training, and eLearning professionals from more than 15 countries attend the three-day conference to get practical learning and training content they can take home and apply immediately.

The last evening of Learning Solutions is DemoFest, a showcase of attendees’ best eLearning, video, and training programs. A month prior to the event, attendees must apply to participate. For 2019, 40 products were selected to participate in categories that included Academic, Alternative, Blended Learning, Business Process, Game-Based Training, Immersive/Simulation, and Video. Conference participants attend DemoFest and vote for the best demos. One “Best in Show” award is given to each of the eLearning vendor demo and the non-vendor attendee demo with the most votes. In addition, the highest vote earner in each category is given an award for that category. Multiple-Choice Mayhem won “Best in Show” (non-vendor) as part of DemoFest.

Congratulations Cara and Sean!

Learning Solutions conference, March 2019.