literature+search

Here is my dissertation review research. I'm just posting it here instead of cutting and pasting. One dissertation talks about teacher transformations as they get more involved with Web 2.0 tools in their personal life and in their teaching life. It really tells more about how students get more involved as teachers get more involoved.

The second one is listed in the document and at the bottom of this page, states that as students blogged more they became more motivated and their writing skills improved.

The third one compared how teachers used scaffolding techniques to help students learn how to create and use wikis...sort of like what we have been doing for Robert--NOT! Anyway, it says that the students who create the best work are the ones who gradually learn how to use and create a wiki before they are expected to create their own. The ones who are scaffolded are the ones who perform the best. That may not have as much to do with motivation but it does talk about achievement with Web 2.0 technologies.

Cindy 5/26 7:30



www.psychologytoday.com/blog/digital-pandemic/201004/time-cyber-inoculation

Below are a few articles that I found about Web 2.0 tools. I have not read them yet, I just did a search on web 2.0 and motivation.-Jen 5/21

What you need to know about Web 2.0 [] (Jeff) **A very short (and shallow)tro to Web 2.0 tools. No where near as comprehensive as our second discussion article. Nothing good here.**

Can Web 2.0 improve collaboration?[] (Robbie) **This article has good information on the abilities of Web 2.0 tools and what it means for collaboration in the classroom, but the article doesn't relate to our research question or does it mention students increase in motivation. I did find it interesting that the overhead projector was invented in 1944 but wasn't regularly used until the 1960s, this proves that the discussions about the usefulness of Web 2.0 tools may go on for a while if the patterens of integrating new technology into the classroom remain the same.**

Web 2.0 mediated competence-implicit educational demands on learners [] (Jen) **This article is not helpful at all. It is just wordy and doesn't give any information that is usable towards our researh.** Learning Collaboratively with Web 2.0 Technologies: Putting into Action Social Constructivism (Robbie) - There is some useful information in this article, but again it doesn't completely apply to our research question. There is proven evidence that students enjoy or even prefer collaborative assignments, but most of the students collaboration was simply dividing the work and then completing the tasks individually. The students in this study had no experience with Web 2.0 tools, the teachers didn't know how to instruct the students into using Web 2.0 tools, and most of the students didn't use Web 2.0 tools. The only part of this article we can use is the data that shows students enjoying the use of technology for collaborative assignments.
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Student success in web based distance learning [] (Jeff) Study of correlation between motivation, demographics, and prior English courses and continued enrollment in online courses. Little specific web 2.0 tools or technology mention, expect that the courses they looked at were online courses. There were higher percentages of dropped courses among the online courses, and they were trying to find characteristics that predict student drop out. They used the CANE (Commitment and Necessary Effort) model to measure motivation, which surveyed student values of utility, interest, and importance. I'm looking for the source articles.

Richard E. Clark has several articles on distance learning and motivation. Here is a link to his listing of articles: www.usc.edu/dept/education/cogtech/recent_publications.php

2 that are promising: www.usc.edu/dept/education/cogtech/publications/clark_yin_yang.pdf and CANE MotivationTheory

Web 2.0, new literacies, and the idea of learning through participationn [] (Jen) This article is useful to our study. It discusses how Web 2.0 tools promote learning through participation, and how students value learning in a community. Web 2.0 tools can be considered communities. Students can choose how much and when they interact with these different communities. Although the author concludes that Web 2.0 tools can help students' motivation, he state that more studies need to be done.

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Literature on PowerPoint:

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Web 2.0 and Education [] (Jen) This article (or wiki rather) has some very useful points. There are many quotes that I thought were valid, some of them are below:** Web 2.0 provides choice, variety, collaboration, hands-on, and participatory learning opportunities; all the characteristics that are most attractive to today’s ‘net generation’ or ‘millenial’ student. “Millennials absorb information quickly, in images and video as well as text, from multiple sources simultaneously. They operate at twitch speed, expecting instant responses and feedback. (Downes).” Diana and James Oblinger offered this overview of students today: digitally literate, constantly connected, socially driven, engaged, and visually-driven. Stated quite simply, learners today are different and have different avenues by which they prefer to and want to learn. In her article, A Wider World: Youth, Privacy, and Social Networking Technologies, Tracy Mitrano argues that Facebook, a social networking website used by many young people today, is popular because it "intersects with all that is edgy about innovative networking technologies deployed to full social advantage" Most teachers are aware that it is important to motivate students, what better way to engage and motivate your students than to use the technologies that are part of their day to day life? Whereas in the past, students wrote for one audience, their teacher, with Web 2.0, they are now writing for a much larger audience, potentially world wide audiences. "Bretag participated on the same level as his students in the online discussions and his words apparently have no more weight than a studnets or even a participating parennt's. To be sure, he still holds the power of the grade, but even in that regard, students seem less motivated by grades than they are by wanting to learn, asking their own questions and offering support or refutation for others viewpoints (Monroe)."

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/digital-pandemic/201004/time-cyber-inoculation
 * Blog Post**: Time for a Cyber Inoculation! Technology in the classroom. Do we need it?Published on April 23, 2010

Not a scholarly article or research, but a quick blog post that is an interesting read. Challenges the notion that the 'nature of learning' is changing because of the technology age. = = = Web 2.0 and Emerging Learning Technologies/Web 2.0 Learning Styles = = [] = This is an interesting article that made me think about why Web 2.0 tools are engaging--because they are social learning tools, like FaceBook. It made me think about examining blogging as a learning tool. However, we are thinking about tools that can be used instead of PowerPoint. I guess that the blogging is probably more similar to our previous discussion about graphic organizers.

The key points expressed in this article are

This is a fairly light, but interesting read, discussion the different Web 2.0 tools in relationship to learners. This information may be something that we can refer to in our research, backing up some of our reasons for this study. (Cindy) = = =Web 2.0 Promise Hits Reality in U.S. Schools ** [] **= This study talks about how Web 2.0 tools are slowly being recognized by school administrators as helpful alternative for their students. It recognizes that Web 2.0 tools are known, but administrators are not all onboard because of the risks of using them. The part that I thought I was helpful for our research was the fact that students are using Web 2.0 tools outside of the classroom everyday, and the enjoyment they have when using them. This lists the benefits of using these tools in the classroom and how that enjoyment could benefit students within school curriculum. (Robbie) = Full study of article above [] = = = = SlideRocket vs. PowerPoint [] = = This doesn't apply to our research, but has some useful information about the opinions of using an alternative to PowerPoint. There is favorable information and unfavorable information. I would believe if we were actually conducted our research we would have similar results. People that enjoy using PowerPoint would be opposed tot he alternative and vice versa. (Robbie) = = Literature on Wikis =  Shifflet, R.. The instructional use of blogs and wikis for K--12 students. Ed.D. dissertation, Illinois State University, United States -- Illinois. Retrieved May 24, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text.(Publication No. AAT 3335621). [] The author, a technology coordinator of a school system, chose to do a study to learn how eight K-12 teachers used wikis and blogs in their classrooms. Shifflet was concerned that student writing needs to improve and decided create a study to see if writing skills would improve with students using blogs and wikis. Some of the wikis were password protected, only available to the students, parents, and teachers. Other wikis were public. All of the teachers chose to use wikis and blogs to provide an authentic audience for their students’ writing. The participants believed that students learned from each other by having an authentic audience. Six out of eight of the teacher participants claimed that student blogs were more motivating for student learning. The two teachers who did not select motivation, said that either the students’ writing improved or the students performed better. One of the purposes of having an authentic audience was to allow audience interactions with the writers. Higher student motivation was experienced by students’ who wrote on public wikis. Blogs allow users and audiences to make comments. Receiving feedback about their writing, created a more engaging experience for students. Review The researcher claims that using blogs and wikis motivate learners. Technology changes quickly and what is available today may not be available tomorrow. Shifflet does an excellent job writing this easy to read article, full of useful information. Cse studies are interesting to read, highlighting the individual participants. The author shows varied ways that teachers used blogs and wikis in the classroom. Although they may have had different purposes for creating a blog, in the end, they resulted in more motivated learners. Most students enjoyed having an audience instead of writing in journals. The author shows the numerous reasons for teachers using wikis and blogs. Although the teachers may not be in 100% of agreement on the specific effects on students, all teachers report a variety of positive results on student learning, achievement, and motivation.
 * Web 2.0 tools are engaging because of the collaborative element.
 * The characteristics of learners attracted to Web 2.0 tools--something that I believe we can use!
 * A list of different types of Web 2.0 tools and their associated learning style (this could be used comparing tools to show how learners are more engaged in the different tools...maybe, maybe not)
 * A list of tools that show how learners are immersed in technology and what it might mean for the learner

Can we add books to the list? I have book, //Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools// by Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum. (Cindy)

Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools This book, //Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools//, has a wealth of information that we may be able to use in our research. Looking at the shows you some of the topics that it covers. As I read this book, I think about our question about motivating students by using other Web 2.0 tools. It makes me wonder if we should also be asking the question, //Why are students less motivated to view and create PowerPoint presentations?//

Is it because PowerPoint presentations are not an effective tool? Is it because students have been overexposed to PowerPoint presentations and need something new? Is it because of poor visual literacy designs, affecting PowerPoint presentations, making them boring and ineffective?

Should we include more literature research about today’s learners? If so, maybe we can see understand why PP are an issue. As I read this book, I look at the technology trends for students and teachers and see that students’ technology usage far exceed usage of average teachers. What does this mean?

Does this mean that teachers need to get with the program, learn and use more technology in their personal and professional lives? Do teachers (and students) need to learn more about visual literacy so that they can make more effective learning (and presentation) tools?

Amazon link to book

I'll read this. It is an excellent book.

-Cindy

PS. This is a fabulous list!

Cindy- Yes of course we can add books to the list. The one you listed above sounds awesome! - Jen