Assignment 10, weekly update

First, as mentioned in my other posting, I did a test run with my survey for my study. Overall the test went well. I informed that this was only a test and did not provide students with the necessary background information for protection of their rights that will occur when I collect real data in May.

The data from the original survey that was set to a Likert scale provided good information and provided for some consistency between student responses. I believe it foretold of some issues that may reveal some shortcomings in the program they currently use.

Other parts of the survey that did not include a Likert scale also worked, except a couple students asked for clarification. With this information and feedback from Dr. Newberry, the survey has been updated and corrected.

Included below is my complete literature review - please feel free to provide feedback.

LITERATURE REVIEW

To understand the full impact of the Hawkes Online Learning Program and the degree to which adult student learners’ needs are effectively addressed, this literature review will focus on four areas relative to understanding prior and future research in this general field. These include adult learning and andragogy, new media and online education, social presence and learning with new media and identifying remedial math needs for community college students.

Adult Learning and Andragogy:
The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by an American educator, Malcolm Knowles during the latter 20th century. Knowles theories can be summarized with four postulates:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning). (Knowles, 1984)

These principles were designed to clarify the difference of andragogy teaching standards from pedagogy - the learning needs of pre-adult learners. These will be important principles to consider when reviewing the different features of new media in online learning.
Fozdar and Kumar (2007) researched the relationship between mobile learning and student retention. Given the lack of internet access in India, cell phones were the tool of choice to give feedback and discuss student work. Though the use of surveys, it was determined that although students appreciated the use of cell phones to provide student with flexibility, text messaging provided limited means for communicating information. This limitation led students to have misgivings about the quality of education provided in this forum. Additionally, the information provided in the study did not specifically address how the andragogy needs of students were addressed.
Glogoff (2007) conducted research on the use of blogging for hybrid classes and exclusively online classes. The advantage of communicating online for the students was that being able to give honest feedback based on anonymity was helpful for students to improve their knowledge of the information being learned in class, which assisted in enhancing their learning. During the research, it was discovered that the hybrid classes provided more feedback to each other than online only classes. Consequently, students who did not blog felt excluded from their classmates and limited in their learning. This led to the course requirement that students would be required to post at least three times a week to encourage the blogging process and the classroom community. This requirement improved the community, and demonstrated the necessity and value of the research conducted.
The activity and its research highlight the importance of student being involved in their collective learning and the opportunity of experiencing feedback from other students to learn from their mistakes and improve upon their learning activities. These features are critical to the principles for successful andragogy.
Research conducted by Witte (2007) also highlights the need to compare the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Witte (2007) attempted to have middle school students use blogging as a forum to "provide opportunities for students and future educators to develop their digital fluency while also strengthening their traditional literacy skills" (Witte 92). Students actively used the blog, but student achievement was not discussed in her research.
Witte (2007) believed that since students liked to communicate in this forum, it could be utilized in a middle school setting for pedagogical purposes. Since an improvement in traditional literary skills was not highlighted, one cannot conclude whether this tool was effective in this forum. However, it may be the case that because of the difference of learning needs between middle schoolers and adults, blogging may be a tool better suited to the needs of adult learners.

New Media in Online Education:
As new media technology becomes available, the opportunities to use it for online educational purposes are considered. With such considerations, it is important to know what research has been done, both to anticipate the potential limitations of the new media, as well as to foresee how the new media may strengthen online education.
Luanne and Martin (2007) report on several myths held strongly by many teachers against the use of podcasting. These myths focus on the perception that students will use podcasts as a substitute for in class learning. Luanne and Martin (2007) dispute these claims saying that students can gain information from the podcasts that they may not have understood the first time, and can enhance the students' overall learning experience. Additionally, the use of podcasts has the ability of improving the classroom experience, because students can come to class with a better grasp of the material.
The misconceptions mentioned in the article seem rooted in fundamental beliefs about how education should work, as well as a lack of understanding of what role new media can play in improving online education, as well as what occurs in the classroom. To effectively utilize these technologies, educational institutions will be required to invest time to train their instructors in research-based uses that optimize the learning experience for their students. So long as these beliefs continued to be held, they will pose as a limitation to the promising role of new media in online learning.
Lam and McNaught (2006) a qualitative study was conducted to consider how effective three types of new media in online learning were for students. The first involved explaining complex concepts and ideas with a series of sequential diagrams or texts. The second involved on increasing students' motivation by utilizing multimedia materials for vivid representations in lessons. The third focused on students using multimedia for projects generated by students.
Whereas the students had difficulties in Case one, Cases two and three found great benefits; Case two found the material helpful for learning and application; Case 3 found that the multimedia tools were great for extending creative thinking and analytical skills. The results of this research were used to refine the course offerings and improve it overall (Lam and McNaught 2006) This research highlights the importance of determining not only effective uses of new media in online learning, but qualifying the type of learning that may be gained with different types and applications of the new media.
Another study comparing different new media was performed by Pegler and Mason (2005). In their research, students incorporated four different forms of communication in an online course about Learning in the Connected Economy. These forms of communication included blogging, audio technology, instant messaging and the Harvard Rotisserie system.
The research concluded that although students liked all forums (for the most part) they most strongly favored audio technology and instant messaging (Pegler and Mason 2005). The college students involved in the study chose the two systems that offered instant communication and response to each other. In this study for this class, this may prove effective. Whereas the previous study considered impact that new media had on the entire format of a class, this study only focuses on one facet of the online class. Both studies offer interesting models for the types of research that this field requires.
Research performed with the use of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) by Fozdar and Kumar (2007) considers access through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s). The study was performed in India, where the technological infrastructure does not allow for universal access for internet access, but is sufficient for cell phones. By this forum, information is categorized and broken down into smaller sections to allow for easier learning.
The research offered by Fozdar and Kumar (2007) highlights the importance of access to technology and its’ organization for working as an effective tool for learning.

Social Presence and learning with New Media:
Within the educational field, conflicting opinion and conclusions from research have been obtained about the social presence (or lack thereof) in using new media. Some studies cite strong advantages offered by blogging that enhance student learning; others cite criticism in which students report feeling isolated from each other .
Research by Dickey (2004) concluded that students felt isolated and alienated from each other, because their only contact with each other was through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Additionally, El Mansour and Mupinga (2007) conducted research with hybrid classes in which technology problems and feelings of isolation were also reported. Both believed that quality interaction and collaboration were an important part of an effective learning environment.
Research by Sparks and Mentz (2006) used instant messaging in an online class for graduate programs. The interactions that were enabled by instant message between students as well as students and teachers proved to be powerful tools to foster strong collaboration. Students were also given control on how to use instant message, and provided each other with an enriched learning environment.
The research demonstrates the manner in which new media in online learning needs serious consideration. Whereas Dickey (2004) discovered one outcome when using different communication tools, Sparks and Mentz (2006) conclusions were quite different. Whether it is the bias of the researcher, a misalignment of technology with an online program, or a online course design flaw, further research needs to be performed to determine what technologies best compliment what programs to continually improve student learning and achievement.
Other research performed by Glogoff (2005) compares two sets of identical classes; one class of students were taught in a traditional manner while the other class was taught entirely online. Both classes performed well, with the online students actually scoring higher. Furthermore, the attrition rates of both classes was roughly 14%. The feature of the online class students enjoyed was the anonymous exchange of ideas – this facilitated discussion between students that may have not evolved within a traditional class setting.
This can be a great advantage with a math program, as students in a community college enrolled in a remedial math class do not like to publically admit when they do not understand a topic. With the help of computer technology that provides guided intervention, many questions can be answered without having to draw attention to their own shortcomings, and the assistance of the teacher can be sought when these interventions fall short.

Identifying Remedial Math Needs:
Working with community college students in remedial math is a critical part of their academic success. Nurses, electricians, plumbers and other important professions critical to the local economic infrastructure are often trained at the community college level. Proficiency of mathematics to a certain level is not only an academic requirement, but an integral component of the profession they pursue. Often, students in community colleges having math skills that are deficient for their tasks and must retake math taught in middle and high school. For some students, their struggle with remedial math stems from their middle school experiences and remain unresolved. For other students, they have had no practical exposure to the math for a number of years and no longer recall the formulas and algorithms for carrying out the problems needed to be solved. Given how critical these skills are and the difficulties they present to students, it is important to be able to address the different sent of learning needs.
A report written by Gemignani (1977) discussed the remedial math program at Indiana State University in Indianapolis. From the Spring 72-73 semester to the Spring 75-76 semester, the number of students needing remedial math increased. Not having the funds to create additional sections, class size increased in these six sections. To accommodate the increase, an increase of student tutoring was made available to students. Additionally, the curriculum was changed in the Math 111 (remedial math course), though the same textbook continued to be used during both semesters being compared. The result: the number of students receiving credit for the course dropped from 59% down to less than 45% - a more than 14% decrease. Additionally, it was determined that the students who failed math were also likely to drop out of school.
From the study, Gemignani (1977) concluded that although students needed to understand the math to be successful students, he believed that it was not the role of the university to provide these programs; additionally, Gemignani (1977) further concluded that devoting funds towards remedial work detracts funding from the mission of the college towards a quality higher education.
Such commentary is sobering and raises questions about the role of colleges. If a college accepts students with such deficiencies, is it obligated to provide a quality remedial program to assist students in overcoming them? Half-hearted efforts to accommodate these only resulted in many students dropping out, being likely indebted and with poor grades on transcripts. An unwillingness to accommodate these needs should lead such like-minded institutions to re-examine their admission policies and deny acceptance of students they are not willing to accommodate. Since community colleges have open enrollment, it is important to highlight that institutions must be willing to understand their students’ needs and be prepared to serve them.
Additionally, none of the concepts of andragogy emerged from the article or were considered by its author as important consideration for student success or failure.
One author questions the reason for which lower-level math taken at the college level is categorized as remedial. In his article, Ross (1970) focuses on the difference between what is considered remedial and developmental. The difference is characterized by the instruction. If a student is learning all of the objectives of the class, regardless of the level, the student is considered in a developmental class. If the student is in a math class in which the teacher may cover pre-requisite knowledge to enable the student to master the class objectives, that is considered remedial. Additionally, Ross (1970) states that many programs require mastery of math to a degree that may not necessarily be germane to a student’s career path. Thus, the student my not recognize nor appreciate the importance or relevance of learning the material.
What Ross (1970) describes are two relevant points. First, the acknowledgment that students may have different abilities to learn math, and their placement in a “remedial” class may not necessarily clearly define this distinction. Additionally, his reference to studetns who do not need the math for the career they are choosing to pursue may be a contributing factor to students who are unwilling to learn it. This is especially true when considering a principal of andragogy, which highlights the importance of what a student is learning having directl relevance to what they need to learn.
Research performed by Stage and Kloosterman (1995) sought to investigate the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards remedial math classes in college. Whereas, they found no difference in the negative attitude toward math between male and female students, one conclusion that was apparent was the importance of confidence in one’s ability to learn math as a contributing factor for success or failure. Another discovery from the research was in the attitude of professors. Many professors believed that their students enrolled in remedial math were not willing to do the work in what they perceived to be an easy course. On the other hand, students in these classes were working very hard and frustrated by the lack of success they experienced for their efforts. Furthermore, most students in remedial math classes perceived math as a discipline consisting of a set of algorithms to be memorized.
This is significant for several reasons. First, for students in remedial math, the lack of difference in student attitude math is in contrast with commonly accepted western views of male students have greater natural abilities in math. Second, the importance of student confidence in being able to learn math is reinforced. Finally, because the students perceive the math as not being relevant and not problem-centered, this contradicts two of the principals of andragogy, which only compounds the frustration of the adult learner.
For researching college remedial math classes and programs, it is important to consider which programs have been successful, and the characteristice that can be attributed to its success. One such research paper written by Wardrop and Wardrop (1986). After researching several “successful” remedial programs, four ideas emerged. First, it required strong support from the school administration. This support would entail listening to the concerns and recommdations of faculty and students. Second, it required a dedicated member of the staff to coordinate these efforts. Third, it was determined that student tutors who were not math majors made better tutors, as they were better able to emphasize with the struggle of struggle of students. Finally, it mentioned that the use of Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) was of great benefit in a program with a great number of students, albeit it acknowledged that these were largely in the developmental phases at the time of the study.
Though this research by Wardrop and Wardrop (1986) was written over 20 years ago, it is interesting that it was able to predict the emergence of CMI as a possible educational tool. Additionally, the importance of administrative support and dedicated staff is strongly supported in many educational reform circles, such as Lazotte and Fullen.

Summary:
The emergence of new and continually evolving online educational technology are new tools that address problems that seem to not have changed much over the past several decades. After considering the needs of adult learners, as described by andragogy, as well as the considerations and needs for college remedial math learners, the literature review demonstrates that in spite of the new technology, the potential for the optimal use of technology will not be full realized until college administration with faculty work collaboratively toward addressing all students needs – both as adult learners and remedial math students. With further study, the research will hopefully demonstrate that technology works best when the people involved in its selection and implementation work optimally with the all of the students’ needs in mind.







Works Cited

Berdarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27 (2), 139-153.

Gemignani, Michael (1977).Remedial mathematics: An administrator's viewpoint. The American Mathematical Monthly. Vol. 84, No. 6, pp. 481-484.

Dickey, M. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolationand alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment. Open Learning, 19(3), 279-291.

Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Mobile learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8, http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/345/916

Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivity, student centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6.

Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lam, P., & McNaught, C. (2006). Design and evaluation of online courses containinig media-enhanced learning materials. Educational Media International, 43(3), 199-218

Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into students' digital DNA: five myths prohibiting proper podcasting pedagogy in the new classroom domain. Vol. 3, No 3.

El Mansour, B., Mupinga, D., (2007). Students’ positive and negative experiences in hybrid and online classes. College Student Journal. Vol. 41, No. 1, pp 242-248.

Ross, Don (1970).Remedial or developmental? Confusion over terms. The Two-Year College Mathematics Journal. Vol. 1 No.2, pp. 27-31.

Sparks, P., Mentz, L. (2006). electronic not passing: Enriching online learning with new communication tools. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2(4), 1-6.

Stage, F. K., & Kloosterman, P. (1995). Gender, beliefs, and achievement in remedial college-level mathematics. Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 66, No 3, p. 294-311.

Tobias, Sheila (1987).Math Anxiety. Science, New Series. Vol. 237, No. 4822, p. 1556.

Wardrop, M. R. , & Wardrop, R. F. (1986). Successful remedial math programs: why they work. The American Mathematical Monthly. Vol. 93, No. 9, pp. 724-727.

Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technoloties on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.

Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school wirting: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96

Assignment 8, Weekly Update

To date, I have revised and completed all of the components of my IRB application and refined my Research Instructional Measurement. I conducted field tests to sample my Research Instructional Measurement. Due to the feedback received from this trial and the suggestions of Dr. Newberry, I changed some of the questions containing arbitrary scales to convert to Likert scales to better compare student data.

To date, the only portion of my research paper that needs to be completed is my Literature Review. My Method section and Research Questions are listed below.


As I developed the Research Instructional Measurement with Instructors at the community college where the research will be conducted, other questions emerged to ascertain potential considerations among students which may either make the program successful or not successful as a tool for completing class requirements. An example would include a student who does not have a computer for use at home - this limitation may cause the student to have a negative attitude toward the program or may limit the student's access to the program, and thus not be fully utilized for their class.

Method

To best determine the effectiveness of the Hawkes Online Learning Program, structured research methods were developed to assist in clarifying this relationship. For this study, research participation, instrumentation and implementation are included and outlined forthwith.
Participation

For this study, participation was first sought from four different instructors at a community college who teach MAT-952 and use the Hawkes Online Learning Program. The textbook used by all teachers for the class comes with a CD and license for using the program. However, consideration was given to be sure that instructiors utilized the program. For the study, two day and two evening classes were selected at random, once instructor participation was taken. Two classes from each time were selected to attempt to encompass different student demographics at the community college. Typically, older students who are fully employed during the day attend classes in the evening. Instructors and students were all informed that all information would remain anonymous.

Instrumentation

The instrumetation used for the study will come in two forms. The first instrument will be student information that will give the total time spent in the program and the student grade in class. With this information, no student will be identified by name, so there will be no risk of personal information being released. The second insturment is in the form of a student survey that will be given to students to answer. The purpose of the survey will be to collect data to address several research questions pertinent to the study. The questions were developed under the advisement of Professors at California State University at San Bernardino, and with the close direction of instructors familiar with many of the features of the program and the math class in which the program is used. After several considerations, the following research questions were formulated:

Research Question 1: Is there a correlation between the time spent in the Hawkes learning math system and the final average a student receives in a remedial math class?

Research Question 2: What features of the Hawkes online learning system are beneficial, or not beneficial, in learning remedial math?

Research Question 3: What characteristics (student or instructional) may contribute to success (or lack thereof) with the program?

From the research questions, several specific questions in each of the three questions were included based on feedback from several instructors. Whereas students were asked for some personal information, most questions required participants to select on a Likert Scale 1-5 on several components within different parts of the Hawkes Online Learning System, including technical components, as well as how it is successfully (or not successfully) incorporated within their class by the instruction.

In the beginning of the survey, students are informed about the source of the survey and that their participation is anonymous and voluntary. They are also informed that their instructor will not have access to the information collected and that there will be no consequences whether they choose to participate or not participate.

Assignment 7, Weekly Update

For the purpose of this researching the Hawkes online learning system, it is important to understand the components that make it successful and the components that can be improved. Additionally, it is also important to consider external considerations that may impact the opinions expressed on the part of the students. These external forces may include the age of the students, technology access, low self esteem in math ability as well as the emphasis place by the instructior as to the importance of the program. These forces may pose potential limitations of the research and/or limitations of the effectiveness of the program.

Two forms of data will be collected. The first set of data will measure students' grades with the total time the students spent working in the program. This data will hopefull yield a positive correlation between the amount of time in the program and their class grade for the semester. The second set of data will be in the form of a survey which will measure student demographics, class usage of the program as well as student feedback on particular features of the program.

The survey will be administered to each class anonymously and collected. Data will be collected by class and other relevant demographics as the data will produce. The possible questions that the research seeks to answer include:

a. Is there a correlation between the time spent in the Hawkes learning math system and the final average a student receives in a remedial math class?

b. What features of the Hawkes online learning system are beneficial in learning remedial math?

c. What comfort level do students have with using technology?

d. What is the level of access students have to technology?

e. How does the classroom instruction and assessment correlate with the Hawkes Program?

f. Does the Hawkes Program help to improve student confidence in learning math?

For this, the following Research Instrument is produced:

Student Survey
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this class study about the Hawkes online learning system being conducted as part of a Master’s Thesis under the direction of Jeffrey Burke (mathman233@yahoo.com). We are interested to know more about how students have used the online instructional and assessment program that are included in MAT-942. This survey is voluntary and completely anonymous. No attempt will be made to connectyou to your responses and you may choose to withdraw from this study at any time. This survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
By continuing on to the survey you are agreeing to participate in this study and you are stipulating that you are over the age of 18. Again, thank you for your participation.
Section 1: Student information
1. How old are you? (check one)
17 – 25 ___
26 – 32 ___
33 – 40 ___
41 – 50 ___
50 + ___

2. Before entering this class, how would you rank your math skills? (check one)
Excellent ___ Good ___ OK ___ Poor___ N/A___

3. Which statement best describes your situation? (check one)
___ I had difficulty learning math in middle and/or high school
___ I learned math in high school, but do not remember what I learned.
___ None of the above

4. What was the highest level of math you studied in high school? (check one)
___ Business Math
___ Algebra
___ Geometry
___ Trigonometry and above
___ None of the above

5. How do you access the Hawkes online learning system? (check one)
___ I have a computer at home
___ I work on the computer at school
___ None of the above


The questions below relate to how the usage of the Hawkes online learning system for your class.
Class Information:

1. I was given directions by my instructor in the beginning of the semester on the useage of the Hawkes online learning program. (check one)
___ Yes ___ No
2. I am required to complete work that is counted toward my class grade on the Hawkes online learning program. (check one)
___ Yes ___ No


The questions below relate to components of the Hawkes online learning system. On a Likert Scale of 1 to 5 (1 – strongly disagree to 5 – strongly agree), Please circle the number that best represents your thoughts on the following statements:

A. Lesson Section:
1. The lessons are easy to follow. 1 2 3 4 5
2. The lessons provide examples for solving the problems. 1 2 3 4 5
3. The lessons provide multiple strategies for solving problems. 1 2 3 4 5
4. The lessons help you to better understand the topics covered. 1 2 3 4 5
5. The lessons align with the instruction in your math class. 1 2 3 4 5
6. The lesson align with the problems that are in the textbook. 1 2 3 4 5
7. The lessons have been helped to improve my confidence in math. 1 2 3 4 5


B. Practice Section:
1. The Practice Section provides several examples to refine skills. 1 2 3 4 5
2. The Practice Section provides clear interventions for corrections. 1 2 3 4 5
3. The Practice Section gives problems that match textbook problems. 1 2 3 4 5
4. The Practice Section helps to reinforce math concepts learned in class. 1 2 3 4 5
5. The Practice Section has been helped to improve my confidence in math. 1 2 3 4 5


C. Certify Section:

1. The Certify Section is a good measurement of my learning. 1 2 3 4 5
2. The Certify Section correlates with the lesson and practice section. 1 2 3 4 5
3. The Certify Section is a fair assessment of what you have learned. 1 2 3 4 5
4. The Certify Section closely resembles the test given by your instructor. 1 2 3 4 5
5. The Certify Section has been helpful to improve my confidence in math. 1 2 3 4 5


This concludes the survey. Thank you very much for your participation and your input.

Assignment 10, Weekly Update

I am getting back into the swing of things now. I will have the week off of work to catch up, complete my literature review and other assignments. I have also completed my MA Proposal.

To date, I have completed my CITI Human Subjects Training Module and passed my classes for it. I have also completed my IRB application and submitted to Dr. Newberry.

To date, I will need to complete my Research Instrument Development and test it within a small group of people. This will be done this week. I will also continue to work on my Literature Review.

Previous assignments will follow and be submitted.