Standard Five : Research

AECT Standard 5 : Research

Candidates explore, evaluate, synthesize, and apply methods of inquiry to enhance learning and
improve performance

5.1 Theoretical Foundations:

Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the contribution of research to the past

and current theory of educational communications and technology.

Characteristics of Successful Online Learners Paper (ETEC 5203 Fall 2013)

In 1946 Edgar Dale published his original Cone of Experience in his book, Audiovisual Methods in
Teaching. The Cone illustrates various types of learning experiences, progressing from concrete
(bottom) to abstract (top). Dale used the cone as a visual aid to explain how audiovisual equipment
could be a beneficial method of instruction. In the cone, audiovisual presentation of information would
provide a more concrete learning experience for students than books alone. Dale, himself, made minor
modifications to some of the category labels in his cone in the 1954 and 1969 editions of Audiovisual
Methods in Teaching. Version of Dales Cone are still used today in teaching and training. Edgars
theories and research helped lay the foundation for modern instruction that tries to incorporate active
learning and concrete experience in lessons. Similarly, Pearson and Kozma advocate the use of images,
photos, or illustrations to improve comprehension and help connect new information to existing
information.

This type of research lays the foundation for creating learning environments that include visual
information along with text and that support concrete, hands-on learning experiences. Todays
technology allows designers of online courses to use not only images, photos and illustrations, as
suggested by the theorists above, but also enables designers to include web-based interactive activities
that can provide more concrete, almost life-like, immersive learning activities. My research paper,
Characteristics of Successful Online Learners, investigated the demographics and learning characteristics
of students who were most satisfied and successful in these kinds of learner environments. Ultimately,
the studies I reviewed showed that some learning characteristics influence student success and
satisfaction. Instructors interviewed in Schrum and Hongs study agreed that the nature of distance
learning magnifies the consequences of negative influences such as lack of organization and lack of self-
discipline. Students with external loci of control may also find online courses more difficult than the on
campus counterparts and that students with internal loci of control demonstrated the highest levels of
satisfaction with online classes. (Knowles & Kerkman). In conclusion, my paper posits that online
students demonstrate as much, if not more, academic success than traditional students when proven
teaching methods, such as those mentioned in the previous paragraph are purposefully incorporated
into the distance learning environment.
5.2 Methods:

Apply research methodologies to solve problems and enhance practice.

Research Methods Paper (ESRM 5013 Spring 2016)

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in cultural views of recreational sex
existed based on gender or church attendance. The data for this assignment was collected based on
convenience sampling and provided to me by my professor. To complete the project, I used statistical
tools to analyze, summarize, and integrate this data with existing research in the field. First, graduate
students asked adult volunteers to complete a four part survey. The survey included a section with 13
demographic variables and three measurement instruments, each instrument containing three scales.
The instruments measured three types of Agression, three types of Motivation to Learn, and three types
of views on Recreational Sex. After the graduate students collected surveys, the resulting data was
organized into an Excel spreadsheet. For the purposes of this paper, I used the data from the
Recreational Sex part of the surveys. The answers on the Sex Survey translated to a numerical scale.
Strongly Agree = 1; Agree = 2; Disagree = 3; and Strongly Disagree = 4. The answers to Sex9 and Sex10
had to be recoded so that for all four questions a lower score represented a more permissive view of
recreational sex and a higher score represented a more conservative view of recreational sex. I
conducted a series of non-directional independent T-Tests, each at an alpha level of .10. The initial data
that was used in T-test calculations are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1

n mean sd
Males 81 2.682 0.822
Females 114 2.746 0.802
Church 132 2.795 0.826
No church 60 2.567 0.751
Female - church 75 2.827 0.808
Female - no church 37 2.595 0.763
Male - church 57 2.754 0.851
Male - no church 23 2.522 0.526

Based on my review of literature and previous studies, I expected to find differences, especially between
those who attended church and those who did not. This study appeared to support the idea that
religiosity, of which church attendance is a component, is one variable that is related to cultural views
about recreational sex.

This particular project didnt really solve a problem or enhance practice; more than anything, it
described an existing situation in quantitative statistical terms. The skills and knowledge, required in this
project, to analyze, summarize, and incorporated data within existing research, are the very same skills
used in research that does solve problems and enhance practice in instructional environments.

5.3 Assessing/ Evaluating:

Apply formal inquiry strategies in assessing and evaluating processes and

resources for learning and performance.

IT Strategic Plan (ETEC 6223 Fall 2016)

In order to insure uninterrupted maximum plant performance and productivity, the switch over
from the old MES and ERP to the new ones had to be accomplished accurately and in a timely manner.
In order to stay on schedule and maximize the efficiency of Monograms IT strategic plan, progress was
monitored through a series of evaluations. The evaluations, which are described below, took the form of
a brief survey, self-reporting status reports, observation, and parallel processing reports.

Brief Status Survey

Project managers will periodically email a Status Survey to select people on their
implementation teams. Information from the survey will be used to assess progress and will be
integrated into Monthly and Quarterly Updates.

Weekly Reports

Weekly reporting is already in place throughout out the company. Joan V, Chief Information
Officer, is the project manager for the MES replacement project. Individuals responsible for actions
required in the implementation of this project will provide weekly status reports via email to Joan.
Similarly, Todd S., Vice President of I.T., is the project manager of the ERP replacement project. Those
responsible for various tasks in this project will provide weekly status reports to Todd. Finally, Todd will
provide Joan with weekly reports summarizing his progress with the project and the reports he received
from his team.

Monthly Updates

Key members of the implementation teams for the MES project and the ERP project will meet
briefly once a month to discuss progress on each project. The project managers will provide a summary
of successes, obstacles, and milestones. In addition, key implementers may be asked to provide a
PowerPoint slide summarizing progress on his/her portion of the plan for the meeting. A template for
the summary slide is provided in the Evaluation Instruments section. These slides will be included in the
meeting presentation. Since some of the implementation team members are plant managers who are
scattered across the country, the meeting will be held via conference call. Each team member will be
emailed an agenda for the meeting and a PowerPoint presentation prior to the meeting.
Quarterly Updates

Quarterly update reports will be provided to the Executive IT Steering Committee during
quarterly meetings. These meetings will address all IT initiatives as well as provide specific information
about progress on the MES and ERP projects. Information for these updates will be collected from
weekly status reports, monthly updates, observation, and informal conversations with key
implementation individuals.

Observation

Project managers and plant managers will physically observe installation of MES and ERP
equipment. Such observation will serve as a form of evaluation for the projects.

Parallel Processing Reports

Metrics reports will be generated by the old and new MES systems and compared for accuracy.
Project manager and plant managers will look specifically for equal bottom line numbers and will also
examine random samples of detail data for accuracy. The old system will not go off-line until parallel
processing reports verify accuracy. A similar process will be used for the ERP switch over process.

5.4 Ethics:

Conduct research and practice using accepted professional and ins titutional
guidelines and procedures.

Research Methods Paper (ESRM 5013 Spring 2016)

The five most basic principles research ethics are (1) obtain informed consent from potential
research participants; (2) minimize the risk of harm to participants; (3) protect their anonymity and
confidentiality; (4) avoid using deceptive practices; and (5) give participants the right to withdraw from
your research. In collecting data for this project and in the writing of the research paper every effort was
taken to apply these principles. Additionally, the original project was approved by IRB.

Participants were asked by graduate students at the University of Arkansas to complete a

survey for a course at the university. The 373 participants were friends, family, and other university
students; all participants were consenting adults, who were notified of the purpose and potential future
use data collected from the surveys. Completion of the survey was entirely voluntary and, in order to
protect anonymity, no identifying information was collected. Participants were not required to complete
every part of the survey and not all participants did so. For the purpose of this research only data from
the Recreational Sex Survey was analyzed.