Integration of Shared Presentation Virtual Space in STEM Courses Grant uri icon

abstract

  • This project proposes to implement an innovative, online and real-time course delivery system, Shared Presentation Virtual Space (SPVS). The team will evaluate the effectiveness of the SPVS technology through expected measurable outcomes of improved student performance and increased student satisfaction. The team will implement this technology in the following STEM related classes: a biotechnology course, mathematics courses, and a law and ethics in technology course. Over 300 university and community college students will be involved in the project. The technology goals for this project include implementation and evaluation of nontraditional educational delivery systems that redefine the role of technology in learning. The project will result in the creation of a virtual classroom world to enhance and enrich the learning experience of online education (OE) students, by creating real-time lectures and class discussions. This system makes an especially important contribution to the educational process for students and educators because it can be delivered via low-bandwidth to rural areas of the country. The SPVS classroom worlds to be used in this project comprise an emerging medium demonstrated in many areas already familiar to today's student, (e.g., computer games, entertainment systems, and visualization). The specific instructional goals for this project include the development of non-traditional online lectures. The project will result in the creation of courses delivered in a virtual classroom world that enhances and enriches the learning experience of both OE students (by creating Real-time lecture: and class discussion) and also students in Face-To-Face (FTF) classes (by creating archived lessons as a study aid and that allow students to make up lessons they might have missed for one reason or another). The research hypotheses are based on the technological and instructional goals. The research null hypothesis being tested is that the student's responses (satisfaction level and performance) do not differ according to whether or not the SPVS is used in OE or FTF classes. Thus, four course delivery systems will be compared: (1) FTF with no SPVS, (2) FTF with SPVS, (3) OE with no SPVS, (4) OE with SPVS. Multivariate statistical analysis on paired differences in pre- and post?test scores on tests and surveys, and on post-test scores among students will be used to discover significant differences in performance and satisfaction between the experimental (SPVS) and control groups and to investigate the interaction of the delivery system and type of course (OE or FTF).

date/time interval

  • April 2009 - March 2011