Technology & Learning Program

Facilitator-student Interaction in Technologically Distributed Learning Systems

This project extended a year's worth of research on the usability of the Sun Microsystems Distributed Tutored Video Instruction (DTVI). Of interest in this extension were the following variables: student satisfaction, involvement, performance in the class, comfort level with technology, previous use of technology, motivation level, and communication behavior in group settings. Also of interest were the style and presentation of the videotaped lecture format and relationship to facilitator-student interaction. Finally, the project assessed student perception of the DTVI system as compared to student perception of live lectures in traditional classroom settings.

Department of Agriculture

Dr. Altier is developing his PSSC100/INST 105 course, using the Internet and video-streaming. Using Web technology will allow students to view digitized lectures on their own schedules, so that class time can be used for discussion, problem-solving, experiments, and other high-order learning activities. Assessment: Grades on midterm and final exams, feedback from students at end of semester. Grades and feedback from students in new format will be compared with grades and feedback from students in conventional sections in same semester.