Preparing special education intern teachers remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the effectiveness of remote teacher preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically special education teachers participating at an Intern Credentialing Program in Northern California.In addition to remote teacher preparation, the study explored how intern teachers experienced delivering special services remotely, how they perceived the Intern Program prepared them compared to traditional programs, and how they experienced their preparation to become agents of change in public education. Data for this study was collected through field journals, surveys and interviews. The findings of this study revealed that Intern Teachers experienced remote Teacher Education as having more benefits than challenges, however the delivery of services to students with disabilities had more challenges than benefits. The interviews indicated that the Intern Teachers believe they are not well prepared to be agents of change.Implications of the study include recommendations to continue teacher education remotely, to develop a tool to determine student benefit from delivery of special services remotely, and to add to teacher education programs curriculum and activities that support diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the classroom through the frameworks of Emancipatory Pedagogies, Critical Race Theory, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Discrit. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Understanding student technology teams within K-12 technology ecosystems

Access and use of computer-based educational technology within K-12 schools have been steadily increasing since the 1980s (Cuban, 1993;Delgado et al., 2015;Penuel, 2006), including more school districts providing every student with a device (1:1) after the year 2000 (Gray & Lewis, 2021;Harper & Milman, 2016;Penuel, 2006;Zheng et al., 2016). Despite this steady increase in devices, information systems, and learning platforms within schools, growth of information technology (IT) staff positions has not grown proportionally with technology and has resulted in a staff capacity issue for district technology departments (CoSN, 2021;Gao & Murphy, 2016;Kentucky Department of Education, 2017). This issue was exacerbated by the emergency switch to distance learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which relied on devices and online systems for learning to continue and further strained the technology departments (CoSN, 2022a, 2022b;Rauf, 2020;White, 2020).Since computers were introduced to these educational institutions, schools and districts have positioned students as technical and pedagogical supports for educational technology (National School Boards Association, 2002;Van Eck et al., 2001). Commonly known as student tech teams (STTs), this type of program is still frequent today within schools and there is a wealth of practitioner-created resources on the topic. Yet, studies on these programs are absent from the decades of research on technology integration within K-12 schools (Peterson & Scharber, 2017).This dissertation was designed to fill this void within the literature, provide a foundational understanding of STTs within K-12 educational technology initiatives, and identify practical strategies for school educators and leaders. Using a philosophically pragmatic lens and an ecological framework (Zhao & Frank, 2003), this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011) explored the following research questions:* How are student technology teams structured within K-12 school ecosystems?* What is the role of student technology teams within K-12 technology integration initiatives?Results from the study indicated that STTs are structured as work- and project-based courses, assistantships, and extracurriculars that can support the technical and instructional needs of staff and students within a school or district environment. STTs also provide opportunities for students to collaborate and create by tinkering with technologies and developing products that interest them while building their digital literacy skills. No two STTs are structured the same;however, staff and students' technical and instructional needs are common programmatic focus areas across STT environments.The role of STTs within K-12 technology integration initiatives is to give students autonomy, unique experiences, and opportunities to learn while serving the school and/or district community. The role of STT, as well as the benefit to its student members, is shaped by the coaches, tech department, and administrators' intentionality and mindset related to the capacity of students. Secondly, the STT's role is also shaped by the school and district's technology, schedules, and location. The findings of this study contribute to and extend the current understanding of educational technology initiatives, student tech teams, computing education in schools, and ecological framing of educational technologies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Online versus traditional instruction: Teachers' perspectives on the challenges facing students with disabilities

As the need for virtual instruction increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers faced changes in the way they had to instruct students. This sudden change impacted the delivery of information by middle school teachers who had been accustomed to the traditional (face-to-face) method of instructing their students with disabilities. This study was designed to explore teachers' perspectives on the challenges facing middle school students with disabilities in a virtual classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three research questions guided the study: (a) What were teachers' perspectives on their preparation to deliver virtual instruction? (b) What strategies were implemented to serve students with disabilities in the virtual classroom?(c) What were teachers' perspectives on the benefits and challenges of virtual instruction for students with disabilities? The researcher used data from a demographic survey and interview questions from 15 special education and regular elementary, middle, and high school teachers of students with disabilities to explore the teachers' perspectives on the transition from traditional instruction to virtual instruction. Three themes evolved: Professional Development/Training in technology and adapting virtual learning to students with disabilities, Strategies to better assist these students in virtual learning, and Challenges and Benefits of teachers' transition from traditional to virtual instruction. The results of this study showed a need for professional training to provide new strategies to assist educators as they transition from traditional to virtual instruction. The study also revealed that teachers faced challenges while instructing students virtually, although teachers acknowledged some benefits. Study implications were that teachers found the transition difficult and encountered many problems with their students not experienced in the traditional classroom. Further research is needed with larger populations to explore teachers' transitions from traditional to virtual instruction, their needs for professional development and training, and means of support for students with disabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

An examination of the association between learning modality and academic achievement during the Covid-19 pandemic

This causal-comparative ex-post-facto study examined the association between learning modality and academic achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic created an environment in which multiple modalities of learning, including blended and remote classrooms, were occurring simultaneously, challenging the existing practices of the in-person model, around which most K-12 education is organized. This study analyzed a total of 3,182 public and charter K-8 schools in Illinois to determine how school-level teacher assessments of Ambitious Instruction, as measured by the 5Essentials, and student performance on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) math and reading assessments changed from 2019, prior to the pandemic, to 2021 by learning modality. The study also examined the impact of socioeconomic status and building enrollment on these changes. Although Ambitious Instruction ratings and IAR math and reading proficiency decreased across all learning modalities from 2019 to 2021, significantly greater decreases were observed among schools that chose remote learning, while in-person schools experienced the least decline. No statistically significant differences based on the socioeconomic status or size of the schools were observed, although a significant association between socioeconomic status and modality was observed, with poorer schools more likely to opt for remote learning than richer schools, suggesting that challenges to implementation may have negatively impacted the potential effectiveness of this modality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Case study of how school-building learning communities navigated the pre-referral process during the pandemic

This qualitative case study examined the complicated process that School Building Learning Communities (SBLCs) navigated in regard to the pre-referral process due to the pandemic. Rooted in the theories of John Dewey (2018) and Howard Gardner (1996), this research was conducted by way of interviews and a reflective journal of 12 educational diagnosticians serving a school district in Southeastern Louisiana. Data was coded via Braun and Clark's thematic analysis (1996). Results of the study indicated the teams of lack of learning opportunity, interventions/remediation, SBLCs and school staff, and the legalities of classification. All participants believed that increased school-wide interventions were the key to mitigating the pandemic's influence on student's education and to help establish what are actual learning struggles versus lack of learning opportunity. A significant challenge to schools' ability to conduct interventions was due to staff shortages and the actual implementation due to chronic student absences. The participants also discussed the concerns of classification due to many uncharted scenarios presented by the pandemic. Future research should be conducted on the socioemotional impacts of the pandemic based on the participants concerns over behavior. Additionally, it would be beneficial for the examination of retention of staff as well as the implications on higher education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Implementing a technology-based instructional module in an introduction to engineering course: The impact on student's vocabulary retention and attitudes towards learning

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the academic impact of a technology-based instructional module for content vocabulary instruction in the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Introduction to Engineering course. The goal of the study was to answer two key questions: 1) How does implementing a technology-based instructional module impact Engineering vocabulary academic gains for students taking the Introduction to Engineering course? and 2) What is the effect of implementing a technology-based instructional model on attitudes towards learning Engineering vocabulary for students taking the Introduction to Engineering course? This study was conducted with Introduction to Engineering students (N=23) during the second semester of a year-long course. Students were instructed during this module through the use of various computer-based learning platforms, providing both imagery and text, allowing for at-will access and review, and creating varied forms of practice. Data were collected through pre- and posttests, focus group interviews, and surveys. Data were analyzed through paired t-test and inductive analysis. Quantitative analysis revealed significant growth from pre- to post-assessment for engineering vocabulary academic gains. Qualitative analysis revealed increased scores and improved attitudes towards learning from pre- to post-intervention.The findings of this study indicated that although technology-based instruction had a positive impact on academic gains, relevance of the material and the relationship with the instructor influences both academic gains and attitudes towards learning. The research has implications for future research with technology-based versus traditional instruction and reevaluation with students who are more than one-year post-Covid virtual learning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

PENROSE TILING: A MATH-RELATED LEARNING INTERACTION BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A UNIVERSITY LAB

The subject of this paper is the Penrose kite and dart tiling of the plane: an aperiodic tiling where, in his own words, "the tiles may be used to form an instructive game … the virtue of the game lies in the very surprising variety which arises in the fitting together of pieces of only two kinds”. We deal with a teaching experience in collaboration with a lab technician, a high school teacher and a graduating student: how to let high school students project and produce the kite and dart tiles using a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine. It is a project of work-related learning with 110 students coming from seven different high schools, in collaboration with the Model and Prototype Laboratory of the Department of Architecture at Roma Tre University. We discuss the effect of this activity on the learning process of the students, the methodology applied, the technical and organizational problems we faced in a Covid related period. Using the software GeoGebra, we will also show the geometric construction of Penrose tiles and how to produce an application to simulate the tessellation making. © Palestine Polytechnic University-PPU 2023.

The spectrum of the journey: Narrating identities during professional learning in pivotal response treatment for novice elementary teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder

In Ontario, Policy/Program Memoranda No. 140 (PPM 140) authorizes educators to utilize Applied Behavioural Analysis methods to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the classroom. Although typically favoured, inclusive policies are difficult to translate into practice without training (Lindsay et al., 2013). Novice educators (i.e., first five years of their career) are at the cusp of developing a teacher identity as they are shifting roles from that of a teacher candidate to what it means to be a professional teacher.Symbolic interactionism (SI) is one theory deemed useful for narrating and investigating identity. According to Blumer (1986), SI is a theory which investigates how individuals develop subjective meanings and how those meanings are reformed during an interpretive process producing different behavioural responses. Within the teaching profession, physical objects refer to space or material. Social objects refer to the interactions with individuals. objects are beliefs about professional development (PD) and identity (Blumer, 1986).Current studies do not address how teachers with larger classes may implement evidence-based practices, such as Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT). Even when general education teachers do receive training in PRT, an investigation into identity is missing. This doctoral dissertation investigates how a professional learning in PRT in Ontario may influence novice (i.e., first five years of their career) elementary educators' (i.e., JK-Grade three) identity as a teacher from a qualitative (i.e., narrative inquiry) design. Results from interviews, journals, and focus groups revealed themes. Physical objects included (1) accessibility to tangible resources and in-class trainings, (2) motivation/accountability, (3) barrier of time, (4) barrier of COVID-19, (5) barrier of staffing, and (6) barrier of size/needs of a classroom. Analyzing social objects revealed (7) student relationship building, (8) classroom staff communication, (9) low parental communication, and (10) distance support from administrators. Conversations around identity detailed how (11) early educational experiences and (12) previous characteristics associated with a teacher impacted a present (13) definition of teacher identity as the philosophy of teaching. This exposed themes such as (14) advocating for accommodations, (15) life-long learner, (16) self-reflective, (17) connection between personal/social self, and (18) a generalist role. (19) Micro-level solutions such as obtaining more strategies for themselves, and (20) macro-level solutions such as dedicating more time within teacher education programs and in-person training were also discoursed.Physical and social objects had a direct impact on objects. The first premise of symbolic interactionism, meaning, delved deep into how novice educators acted towards objects based on the meanings assigned to them throughout the study. Through social interactions (i.e., premise two - language) with myself as the researcher, the research study, the other participants, and stakeholders in their school climate, an investigation into the interpretation process (i.e., premise three - thought) revealed the above themes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Comparing the effects of motivation in flipped and direct instruction for mastery learning in college precalculus

A lack of mathematics facility prevents many students from pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Research revealed that teaching methodology is crucial for success in any course. This dissertation focuses on learners' experiences in a flipped instructional model and a customized direct instructional model. Although the flipped instruction model is gaining popularity among teachers of secondary and post-secondary schools due to permeating access to the internet and digital technology, especially during the recent global Covid-19 pandemic, the flipped teaching method is faced with resistance from both instructors and students. The COVID-19 global pandemic has inspired the education community to rethink the way we teach college courses by promoting active learning strategies for equitable learning, including all variants of blended learning or hybrid instruction. This study investigates the prospects of pedagogical methods (flipped instructional model vs direct instructional model) on college students' course satisfaction, mastery learning, and long-term academic achievement. In total, 90 undergraduate students participated in the study;33 students were taught precalculus using flipped instruction, and 57 received direct instruction. The sequential explanatory mixed methods design (Creswell & Clark, 2007;Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009) was used to determine predictive abilities of the instructional methods on learning and achievement, and course satisfaction, after controlling for the learner's cognitive and affective background characteristics. The dissertation further explores students' perceptions of the factors affecting their motivation to learn and succeed in Precalculus regardless of the type of teaching method they received. This study considered the effects of undergraduates' mindsets and motivation beliefs, teacher and teaching qualities, experiential behavior of the student, the curriculum, and other factors on their academic performances in introductory college mathematics by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data from self-reporting surveys, semi-structured interviews, analytical memos of classroom observations, Precalculus and Calculus1 grades, course evaluation, and artifacts of educational activities. The findings indicated that the flipped instructional model supports short-term learning achievement, while the direct instructional model instruction facilitates learning retention. Course satisfaction ratings were comparable. The study also identified three types of mindsets (i.e., a fixed, a growth, or a mixed mindset) and fourteen factors that impacted achievement in the course. This study found that the quality of the learning space, course organization and structure, student's aptitude based on his/her background knowledge, mindsets, motivation beliefs, and teacher's expertise and relationship with the students impacted learning in a course. The ability to harmonize the identified factors affecting student motivation to learn is the culmination of effective learning and success. For example, this dissertation study revealed that mindset beliefs were not diametrical as reported in the literature;rather a student might hold a fixed mindset belief on a topic and become enthusiastic and cognitively engaged on the next. The study's findings provide educators and researchers with evidence to evaluate the implications of students' perceptions of factors affecting their motivation to learn and to succeed in introductory mathematics. The attainment of desired learning outcomes is possible if educators spend time creating quality educational activities that can stimulate the learners' interest to learn, then provide necessary cues to boost their motivation for continued cognitive engagement and participation, as well as guide and support the students to accomplish their desired achievement goals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Attitudes toward active learning in online learning in COVID-19: Preference for online learning

In the first semester of the 2020 academic year, many universities and junior colleges in Japan were affected by COVID-19 and had to switch to non-in-person classes. This study explored active learning attitudes in online classes. The survey was conducted in two sessions (late June and mid-August). Participants (489 undergraduate and junior college students) completed a questionnaire and the results showed that students' attitudes toward active learning and preference for online learning did not dramatically change during this period. In order to obtain in sights into the changes in attitudes toward active learning, the present study used a multiple-population analysis to examine the relationship between attitude and an item related to preferences for online learning. The results showed that there was a positive association between preferences for online learning and active learning among first-year students, but not among second-year students and above. The influence of online learning needs to be considered particularly as regards first-year students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Understanding superintendents' approaches to the implementation of district systems in the context of a crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a crisis that district superintendents and their leadership teams had not before experienced. In a matter of weeks, school systems needed to transition away from a traditional learning model, where teaching and learning occurred in a physical classroom, to a virtual learning environment. School districts were provided little time to strategically develop a model to transform their systems to continue to meet student learning goals. The districts were still expected to fully operate, while prioritizing the acquisition of resources that could provide the means for a deliberate shift to establish a virtual learning system. This qualitative study examined how superintendents aligned resources and implemented systematic change during the initial months of COVID-19. Findings show that the voices of the local community stakeholders played the most integral part in identifying the values that primarily influenced how the districts navigated the crisis. Choice was the most prevalent value and, as a result, stakeholders were provided learning offerings in myriad formats. Superintendents considered how their decisions would affect each stakeholder group, as well as every aspect of their organizational structure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A qualitative study of parental involvement in middle school character education and social and emotional learning programming

Since the development of the public school system, schools have been tasked with producing upstanding citizens and productive members of society (Smith, 2013). Although the focus of adolescent character development has been incorporated into the U.S. public school system, parents, guardians, and caregivers are often excluded from the decision-making, planning, and implementation of Character Education and Social and Emotional Learning programming (Cavanaugh, 2012). Preventing bullying and cyberbullying, lowering the escalation of school violence, and helping adolescents to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic increased pressure on schools to evaluate existing Character Education and Social and Emotional Learning programming (DA Custom Publishing, 2019). This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of middle school parents and principals on parental involvement in Social and Emotional Learning and Character Education programming in Southwestern Pennsylvania Middle Schools. The findings provide guidance to educational stakeholders including administrators, governing school boards, counselors, and teachers in improving the policies, decision making processes, and inclusion strategies of parental involvement in Character Education and Social and Emotional Learning in public school systems. The results of this study provided strong evidence for the importance of integrating character education, social and emotional learning, and family involvement and engagement at the middle level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Mitigating learning disruption: School leadership sensemaking and preparation for blended and remote learning during COVID-19 school closures

School closures resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic had deleterious effects on student learning requiring continuous school improvement efforts to recover from the learning loss. This study investigated the level of preparedness of K-12 school leaders for the implementation of blended or remote instruction in an online environment during the pandemic. This entailed how principals and assistant principals evaluated teacher pedagogy in their school communities, while using their lived instructional leadership experiences to reduce the uncertainty, chaos, and student learning disruption that was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The director of a New York City principal leadership pipeline program for aspiring school leaders and four school leaders were interviewed about their level of preparedness to implement online instruction. Participants reported inconsistent professional learning to support the implementation of online instruction. Asynchronous virtual professional learning modules were designed and disseminated to the participants to strengthen their pedagogies using an online instructional delivery method. In addition, a rubric to gauge non-evaluative online teaching was introduced. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated for the online modules, revealing participant satisfaction with the professional learning modules and change agency for the participants and their school communities. These findings can inform school leaders on how to support online instruction in their school communities and approaches to mitigating student learning disruption in an online environment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Transitioning in a time of crisis: Understanding the impact students' prior online learning experiences have on online course achievement

This quantitative study examines the impact that selected academic and personal demographic characteristics had on the successful completion of online coursework during the Covid-19 pandemic. Focused on a high-research university in the Southeastern United States during the Fall of 2020, this research looked the potential influence that prior online learning experiences had on students' abilities to transition to the online modality during a time of crisis. Data for this study was retrieved from institutional sources and the sample consisted of 5,739 second-year students at the institution. After describing the sample and population, exploratory regressions were conducted to establish models for explaining variance in online GPA performance and percentage of online course completion during the Fall 2020 semester. The resulting models account for 40% of the earned online GPA and 19% of the variance in online course completion percentage.In addition to the aforementioned models, the results of this study showed significant differences in online learning performance by race, with White students significantly outperforming students of color. This held for students with and without prior online learning experiences, which were found to have little impact on the performance of students in the online modality during a time of crisis. The results of the study also showed that academic discipline, while having a negligible relationship in most cases, did negatively impact the performance of some STEM students.This ex-post facto research highlights the fact that crisis learning differs from traditional learning in more ways than originally thought. Overall, performance during the semester studied declined, indicating the impact of added stresses during a time of crisis. The study sheds light on opportunities for future research, including the prospect of investigating how students initially experiencing online learning during a time of crisis perform in subsequent online classes and the need to focus on how teacher preparation and course design may impact learner engagement in the online modality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The lived experiences of indigenous youth during the transition to emergency remote learning: A qualitative study

This qualitative study was conducted to learn about the lived experiences of Indigenous youth during the transition to emergency remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight students at two schools in the Western part of Robeson County, North Carolina, told their stories. Tribal Critical Race Theory was used in this study as a lens to analyze the stories told by these Indigenous students and five themes emerged from the data collected from their stories: students had significant issues with the internet, remote learning was challenging, the support of teachers was vital, students wanted to return to school, and school is better now that students are back in class face to face. Findings showed the lack of access to high-speed internet often impeded students' ability to connect with their teachers consistently. Students found remote learning was much more challenging than being in the classroom face to face and returning to school was important to them. Once students returned to school, Indigenous students reported how much better they felt and how much easier it was to learn and retain new information. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The perspectives of EL parents on the family-school partnership during remote learning

COVID-19 impacted the entire world, including the partnership between English learners' (EL) families and schools. The purpose of the study was to analyze and evaluate the impact of remote learning on EL families and how family-school partnerships were enabled or disabled in the remote learning environment. In this study a questionnaire was distributed to EL parents via social-media, 80 of which met the criteria and completed the survey. An embedded, mixed method, research design was used. SPSS was used to evaluate the quantitative data using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVAs, and t-tests. Blending, including deductive and inductive coding, was used to evaluate the qualitative data. Findings indicated communication and helping students learn at home had the highest average of means, followed by Parenting, Volunteering, and Decision-Making. The findings also indicated that there was no significant statistical difference in the survey responses for parent's education, employment status, years living in the United States, English language level, and EL parent meeting attendance in relation to family-school partnerships during remote learning. Additional findings revealed technology assistance, non-technical supports, the role of parents, and teaching children responsibility helped EL parents feel supported in their efforts to be engaged. Furthermore, technology issues, instructional issues, culture and language barriers, socioemotional issues, and parental challenges were identified as perceived challenges reported by EL families in supporting their children to learn at home while engaged in remote learning. Finally, findings indicated schools' provision of basic needs, technical and instructional support, communication, and planning assistance were ways parents felt most supported in their partnership with their children's school amidst COVID-19. These findings provide valuable insight to policy-makers, administrators, Department of Education and educators, as they can use the information to understand the resources EL families need to effectively partner with their children's school during times of remote learning. This information can provide additional insight so that curriculum developers in higher education and continuing education can review and refine curriculum to address any areas in which additional support may be needed to ensure that home school partnerships with EL families maximize learning opportunities for EL students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Balancing technology and outdoor learning: Implications for early childhood teacher educators

The integration of technology in the classroom has become commonplace in early childhood education;however, promoting outdoor learning is not as emphasized. A wealth of research has documented how young children learn and develop while engaging with technology or outdoor play, but limited literature exists on balancing these learning experiences to support children's developmental outcomes. The present paper seeks to review current literature on the effects of technology and outdoor learning on young children's development. Building off of the relevant literature, this paper will provide recommendations for early childhood teacher educators to guide teachers in training on balancing appropriate technology use and outdoor learning. Given the COVID-19 global pandemic, teaching implications regarding balancing technology and outdoor learning are also addressed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Participatory technologies: How digital innovation and youth-driven data can revolutionize racial & spatial justice and connections with community

Much of our current knowledge about technology in research and learning settings relates to devices and software programs: What types should be purchased?;How many should we buy?;What training is required?;and What return on investment will they produce? The implicit message communicated by this research is that technology transforms learning by simply being introduced into a setting -- and that any technology tool will produce powerful opportunities for learning. Just give youth iPads and results will follow. Over the past several years, groups of learning scientists, critical scholars, and participatory researchers have pushed back against this perspective, arguing that: (a) most traditional technologies utilized by scholars today reproduce problematic "banking" methods of learning (Freire, 1970);(b) scholars, leaders, and educators who rush to integrate technology in formal and informal learning settings often overlook the ways that race, identity, power and privilege shape the technologies that they give youth;(c) context matters -- unlocking the benefits of these new participatory forms of technologies for learning requires a shift in pedagogical approaches, embracing more critical, de-colonizing, and participatory forms like youth participatory action research (YPAR);and (d) new, mobile, interactive, accessible forms of technology have the potential to transform learning by creating a new participatory culture that fosters collaboration, communication, critical consciousness, and creativity. Throughout this dissertation, I use the term participatory technologies to describe these emerging tools. I define participatory technologies as the broad set of technology tools that can allow youth to engage with, critique, and co-create the systems, structures, and environments that shape their everyday lives. Participatory technology tools allow individuals to be both consumers and producers of information;and as the term "participatory" suggests, I argue that it is important for youth to use technology to "read the world" using their own socio-cultural lenses;critique and dismantle systems of power, privilege and oppression;and become active participants in co-creating a more just and equitable world around them. Using participatory technologies, youth can examine, influence, and alter the way that power is conferred and exercised across many arenas ranging from public health (#StayHome), politics (InstagramLive town halls, Arab Spring), civil rights (#BlackLivesMatter), urban planning (Google's Sidewalk Labs), disaster response (Ushahidi), to social justice (#MeToo). In the era of COVID-19, the case for participatory technologies could not be more urgent. As Alain Labrique, director of the Johns Hopkins University Global -mHealth Initiative shares, "The connectivity and participation through technology we have today gives us ammunition to fight this pandemic in ways we never previously thought possible" (A. Park, 2020, para. 3). In the face of this unprecedented global pandemic, colleges and classrooms have rushed onto online settings, physicians are conducting tele-visits through FaceTime and WhatsApp;"non-essential" workforce members, as well as family and friends, are connecting over Zoom;"social distancing" adherence is being tracked by epidemiologists through geo-location data;and global dance parties are being held on Instagram Live. To date, however, the global technology response to COVID-19 has only scratched the surface of what new participatory tools offer. For example, much needed real-time data on where outbreaks are occurring, how many tests are available, and what resources exist in communities in terms of critical health services, tests, or groceries (Where can I buy eggs? Which places take WIC for baby formula? Where are the lines the shortest? Where/when can elders and vulnerable populations shop safely?) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Teaching psychomotor skills in a virtual environment: An educational case study

In March 2020, most physical therapy schools across the globe transitioned to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This change posed unique challenges not only because it required adapting to new technology in a short period but, more importantly, it involved developing ways to teach hands-on psychomotor and clinical skills virtually while maintaining the quality of instruction. In response to the rapid transition, the physical therapy program at MGH Institute of Health Professions (IHP)designed and implemented a novel and effective coaching model to address the challenges. The model was developed based on experiential learning theory, constructivism, a coaching framework, and andragogical principles of feedback and reflection. Not only did the model meet its objectives of effectively teaching basic psychomotor skills in the virtual environment, but it may also have andragogical benefits that can be applied to traditional face-to-face methods. This case study describes the theoretical underpinning of the model, its development and implementation, the perceived effectiveness for learning psychomotor skills in a virtual environment, and the potential for broader relevance to future models of physical therapy education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Assessment of cognitive student engagement using heart rate data in distance learning during COVID-19

Student engagement allows educational institutions to make better decisions regarding teaching methodologies, methods for evaluating the quality of education, and ways to provide timely feedback. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying cognitive student engagement in distance learning has been a challenge in higher education institutions. In this study, we implemented a non-self-report method assessing students' heart rate data to identify the cognitive engagement during active learning activities. Additionally, as a supplementary tool, we applied a previously validated self-report method. This study was performed in distance learning lessons on a group of university students in Bogota, Colombia. After data analysis, we validated five hypotheses and compared the results from both methods. The results confirmed that the heart rate assessment had a statistically significant difference with respect to the baseline during active learning activities, and this variance could be positive or negative. In addition, the results show that if students are previously advised that they will have to develop an a new task after a passive learning activity (such as a video projection), their heart rate will tend to increase and consequently, their cognitive engagement will also increase. We expect this study to provide input for future research assessing student cognitive engagement using physiological parameters as a tool. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)