هدف هذا البحث إلى تطوير بيئة التدريب الإلكتروني التكيفي والكشف عن أثرها على تنمية كفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية لدى معلمات رياض الأطفال بدولة الكويت. استخدمت الباحثة منهج البحث التطويري (Developmental Research Method)، حيث قامت باشتقاق قائمة كفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية التي اشتملت على 11 جانباً معرفياً، و9 جوانب من المهارات العقلية، و23 جانب أدائي، كما قامت باشتقاق قائمة معايير التصميم التعليمي لبيئة التدريب الإلكترونية التكيفية بحيث اشتملت على 13 معياراً، و76 مؤشراً، وقامت بتطبيق نموذج الجزار للتصميم التعليمي (Elgazzar, 2014) لتطوير بيئة التدريب الإلكتروني التكيفي حتى التحكيم على مطابقته معايير التصميم التعليمي، وقامت بإعداد أداتي البحث المتمثلتين في الاختبار التحصيلي للجانب المعرفي لتنمية كفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية، وبطاقة تقييم منتج للجانب الأدائي لتنمية كفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية، وتأكدت من صدقهما وثباتهما. تكونت عينة البحث من (27) معلمة من معلمات رياض الأطفال في منطقة العاصمة التعليمية في دولة الكويت، وتم تنفيذ البحث بتصميم شبه تجريبي (تصميم المجموعة الواحدة) مع القياس القبلي والبعدي، وقامت الباحثة بتطبيق تجربة البحث، وجمع البيانات لاختبار الفرضيات البحثية، وتوصلت النتائج إلى أنه يوجد أثر إيجابي لتطبيق بيئة تدريب إلكتروني تكيفي على تنمية الجانب المعرفي لكفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية، والدرجة النهائية لها 90% وكذلك كان حجم التأثير كبيراً للجانب المعرفي لتنمية كفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية، وأنه يوجد أثر لتطبيق بيئة تدريب إلكتروني تكيفي على تنمية الجانب الأدائي لكفايات تصميم القصة الرقمية، والدرجة النهائية لها 90%. الكلمات الدالة: نموذج الجزار (Elgazzar, 2014)، بيئة التدريب الإلكتروني التكيفي، القصة الرقمية، الكفايات، دولة الكويت

The widespread use of digital technology has had a remarkable effect on almost every domain of human life. Advanced digital technologies are used for communicating with friends and colleagues; engaging in social media; holding down jobs; paying bills; purchasing tickets for events; listening to music; watching films and making videos; and many other daily activities (Pegrum, 2011). This technological change has caused governments, educational departments, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) to recognize the need to develop educational plans that would support the social and the cultural changes that have occurred with the ubiquitous permeation of digital technology into our everyday lives. The purpose of this research was to examine several socio-cultural aspects related to the integration of digital technology and education. Specifically, this study aimed to explore how teachers’ understanding of digital technology and the practices used in the classrooms advance or constrain democratic citizenship. This dissertation aimed to bridge theory and practice by developing a philosophical investigation through empirical research. The importance of utilizing empirical research in a philosophy follows Arcilla’s (2002) claim that one needs to reconsider how philosophy can become relevant to educators. Through employing critical, qualitative research methodology, this study provides a comparative examination of teachers’ understanding of digital technologies for education, as expressed by teachers in Israel and teachers in the United States. Conducting a comparative examination helped to reveal the meta-ideological aspects of utilizing digital technology in schools. The heart of this study dealt with the promise of digital technology to transform education in the age of globalization, under the neoliberal apparatus. The analysis chapters examine several assumptions regarding digital technology and education, through critical exploration of educational policies, interviews, and class observations. Drawing from Habermas’ (1981/ 1984; 1981/1987) theory, this study examined the tensions between the promise to transform education through technology and the tendency to utilize digital technology in instrumental and technical ways. The study concludes with the proposal of a theoretical framework for developing digital citizenship.

Individual access to mobile devices has increased dramatically in recent years, and faculty and students are beginning to use smartphones and tablets to support teaching and learning. This correlational study surveys faculty and students at a private, liberal arts university to better understand perceptions about the devices for use in an academic setting. Student and faculty responses are compared using adopter categories and innovation attributes developed by Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations. Two survey instruments were developed for this study. The Faculty Smartphone and Tablet Diffusion of Innovations (FSTDIS) and Student Smartphone and Tablet Diffusion of Innovations (SSTDIS) were created based on a previous survey aimed at faculty adoption of a course management system. The surveys were sent to approximately 250 faculty members and between 1,700 and 1,900 students. Results from the surveys were used to address four research questions comparing faculty and students, as well as perceptions of the value of smartphones and tablets in higher education. Findings from this study can be used by university administrators to increase the adoption of mobile devices for academic purposes. Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of theory provides a framework for technology adoption in organizations.

This study was based on the hypothesis that gender differences and past experiences with computers and the Internet influence individuals’ perceptions of wireless laptops. The perception of wireless laptops was evaluated according to Rogers’ five attributes of innovations: relative advantages, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. An online questionnaire was utilized in the study, and the total number of participants was 248. Analyses of the data were conducted using multiple regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance. The results of the data indicated that the overall perception of participants on the use of wireless laptops was positive. A statistically significant difference in the perceptions of wireless laptops was found in the groups of graduate students and faculty members. Faculty members showed lowest interest in trying wireless laptops, worried about security problems, and were concerned about the distraction that wireless laptops may bring to learning. The relationship between the perceptions of wireless laptops to five predictors (gender, wireless laptop ownership, wireless laptop experience, attitude toward computers, and attitude toward the Internet) was significant. In evaluating the contribution of each predictor, the attitude toward the Internet was found to be the most important factor in predicting the perceptions of wireless laptops, and was followed by gender, the computer attitude scale, wireless laptop ownership, and experience with wireless laptops. The findings of this study support prior research that an individual’s past experience with computers and the Internet have positive impacts on the perceptions toward technological innovations in terms of wireless laptops in this study. The gender perception about men holding a more positive attitude toward the technological innovation does not exist. This study suggests that in order to take the best advantage of wireless laptops, the utilization and skills of computers and the Internet need to be enhanced; the issues concerning file transmission security and the distraction of using wireless laptops in class should be addressed.

With advances in technology, college and university administrators have adopted platforms to track students’ progress toward successful completion of courses and degrees. The Starfish Retention System offers an early alert system that promises to provide data points for faculty, students, and support staff for timely intervention and improved student persistence. Any technological system should be integrated into the existing scholarly practice of academic advising and its established tradition, norms, and expectations. The researcher examines the effects of this integration at three different campuses of at a public four-year institution. In this qualitative study, I explored the evolution associated with the platform’s integration and the impact made on the existing advising practices. Based on interviews conducted with student support staff, the goal of this research included developing themes related to this amalgamation. Moreover, this study employed a critical lens to assess the transition to technologized advising.

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore the competencies and skill sets of participating K-12 online teachers in Ohio through an online survey based on relevant standards issued by specialized organizations, such as the North American Council for online Learning (NACOL), National Education Association, and Southern Regional Educational Board. The survey items helped identify the self-reported competencies and skill sets of ninety-eight participating K-12 online teachers in Ohio. The findings of this study indicated that the subjects in this research project need technical support systems in place to work effectively in the online environment. Additionally, the participants required further training in using technology in terms of assistive technologies for special needs students. Moreover, these virtual environment instructors would benefit from having more hours of both face-to-face and hybrid professional development customized to their specific online teaching needs, designed to form collaborative communities of practice.

The purpose of this study was to explore how online teacher participants identifytheir professional development goals and the elements that should be included in the design of a professional development course for online teachers in K-12 education. The research questions addressed in this study were 1) What are the professional development goals of online teachers, and 2) which elements should be included in the design of a professional development course? This research was conducted as a basic interpretive qualitative study that focused on professional development goals and instructional design preferences of the four first year online teachers. Interviews, an observation of a synchronous session, analysis of online classrooms, and course documents were collected and analyzed to identify the teachers' professional development goals and instructional design preferences. The findings of this study indicated that: (a) the online teachers have goals of increasing student engagement, (b) the online teachers have a desire to increase their knowledge and ability in using technology, (c) the online teachers prefer to have professional development course content that is relevant to their specific online teaching needs, and (d) online course content should be offered through a variety of presentation techniques.