Positioning Yourself in the Field -- Step 2

Here's a description of my topic:
As a broad topic, I am examining the assessment of instruction in higher education. Within this broad topic, I am reviewing assessment of distance education and assessment of library instruction (both traditional and online). I hope to use the literature to make some comparisons between assessment of library instruction, assessment of general instruction, assessment of traditional instruction, and assessment of online instruction.

Since I didn't find enough information about assessment of library instruction, my broader topic includes assessing instruction in general, paying specific attention to assessment of online instruction and assessment of library instruction. I found about 10 articles on assessment of library instruction, about 20 on assessment of online instruction, and the rest of the over 60 articles I found deal with assessment generally. I really hope to find articles that focus on measures of learning, not satisfaction type surveys of students after instruction. This will the first of my critera for inclusion in the annontated bibliograpy. As I further develop critea, I'll continue to post.

Rationale:
As I said in an earlier blog, libraries are focusing on "information literacy" and providing increasing amounts of library instruction. As distance education programs nationwide are expanding libraries are producing more online instruction in the form of web page guides and tutorials. Most librarians haven't been education in IDT and have varying amounts of training related to instruction.

This being said, what is the quality of the instruction libraries are providing face-to-face and online? How sound are the pedagogical principles upon which the instruction is based? How effective is the instruction? How are libraries assessing the value of the instruction and the determining if actual learning has occurred? What do students attending a typical library instruction session learn? How can we design instruction to focus on higher levels of learning? I hope to begin to answer at least some of these questions as I read and evaluate the published literature.

More Examples of Learning Theory/Paradigms in Technology

As many of you know (some because you've actually met her) I have a 3 yr old daughter. Allison is like many small children and is attracted to toys and books that sing, make noise, etc. Now that I'm gaining an understanding of learning theories and paradigms I decided to examine her favorite games and books and determine where they fit in.
Since she was 6 months old and had this stuffed singing, light up frog (BabyTad) from LeapFrog Allison has enjoyed many of the LeapFrog products. Her current product of choice is "My First LeapPad" a pre-school version of LeapPad an "interactive" learning tool. Allison doesn't have one (I haven't decided if its a good investment yet), but my nephew has one and she loves it. So, first I'll use the leappad toy as an example of technology.
Here's a link to the product webpage: My First LeapPad

Product/Technology Description:
So what is this thing that captivates many children? Basically its an electronic book reading system. You have the main "reader" and you buy "books" to fit the reader. There are various books (interactive, talking, flip books) and settings you can use. Allison's favorites are Dora titles. A pen is attached to the reader and is used to point out words and trace letters. According to the LeapPad "learning guide" the product teaches logic, math, reading & language, science, and social development. There's a narrated "tour" (called "Try It") of the product on the site that goes into slightly more detail.

Learning Theories/Paradigms:

Positioning Yourself in the Field Assignment -- Part 1

Topic:
As a broad topic, I am examining the assessment of instruction in higher education. Within this broad topic, I am reviewing assessment of distance education and assessment of library instruction (both traditional and online). I hope to use the literature to make some comparisons between assessment of library instruction, assessment of general instruction, assessment of traditional instruction, and assessment of online instruction.

Literature Review:

Databases/Indexes Searched:
ERIC (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts version)
PsycInfo
Web of Science (Social Science Citation Index)

Databases/Indexes To Be Searched:
Library Literature and Information Science Full Text
Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA)

I took detailed notes on my search strategies including search terms, subject headings, and search statements. I considered posting all of the above, but in the end decided not to bore everyone because I'm betting only librarian types would care. I think it's pretty interesting, but I'm strange like that...If you want to see the details, please let me know and I'll gladly share.

Results: 68 items total, 66 peer reviewed journal articles and 2 books. I'll update the search results when I finishing searching the remaining databases/indexes.

Examples of Theory/Paradigms in Technology -- Example 1

Program/Example: UF Forensic Science Distance Education Programs

Description:

The Forensic Science Programs offer online Master of Science degrees in Forensic Science, Forensic Toxicology, DNA & Serology, and Forensic Drug Chemistry. The programs also offer Certificates in the aforementioned areas. The program is aimed at professionals working in labs and many of the students have laboratory experience. The programs are administered through UF's DCE (Distance, Continuing & Executive Education) office. The college of Pharmacy is the college of record for all programs (except Forensic Toxicology, which is in the College of Vet. Medicine).This semester the programs switched WebCT Vista.

The programs are broken into modules that include readings (course/lecture material, textbooks, and journal articles) discussion topics, and quizzes. If you want more information you can register for a free preview of one of three programs (DNA & Serology, Drug Chemistry, or Forensic Toxicology).

From the preview (I previewed the DNA & Serology module), much of the material is learned by the examination of a case or scenario. One of the scenario's for the DNA & Serology preview module is the examination of evidence in an alleged sexual assault situation. The preview tutorial ends with lab analysis documents, sample analyses of those documents, and questions for discussion/consideration.

Link: http://www.forensicscience.ufl.edu/Default.asp

Paradigm/Theory:
The materials in this online program use a combination of paradigms and learning theories. The case-based scenarios seem to be based the situated learning theory because students are learning about DNA & Serology from in an "in context", meaningful situation.

The lecture/reading based portions of the modules are based in either behavioral learning theory or cognitive Information Processing Theory. Because the modules make use of prior knowledge and seem to encompass all three memory systems, I think the material in question leads more toward information processing than strict behaviorism.

Now that I've shared my assessment of which paradigm/theory the Forensic Science Program exemplifies, what's your opinion? Did I "get it right"? Are there other ways of looking at this that I missed? Please let me know how you feel about my assessment...

Tomorrow night I'll be discussing a few more examples and hopefully find some that demonstrate the other theories.