In learning environments, the visual elements of courses, lessons, and presentations play an important role in learning. Well-conceived and rendered visuals help any audience understand and retain information (Wileman, 1993). It is widely known that the use of visual technology enhances learning by providing a better understanding of the topic as well as motivating students. Visualization methods are extensively credited for simplifying the presentation of difficult subjects as well as aiding cognition; their use in the power engineering industry and education is enjoying significant growth (Idowu, Brinton, Hartmn, Nehard, Abraham, Boyer, 2006). Content visualization can facilitate the learner’s acquisition of information. It is related to the individual’s level of perceptual and associative learning in the content area. The individual must have sufficient experience and maturity to realize that using visualization is merely an attempt to represent reality vicariously (Dwyer, 1978). Much of intended visual communication or self-expression is not perceived, or often misunderstood, especially if it is complex (Lantz, 2000). If all visual-based learning materials (tables, figures, photos, etc.) were equally effective in facilitating student achievement of all kinds of educational objectives, there would virtually be no problem associated with this type of instruction (Dwyer, 1978). However, this is not the case since there are many different types of visuals, differing in the amount of realistic detail they contain. When comparing wireframe and a
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an engineering mentorship program on African-American male high school students’ perceptions of engineering as a viable career choice. In this study, indicators included students’ perceptions of engineering, their self-efficacy in the area of mathematics, and their self-efficacy in the area of science. Using an independent t-test to determine a difference of statistical significance, inferential statistics were provided to answer the following research questions: (a) Is there a significant difference in perceptions of engineering for students who participated in the NCETE/NSBE mentorship program when compared with non-mentored students?, (b) Is there a significant difference in self-efficacy in the area of mathematics for students who participated in the NCETE/NSBE mentorship when compared with non-mentored students?, and (c) Is there a significant difference in selfefficacy in the area of science for students who participated in Cameron D. Denson is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education at Utah State University. He can be reached at cameron.denson@aggiemail.usu.edu. Roger B. Hill is a Professor and Department Head of the Workforce Education, Leadership and Social Foundations at the University of Georgia. He can be reached at rbhill@uga.edu. 100 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION the NCETE/NSBE mentorship when compared with nonmentored students?
This study was conducted to research learning style preferences of agriculture students. Specifically, the objectives which guided the study were: (1) to determine the learning style preferences of undergraduate agricultural students enrolled in a given Soil Science course and (2) to ascertain if there were differences in the students’ course grade average (CGA) in the given Soil Science course when the treatment group were taught according to their learning style preferences versus the control group. For research question two, there was a hypothesis statement to determine if modifying the instructional approach to the students’ learning style preference for the treatment group produces a higher course grade average (CGA) than the control group. The Productivity Environmental Preference ____________ Dominick E. Fazarro is with the Department of Agricultural & Industrial Sciences at Sam Houston State University. He can be reached at def003@shsu.edu. Tim Pannkuk and Dwayne Pavelock are also in the Department of Agricultural & Industrial Sciences at Sam Houston State University. Darcy Hubbard is with the South Grand Prairie High School. The Effectiveness of Instructional Methods 85 Survey (PEPS) was used to obtain the students’ preferred learning style preferences. Results indicate that modifying the instructional approach to the students’ learning styles preference (Structure) would result in a higher course grade average (CGA) for the treatment group versus the control group.
This descriptive study examined the current status of technology education teacher practices with respect to engineering design. This article is the third article in a threepart series presenting the results of this study. The first article in the series titled Examination of Engineering Design Curriculum Content highlighted the research findings regarding engineering design curriculum content delivered by technology education teachers. The second article in the series titled Examination of Assessment Practices for Engineering Design Projects in Secondary Technology Education reported technology education teachers’ assessment practices when implementing engineering design projects in the classroom. The sample for this study was drawn from the current International Technology Education Association (ITEA) membership database. This article will present the research findings that identified challenges faced by technology educators when seeking to implement engineering design. Todd R. Kelley, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Technology at Purdue University. He can be reached at trkelley@purdue.edu. Robert C. Wicklein, Ed.D., is a Professor at the University of Georgia. He can be reached at wickone@uga.edu. Challenges to Implement Engineering Design 35
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the “Computer Technology and Programming” curriculum offered at vocational colleges with a focus on the goals of the curriculum and student thoughts. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the data. Results revealed that there were mainly four problematic issues related to the “Computer Technology and Programming” curriculum. These were: poor quality of education, inadequacy of industry-based education, limited areas of specialization, and poor environment and inadequate opportunities. Results were discussed extensively and recommendations were offered regarding the structural problems of vocational colleges and the “Computer Technology and Programming” curriculum.
Problem solving has become a central focus of instructional activity in technology education classrooms at all levels (Boser, 1993). Impact assessment considerations incorporating society, culture, and economics are factors that require high-level deliberation involving critical thinking and the implementation of problem solving strategy. The purpose of this study was to analyze components, sequencing, and challenges associated with technology education student identification and development of problem solving models that factor societal, cultural, and economic considerations. Additionally, this study investigated individual problem solving strategies concerning methods, solutions, and abilities. This study identified that there is no apparent effect on initial component selection of problem solving modeling whether challenged with environmental or manufacturing issues. Students highlighted problem identification as the initial phase of the developed models. Perception of technology education student problem solving ability is high, but students tend not to vary from prescribed categorical stage models that are commonly demonstrated and used in the teacher preparation program.
This study examined gender-related issues in using new desktop virtual reality (VR) technology as a learning tool in career and technical education (CTE). Using relevant literature, theory, and cross-case analysis of data and findings, the study compared and analyzed the outcomes of two recent studies conducted by a research team at Oklahoma State University that addressed gender issues in VR-based training. This cross-case analysis synthesized the results of these two studies to draw conclusions and implications for CTE educators that may assist in developing or implementing successful virtual learning environments for occupational Dr. Lynna J. Ausburn is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for Occupational Education Studies at Oklahoma State University. She can be reached at lynna.ausburn@okstate.edu. Jon Martens is a Graduate Assistant and Doctoral student at Oklahoma State University. He can be reached at jonmartens@mac.com. Andre Washington is a Doctoral student at Oklahoma State University. He can be reached at awashington11@cox.net. Debra Steele is a Doctoral student at Oklahoma State University. She can be reached at dasteel@okstate.edu. Earlene Washburn is a Doctoral student at Oklahoma State University. She can be reached at earlenw@okstate.edu. 52 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION training. The cross-study findings suggested that males and females may be differently affected by VR and that females may be less comfortable, confident, and capable in virtual learning environments, particularly when the environments are highly technical and visually complex. The findings indicate caution in the use of VR in mixed-gender CTE programs, particularly in programs that are heavily female-gendered. Introduction to Desktop Virtual Reality To maximize their instructional effectiveness, career and technical education (CTE) programs need to apply effective learning tools in their classrooms and laboratories. Recent literature reviews of published research (c.f., Ausburn & Ausburn, 2004, 2008a, 2008b; Ausburn, Ausburn, Cooper, Kroutter, & Sammons, 2007; Ausburn, Ausburn, Ashton, Braithwaite, Dotterer, Elliott, Fries, Hermes, Reneau, Siling, & Williams, 2006) have consistently documented the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a learning tool in a variety of settings. The research has shown that many educational institutions, industries, and organizations are now turning to VR to provide effective and cost-efficient ways of teaching and career preparation and development. The field most actively reported in the VR literature is medical/dental, where large numbers of published studies have attested to VR’s benefits (Harb, Adams, Dominguez, Smith, & Randall, 2005; Imber, Shapira, Gordon, Judes, & Mitzgar, 2003; Jaffe & Brown, 2000; Jeffries, Woolf, & Linde, 2003; Mantovani, Gaggiolo, Castelnuovo, & Riva, 2003; Moorthy, Smith, Brown, Bann, & Darzi, 2003; Patel, Gallagher, Nicholson, & Cates, 2004; Riva, 2003; Seymour, Gallagher, Rorr, O’Brien, Bansal, & Anderson, 2002; Urbankova & Lichtenthal, 2002; Wilhelm, Ogan, Roehaborn, Caddedder, & Pearle, 2002). https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/jste/vol46/iss3/6 Gender Issues in Virtual Reality Learning 53 Engineering has also reported considerable success with virtual reality instruction (Sulbaran & Baker, 2000). A variety of other occupations and industries have reported positive performance results in the virtual reality research literature. These include auto spray painting (Heckman & Joseph, 2003), firefighting (Government Technology, 2003), forestry machine operation (LaPoint & Roberts, 2000), meteorology (Gallus, 2003), and welding (Mavrikois, Karabatsou, Fragos, & Chryssolouris, 2006). Use of VR for both career training and for product development has also been reported for several years in a variety of other industries such as aerospace, petroleum, equipment design, vehicle prototyping, lathing and manufacturing, accident investigation and analysis, law enforcement, anti-terror response, hazard detection, crane driving, aircraft inspection and maintenance, and facilities planning (e.g. Flinn, 2005; Government Technology, 2003; Halden Virtual Reality Center, 2004; Jezernik, 2003; Sandia National Laboratories, 1999; Scavuzzo & Towbin, 1997; Sims, 2000; Shneidermann, 1993). Despite issues with costs, technology concerns, and instructional design challenges with VR, Watson’s (2000) conclusion that “Most would consider that ... [VR] systems provide strong potential ... for the educational process,” (p. 231) appears to represent well the current general position and expectation of virtual reality researchers and users. The term virtual reality (VR) has undergone continuous changes since its introduction in the late 1960s as immersive experiences with computer-generated imagery via headmounted displays (HMDs). According to Loftin, Chen, and Rosenblum (2005), VR is a set of “... integrated technologies that provide multimodal display of and interaction with information in real time, enabling a user... to occupy, navigate, and manipulate a computer-generated environment” (p. 479). Davies (2004) defined VR as a “... technique of using 54 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION computers to model real ... environments in a three dimensional space that allows people to interact with the environment in a fashion that is both natural and intuitive” (p. 3). Ausburn, Martens, Dotterer, and Calhoun (2009) viewed VR as simulation of locations that model for users the characteristics of the locations and allow them to “visit” and “... experience simulated locations with as much fidelity as possible” (p. 1). Di Blas and Poggi (2007) also emphasized the importance of “presence” in VR, which they identified as engendering in users a sense that they have actually been somewhere rather than just seeing it. In summary, virtual reality (VR) currently refers to a variety of computer-based experiences ranging from fully immersive environments with complex HMD gear and body suits, to realistic PC-based imagery environments. However, in all its forms, VR is basically a way of simulating or replicating a 3D environment through computer-generated imagery and giving the user a powerful sense of “being there,” taking control, and actively interacting with the environment and its contents (Ausburn & Ausburn, 2004, 2008b; Ausburn, Martens, Dotterer, & Calhoun, 2009; Beier, 2004; Brown, 2001). The newest form of VR is called non-immersive or desktop VR. It uses QuickTime, Java, or Flash technology to present high-resolution panoramic imagery on a standard desktop computer. Desktop VR “movies” are created by taking a series of digital still photographic images and then using special VR software to “stitch and blend” the images into a single panoramic scene that the user can “enter” and explore individually and interactively. The user employs a mouse to move and explore within an on-screen virtual environment as if actually moving within a place in the real world. Movements can include rotating the panorama image to simulate physical movements of the body and head, and zooming in and out to simulate movements toward and away from objects or parts of https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/jste/vol46/iss3/6 Gender Issues in Virtual Reality Learning 55 the scene. Embedded individual virtual objects can be “picked up,” rotated, and examined as the user chooses, and clickable “hot spots” can also be used to navigate at will (Ausburn & Ausburn, 2008b; Ausburn, Ausburn, Cooper, Kroutter, & Sammons, 2007). What characterizes these desktop VR movies and distinguishes them from traditional video is that the user chooses where, when, and how to move, explore, and examine rather than being controlled by the prior production decisions of a videographer (Ausburn & Ausburn, 2004). What is important about the recent major technical advances in desktop VR for CTE educators is that these technologies now bring the advantages of VR experiences within the fiscal and technical capabilities of most schools and instructors. Because of the recent dramatic improvements in the technical capabilities and features of desktop VR and its accessibility to schools, teachers, and organizations, this technology is emerging as an important new tool for CTE. The new desktop VR is the focus of the research and findings reported in this paper. Gender and Virtual Environments: Theoretical/Conceptual Framework and Supporting Literature While VR has repeatedly demonstrated positive learning outcomes, some research has also shown that this effectiveness has not been identical across genders. This research is especially relevant to educational settings that involve training for occupations that are highly gendered, such as the health and medical fields. Educators who use virtual reality in training for gendered occupations need to be cognizant of gender-related issues associated with virtual reality in order to effectively use this new technology. Research has identified several theoretical and conceptual areas that suggest reasons for differential effects of virtual 56 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION environments across genders. These include visual/spatial functioning, human navigation and wayfinding theory, and sociallyand culturally-influenced perceptions of and experiences with computer technology. These factors come together in self-efficacy theory, as each influences the formation of an individual’s technological self-efficacy, which determines an individual’s performance and perception of that performance in a technology learning environment such as VR. These variables and concepts and their proposed relationships allowed the researchers to form a working theoretical and conceptual framework for the research reported in this study. This theoretical/conceptual framework is shown in Figure 1. This framework and its supporting literature are discussed below. https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/jste/vol46/iss3/6
This descriptive research study reported on Georgia’s secondary level (grades 6-12) technology education programs capability to incorporate engineering concepts and/or engineering design into their curriculum. Participants were middle school and high school teachers in the state of Georgia who currently teach technology education. Participants completed a Likert-type online-survey which reported on technology education teacher’s (a) current instructional practices to teach engineering-based instruction, (b) curricular value placed on engineering-based instruction, and (c) instructional needs to teach engineering-based topics. General demographic information was collected from all participants. The results from the study aided in informing the educational community on the perspective of the values, needs, and Cameron Denson is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Utah State University. He can be reached at Cameron.denson@aggiemail.usu.edu. Todd Kelley is an Assistant Professor at Purdue University, IN. He can be reached at trkelley@purdue.edu. Robert Wicklein is a Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens. He can be reached at wickone@uga.edu. 82 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION instructional practices associated with an engineering design focus for technology education. A summary of the five main recommendations are reported.
Due to the large number of individuals retiring over the next ten years a critical shortage of people available to work within the manufacturing industry is looming (Dychtwald, Erickson, & Morison, 2006). This shortage is exacerbated by the lack of a properly educated workforce that meets the demands of the 21st century manufacturer (Judy & D’Amico, 1997). Combine these two issues and the result is a steady reduction in qualified candidates for the millions of jobs available in the manufacturing industry. The purpose of this research was to identify if a knowledge gap exists between the manufacturing industry and the educational institutions charged with education of the production workforce. Although the majority of manufacturers and educators indicated there was a gap between the educational institutions and the manufacturer’s needs, this research did not uncover a significant gap between the educational institutions and the manufacturers specific to their understanding of the attributes, skills and adult basic education level of a highly skilled production employee.
The purpose of this study was to describe a process of preparing technology education teachers to teach engineering design concepts in the context of technology education. This process was identified through a study of professional development activities that were organized and conducted by technology teacher education partner universities of the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) to prepare middle school and high school technology teachers to infuse engineering design, problem solving, content, and analytical skills into the K-12 curriculum. A collective multisite case study formed the methodology for this study. Data were collected using individual interview sessions that lasted 30-40 minutes, video materials, observations, and artifacts. A total of 15 interviews were individually analyzed, and then compared through a cross-case analysis. Several sub themes emerged to illuminate the central theme of professional development. These included planning, communities of practice, administration and climate, practitioner needs, activities in the classroom, expertise, meaning making, and assessment. ____________ Paul A. Asunda is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Tennessee Technological University. He can be reached at pasunda@tntech.edu. Roger B. Hill is Professor and Department Head of Workforce Education, Leadership & Social Foundations at The University of Georgia. He can be reached at rbhill@uga.edu. Preparing Technology Teachers 27
Researchers and practitioners consider knowledge management to be a strategic intervention that integrates organizational resources such as technologies and human resources. This conceptual paper focuses on the foundational contributions of economics, sociology, and psychology to knowledge management. Select theories from each foundational area are illustrated. Links are made to the research and practice of career and technical teacher educators. Suggestions for further research include examining the inter-connective links of these foundational areas as a means to help career and technical teacher educators identify the value they add to their broader organizational work contexts. The Journal of Industrial Teacher Education (JITE) targets a readership inclusive of professionals in technology education, technical education, trade and industrial education, teacher education, industrial training, and military training. These professionals share common challenges – they work in settings in _____________ Hae-Young Lee is Director of International Relations at the National Institute for Lifelong Education in Seoul, Korea. He can be reached at hrdcorea@yahoo.com. Gene L. Roth is a Professor in Counseling, Adult and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University. He can be reached at P40GLR1@wpo.cso.niu.edu. 6 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION which they are asked to do more with less. They work in settings in which they are expected to continually improve. They search for ways to become more efficient and effective, and they understand that each year they will be held accountable for their performance. This preceding backdrop is intended to build an awareness of why this article on knowledge management is relevant to career and technical teacher educators. The essence of knowledge management is to leverage knowledge within work units and organizations, positively affect individual and organizational performance, and improve work outcomes. These are worthy goals for career and technical education (CTE) teacher educators. When the name of the game for many CTE teacher education programs is survival, becoming more efficient and effective can hopefully lead to gains in performance and competitive advantage. Knowledge management has emerged as a corporate strategy for integrating technology applications and human resources in the pursuit of improved organizational performance. Knowledge management has addressed some key concerns of human resource development (HRD) and has also triggered new debates on HRD practices (Thomas, Kellog, & Erickson, 2001). The influence of knowledge management, like other business management strategies, has possibilities for affecting the work settings of representatives of the JITE readership. The positive possibilities of knowledge management include an emphasis on the value of knowledge within organizations – including school systems and universities (Serban & Luan, 2002). This article offers a useful conceptual framework that can help CTE teacher educators understand the foundational roots of knowledge management, and hopefully allow them to make useful connections between the theory and practice of it in their own work contexts. Background and Rationale for the Study A widely-accepted premise of knowledge management in the business world is that competitive advantage stems from the unique knowledge possessed by members of an organization. The advantage is attained and maintained if and when other competitors in the same Knowledge Management 7 industry are unable to duplicate this unique knowledge. School settings and universities can also benefit from maximizing in-house knowledge that leads to enhanced effectiveness and efficiency and a competitive advantage over other educational providers. An example of a competitive advantage in CTE would be high levels of effectiveness and efficiency by a CTE program in aligning curricula with current industry standards. Another example would be capitalizing on expertise from across departments that would allow highly desirable integration of academic and technical content in teaching and learning transactions. The outcomes of both of these examples are presumed to be desirous and can positively affect the success of program graduates. The emphasis on the expertise and experience of workers in the business management community has benefited primarily from three academic disciplines: economics, sociology, and psychology (Lee & Roth, 2007). Central to the debates among economists has been the organization – an economic organization, in particular. Sociologists have examined the complexities of the organization as a social entity and its relationship with the environment. Researchers in psychology have examined the actions of individuals and groups within organizations. The literature on knowledge management may be described as a piecemeal approach, devoid of thorough explanations of the theoretical underpinnings of knowledge management. One of the reasons for this shortcoming is that knowledge management is in an early developmental stage. Second, knowledge management researchers have emerged from a variety of academic disciplines. Third, most of the existing knowledge management studies are project-based. That is, rather than focusing on theory building and systemic understanding of the application of knowledge management, many knowledge management studies attempt to seek a tactical, immediate solution to a specified problem. (For a more indepth critique of knowledge management models, see Yang, Zheng, & Viere, 2004). Very few studies have examined knowledge management in the context of schools and/or universities. 8 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION
Virtual reality (VR) has been demonstrated to offer learning benefits over traditional instructional methods in many technical and occupational areas. However, in the framework of Rogers’ innovation diffusion theory, adoption of VR in Career and Technical Education and occupational programs appears to be lagging. This study used experimental methodology to test the possibility of positively influencing the dispositions of occupational educators toward desktop VR through application of prime theory in a context of supplantation and technology self-efficacy theory. Supraliminal bipolar primes were used to test whether a positive disposition more conducive to VR adoption could be created in a sample of 30 occupational educators prior to introduction of a desktop VR presentation, with “disposition” defined as a pair of specific performance measures. Intended as a pilot study, this inquiry used ANOVA and correlation statistical analyses to produce sufficient indications of relationships between positive primes, VR viewing time, and perceived confidence in VR to merit recommendation of further investigation. ____________ M. Scott Williams is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Occupational Studies at Oklahoma State University and is employed as a business consultant in the Business and Industry Services Division at Indian Capital Technology Center in Muskogee, OK, 74403. He can be reached at scottw@ictctech.com. 28 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION Introduction and Background Conceptual forms of virtual reality have existed since the 1920s. The technology was first introduced by the Link Corporation, which created a simulated training device for pilots called the Link Trainer. It basically consisted of an airplane cockpit set atop a pneumatic platform which was controlled by the pilot via a directional stick. The entire platform would shift in response to the pilot’s control as the horizon line changed. Movie projectors would later be introduced to the device in order to provide a more realistic experience (Gladdis, 1997). Virtual reality (VR) began to increase in popularity during the 1970s and 80s. This was in a large part due to advances in computer technology. In the early 1970s Myron Krueger coined the term “artificial reality”, which was later modified in the 1980s when Jaron Lanier conceived the term “virtual reality” (Siddens, 1999). However, there is no generally agreed upon definition of virtual reality. To further complicate matters, there are numerous types of VR being developed and experimented with. These include but are not limited to artificial reality, augmented reality, immersive reality, and telepresence. The different types of virtual reality provide varying experiences in relation to immersion, interactivity, and unencumbered navigation (Krueger, 1993; Pantelidis, 1993). The various forms of VR can be viewed as a collection of innovative ideas and instructional extensions based on the general premise or purpose of allowing the user to have realistic experience from which learning can derive. Therefore, a much broader definition for the technology was needed. Ausburn and Ausburn (2004) identified and fulfilled this need with their representative explanation: VR can range from simple environments presented on a desktop computer to fully immersive multisensory environments experienced through complex headgear and bodysuits. In all its manifestations, VR is basically a way of simulating or replicating an environment and giving the user a sense of ‘being there’, taking control, and personally interacting with that environment with his/her own body. (p. 34) Confidence with Desktop VR 29 Because of substantially lower cost, training viability, and ease of use, VR formats that are not fully immersive have gained popularity. These VR formats have been identified as desktop VR (Ausburn & Ausburn, 2004; Hunt & Waller, 1999). They are generally accessed from a desktop or laptop computer and consist of a virtual reality movie that the user can control, explore, and navigate by using devices such as a mouse, scrolling ball, or glove. The VR movie can be generated with specific software packages and played in a viewer like Apple’s QuickTime player. Web based environments are made available through the use of virtual reality modeling language (VRML) or as VR movies played with Flash or Java. Similar to exploring an ordinary website, individuals can access an online virtual world or movie with three dimensional images surrounding their on-screen movement. As a learning tool, desktop virtual reality provides distinct opportunities across the educational spectrum (Dickey, 2005; Neel, 2006; Revenaugh, 2006; Shim, Kim, Park, Park & Ryu, 2003; Smedley & Higgins, 2005; Vogel, Bowers, Meehan, Hoeft, & Bradley, 2004). Secondary, post-secondary, and higher education can use virtual reality to aid in the learning process. With strong growth in distance education being provided via the Internet and DVD, a viable pathway towards integrated acceptance is present for desktop virtual reality. Even greater opportunity for effective use of VR exists when considering those students in secondary and postsecondary school systems who are being home schooled by their parents or a privately hired instructor. VR can fill a gap in the educational opportunities available to these students: Virtual learning plays an important role in a home-schooled student’s education. The traditional homeschooler does not have many of the educational opportunities as those in public or private schools. Students in public and private schools don’t always have all the educational opportunities of their neighboring districts. Virtual learning levels the playing field and provides endless opportunities for homeschoolers. (Jancek, 2001, p. 11) 30 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION An abundance of possibilities exist for virtual reality as a training tool within the career and technical education field (Ausburn & Ausburn, 2006; Park, Jang, & Chai, 2006; Seth & Smith, 2004; Tiala, 2007). Introduction to and familiarization with complex and often dangerous locational environments is often necessary in occupational preparation. Programs, courses, and training are provided in order to prepare future and current engineers, technicians, and end users on new processes, techniques, and skills. When such opportunities encounter issues in offering access to the “real thing”, a highly contextualized VR option could prove beneficial. Technical skill development within professional occupations can also benefit from the technology. The medical profession is one area that is seeing measurable gains with VR over traditional methods when training surgeons (Ahlberg, Enchsson, Gallagher, Hedman, Hogman & McClusky, 2007; Ganai, Donroe, St. Louis, Lewis, & Seymour, 2005; McClusky, Gallagher, Ritter, Lederman, Van Sickle & Baghai, 2004; Seymour, Gallagher, roman, O’Brien, Bansal & Andersen, 2002). Virtual reality is a multi-faceted tool capable of providing an increased sense of connectedness between learner and content. As education becomes more student centered and exploratory activities frequent course curricula, assistance through advanced technological applications can be expected to evolve into a standard practice. Virtual reality, with its ability to immerse learners in an environment, experience it with multiple senses, and control the pacing and flow of exploration, has the capability to transform the future of advanced instructional methodologies. Key to the movement and adoption of this instructional innovation will be continued research focused on practical development and adoption of the technology through demonstration of its specific positive effects on learning. This is especially important as some may view the technology as an alternative to traditional methods. The impetus for this pilot study came from the proposition that VR is an innovation and that the adoption of this innovation in CTE and occupational education, particularly in its cost-effective desktop form, might be facilitated if a positive disposition toward the technology could be Confidence with Desktop VR 31 increased in occupational educators. The study was intended as a first step in testing this proposition. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework The theoretical framework for this study came from three primary areas: (a) innovation diffusion theory, (b) prime theory of behavior influence, and (c) self-efficacy theory. Innovation Diffusion Theory Beginning with the first edition of Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations in 1960, the theoretical foundation for research in this area was well established. Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory characterized phenomena associated with the adoption of innovative products and practices. More recently, Rogers (2003) explained that Diffusion is the process in which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system...a kind of social change, defined as the process by which alteration occurs in the structure and function of a social system. (p. 5) Five types of adopters are identified within Rogers’ theory, including innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Each adopter classification has a specified rate of innovation adoption based on an existing predisposition or threshold. Rogers (2003) illustrated the theoretical percentages in a bell curve shown in Figure 1. The adoption curve is characterized by symmetry where innovators and early adopters constitute the same percentage of innovativeness as the laggards, but on different ends of the curve. This represents those individuals who readily accept change and those who do not. Surry (1997) related innovation adoption theory to the range of adoption of instructional technologies in education, claiming that “Some instructional technologists blame teachers and an intrinsic resistance to change as the primary causes of instruction
Technology education is facing a significant teacher shortage. The purpose of this study was to address the technology education teacher shortage by examining the factors that influence technology education teachers to accept teaching positions. The population for the study consisted of technology education teachers and administrators. A survey instrument was developed that asked participants to indicate their level of agreement on 28 factors influence on whether a technology education teacher accepts a teaching position. A five point Likert scale was used to determine level of agreement. The results of the study revealed that the factors believed to most influence a technology education teacher to accept a teaching position included having resources available for the classrooms and labs, having resources for professional development, and a collaborative work environment. Discussions include recommendations for the development of technology education teacher recruitment programs, as well as policies that positively impact recruitment. ____________ Luke Joseph Steinke is an Assistant Professor in the School of Technology at Eastern Illinois University. He can be reached at lsteinke@eiu.edu. Alvin Robert Putnam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Workforce Education and Development at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He can be reached at bputnam@siu.edu. 72 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEACHER EDUCATION
Article discussing a research study to field test an instrument incorporating a retrospective pretest to determine whether it could reliably be used as an evaluation tool for a professional development conference.
This contribution presents two major findings from a qualitative investigation into spatial ability. The elicited data suggested that one of the significant differences between individuals identified as high and low in spatial ability was their decomposition skill relative to spatial problems. Also revealing was the impact of frustration and anxiety on spatial functioning. The author discusses an instructional strategy for pictorial drawing that appeared effective for individuals solving pictorial drawing problems.
