Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
Effects of multimedia staff development presentations on faculty's conceptual understanding and computer anxiety
Abstract
The purpose of this mixed-methods study was threefold: (a) to identify the historical antecedents to the current technology status of a community college, (b) to provide a snapshot of a cohort of faculty involved in deciding upon whether to include technical innovations into their classrooms, and (c) to determine the effects of two approaches to staff development on the content learning and anxiety of faculty from these several discipline areas. The historical antecedents were investigated using a case study approach involving review of archival records and stakeholder interviews. This background was used to identify the community college's place in the innovation diffusion process. The quantitative component of the study consisted of a series of technology training sessions, one on a software product (PowerPoint), one on a hardware product (SmartBoard from Smart Technologies, Incorporated), and one dealing with the integration of the two. One group received the training in a traditional (face-to-face) manner the second group was presented with the identical content in the form of a streaming media file. Pre- and posttests on both content and anxiety were administered to the participants. Additionally, survey instruments were administered to collect demographic information and to determine the participants' reaction to the training sessions. Mean values indicated that both groups increased their content knowledge and decreased their level of anxiety. An analysis of covariance was performed on both content and anxiety scores. These results indicated that the Face-to-face Group exhibited significant (p < .05) improvement on the content exams. There was no significant difference (p > .05) between the groups in terms of their anxiety scores.
Subject Area
Curricula|Teaching|Educational software|Community colleges
Recommended Citation
Springer, Steven S, "Effects of multimedia staff development presentations on faculty's conceptual understanding and computer anxiety" (2004). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI3150694.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3150694