ERIC Number: EJ965333
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 18
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1045-1064
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Collaborative Information and Multimedia to Assess Team Interaction in Technology Teacher Preparation
Ernst, Jeremy V.; Clark, Aaron C.
Journal of Technology Education, v22 n2 p53-70 Spr 2011
The utilization of information technology to assist communication and collaboration has become a central theme in information systems research and practice. Rising information and communication technologies could considerably enhance interaction and collaboration. For the purposes of this research study, applications that permit documents and imagery transfer, video communications, audio communication, and text-based communication (whether synchronous or asynchronous) are universally identified as collaborative information and multimedia technologies. This research study was designed to investigate and identify the impacts, if any, that web-based information and communication collaborative technologies have on team-established interaction and team knowledge formation. Considering the Palit and Stein study (2008), it was determined that the inclusion of specific instruction on the use of relevant information and multimedia communication technologies as a component of the treatment has definite potential to influence associated team-based knowledge. Secondly, in this study involving knowledge formation between groups, students exhibited progression in functioning in a team structure. However, incorporating collaborative information and multimedia technologies did not enhance team interaction. This study identified differences in treatment and control groups, as well as pretests and posttests, that relate to a lack of understanding and acceptance in handling conflicts, group planning, and overall review and evaluation of group work at the undergraduate level within technology education. While information and multimedia technology can be considered useful for group collaboration and communication, as this study identified, it is limited by the level of interactivity and the amount of control of group dynamic when using collaborative tools. (Contains 17 tables.)
Descriptors: Control Groups, Computer Mediated Communication, Cooperation, Information Systems, Group Dynamics, Information Technology, Technology Education, Multimedia Instruction, Multimedia Materials, Knowledge Management, Teacher Education Programs, Teamwork, Experimental Groups, Pretests Posttests, Influence of Technology, Individual Differences, Video Technology, Likert Scales, Hypothesis Testing, Interaction
Journal of Technology Education. Web site: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A