A85. Rice, R.E. & Bunz, U.
(2006). Evaluating a wireless course feedback
system: The role of demographics, expertise, fluency, competency, and
usage. Studies
in Media & Information Literacy Education, 6(3),
article 80. http://www.utpjournals.com/simile/issue23/Rice1.html
Current pedagogical theory emphasizes convergent,
collaborative and participative learning, and the use of new
computer-based
instructional technologies to support these approaches.
However, it is necessary to evaluate these
technologies, especially to identify any student factors that might
foster
digital divides or differential outcomes.
This study analyzes the influences on the student evaluation of
a
wireless course feedback system in two Master’s classes, using a
baseline
influence survey, two later evaluation surveys, system data about
answering
review questions, and ratings and open-ended comments on the final
course
evaluation. Influences studied include
demographics, variety of computer usage, web expertise,
computer-email-web
fluency (three dimensions), computer-mediated competency (eight
dimensions),
levels of exposure to the system, and use of the system for in-class
reviews
and discussions. The four evaluation
dimensions (training, easy to use, validity, fun, overall) were
predicted (from
25% to 51%) by different combinations of prior web use, computer
classes,
exposure to the system, and dimensions of computer-mediated competency.