How can novice e-learning researchers and postgraduate learners develop rigorous plans to study the effectiveness of technology-enhanced learning environments? How can practitioners gather and portray evidence of the impact of e-learning? How can the average educator who teaches online, without experience in evaluating emerging technologies, build on what is successful and modify what is not?By unpacking the e-learning lifecycle and focusing on learning, not technology, Evaluat...

Teaching is changing. It is no longer simply about passing on knowledge to the next generation. Teachers in the twenty-first century, in all educational sectors, have to cope with an ever-changing cultural and technological environment. Teaching is now a design science. Like other design professionals – architects, engineers, programmers – teachers have to work out creative and evidence-based ways of improving what they do. Yet teaching is not treated as a design profession.Every d...

Starting with the basics and fully grounded in the context of actually doing research, this practical book is the perfect companion as students tackle a business research project head on for the first time.Guiding readers through the research process in author David E. Gray’s approachable style, the book helps them build their understanding and develop the skills they need to establish good practice when planning and doing research in the business world. This second edition offers:...

Between good intentions and great results lies a program theory-not just a list of tasks but a vision of what needs to happen, and how. Now widely used in government and not-for-profit organizations, program theory provides a coherent picture of how change occurs and how to improve performance. Purposeful Program Theory shows how to develop, represent, and use program theory thoughtfully and strategically to suit your particular situation, drawing on the fifty-year history of program theor...

With the growth of work based learning and practitioner research this book leads the way by addressing key issues faced by ′insider-researchers′ - learners, practitioners and managers doing research projects in the organizations and communities in which they themselves work, or where they are already familiar with the setting.The authors explore the implications of these research contexts, and discuss approaches and methodologies that work based researchers might adopt, with a part...

Sponsored by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), this book presents a definition of the field of study and practice known as educational technology or instructional technology. It reflects the collaborative efforts of all members of the AECT Definition and Terminology Committee.The volume begins with the statement of the definition itself (chapter 1), followed by commentary chapters on each of the key terms and concepts contained in the definition ...

The link between HRM and performance has become an important policy issue at both a national and a corporate level.HRM and Performance draws on the knowledge and expertise of a number of leading international scholars in the field of HRM to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of HRM and identify fruitful directions for theory, research and practice. A central question throughout is - what's next for HRM and what are the keys to the future...

This is a book for anyone who has ever considered engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning – known familiarly as SoTL – and needs a better understanding of what it is, and how to engage in it. The authors describe how to create a SoTL project, its implications for promotion and tenure, and how it fosters:* Increased satisfaction and fulfillment in teaching* Improved student learning* Increased productivity of scholarly publication* Collaboration with...

Auditing Organizational Communication is a thoroughly revised and updated new edition of the successful Handbook of Communication Audits for Organizations, which has established itself as a core text in the field of organizational communication. Research studies consistently show the importance of effective communication for business success. They also underscore the necessity for organizations to put in place validated techniques to enable them to systematically measure ...

With the rapid proliferation of distance education and e-learning courses, the need is growing for a comprehensive, professional approach to evaluating their effectiveness. This indispensable book offers a road map to guide evaluation practice in these innovative learning environments. Providing practical, step-by-step guidelines and tools for conducting evaluation studies—including how to deal with stakeholders, develop surveys and interview protocols, collect other scientific evidence, a...

Data literacy has become an essential skill set for teachers as education becomes more of an evidence-based profession. Teachers in all stages of professional growth need to learn how to use data effectively and responsibly to inform their teaching practices. This groundbreaking resource describes data literacy for teaching, emphasizing the important relationship between data knowledge and skills and disciplinary and pedagogical content knowledge. Case studies of emerging programs in schoo...

With clear instructions for developing a research design and complementary research tools, this book is not about describing or theorizing qualitative methods, but how researchers actually create and execute these methods. Helping students conquer the practical issues many novice researchers face, the book provides them with the tools they need to answer critical questions such as:what are some ways to sample potential participants?how do I construct an int...