Connecting Students to Mars and Stars using Innovative Technologies

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia Vol. 29, No. 3 (July 2020) pp. 181–192

Using innovative technologies to study Mars and the sun and other stars is one way to engage students in learning more about our solar system and how it impacts us on a daily basis. The focus of this paper is to highlight several innovative...

Pathway for Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Infuse Technology

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek

Computers in the Schools Vol. 23, No. 3 (Feb 16, 2007) pp. 1–21

The Millennium Project was funded by the U.S. Department of Education Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) program for four years spanning 1999-2003. The project was led by the University of North Texas and sought to increase the...

Effect of Technology-Based Programs on First- and Second-Grade Reading Achievement

Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen

Computers in the Schools Vol. 24, No. 3 (Jan 18, 2008) pp. 23–41

Data gathered from 25 rural public school districts in Texas during 2002-2003 were used to assess the impact of educator professional development and technology-intensive classroom learning activities on first- and second-grade students' reading...

Internal Consistency Reliabilities for 14 Computer Attitude Scales

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek

Journal of Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 8, No. 4 (2000) pp. 327–336

A compendium of 14 previously-published instruments for assessing teachers' attitudes toward computers was adminis-tered to 621 educators in Texas, Florida, New York, and Cal-ifornia during 1995-96. A total of 284 items extracted from 14 previously...

Topics: Computers, Attitudes

Preparing K-12 Schools for a Pandemic Before It Occurs

Rhonda Christensen; Curby Alexander

Journal of Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 28, No. 2 (2020) pp. 261–272

While almost all K-12 schools closed for the COVID-19 pandemic with little or no preparation, one school began to prepare 12 years ago for a time such as this. In 2006, the school leadership began to consider what would happen to teaching and...

Instruments for Assessing the Impact of Technology in Education

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek

Computers in the Schools Vol. 18, No. 2 (Jun 24, 2002) pp. 5–25

Ten years of instrument development are summarized and placed within a framework for assessing the impact of technology in education. Seven well-validated instruments spanning the areas of attitudes, beliefs, skills, competencies, and technology...

Researching Impact: Measuring Technology Enhanced Outcomes from the NASA Space Science Education Consortium

Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching Vol. 39, No. 4 (2020) pp. 399–420

A conceptual framework for empirical research on the impact of NASA Space Science Education Consortium (NSSEC) activities is presented in this paper, along with a cross-referencing system between the NSF-based NSSEC evaluation framework and...

Contrasts in Teacher and Student Perceptions of STEM Content and Careers

Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen; Tandra Tyler-Wood

Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 11, No. 1 (March 2011) pp. 92–117

Analysis of baseline attitudinal data gathered from a National Science Foundation Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers project uncovered large contrasts between the perceptions of practicing professionals and students toward...

Cross-Validating Measures of Technology Integration: A First Step toward Examining Potential Relationships between Technology Integration and Student Achievement

Robert Hancock; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen

Journal of Computing in Teacher Education Vol. 24, No. 1 (2007) pp. 15–21

The use of proper measurements of diffusion of information technology as an innovation are essential to determining if progress is being made in state, regional, and national level programs. This project provides a national level cross validation...

Personal Educational Tools (PETs) for Type II Learning

Rhonda Christensen; Theresa Overall; Gerald Knezek

Computers in the Schools Vol. 23, No. 1 (Jul 21, 2006) pp. 173–189

This article introduces the concept of Personal Educational Tools (PETs) and places these tools within the context of existing rationales for using technology for teaching, learning, and instruction. An identification of the distinguishing...

Self-Efficacy Ratings of Technology Proficiency among Teachers in Mexico and Texas

Cesareo Morales; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen

Computers in the Schools Vol. 25, No. 1 (July 2008) pp. 126–144

The Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment (TPSA) questionnaire was administered to 978 elementary and middle school teachers from Mexico City, and 932 elementary and middle school teachers from the Dallas, Texas, metroplex in the USA, in order to...

Alignment of Hands-On STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek; Tandra Tyler-Wood

Journal of Science Education and Technology Vol. 24, No. 6 (2015) pp. 898–909

This study examines positive dispositions reported by middle school and high school students participating in programs that feature STEM-related activities. Middle school students participating in school-to-home hands-on energy monitoring activities ...

Transition Points for the Gender Gap in Computer Enjoyment

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek; Theresa Overall

Journal of Research on Technology in Education Vol. 38, No. 1 (2005) pp. 23–37

Data gathered from 10,000 Texas public school students in Grades 3-12 over the years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2005 were analyzed to replicate findings first discovered as a byproduct of evaluation of a large scale U.S. Department of Education...

Instruments for Assessing Interest in STEM Content and Careers

Tandra Tyler-Wood; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen

Journal of Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 18, No. 2 (April 2010) pp. 345–368

Two new instruments created to assess perceptions of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines and careers are analyzed and found to have respectable to excellent internal consistency reliability, as well as good content,...

Topics: Information Communication Technologies, Engineering, Science, Attitudes, Teachers, Computers, Assessment, Mathematics, Evaluation, Middle School Education, Research Methods, Students

Gender Differences in High School Student Dispositions Toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers

Rhonda Christensen; Gerald Knezek; Tandra Tyler-Wood

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching Vol. 34, No. 4 (October 2015) pp. 395–408

STEM disposition surveys were completed by 364 11th and 12th grade students attending a two-year university-based residential science and mathematics academy during fall 2012. Surveys were completed by the same classes as a post test administration...

Topics: Mathematics, Engineering, Administration, Middle School Education, Post Secondary Education

Validation of a Teacher Educator Technology Competencies Survey

Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen; Takahisa Furuta

Journal of Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 27, No. 4 (October 2019) pp. 465–498

The Teacher Educator Technology Competencies (TETCs) were created as a set of technology competencies specifically for teacher educators who prepare future teachers to teach with technology. A survey was developed based on the competencies and...

Inspiring STEM Engagement: Space Science Education in the 21st Century

Gerald A. Knezek; Rhonda W. Christensen; Carolyn Y. Ng

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching Vol. 39, No. 4 (2020) pp. 285–290

Space science education is an area of emerging importance in the 21st Century. Missions sponsored by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and programs facilitated through the NASA Space Science Education Consortium (NSSEC)...

Piloting Innovative Learning Experiences: Outcomes of Digital Fabrication Activities across Five Classrooms

Curby Alexander; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen; Tandra Tyler-Wood

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching Vol. 38, No. 2 (April 2019) pp. 115–152

Declining academic achievement across U.S. schools, particularly in mathematics and science, has prompted several initiatives to increase the quality of teaching in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The National Science...

A Multilevel System of Quality Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching Indicators

Nancy Law; Dale S. Niederhauser; Rhonda Christensen; Linda Shear

Journal of Educational Technology & Society Vol. 19, No. 3 (2016) pp. 72–83

In this paper we elaborate and extend the work of the EDUsummIT 2015 Thematic Working Group 7 (TWG7) by proposing a set of indicators on quality Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching (TEL&T). These indicators are intended as one component of ...

Supporting Learning Leaders for the Effective Integration of Technology into Schools

Rhonda Christensen; Koos Eichhorn; Sarah Prestridge; Dominik Petko; Henk Sligte; Rowland Baker; Ghaida Alayyar; Gerald Knezek

Technology, Knowledge and Learning Vol. 23, No. 3 (2018) pp. 457–472

Learning leaders have important roles in facilitating and supporting the effective and innovative integration of technology in schools. Many leaders who are charged with the task of technology integration have not received professional development...

Measuring Student Career Interest within the Context of Technology-Enhanced STEM Projects: A Cross-Project Comparison Study Based on the Career Interest Questionnaire

Karen Peterman; Ruth Kermish-Allen; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen; Tandra Tyler-Wood

Journal of Science Education and Technology Vol. 25, No. 6 (2016) pp. 833–845

This article describes Energy for ME and Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World, two Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programs with the common goal of improving students' attitudes about scientific...

A Model Driven Framework to Address Challenges in a Mobile Learning Environment

Ferial Khaddage; Rhonda Christensen; Wing Lai; Gerald Knezek; Cathie Norris; Elliot Soloway

Education and Information Technologies Vol. 20, No. 4 (2015) pp. 625–640

In this paper a review of the pedagogical, technological, policy and research challenges and concepts underlying mobile learning is presented, followed by a brief description of categories of implementations. A model Mobile learning framework and...

Information and Communication Technologies in Hands-On Science: Emerging Trends Across Three Nations

Gerald Knezek; Hiromitsu Muta; Joke Voogt; Rhonda Christensen; David Moore; John Southworth; Marie Tada; Greg Jones

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching Vol. 19, No. 3 (2000) pp. 277–295

This article introduces a framework for classifying information and communication technologies (ICT) in hands-on science activ-ities in K-12 education. Exemplary projects from the USA and the Netherlands demonstrate the potential of the use of ICT....

Topics: Educational Technology, Information Communication Technologies, Information Sciences

The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Pre-Service Teachers’ Technology Attitudes and Skills

Curby Alexander; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen; Tandra Tyler-Wood; Glen Bull

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching Vol. 33, No. 3 (July 2014) pp. 257–282

Researchers in this study looked at the effect of content-specific, technology-rich project-based learning activities on EC-8 pre-service teachers’ competencies and skills, as well as pre-service teacher’s attitudes toward science, technology,...

Measuring Teacher Attitudes toward Instructional Technology: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the TAC and TAT

Dominick Shattuck; Kristen A. Corbell; Jason W. Osbourne; Gerald Knezek; Rhonda Christensen; Lisa Leonor Grable

Computers in the Schools Vol. 28, No. 4 (2011) pp. 291–315

In this article the authors present a confirmatory factor analysis of the Teachers' Attitudes Toward Computers (TAC) and the Teachers' Attitudes Toward Information Technology (TAT) scales by Christensen and Knezek (1996, 1998) using large samples...

Editorial: Integrated STEM and Current Directions in the STEM Community

Andrea C. Burrows; Joe Garofalo; Steven Barbato; Rhonda Christensen; Michael Grant; - Kinshuk; Jennifer Parrish; Christine Thomas; Tandra Tyler-Wood

Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 17, No. 4 (December 2017) pp. 478–482

uring this National Technology Leadership Summit (NTLS; see ntls.info), concurrent “strand” deliberations took place over 2 days. One of those strands was entitled American Innovations in the Content Areas: STEM, and the discussion within that...