Nicole Buzzetto-Hollywood

This brief paper will provide preliminary insight into an institutions effort to help students understand the application of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline through the creation of a dedicated, required course added to the curriculum of a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution. In order to determine whether the under-consideration course satisfies designated stu-dent learning outcomes, an assessment regime was initiated that included exam-ination of rubric data as well as the administration of a student perception sur-vey. This paper summarizes the results of the early examination of the efficacy of the course under consideration.
Background
A small, minority-serving, university located in the United States conducted an assessment and determined that students entering a department of business following completion of their general education science requirements had diffi-culties transferring their understanding of the scientific method to the business discipline. Accordingly, the department decided to create a unique course of-fered to sophomore standing students titled Principles of Scientific Methods in Business. The course was created by a group of faculty with input from a twen-ty person department.
Methodology
Rubrics used to assess a course term project were collected and analyzed in Mi-crosoft Excel to measure student satisfaction of learning goals and a student satisfaction survey was developed and administered to students enrolled in the course under consideration to measure perceived course value.
Contribution
While the scientific method applies across the business and information disci-plines, students often struggle to envision this application. This paper explores the implications of a course specifically purposed to engender the development and usage of logical and scientific reasoning skills in the business discipline by
students in the lower level of an bachelors degree program.
The information conveyed in this paper hopefully makes a contribution in an area where there is still an insufficient body of research and where additional exploration is needed.
Findings
For two semesters rubrics were collected and analyzed representing the inclu-sion of 53 students. The target mean for the rubric was a 2.8 and the overall achieved mean was a 2.97, indicating that student performance met minimal expectations. Nevertheless, student deficiencies in three crucial areas were iden-tified.
According to the survey findings, as a result of the class students had a better understanding of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline, are now better able to critically assess a problem, feel they can formulate a pro-cedure to solve a problem, can test a problem-solving process, have a better understanding of how to formulate potential business solutions, understand how potential solutions are evaluated, and understand how business decisions are evaluated.
Conclusion
Following careful consideration and discussion of the preliminary findings, the course under consideration was significantly enhanced. The changes were im-plemented in the fall of 2020 and initial data collected in the spring of 2021 is indicating measured improvement in student success as exhibited by higher ru-bric scores.
Recommendations for Practitioners
These initial findings are promising and while considering student success, es-pecially as we increasingly face a greater and greater portion of under-prepared students entering higher education, initiatives to build the higher order thinking skills of students via transdisciplinary courses may play an important role in the future of higher education.
Recommendations for Researchers
Additional studies of transdisciplinary efforts to improve student outcomes need to be explored through collection and evaluation of rubrics used to assess student learning as well as by measuring student perception of the efficacy of these efforts.
Impact on Society
Society needs more graduates who leave universities ready to solve problems critically, strategically, and with scientific reasoning.
Future Research
This study was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it is resuming in late 2021 and it is the hope that a robust and detailed paper, with more ex-pansive findings will eventually be generated.

This study examined the student perceptions of a course management system with adaptive learning tools and measured satisfaction with assignment functionality and feedback, quizzes and interactive adaptive assignments, and the digital e-book. The data for this study was collected from hospitality, golf management, and business students enrolled in an introductory financial accounting course at a historically black college and university (HBCU) on their understanding of key accounting concepts, test preparation, and preparation for the next accounting class. The study found considerable consensus among students regarding the importance of technology in understanding accounting concepts and helping students prepare and perform on tests. Students were satisfied with assignment functionality and feedback, quizzes and interactive adaptive assignments, and the digital e-book, reporting them as highly effective. This study is an exploratory study which serves as a pilot to inform and guide future research.

The article is an attempt to assess whether Stock Ownership moderates the relationship between corporate diversification and CEO compensation. Based on agency theory, we develop the hypothesis of whether when CEOs hold a large fraction of their firms' outstanding stock, the CEOs are acting more as owners or shareholders than employees. This reduces the principal and agency relationship of agency theory, since CEOs are acting as owners rather than employees; thus the demand for further stock-based compensation is likely to be reduced because the interests of CEOs and shareholders are relatively aligned. For the purposes of this study, a sample of 2,448 CEO compensations across 1,622 firms from 1997 to 2002 was used to test several hypotheses. Corporate diversification was divided into two categories; international diversification and industry diversification. To test the hypotheses, multiple regression analysis was employed to examine stock ownership as a moderator variable on the relationship between international diversification and industry diversification and CEO total compensation with tenure, age, duality, and gender as control variables. The results indicate that stock ownership negatively and significantly influences the relationship between International diversification and CEO compensation. Additionally, the findings also confirm that stock ownership negatively and significantly influences the relationship between industrial diversification and CEO compensation. Our results are consistent with our hypotheses and indicate that firms with lower Stock Ownership produce larger interaction effects to increase international diversification and total compensation pay to CEOs, and firms with lower Stock Ownership, produce larger interaction effects to increase industry diversification and total compensation pay to CEOs.

A number of studies conducted in the past fifteen years have concluded that grit, the persistence and perseverance to achieve goals, and growth mindset, the belief that skills and intelligence can be developed, are positive predictors of achievement; however, little focus has been placed on the implications at institutions purposed to educate minorities, first generation college students, and learners from diminished socio-economic backgrounds.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, describe, and document the methods involved in the preparation of a mindset intervention built into a freshmen development course, and established after years of longitudinal research, that is designed to have a positive impact on the outlook, achievement, and persistence of first generation and under-prepared students.

A series of models were created, custom self-assessment scales designed, and a lesson plan prepared purposed to deliver a mindset intervention to edify students about and change perceptions of grit, locus of control/self-efficacy, growth mindset, and goal setting. The mindset intervention, as presented in this paper, was delivered as part of a pilot implementation to students enrolled in a freshmen professional development course at a Mid-Atlantic HBCU in the Fall of 2019.

Aim:This study sought to explore the role of the elusive non-cognitive skill set known as grit, or the resolve and determination to achieve goals regardless of impediments, on student success in online education. It represents an area of exploration where there is a dearth in the available literature and reports the results of a study conducted at a Mid-Atlantic minority-serving university that examined the relationship between grit and student performance in fully online courses.

Methodology: Students were administered the standard 12-Question Grit Scale with the addition of a series of validated questions that sought to measure perceived self-learning efficacy. Additionally, student performances in online courses were recorded and correlations conducted. Basic statistical analyses such as mean, mode, standard deviation, variance, and confidence interval were calculated. Two hypotheses were introduced as part of this study and tested with Anovas and crosstabulations.

Results: This study found that higher grit scores correlated progressively to both self-discipline and self-efficacy but that a positive relationship to student achievement in fully online courses as measured with a p value of greater than .05 could not be confirmed.

Conclusion: As online education continues to grow, providing opportunities to foster and strengthen student success in online courses and programs is increasingly important. E-learning success requires that students exhibit strong self-regulation, self-discipline, resilience, dutifulness, conscientiousness, and low impulsivity all of which are attributes of grit. As such, grit is presented as a promising area of exploration for increasing student achievement in online education.

The increasing complexity and technological dependency of the diverse hospitality and tourism sector raises the skill requirements needed, and expected, of new hires making education and competency development a strategic priority. Identifying the skills needed for hospitality graduates to succeed in a sector that is continuously being impacted by digitalization and globalization must be a continual process predicated on the desire to meet ever-changing industry needs. This study seeks to update, and further explore, an investigation started a decade ago that examined the skills and competencies valued by hiring managers in the hospitality industry. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of faculty and student perceptions of the importance of resource, interpersonal, information, systems, and technology management competencies in hospitality. This research used a survey methodology for data collection and descriptive and inferential statistical methods during the analyses.The findings of this study indicate there is inconsistent agreement among academicians and students regarding the importance of SCANS-specific competencies in hospitality graduates. At the same time, there is no argument that industry skills will be critical in the future of hospitality graduates. Overwhelmingly, participating students and faculty found all of the SCANS competencies important with the highest ranked competencies being interpersonal skills, which, given the importance of teamwork, customer service skills, leadership, and working with cultural diversity in the hospitality industry, was expected. Additionally, participating students indicated their strong agreement that internships are effective at building professional skills. Finally, the hospitality students included in this study who were enrolled in a skill-based curriculum were confident that their program is preparing them with the necessary skills and competencies that they will need for their future careers.

Students entering college today are part of Generation Z born in the late 90’s through 2016. Known for their short attention spans and heightened ability to multi-task, they already outnumber millennials and are the first true digital natives born during the age of smart phone. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a pilot survey that sought to examine the technology uses, backgrounds, needs, interests, career goals, and professional expectations of Generation Z students enrolled at a minority serving institution in the United States Mid-Atlantic region. As Generation Z descends on college campuses, with their technology dominated backgrounds and different communications, learning, and social preferences, it is important to better understand this generation whose needs and expectations will help shape the future of higher education. Additionally, this study also provides research on a population (first-generation minority college students) that is expanding in numbers in higher education and that the literature, reports is impacted negatively by the digital divide and educational inequalities.
The findings show that Generation Z learners enrolled in a minority-serving institution enjoy computer classes, feel that using computers comes easy to them; and perceive themselves as experts in the use of social media, mobile operating systems, using a smart phone, searching the Web, and email. Participants also reported that they want to be more technologically literate, want to be more skilled in computer software applications, and are interested in learning about cyber security. In terms of the future, most respondents also believe that their career will require them to analyze information to inform decision making. Additionally, most stated that information security will be important to their future career. Finally, the results affirmed that college computing courses remain important and that college students recognize that technology will play a crucial role in their career with employers wanting to see job applicants with strong technology skills.

Current mediated realities and the proliferation of user generated online content have introduced a multiplicity of measures for publishing and accessing instructional
resources. Educators are encouraged to harness these contemporary modalities in
order to engage today’s digital learners. In particular, the research suggests that targeted YouTube videos enhance the engagement, depth of understanding, and the overall satisfaction of students. This paper will discuss the benefits of the use of YouTube in the instructional process consistent with the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. Additionally, the findings of a study conducted at a Mid-Atlantic Historically Black College or University (HBCU) that focused on the impact of YouTube on course instruction and student engagement as well as differences in perception based on gender and course modality will be presented. According to the findings,
incorporation of YouTube into course instruction enhances student’s perception of learning efficacy and increases engagement, gender has no impact on the perceived
value of YouTube in the teaching and learning process, and course delivery method impacts student opinion whereas students who favor fully online instruction demonstrate a predilection to want YouTube integrated into course  instruction, watch course YouTube videos, and consider course embedded videos more favorably than traditional students.
There are a number of relevant implications to the findings presented in this paper that illustrate that YouTube supports multimedia learning and student engagement and is particularly effective at enhancing the educational experience of fully online learners. Finally, it puts forward the idea that course delivery method should be taken into consideration when determining use of online videos and video sharing services.

Avatars act as virtual agents that facilitate human communications in social networks. Taking a number of forms, they continue to evolve with advancements in social networking technologies. This paper presents the findings of a research study that examined the perceptions of young adults with respect to the role of avatars in education and contemporary business practices through the use and exploration of Vokis, SitePal, and Second Life. According to the findings: Vokis are a great way to send people messages, enhance online discussions and communications, and make classes more interesting; while Site Pal avatars supporting branding and customer relationship management.

Review of Business Technology Research. (2013). pages 440-450

This paper presents the results of a study conducted at a HBCU located in rural Maryland that examined perceptions of students participating in a six-week summer bridge program for low income, first generation, and at risk students. The Perceptions, Expectations, Emotions, and Knowledge about College (PEEK) survey was employed and the findings from pre and post testing were compared. LITERATURE REVIEW First-generation students are less likely than their counterparts whose parents have more education to be prepared academically for postsecondary education and when enrolled are less likely to succeed (Warburton, Bugarin, and Nunez, 2001). Further, the research consistently shows lower success rates of first generation college students (Terenzini, Rendon, Upcraft, Millar, Allison, Gregg, and Jalomo, 1996). Additionally Students from families in lower-income brackets are far less likely than those in higher-income brackets to earn a bachelor's degree (Mortenson, 1998; Thayer, 2000). The educational backgrounds of parents and family income level are not the only factors that contribute to the higher education success rates of students. Backgrounds characteristics such as high school academic records, low personal aspirations, and poor study habits have also been identified as contributing (Astin, 1996). To meet the needs of under prepared incoming college students summer bridge programs have been created and primarily, but not exclusively, serve students who have low family incomes and/or have parents that lack a college education. Ami (2001) found that the four-week summer bridge program in mathematics at the University of New Mexico increased the mathematics placement of students and Edwards, Kahn, and Brenton (2001) found that the Math Corps Summer Camp, a 6-week summer mathematics intervention program, resulted in significant mean increases in mathematics ability. Santa and Bacote's (1996) study sought to determine the effects of a summer bridge program on the academic, personal, and social development of minority and low-income students during their first year at Bronx Community College. Results from student tracking showed that 93% of the students who had participated in the summer bridge program persisted into their third semester of college. METHODOLOGY This study was designed to examine the backgrounds, perceptions, expectations, emotions, and knowledge about college of at risk college students participating in the Preparation and Adjustment for College Entrance (PACE) six-week summer program. The study involved the pre and post surveying of students who participated in the program during the summers of 2004 and 2005. A total of 378 surveys were collected and analyzed.

According to Martell and Calderon (2005), evaluation is an ongoing process that includes planning, discussion, and artifacts, thinking, measuring, analyzing and improving based on data collected on a learning objective. Assessment encompasses a range of activities including testing, implementation, evaluation and monitoring of projects (Orlich, Harder, Callahan and Gibson, 2004). Impacting education from early childhood to post-graduate studies, a discipline that deals with the assessment of knowledge is based on standards and outcomes, measuring results, and monitoring responsibilities of the institutions for student learning. The supervisory bodies and accrediting agencies are requiring that learning outcomes are focused on the students, as well as being a reflection of overall knowledge, skills and abilities preferred in today's students; harmonization of the curriculum to reflect the desired progress and cognitive development of students; collecting data that show the achievement of learning objectives; and the use of assessment information in making decisions (Buzzetto-More, 2006).

According to Martell and Calderon (2005), assessment is an ongoing process that involves planning, discussion, consensus building, reflection,measuring, analyzing, and improving based on the data and artifacts gathered about a learning objective. Assessment encompasses a range of activities including testing, performances, project ratings, and observations (Orlich, Harder, Callahan & Gibson, 2004).
Impacting education from early childhood through graduate studies, the assessment movement is based on standards and outcomes, measuring results, and holding educational institutions accountable for student learning. Oversight bodies and accrediting agencies are beginning to require the establishment of learner-centered outcomes that reflect the well-rounded knowledge, competencies, and abilities preferred in today’s students; the alignment of curriculum to reflect the desired progression and cognitive development of learners; the collection of data that demonstrates the satisfaction of learning objectives; and the use of assessment information to inform decision making (Buzzetto-More, 2006).
The use of information technologies and e-learning
strategies can provide an efficient and effec-
tive means of assessing teaching and learning eff
ectiveness by supporting traditional, authentic,
and alternative assessment protocols (Bennett,
2002). According to Vendlinski and Stevens
(2002) technology offers new measures for assessing
learning that will yield rich sources of data
and expand the ways in which educators understa
nd both learning mastery, and teaching effec-
tiveness. The use of information technologies a
nd e-learning to augment the assessment process
may include: pre and post testing, diagnostic anal
ysis, student tracking, rubric use, the support
and delivery of authentic assessment through project
based learning, artifact collection, and data
aggregation and analysis.
The purpose of this paper is to provide insight in
to the origins, evolution, and key concepts of
assessment as well as illustrate some of the ways
in which technology and e-Learning serve as the
most promising mechanisms for satisfying assessment goals and objectives.
This work is based on an exhaustive review of
literature, the analysis of a number of critically
acclaimed assessment programs, as well as the aut
hors’ own work in the development and use of
e-Learning in the design, and implementation of an assessment program at a mid-sized institution
of higher education located in the ru-
ral Eastern Shore of Maryland in the
United States. The program being pro-
filed includes computerized longitudi-
nal testing, online diagnostic testing,
competitive networked simulations,
rubrics, student discussion transcripts,
taped presentations, and electronic
portfolios

In a world of expanding information and technological resources, there is increasingly a need for a citizenry that is able to access and use information and technology effectively (American Li- brary Association, 2000). An information and technologically literate person should have access to, and be able to use, a host of available resources that include libraries, databases, and the inter- net in order to retrieve, evaluate, and use information effectively (Weil, 2006). This paper reports the findings of a study conducted at two Historically Black Universities that examined technology ownership and usage, as well as, the information acquisition habits of freshmen.

Traditionally, historically black colleges and universities have lagged behind majority institutions in the incorporation of e-learning into their curriculum (Buzzetto-More and Sweat-Guy, 2006). At the same time, and even with a new century upon us, the digital divide remains a significant concern in the United States and abroad, with race/ ethnicity, income level, and education contributing to inequalities with use of computers and reliable and expedient access to the Internet (Morgan & VanLegen, 2005). According to Jackson, Ervin, Gardner, & Schmitt (2001), the ways that students of different groups benefit from technology facilitated instruction is also divided with minority students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds more likely to experience drill and practice, while white students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to benefit from technologies that help build, and require the use of, higher order thinking skills. This paper presents the findings of a study that examined the technology experiences, ownership, uses, and perceptions of 750 freshmen at two historically black universities gathered through the administration and analysis of a detailed questionnaire. The findings are compared to the larger research that has been conducted on the digital divide as well as the findings of similar studies conducted at majority institutions. Unfortunately, the HBCU student population has been largely neglected from research conducted on the digital divide making this study long overdue. LITERATURE REVIEW A 2005 Educause study (Caruso and Kvavik) of 18,039 students found that undergraduate students: live, own, use, and/or are exposed to, and surrounded by, technology; expect to see information technology used by faculty but only to a moderate degree; want to see technology used to supplement and augment learning but prefer face to face interactions; believe that technology facilitates communications and academic feedback; report that technology is improving the learning experience although it is being used inconsistently by college faculty; and that most have used a course management experience and found that experience to be positive. Curriculum and technology use was shown to be intertwined with students in engineering, business, and computer science showing a greater preference for the use of technology as part of instruction. Although technology was shown to permeate many aspects of the students lives, use for educational purposes was shown to be the most prominent with communications second and entertainment third. The students in the study reported that they spent 11-15 hours a week using electronic devices (excluding the use of cell phones) broken down to approximately 3-5 hours a week on coursework, 3-5 hours instant messaging, 1-2 hours emailing, 1-2 hours a week downloading or listening to music or DVDs, and 1-2 hours surging the Internet for pleasure. The digital divide is a problem, particularly in the United States, with race/ ethnicity, income level, and education contributing to inequalities with use of computers and Internet access (Morgan and VanLegen, 2005). Morgan and VanLengen (2005) found that increases in income and education level raise the likelihood of home computer usage and that white, Asian Americans, and mixed race people are more likely to engage in home computer use then black,

There has been much ado about technology experiences and uses of 'Generation Y' also known as Echo Boomers or the Millennium Generation, born between 1981 and 1999. Prensky (2001) refers to 'Generation Y' as " digital natives " based on the assumption that technology has been a natural part of their environment throughout their lives. Freshmen students entering college today think about and use technology differently than those cohorts entering as recent as a decade ago. There is a substantial amount of literature that focuses on undergraduate students and information technology at majority institutions; however, it is important that we address these same issues with students at minority-serving institutions. The digital divide remains a significant concern in the United States and abroad, with race/ethnicity, income level, and education contributing to inequalities with use of computers and reliable and expedient access to the Internet (Morgan & VanLegen, 2005). This paper presents the findings of a study that examined the technology experiences, ownership, uses, and perceptions of 748 freshmen at two historically Black universities gathered through the administration and analysis of a detailed questionnaire. The findings are compared to larger research that has been conducted on the digital divide as well as the findings of similar studies conducted at majority institutions.

The transition from face to face le
arning to the delivery of instru
ction through re
-usable online
learning objects has been shown by Salas and Ellis
(2006) to be not only effective but have bene-
fits to students, instructors, and administrato
rs. Course websites are learning objects that when
used in conjunction with sound pedagogy, learni
ng outcomes, and content can support traditional,
authentic, and alternative learning and assessmen
t protocols (Bennett, 2002). The adoption of
standards and guidelines for the design and evaluatio
n of learning objects is an important means
of quality assurance (Friesen, 2005; Krauss & Ally
, 2005; Valarmis & Apostolakis, 2006) that
supports the communication of meaningful feedb
ack to instructional designers for product im-
provement (Krauss & Ally, 2005). In order to ensure that learning objects that support fully
online instruction are well developed, a set of st
andards has been developed by the Office of In-
structional Technology at the University of Ma
ryland Eastern Shore that are supported by an
evaluation rubric. The goal of this paper is to
encourage the establishment of guidelines and a
method for evaluating e-learning quality by providi
ng a model that can be adapted and adopted
by interested institutions.

Learning that is facilitated by electronic technologies, otherwise known as e-Learning, can be either fully online, mixed mode (also known as hybrid), or web assisted; however, regardless of the delivery method, there are numerous tools and features at the disposal of students and instruc- tors, and it is important for the e-learning community to examine both preferences and usage

Proponents of hybrid learning proclaim it to be an effective and efficient way of expanding course content that supports in-depth delivery and analysis of knowledge (Young, 2002) and in- creases students satisfaction (Campos & Harasim, 1999; Dziuban & Moskal, 2001; Rivera, McAlister, & Rice, 2002; Wu & Hiltz, 2004). In the years to come, hybrid learning is poised to cause a paradigm shift in higher education (Allen & Seaman, 2003; Lorenzetti, 2005; Young, 2002).
Graham B. Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University, was quoted in Young (2002) as saying that hybrid learning presents “the single-greatest unrecognized trend in higher education today.” This benefits of online and hybrid learning have been recognized by the State of Mary- land. In a move to stimulate the use of alternative delivery methods, the regents of the University System of Maryland instituted a policy in 2005 that all students take on average 12 of their credits through out-of-classroom experiences and other nontraditional means. Included in the regents' definition of out-of-classroom experiences are e-learning, internships, student teaching, and a host of other activities. Diana G. Oblinger, vice president of Educause, was cited in Lorenzetti (2005) as saying that the Maryland system is recognizing that some online learning is an enhancement to students’ higher-education learning experiences even when those students are full-time on- campus residents. She asserted that the Maryland initiative indicates, and will result in, tangible growth in the hybrid learning model.
This paper presents the findings of a study that examined student perceptions of hybrid business courses at a historically black university that operates within the University System of Maryland. Founded in 1886, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is a historically black, 1890 land grant institution and a member of the thirteen-campus University System of the State of Maryland.

Albeit a late entry into the world of online learning, UMES has made sig- nificant strides over the last 4 years, in- cluding the adoption of WebCT, the online course management system em- ployed by the University System of Maryland. Currently, UMES offers co- pious numbers of web-enhanced courses, a number of hybrid courses, and a smattering of fully online courses.
The population for this study was chosen after an exhausting literature review revealed that there was a lack of substantial research that focused specifically on the perceptions of African Ameri- can college students with respect to e-learning. Additionally, it provides critical insight to the opinions of a population that statistically falls within the diminutive end of the digital divide.
During the course of this study a survey was administered to 178 students who had completed either a business communications or business ethics course using the WebCT course management system. The hybrid learning environments created for these two required courses included: PowerPoint lecture notes; a glossary of key terms and definitions indexed alphabetically and by unit of study; relevant links to external websites; supplemental handouts; self-checks; quizzes; an online discussion section; and individual mailboxes.
The study spanned four semesters, beginning in the fall of 2003 and concluding in the spring of 2005. Data was collected through the administration of a survey using the Zoomerang online sur- vey service. The survey instrument was comprised of Likert scale, multiple choice, and open- ended questions and was analyzed using SPSS.
The results of this paper suggest that the use of course websites in higher education increases stu- dents' course satisfaction. Students responded that they were satisfied with their use of WebCt, enjoyed the online portion of the course, and considered the use of WebCt a motivating tool. The students overwhelmingly responded that they were interested in enrolling in future hybrid learn- ing experiences; however, approximately half said they would take a fully online course in the future. The findings of this study are complementary with the results of similar studies conducted at majority institutions.
This study has indicated that hybrid learning has a positive future in minority education; however, more research is needed. As a result, a large-scale more in-depth research study was launched in the Fall of 2005 and is ongoing. Courses have been be redesigned with mandatory and instructor- led discussions, and expanded content and resources. New instrumentation has been developed that asks more in-depth questions regarding the individual learning components and comparisons will be made between fully online, hybrid, and web-assisted courses.

During the past decade the globally networked digital  technologies that operate within the realm
of the internet have encouraged academicians and educators the world over to communicate, collaborate,
and share knowledge. They have stimulated the creation of transgeographic educational
initiatives which broaden the opportunities of learners and are an effective means of eradicating
ethnocentrism, xenophobia, and cultural divides.
The construction of transgeographic learning communities within the unmapped virtual forest of
the internet requires an organized and systematic approach. Success is dependent on committed
participants; a shared learning platform; a clear understanding of purpose; extensive student and
instructor preparedness towards technology usage; exemplary curricula; a central focus for investigation;
interaction with experts; extensive opportunities for intellectual discourse; and collaboration.

The purpose of this paper is to offer an independent examination of a successful technologydependent
transgeographic learning project that serves as a model from which to base future projects.
The Summer Ecosystems Experience for Undergraduates (SEE-U) is available to colleges
and university students worldwide, operating at three geographically distinct locations concurrently.
The program includes global networking, GPS and GIS usage, a shared investigative focus,
real-time interactions, data collection, a globally networked geo-referenced digital database
that was specifically created for this project, data manipulation, online lectures, bulletin board
discussions, Web-based office hours, links to relevant resources, expert presenters, online demonstration
videos, networked simulations, collaborative research, and a series of student presentations.

Black Rock Forest is a 3,785-acre wilderness area located in New York’s Hudson River Valley. The modern environmental movement in America began in 1962, when residents of the area banded together after Black Rock was threatened with development by the utility company Consolidated Edison. The outcome of this seventeen-year crusade to stop the degradation o this forest was a landmark win for environmentalists that left an illustrious and inveterate legacy for future generations. The campaign set legal precedent but also resulted in watershed legislation in the form of the National Environmental Policy Act, the formation of several environmental advocacy groups, and the creation of the Council on Environmental Quality. Today, the forest is permanently protected and stewarded by the Black Rock Forest Consortium, a unique amalgamation of primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, and science and cultural centers that collaborate to enhance scientific research, environmental conservation, and education. This paper examines the history of Black Rock Forest, with particular emphasis on its role in ecosystems preservation, examination, and edification.

Social networking is a sociological not technological concept. Emerging in the late 1800’s social network analysis flourished as a field of study during the 20th Century and is based on the study of, and interactions within, communities of people.
According to social scientists, social networks are groups or organizations made up of individuals connected by some form of interdependency, such as kinship, friendship, membership status, common interests, beliefs, orientation, profession, political action, knowledge, and location Linton, 2006). The individual agents within social networks are known as nodes and the interdependency among nodes forms what is referred to as ties (also known as links or connections). Social capital plays a crucial role in the success of social networks and refers to the strength of the trust, norms, ties, resources, and relationships within a social network with the idea that networks with high social capital have a greater ability to achieve positive outcomes (Bordieu, 1983).
In recent decades, the introduction of the World Wide Web has taken social networking to larger, richer, and more complex levels. As such, when we consider social networks today we are referring to Web-based services that are sets of people or organizations that use computer mediated communication (CMC) to generate a community (Garton, Haythorn,Thwaite, and Wellman, 1997.
Suter, Alexandar, and Kaplan explored the various dimensions of social networking systems as including: “tools for augmenting human social and collaborative abilities; … facilitating social connection and information interchange; and an ecology for enabling a system of people, practices, values and technologies in a particular environment (2005. P. 49).”
The Website What is Social Networking? (2010) explains that social networking is the grouping of individuals based on the sharing of interests, hobbies, concerns, motives, beliefs, and affiliations and is commonly facilitated by social sites where connections among people are made. This may be an overly simplistic definition, so perhaps the definition that is the most reflective of the current proliferation of social networking was offered by Boyd and Ellison (2007) who defined social networking as:
Web-based services that allow individuals to:
1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system;
2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection; and
3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system (Boyd and Ellison, 1).

Buzzetto-More (2012). Understanding Social Media. 1-18. In Cheal, C., Coughlin, J. and Moore, S. (2012). Transformation in Teaching: Social Media Strategies in Higher Education. Santa Rosa: CA, Informing Science Press.

The concept of a portfolio as a collection of items that inform decision making is certainly not new and the term electronic portfolio or e-portfolio emerged in the early 1990’s concurrent with the emergence of e-learning and the World Wide Web. And just as e-learning has evolved, so has our understanding of the value and usage of e-portfolios for augmenting multiple endeavors.
E-portfolios offer a scalable and comprehensive means to document individual and organizational progress towards defined goals and objectives, market talent, engage in assessment and evaluation, expand professional development, examine the efficacy of operations, support learning, supervise projects, and engage in student and/or labor management. 
As e-portfolio use continues to grow exponentially, growth is hindered by misunderstanding, misinformation, and misuse. A well rounded discussion of e-portfolios as they apply to multiple endeavors has been missing from the literature. This book seeks to begin this discourse by bringing together the varied applications of e-portfolios in one cohesive volume.
This book incorporates the knowledge and experience of a host of experts. Hundreds of proposals were considered and the fifteen chapters included represent the most comprehensive and well rounded discussion of e-portfolios compiled to date.
This book is purposed to assist readers across multiple sectors and geographic boundaries in the understanding, development, design, selection, and implementation of e-portfolios.
This book has been divided into four sections. The first section provides an overview and understanding of e-portfolios and their applications, offers methodology for system selection, and discusses several system options and considerations. The second section examines the use of e-portfolios by organizations and businesses as well as for professional development. The third section discusses the applications of e-portfolios in all levels of education, implications for assessment and accreditation, and offers a number best practices illustrated by meaningful examples. The fourth section explores government usage and support of e-portfolios across the globe.


Title: The E-portfolio Paradigm: Informing, Educating, Assessing, and Managing with E-portfolios
Editor: Nicole Buzzetto-More
Publisher: Informing Science, 2010
ISBN: 1932886257, 9781932886252
Length 328 pages
Available through Google Books at: https://books.google.com/books?id=6MYVu4TbLcMC&dq=The+E-Portfolio+paradigm:+Informing,+educating,+assessing,+and+managing+effectively+with+e-portfolios&source=gbs_navlinks_s

With the global academic community currently focused on student learning outcomes achievement, assessment, and continuous improvement, e-learning strategies provide effective measures than can assist educators and educational administrators in the satisfaction of key objectives. Whether it is creating and incorporating simulations, building courses and curriculum, engaging in virtual team building, managing online programs, concept mapping, developing an electronic portfolio program, creating active training environments, determining the instructors role, problem solving, evaluating online learning, or using e-learning to build an effective assessment program this book will prove to be an indispensable resource. Geared towards administrators, key decision makers, educators experienced with e-learning, and instructional technology students, it marries the leading literature and prevailing ideologies with best practices illustrated by notable real-world examples.

Can a mindset intervention built into a freshmen development course
and developed after years of longitudinal research have a positive
impact on the outlook, achievement, and persistence of first generation
and under-prepared students attending a minority serving institution?
For many new college students, freshman year can be an exciting and
daunting experience. Freshmen development courses are designed to
help excite, prepare, and orient students into the college experience
predicated on enhancing student success. The concept of “grit’ as a set
of traits that lead to the persistence and perseverance to complete longterm goals in the face of obstacles has been a focus in academia for the past 12 years. It’s often coupled with such concepts as Growth Mindset, Clarity of Purpose, and Self-Efficacy

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Business and Technology in collaboration with the Center for Student Technology Certification and Training has initiated an innovative three-prong program that uses the IC3 test to evaluate the information and
digital literacy of new freshmen in order to examine whether students have the minimal skills necessary for college success, followed by a
computer concepts course designed to prepare them for workforce entry, and finally including the availability of advanced course work and
professional certifications in order to provide them with the opportunity to develop enhanced skills.

Successful assessment is an ongoing cycle predicated on the identification of objectives, the gathering and analyzing of data, discussions, recommendations, implementing changes, and reflection, with the goal of improving student outcomes (Buzzetto-More, 2006). Among the crucial learning goals that are frequently the subject of institutional assessment, but which commonly include only a cursory
examination is digital and information literacy.

The research shows that despite the ubiquitous prevalence of technology in their lives, most students entering higher education today have an overestimated sense of their computer skills (Hanson, Kilcoyne, Perez-Mira, Hanson, and Champion, 2011; Marakas, Johnson, and Clay, 2007; Mishra, Cellante, and Kavanaugh, 2015; Nataraj, 2014). Compounding this problem, is the misbelief held by many educators that students come to college with the competencies necessary for success, therefore making computer literacy and applications courses unnecessary. This fallacy has consistently been disproven in studies which have shown major skill deficiencies among students (Mishra, Cellante, and Kavanaugh, 2015; Hanson, Kilcoyne, Perez-Mira, Hanson, and Champion, 2011). Finally, the digital divide remains a significant concern in the United States, with race/ ethnicity, income level, and
education contributing to inequalities with the use of digital technologies. This chapter discuses an assessment and assurance of learning initiative focused on the digital and information literacy skills of
primarily first-generation students attending a mid-Atlantic historically Black university.

The assessment initiative under discussion began with a campus-wide survey and resulted in the adoption of the IC3 Fast Track assessment to evaluate students’ digital literacy skills, combined with course
redesign, and use of a remediation system. Five years’ worth of student performance data as well as the results of pre and post testing will be explored and discussed accordingly. The meaningfulness of these
findings as well as the relevance of assessing and addressing the digital and information literacy skills of students will be articulated. This topic is relevant as institutions struggle to meet the needs of incoming
students with varying levels of technological readiness so as to insure that all students have the digital literacy skills necessary for higher education success.

Best Paper Award InSite 2018-
The digital divide and educational inequalities remain a problem impacting low income, first-generation, and minority learners and higher education is challenged to meet the needs of students with varying levels of technological readiness.

Generation Z born in the late 90’s through 2016 already outnumber millennials and are the first true digital natives. They are tethered to, dependent on, and comfortable with, mobile devices, the internet, and social media. They are confident, perhaps overly so, in both the literature and this study, in their technological abilities in the use computer applications, social media, email, smart phones, and searching the Web and the recognize that technology will play a major role in their future careers. Findings of this pilot study showed that students overwhelmingly see the value in enhancing their technology skills, especially in such areas as computer software applications, information management, and cyber security.

Pinterest has seen a meteoric rise in use in recent years with 200 million active monthly users as of September 2017, a 40% 12-month increase, with 70% of users identifying as women (Kaplan, 2017). A Website and mobile app, Pinterest is a tool used for collecting, curating, and sharing visual information such as photographs, sketches, Web pages, posters and handouts, brochures, teaching materials, instructions, and/or videos. Functioning as a social network, Pinterest users search and collect material that are featured in “virtual pinboards” where users pin images and links, often with commentary, that are then kept private, or shared, and where followers can comment and/or repurpose the pins or boards (Jensen, 2016). Whenever the “Pin It” button is used to select content, the new pin automatically includes a link to the source/board from which the content was located. Analytics, currently only available to businesses using Pinterest, report on the number of impressions and viewers, audience location, as well as pin likes, clicks, and re-pins.

Throughout education, instructors are using pinterest to compile content (BBC Active, 2017); post photographed original and/or adapted ideas (Hussy, 2013; Messner, 2012); for collaboration and professional development (Buzzetto-Hollywood, 2018); to locate and share classroom décor and activities (Lawyer, 2013); for brainstorming and research with, or among, students (Knouse and Abreu, 2016); and to establish collaborative learning communities (Grote-Garcia and Vasinda, 2014).

Jensen (2016) explains that as Web 2.0 reaches its second decade it has become even more creative and curatorial. He clarifies that sites like Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, and Pinterest are built around discourse, commentary, and the sharing and re-sharing of content, which he asserts has positive implications for enhancing the contemporary teaching and learning process. His conclusions were formed following a project where he used Pinterest as a discussion board, peer review module, and information repository with students in a blended classroom.

While Pinterest use has been found at all levels of education, studies have found its usage more common among individual educators than educational organizations (Carpenter, Abrams, and Dunphy, 2016). When assimilated into classroom learning, Knouse and Abreu (2016) observed Pinterest integration to be a motivating experience. Specifically, they explored the implications with foreign language learners who were asked to curate a collection of cultural artifacts and Websites.

Should teacher education programs be incorporating social media into educational technology courses? Grote-Garcia, and Vasinda, (2014) explored this question and concluded that it is crucial to prepare pre-service teachers to integrate social media tools into their practices and especially pointed to the value of Pinterest. They explain that social media tools are an excellent venue for teachers to connect and collaborate. More specifically, they note that Pinterest is one of the most effective, and popular, tools currently available for educators looking to brainstorm for pedagogical ideas and resources.

This presentation reports on the results of a study that has sought to explore the use of Pinterest as a teaching and learning tool. A survey was administered to educators and pre-service teachers in the Mid-Atlantic area. The survey explored social media use; experience with, and interest in Pinterest; and views regarding the value of Pinterest in the teaching, and learning process.

According to the results, most respondents use Pinterest and out of those users 2/3rds use it to enhance their instruction with about ½ using it directly to enhance student instruction. Most of the participating educators indicated an interest in learning more about Pinterest and nearly all participants indicated agreement when asked to respond to a Likert-scaled statement that considered whether Pinterest had the potential to enhance teaching. Agreement was also measured when respondents were asked to indicate their agreement to the statement “Pinterest has the potential to enhance student learning.”

All respondents reported that they regularly use educational technology tools. When asked what educational technology tools they use with students the most popular response was multimedia presentations such as PowerPoint, followed by online tools and Websites, projectors, YouTube, and smartboards. Less popular were learning management systems such as Blackboard and Course Sites, educational social media, and simulations. Very little use was reported for e-portfolios, clickers, blogs and wikis, and traditional discussion forums.

Participants were asked about their current use of Pinterest. The most popular uses of Pinterest reported were exploration and collection of teaching resources followed by food and drinks, classroom ideas, DIY projects, education, decorating ideas, and art/design/crafting. The least popular uses reported were film and entertainment, pets and pet care, outdoor activities, and fashion and style.

The survey asked respondents to consider the usefulness of a variety of applications of Pinterest. Accordingly, respondents reported that Pinterest is the most useful for:

collecting and curating information and resources as part of lesson planning,

sharing lesson plans,

brainstorming,

aggregating ideas and resources for projects, and

sharing quotes, and study resources.

Pinterest was also deemed useful, albeit to a more moderate extent, for colleague collaboration, class projects, sharing student work, distributing reading lists and materials, and to support units or subjects. Participants reported that Pinterest is not useful for announcements or as a means to inform parents.

In addition to the survey, students enrolled in a required educational technology course titled Integrating Technology Into the Curriculum were asked to create a Pinterest board that they thought could specifically enhance their teaching and then reflect upon the usefulness of both the board and the implications of the Pinterest system. Sixteen pre-service teaching students participated and the boards, question responses, and a reflection were submitted. A number of the participating students specifically curated a collection purposed to enhance their upcoming student teaching experience while others focused on boards that were more forward thinking and collected resources of use to a teacher employed full-time and assigned his/her own classes to create, control, and deliver. The type of boards also varied with some focusing on more generalized classroom and/or teaching resources and others representing specific collections designed to enhance a unique lesson or project. Interestingly, most of the students elected to create more than one board required as part of the course assignment. Finally, all of the participating students reported that they found Pinterest a useful tool that they now plan to use to enhance their teaching and learning.

Grit, the perseverance and persistence to achieve goals, and growth mindset has been shown to be a significant factor in predicting student success. They encompass such personality attributes as self-regulation, dutifulness, self-discipline, resilience, and low impulsivity. Research on grit is still in its infancy, and much remains to be discovered about how it relates to different aspects of cultural and familiar background as well as how it applies to different learning modalities. Further, as more and more universities move towards e-learning environments, and with the highly self-initiated nature of online learning, the correlation between grit and student success becomes increasingly more relevant. At this time, there is a paucity of available literature on this subject. The current study seeks to remedy this shortcoming by applying the standard 12-Question GRIT Scale with the addition of a series of validated questions that seek to measure student learning behaviors, attitude, background information, and perceived self-learning efficacy into a single instrument. The study which began in the Fall of 2015 is being run in two parts. During the first phase, a survey of assessment students enrolled in fully online undergraduate business courses has been distributed and analyzed. In the second phase, the relationship between grit and student persistence and success in online learning environments is being explored. This presentation will focus on the results of the first phase, the hypotheses and possibilities being explored in the second phase, and the implications of grit on student success in online learning.

The UMES School of Business and Technology in collaboration with the Center for Student Technology Certification and Training has initiated an innovative three-prong program that uses the IC3 test to evaluate the information and digital literacy of new freshmen in order to examine whether students have the minimal skills necessary for college success, followed by a computer concepts course designed to prepare them for workforce entry, and finally including the availability of advanced course work and professional certifications in order to provide them with the opportunity to develop enhanced skills.

Not all success can be attributed simply to talent and opportunity. Rather, self-regulation and resilience can play a major role in determining between ones success and failure. Grit is a fascinating concept that related to resilience and persistence in order to achieve goals. According to Eskreis-Winkler, Duckworth, Shulman, and Beal, (2014) grit includes such personality attributes as self-discipline, dutifulness, achievement striving, conscientiousness, self-control, low impulsivity, and discipline which are shown to correlate positively with achievement. Research on grit is still in its infancy, and much remains to be discovered about how it relates to different aspects of cultural and familiar background as well as how it applies to different learning modalities.
Further, as more and more universities move towards blended learning environments the correlation between grit and student success becomes increasingly more relevant. At this time, there is a paucity of available literature on this subject. The current study seeks to remedy this shortcoming. By applying the standard 12-Question GRIT Scale with the addition of a series of validated questions that seek to measure student learning behaviors, attitude, background information, and perceived self-learning efficacy into a single instrument. The study will begin in the Spring of 2015 and run in two parts. During the first phase, the relationship between grit and student persistence and success in blended learning environments will be explored. During the second phase, the impact of a curricula unit on grit that includes self-assessment and reflection on student achievement will be explored.

Mediated realities have augmented perceptual understanding and we must harness these new modalities in order to hyper-stimulated digital learners of today. In particular, the research suggests that targeted YouTube videos enhance engagement, depth of understanding, and overall satisfaction in fully online learning environments. This presentation will discuss the benefits of the use of YouTube and similar video sharing services in the instructional process. Further, it will present the findings of study that examined, and compared, student perceptions with respect to the value and usefulness of YouTube as a pedagogical tool finding discernible differences in the perceptions and preferences of fully online verse hybrid learners. Attendees will learn the tips for incorporating YouTube into the instructional process.

Digital natives consider technology integral to the information gathering process (Buzzetto-More, 2011) with a particular preference for user generated media (Jones and Shao, 2011). YouTube is the world's largest video sharing service with approximately, 60 hours of video are uploaded to the server every minute, over 4 billion videos viewed each day, and over 3 billion hours of video watched each month by over 800 million unique monthly visitors (Prigg, 2012). Further, more video is added to YouTube per month than the 3 major US TV networks created in 60 years (Prigg, 2012) and YouTube is currently the number 2 search engine on the Web (Buzzetto-More, 2012).

YouTube provides free access a huge volume of educational videos. YouTube EDU is a service for educators which contains short lessons from teachers, full university courses, professional development materials, and inspirational videos from global leaders. YouTube Teachers was created to help K-12 teachers use educational videos to educate, engage and inspire students aligned to common core standards. Finally, YouTube for Schools is opt-in program thatAllows schools to access thousands of educational videos from vetted YouTube channels like PBS, TED, and Khan in a secure environment with teachers the videos to make available to students.

The research shows that educational videos appeal to visual learners (Miller 2009, Fernandez 2012 , Eick, C. J., & King Jr, D. T. (2012) supporting multimedia learning theory (Berk, 2009; Miller, 2009; Fernandez, 2012; Eick and King, 2012). Well-selected YouTube videos have been found to help students engage more deeply with subject matter, and recall the information they've learned longer (Hilner,2012; Eick and King , 2012; Burke and Snyder, 2007). Youtube has also been shown to promote active learning and critical thinking (Logan, 2013) while increasing students' depth of understanding (Tan and Pearce, 2012; Jones and Graham, 2013; Pratt and Feikes, 2013; Logan, 2012; Hilner, 2012, Cardine, 2008). YouTube has also been found effective at enhancing fully online courses (Jones and Graham, 2013) in particular as a tool to encourage course discussions, enhance lectures, support independent learning, and assist in tutoring (Logan, 2012; Youtube, 2012; Berke, 2009; Miller, M. 2009. Finally, YouTube has been found to be a best fit to the characteristics of the Net Generation of students and a valid approach to tap their multiple intelligences and learning styles (Berk, 2009 and Miller, 2009).

A study conducted in the Spring of 2013 at a Mid-Atlantic minority serving institution sought to examine student perceptions regarding the usage of YouTube videos to augment instruction in online and classroom-based courses through a survey with 221 respondents. Ninety eight percent of respondents had used YouTube previously; however, only 26.5% had ever posted to video sharing service. Eighty two percent either agreed/strongly agreed μ4.11 that they would like to see YouTube in more of their classes. Ninety-four percent of respondents said that YouTube is useful at engaging students μ4.37, 62.7% found it useful at delivering lectures μ4.07, 76% said it was useful at explaining course concepts μ4.11, 99% found it useful at stimulating class discussions μ4.41, 85% found it useful at presenting demonstrations μ4.45, 68% said it was useful for student research μ3.93, 82.4% found it useful at supporting classroom learning μ4.19, and 99% found it useful at creating a more exciting learning environment μ4.46.

Follow-up questions were posed to 100 students with a 71% response rate. Fifty-seven percent of respondents were enrolled in a fully-online section and 43% were enrolled in a hybrid section. Crosstabulations were performed. Additionally, ANOVAS were conducted, with p values included in the full text.

According to the findings, students fully online student are much more likely to visit an online video service in a given week (70% online compared to 30.8% of in-person) and are more likely to watch a video placed on a course website (70.7% online compared to 40.1% in-person). Fully online students exhibited greater strength of agreement to scaled questions that examined perceived value added including: whether they enjoyed watching the videos (μ4.54 vs μ 4.18), whether the videos enhanced their learning experience (μ4.44 vs. 4.04), preference over PowerPoint files (μ4.28 vs. 3.78), and desire to watch unrequired videos (μ3.98 vs. μ 3.3).

When asked the ideal length for a course video the in-person students indicated a preference for shorter videos at 1.5 to 3 minutes while the online students indicated a preference for longer videos at 5-7 minutes in length. With respect to audio preference, 70% of online students selected instructor narration while the in-person students preferred music at > 64%.

When asked to considerAll the resources used during the term and select the most valuable 74.3% of online students selected the YouTube videos whereas 39% of in-person students selected the live lectures given by the instructor.

In summary,All participants reported that they enjoyed the YouTube videos and felt that they increased their engagement and understanding, stimulated discussions, and created a more interesting learning environment. When compared, the fully online students demonstrated a greater voracity with respect to perceived value added and preferring longer 5-7 minute videos with instructor narration.

Educators seek to introduce flexible educational experiences that are predicated on student-centered pedagogical practices. In these experiences, the teacher is not the focus of instruction, instead, there is a transference of responsibility as the teacher becomes a facilitator who guides students on highly-individualized inquiry-oriented scholarly journeys. The inductive nature of capstone experiences serve as an exemplar for excellence in flexible learning and are discussed in the following paper, which identifies the best practices for successful capstone-based instruction, introduces a capstone experience model, and discusses a State-wide capstone initiative adopted in high school business completer programs in Maryland.

Social network services are computer applications that support the complex arrangement of connected nodes (people) which include tools for storing and presenting information as well as communicating, connecting and interacting with others. These services support social capital and social learning theories and play an integral role in the new literacy movement. Further, they support the development of authentic, media rich, student-centered, on-demand, discourse-driven, and constructivist learning experiences. This presentation will link the use of social networking technologies as part of the teaching and learning process to various pedagogical strategies as well as present the results of a study that examined the usage of Facebook as a teaching tool at a minority serving university.
Recognizing the impact of the social media phenomena, a New Literacy movement has emerged. This literacy includes not just how to use technology but also how to appropriately interpret, communicate via, create meaning with, and collaborate through new media. According to Coiro, Knobel, Lanshear and Leu (2008) "New technologies such as blogs, wikis, multiplayer online games, social networking technologies and video- and music-dissemination technologies have rapidly spread, each with additional, new literacy forms and functions that are reshaped by social practices… literacy has now come to mean a rapid and continuous process of change in ways in which we read, write, view, listen, compose, and communicate information." (2008, p. 5).
Social capital theory says that social networks are valuable because of their ability to build committed communities where individuals support each other in the pursuit of common goals (Smith, 2009). Research has found that community membership has a positive impact on the health and well-being of students and that educational achievement rises when learners have a supportive associational life (Smith, 2009).
Social networking technologies allow learning to be: available on demand (USDE, 2010); authentic (Phillips, Baird, and Fogg, 2011); media rich (Cheal, 2012), social (Greenhow, and Robelia, 2009); supporting of digital literacy (Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear and Leu, 2008); student centered (Phillips, Baird, and Fogg, 2011); in line with constructivist teaching practices (Cheal, 2012); engaging to students (Webb, 2009); supporting of social learning theory (Smith, 2009 and Buzzetto-More, 2012); collaborative (Shih, 2010) and appealing to digital natives (Buckingham, 2007). The following chart relates social networking technologies to various pedagogical theories and concepts.
Facebook was incorporated into several courses taken by management students at a Mid-Atlantic minority-serving university during the 2010 and 2011 academic years. Two courses were offered fully online and a third in a hybrid format using the Blackboard LMS. For each course, a Facebook group was also created and used for the distribution of instructor and student posted announcements; faculty-lead and student-lead discussions; polling; question and answer opportunities; and faculty to student as well as peer sharing of resources. Facebook participation was made mandatory and points were assigned for participation.
Students were not given guidelines for their SNS participation, rather they were simply instructed that they were to make contributions or pose questions that were relevant to the course and that their participation should be ongoing, meaningful, and thoughtful. To support the activities, throughout the term the instructor actively contributed and acted as both an engager as well as facilitator providing clarification and or further thoughts to engender more discussion.
A survey was distributed via 324 email invites with a response rate of 67%. When the respondents were asked how many hours per week they spend engaged in SNS 4% said no time spent per week, 27% reported 1-2 hours, 33% estimated 3-8 hours, and 37% reported that they spend more than 9 hours per week.
When asked whether "Social networking sites help to build/strengthen a sense of community within a learning environment" 63% were in agreement, 24% expressed neutrality, and 13% expressed disagreement. The mean for this was 3.65, with a mode of 4, and a standard deviation of .97. These findings are similar to the research findings reported by Greenhow and Robelia (2009) and Yan Su (2011).
When asked whether "It is important for students to learn how to academically and professionally use social networking sites" 66% were in agreement, 24% were neutral/undecided, and 11% disagreed. The mean for the question was a 3.75, with a mode of 4, and a standard deviation of .91. These findings compliment the work of Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear & Leu (2008).
The students were asked to rate the usefulness of Facebook when it comes to a number of applications. A five point scale where 1 equaled not very useful and 5 equaled very useful was utilized. Responses were considered based on frequency distribution and descriptive statistics.
According to the respondents, Facebook was the most effective at "engaging students" with a mean of 4.02, followed by "creating a more exciting learning environment" with a mean of 3.81, and "supporting class discussions" with a mean of 3.73. Students were largely in agreement that "Facebook was useful for supporting group projects" with a mean of 3.54, "delivering course announcements" with a mean of 3.51, and "providing links to resources" with a mean of 3.48. Students were more neutral when it came to the usefulness of Facebook for "facilitating study/tutoring sessions" with a mean of 3.10 and "distributing lecture notes" with a mean of 2.97. The frequency distribution and descriptive statistics are represented in the following tables and charts.
In summary, this study provides research on an area where greater research needs to be published. Further, it focuses on a population that has previously not received sufficient focus and which is largely neglected in the literature. The implications of these findings should encourage college faculty to adopt the use of social networking services as part of the teaching and learning process with a specific focus on building learning communities and increasing student engagement.

Social network services are computer applications that support the complex arrangement of connected nodes (people) which include tools for storing and presenting information as well as communicating, connecting and interacting with others. These services support social capital and social learning theories and play an integral role in the new literacy movement. Further, they support the development of authentic, media rich, student-centered, on-demand, discourse-driven, and constructivist learning experiences. This presentation will link the use of social networking technologies as part of the teaching and learning process to various pedagogical strategies as well as present the results of a study that examined the usage of Facebook as a teaching tool at a minority serving university.
Recognizing the impact of the social media phenomena, a New Literacy movement has emerged. This literacy includes not just how to use technology but also how to appropriately interpret, communicate via, create meaning with, and collaborate through new media. According to Coiro, Knobel, Lanshear and Leu (2008) "New technologies such as blogs, wikis, multiplayer online games, social networking technologies and video- and music-dissemination technologies have rapidly spread, each with additional, new literacy forms and functions that are reshaped by social practices… literacy has now come to mean a rapid and continuous process of change in ways in which we read, write, view, listen, compose, and communicate information." (2008, p. 5).
Social capital theory says that social networks are valuable because of their ability to build committed communities where individuals support each other in the pursuit of common goals (Smith, 2009). Research has found that community membership has a positive impact on the health and well-being of students and that educational achievement rises when learners have a supportive associational life (Smith, 2009).
Social networking technologies allow learning to be: available on demand (USDE, 2010); authentic (Phillips, Baird, and Fogg, 2011); media rich (Cheal, 2012), social (Greenhow, and Robelia, 2009); supporting of digital literacy (Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear and Leu, 2008); student centered (Phillips, Baird, and Fogg, 2011); in line with constructivist teaching practices (Cheal, 2012); engaging to students (Webb, 2009); supporting of social learning theory (Smith, 2009 and Buzzetto-More, 2012); collaborative (Shih, 2010) and appealing to digital natives (Buckingham, 2007). The following chart relates social networking technologies to various pedagogical theories and concepts.
Facebook was incorporated into several courses taken by management students at a Mid-Atlantic minority-serving university during the 2010 and 2011 academic years. Two courses were offered fully online and a third in a hybrid format using the Blackboard LMS. For each course, a Facebook group was also created and used for the distribution of instructor and student posted announcements; faculty-lead and student-lead discussions; polling; question and answer opportunities; and faculty to student as well as peer sharing of resources. Facebook participation was made mandatory and points were assigned for participation.
Students were not given guidelines for their SNS participation, rather they were simply instructed that they were to make contributions or pose questions that were relevant to the course and that their participation should be ongoing, meaningful, and thoughtful. To support the activities, throughout the term the instructor actively contributed and acted as both an engager as well as facilitator providing clarification and or further thoughts to engender more discussion.
A survey was distributed via 324 email invites with a response rate of 67%. When the respondents were asked how many hours per week they spend engaged in SNS 4% said no time spent per week, 27% reported 1-2 hours, 33% estimated 3-8 hours, and 37% reported that they spend more than 9 hours per week.
When asked whether "Social networking sites help to build/strengthen a sense of community within a learning environment" 63% were in agreement, 24% expressed neutrality, and 13% expressed disagreement. The mean for this was 3.65, with a mode of 4, and a standard deviation of .97. These findings are similar to the research findings reported by Greenhow and Robelia (2009) and Yan Su (2011).
When asked whether "It is important for students to learn how to academically and professionally use social networking sites" 66% were in agreement, 24% were neutral/undecided, and 11% disagreed. The mean for the question was a 3.75, with a mode of 4, and a standard deviation of .91. These findings compliment the work of Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear & Leu (2008).
The students were asked to rate the usefulness of Facebook when it comes to a number of applications. A five point scale where 1 equaled not very useful and 5 equaled very useful was utilized. Responses were considered based on frequency distribution and descriptive statistics.
According to the respondents, Facebook was the most effective at "engaging students" with a mean of 4.02, followed by "creating a more exciting learning environment" with a mean of 3.81, and "supporting class discussions" with a mean of 3.73. Students were largely in agreement that "Facebook was useful for supporting group projects" with a mean of 3.54, "delivering course announcements" with a mean of 3.51, and "providing links to resources" with a mean of 3.48. Students were more neutral when it came to the usefulness of Facebook for "facilitating study/tutoring sessions" with a mean of 3.10 and "distributing lecture notes" with a mean of 2.97. The frequency distribution and descriptive statistics are represented in the following tables and charts.
In summary, this study provides research on an area where greater research needs to be published. Further, it focuses on a population that has previously not received sufficient focus and which is largely neglected in the literature. The implications of these findings should encourage college faculty to adopt the use of social networking services as part of the teaching and learning process with a specific focus on building learning communities and increasing student engagement.

An e-portfolio is an organized compilation that demonstrates knowledge, skills, values, and/or achievements and that includes reflections or exegesis which articulate the relevance, credibility, and meaning of the artifacts presented. Electronic portfolios are a paradigm in constructivist e-learning. They are capable of involving students in deep learning while serving as a meaningful way for both students and faculty to engage in outcomes-based assessment. E-portfolios have been shown to be a valid way to document student progress, encourage greater student involvement in the learning process, showcase work samples, and provide learning outcomes assessment and curriculum evaluation.

The benefits of e-learning have been widely recognized in higher education and yet many faculty remain reluctant to teach via this new paradigm.

As a result, understanding faculty needs and concerns is crucial to the successful growth of e-learning at any institution. In order to examine perceived faculty satisfaction with the status of e-learning as well as the professional development training offered and desired at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore information was gathered through the administration and analysis of an online questionnaire.

Assessment of student learning outcomes plays an important role in educational effectiveness,
improvement, and sustainability that is increasingly being recognized and required by accrediting
bodies (Buzzetto-More, 2006; Haken, 2006). A form of performance-based assessment that is
growing in popularity and is heralded for its purposeful, dynamic, and integrated nature is the
portfolio (Cooper, 1999; ePort, 2003; Paulson, Paulson, & Meyer, 1991).
Electronic portfolios encourage students to engage in self reflection by providing a broad range of
means for expressing the total learning experience as linked to standards and learning outcomes
(AAHE, 2001; Barett, 2004; ePort, 2003; Martell & Calderon, 2005; Popper, 2005). They are an
effective form of assessment that encourages students and educators to examine skills that may
not be otherwise accessed using traditional means such as higher order thinking, communications,
and collaborative abilities (Buzzetto-More, 2006; Wright, 2004).
Electronic portfolios can be created using tools ranging from off-the-shelf generic software applications
to widely available systems. This paper will focus on the latter by investigating the eight
most widely available systems and by providing a detailed examination of their platform features.
A matrix has been provided that offers a side-by-side comparison of the platforms by a variety of
features that include: learning outcomes, rubrics, storage, support, assessments, surveys, advisement,
communication, collaboration, data collection/reporting, intended user, supporting file
types, pricing structure, and accessibility.

Electronic portfolios have become a means for students to demonstrate and reflect on learning in a way that helps students build and apply information- and technology-literacy skills.

This session will discuss e-portfolios and their potential for building such literacy, as well as present, a model for, the design of a student centered electronic portfolio project purposed for this charge.

Online learning has become a phenomenon in higher education by providing learners with new choices, greater flexibility, and increased opportunities, while offering faculty an opportunity to teach using alternative delivery and assessment methods that are facilitated by technology (Matheos & Curry, 2004). 

As a growing number of institutions of higher learning vigorously increase the number of online course offerings, it is important to assess student readiness and attitude towards online learning (Bentley et al., 2003).

There are a number of studies that have examined the attitude and perceptions of students and online learning at majority institutions.  However, there has been less attention focused on students at historically Black colleges and universities regarding their attitudes and perceptions toward the online medium. 

This paper reports the findings of a study that examined the perceptions and attitudes of freshmen students at two historically Black universities.

Digital technologies are closing spatial and temporal gaps while engendering expansive new in- ternational communities. Replete with symbolic interactions, these transgeographic communities inspire new realms of educational possibility, allowing educators and learners to broaden perspec- tives through intellectual discourse and collaboration while eradicating cultural divides. The Summer Ecosystems Experience for Undergraduates (SEE-U) is a superior model of how such technology

Black Rock is a densely forested area that is located 50 miles north of New York City, on the western bank of the Hudson River. It is situated between the West Point Military Reservation and the Palisades Interstate Park. The landscape contains over 1,000 feet of varied elevation that includes lakes, streams, ponds, wetlands, mountains, and forests, existing as a relatively unspoiled territory.

Stewarding 3,785 acres of wilderness in the Hudson Valley region of New York State, the Black Rock Forest Consortium is a unique amalgamation of diverse institutions that includes K-12 public and private schools, colleges and universities, and centers for science and culture.

According to the consortium’s mission statement, the forest serves as a center for research and education, an information network that collects and distributes high-quality ecological data, and a model for ecosystems management.

Beginning in 1995, an ecosystem-wide network of environmental monitoring sensors was established to represent the various terrestrial and aquatic areas of the Black Rock Forest. Through these sensors relevant ecological data is collected, then transmitted through radio telemetry, and finally archived in a digital database. The information collected as part of this effort produces data for such organizations as the National Acid Deposition Program (NADP), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Organization of Biological Field stations (OBFS).

The environmental monitoring project has stimulated a series of curricula that connect students to scientific processes by encouraging hands-on exploration, data collection, modeling, and data comparison (Kastens), marking a merger of all the pillars of the consortium’s mission.

As e-learning continues to grow, its growth is hindered by misunderstanding, misinformation, and misuse. This book is purposed to assist readers in the understanding and development of e-learning by taking a pragmatic approach and presenting readers with the knowledge of the various approaches, options, and deci-sions involved in e-learning, as well as by offering an overview of the constructs,  relevant pedagogical theories, and definitions common to the field.
This text has brought together the knowledge and experience of a host of experts. Hundreds of proposals were considered and all drafts were double blind reviewed. This book represents the top ten percent of all submissions. It has been designed to support readers on their journey as they navigate the virtual forest of e-learning and as they modify their teaching, curriculum, and methods of planning in order to become effective online educators.
This book is geared towards university and college educators, secondary school teachers, pre-service teachers, and trainers who are interested in how online instruction can augment the teaching and learning process and empower both tutors and tutees with the tools and strategies for achieving success in the modern world of academia.
This book has been divided into three sections. The first section provides an overview of the major concepts and theories that impact e-learning and e-learning design in addition to explaining processes. The second section deals with interaction, communications, collaborations, and team building. The third section offers a variety of teaching strategies as well as suggestions for addressing common student issues.

Capstone is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary (2009) as a “crowning achievement or final stroke, the culmination or acme”. As the pinnacle of a student’s academic experience they mark a unique opportunity for students to showcase their knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired during their time in an academic program through a comprehensive, intensive, and integrative individualized experience. In a capstone experience, students synthesize, integrate, and/or apply their previous knowledge, in a way that demonstrates mastery while building a deeper level of understanding.The student created products generated from the capstone experience should be designed to help assess crucial learning outcomes of the BMF completer program in which the student is enrolled. Additionally, demonstration of general education and/or interdisciplinary outcomes should also be evident in the capstone such as effective written and oral communication, critical thinking, information accessing and information processing, and problem solving (Buzzetto-More and Pinhey, 2007).

A capstone course is a transformative educational experience predicated on student-centered constructivist pedagogy. In a capstone course, the tutor is not the foci of erudition, rather there is a shift of responsibility as the instructor becomes a facilitator who guides the tutee on their self-charted scholarly expedition (Buzzetto-More, 2013).

Various incarnations of student capstone courses can be found in higher education, most commonly within undergraduate and graduate nursing, education, computing, engineering, and/or or business programs. While still considered an unusual occurrence in K-12 teaching and learning in the United States, recognition of the benefits of capstone experiences has been growing steadily, albeit slowly, during the past fifteen years.

The pioneer of public K-12 capstone experiences is the State of Rhode Island. Under the Rhode Island Diploma System, students demonstrate proficiency through multiple sources of evidence gathered over time. State assessment results count for no more than 10 percent of this evidence. Other factors considered include: portfolios, capstone projects, public exhibitions, and the State's Certificate of Initial Mastery. As the culminating achievement of a student’s K-12 studies, the Rhode Island Capstone Project requires students to focus in-depth on a core question, the product of which plays an essential part in demonstrating that a student can meet applied learning standards, RI Grade Span Expectations, and other content standards (Rhode Island Skills Commission, 2012).

There are many different models for capstone course delivery and conducting these courses is a complex task. Clear, Goldweber, Young, Ledwig, and Scott (2001) addressed the complexity of creating, implementing and delivering a successful capstone experience. They explained that there are a number of important issues that need to be addressed. These questions include: Goals of the Course; Characteristics of Projects; Project Deliverables;Prerequisites and Preparation; Grading and Assessment; Administration and Supervision; and Reflection, Analysis and Review.

Capstone experiences are highly constructivist and almost always project based whereas project, or problem based learning, it is a constructivist form of instruction where students engage in critical thinking, synthesis, evaluation, multilayered decision making, goal setting, problem solving, and collaboration (Page, 2006). Further, the exploratory and inquiry oriented nature of project based learning activities helps to build and/or reinforce information literacy skills (Buzzetto-More, 2009; Kuhlthau and Todd, 2007) where students demonstrate the ability to: plan, select sources, find and locate information, engage in critical analysis, apply multilayered decision making, and generate meaning (Page, 2006).

Teaching a capstone course is an exciting and ever changing experience. It requires an ongoing and
meaningful dialogue to occur between tutor and tutee, the unique nature of which stimulates learning in
a way that is without parallel. As such, an enthusiastic and supporting attitude is paramount.

Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs are developed in response to an identified
opportunity to add value to students’ overall educational programs and align with the most
appropriate, reliable, and valid technical standards available. CTE programs provide multiple
options for students as they prepare for entry into careers and further education and are measured
against student attainment of rigorous academic, employability and technical skills and student
success in further education and employment.

Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs are developed in response to an identified
opportunity to add value to students’ overall educational programs and align with the most
appropriate, reliable, and valid technical standards available. CTE programs provide multiple
options for students as they prepare for entry into careers and further education and are measured
against student attainment of rigorous academic, employability and technical skills and student
success in further education and employment.

This Maryland BMF cluster focuses on four programs of study based on the Maryland State
Department of Education framework for Business Management and Finance. Each program
includes rigorous academics, broad cluster knowledge and skills, and technical skills related to one
of the specific programs of study. The programs of study are: Business Administrative Services,
Business Management, Marketing, and Finance and Accounting. Each course in the program of
study has been identified and developed with regional postsecondary and business partners. Skills
for Success and other workforce requirements are integrated throughout the coursework. Examples
include workplace readiness, computer applications, written and oral communication skills, and
math skills. Industry certifications are incorporated where appropriate. Opportunities are available
for students to earn college credit through articulation agreements—such as dual enrollment and
CLEP exams. Each program allows students to graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary to
pursue post-secondary education and entry-level business positions.
The Maryland State Department of Education has committed itself to increasing the rigor of all CTE
programs of study. This effort has included the development of State-wide Program Objectives and
Course Outline aligned with the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification exams (Business
Administrative Services) and the CLEP Exams (Accounting, Marketing, and Business
Management). Further, the rigor of each program of study is being dramatically increased in order to
better prepare students for career or college entry as well as to align with entry-level undergraduate
courses for each respective discipline. With contemporary assurance of learning and assessment
standards occurring in higher education, it is imperative that high school completer programs
represent rigorous and not watered-down learning opportunities. The MSDE is supporting a federal
mandate to incorporate certification and/or national standardized examinations into pathway courses
in order to increase the career and college readiness of student, insure program validity
and effectiveness as well as measure student achievement

Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs are developed in response to an identified opportunity to add value to students’ overall
educational programs and align with the most appropriate, reliable, and valid technical standards available. CTE programs provide multiple
options for students as they prepare for entry into careers and further education and are measured against student attainment of rigorous
academic, employability and technical skills and student success in further education and employment

Aim/Purpose: The exorbitant cost of traditional textbooks, which particularly impact low-income, underrepresented minority groups, can be a barrier to student success in higher education that contributes to educational inequities. The aim of this multi-methodology study, conducted at a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution that serves primarily first-generation and lower-income learners, is to explore the impact of, and student satisfaction with, a one-price per-semester unlimited e-book subscription service and digital learning solution that includes a number of embedded interactive features, adaptive student learning activities, and learning outcome assessments. In addition, the paper is purposed to inform individuals in higher education so that they can make knowledgeable decisions when considering various book acquisition options. Background: A mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution becomes an early adopter of a one-price per semester unlimited e-book and interactive digi...

Research suggests the ability to adapt to technological change by learning new technologies is a core feature of technological competence and is consequential for resolving inequality. Digital adaptability can be taught, can be learned, can be expanded, and can be researched. We need to pivot our focus on discussions around building digital adaptability. In AEC education, this involves continuous discourse about the evolving processes and technology norms in the industry and focusing on building the confidence and mindset of our students as well as the core skills and understanding necessary to succeed.

Pinterest has seen a meteoric rise in use in recent years with 200 million active monthly users as of September 2017, a 40% 12-month increase, with 70% of users identifying as women (Kaplan, 2017). A Website and mobile app, Pinterest is a tool used for collecting, curating, and sharing visual information such as photographs, sketches, Web pages, posters and handouts, brochures, teaching materials, instructions, and/or videos. Functioning as a social network, Pinterest users search and collect material that are featured in “virtual pinboards” where users pin images and links, often with commentary, that are then kept private, or shared, and where followers can comment and/or repurpose the pins or boards (Jensen, 2016). Whenever the “Pin It” button is used to select content, the new pin automatically includes a link to the source/board from which the content was located. Analytics, currently only available to businesses using Pinterest, report on the number of impressions and viewers, audience location, as well as pin likes, clicks, and re-pins. Throughout education, instructors are using pinterest to compile content (BBC Active, 2017); post photographed original and/or adapted ideas (Hussy, 2013; Messner, 2012); for collaboration and professional development (Buzzetto-Hollywood, 2018); to locate and share classroom décor and activities (Lawyer, 2013); for brainstorming and research with, or among, students (Knouse and Abreu, 2016); and to establish collaborative learning communities (Grote-Garcia and Vasinda, 2014). Jensen (2016) explains that as Web 2.0 reaches its second decade it has become even more creative and curatorial. He clarifies that sites like Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, and Pinterest are built around discourse, commentary, and the sharing and re-sharing of content, which he asserts has positive implications for enhancing the contemporary teaching and learning process. His conclusions were formed following a project where he used Pinterest as a discussion board, peer review module, and information repository with students in a blended classroom. While Pinterest use has been found at all levels of education, studies have found its usage more common among individual educators than educational organizations (Carpenter, Abrams, and Dunphy, 2016). When assimilated into classroom learning, Knouse and Abreu (2016) observed Pinterest integration to be a motivating experience. Specifically, they explored the implications with foreign language learners who were asked to curate a collection of cultural artifacts and Websites. Should teacher education programs be incorporating social media into educational technology courses? Grote-Garcia, and Vasinda, (2014) explored this question and concluded that it is crucial to prepare pre-service teachers to integrate social media tools into their practices and especially pointed to the value of Pinterest. They explain that social media tools are an excellent venue for teachers to connect and collaborate. More specifically, they note that Pinterest is one of the most effective, and popular, tools currently available for educators looking to brainstorm for pedagogical ideas and resources. This presentation reports on the results of a study that has sought to explore the use of Pinterest as a teaching and learning tool. A survey was administered to educators and pre-service teachers in the Mid-Atlantic area. The survey explored social media use; experience with, and interest in Pinterest; and views regarding the value of Pinterest in the teaching, and learning process. According to the results, most respondents use Pinterest and out of those users 2/3rds use it to enhance their instruction with about ½ using it directly to enhance student instruction. Most of the participating educators indicated an interest in learning more about Pinterest and nearly all participants indicated agreement when asked to respond to a Likert-scaled statement that considered whether Pinterest had the potential to enhance teaching. Agreement was also measured when respondents were asked to indicate their agreement to the statement “Pinterest has the potential to enhance student learning.” All respondents reported that they regularly use educational technology tools. When asked what educational technology tools they use with students the most popular response was multimedia presentations such as PowerPoint, followed by online tools and Websites, projectors, YouTube, and smartboards. Less popular were learning management systems such as Blackboard and Course Sites, educational social media, and simulations. Very little use was reported for e-portfolios, clickers, blogs and wikis, and traditional discussion forums. Participants were asked about their current use of Pinterest. The most popular uses of Pinterest reported were exploration and collection of teaching resources followed by food and drinks, classroom ideas, DIY projects, education, decorating ideas, and art/design/crafting. The least…

Aim/Purpose: The digital divide and educational inequalities remain a significant societal problem in the United States, and elsewhere, impacting low income, first-generation, and minority learners. Accordingly, institutions of higher education are challenged to meet the needs of students with varying levels of technological readiness with deficiencies in information and digital literacy shown to be a hindrance to student success. This paper documents the efforts of a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution as it seeks to assess, and address, the digital and information literacy skills of underserved students Background: A number of years ago, a historically Black university in Maryland developed an institutional commitment to the digital and information literacy of their students. These efforts have included adoption of an international certification exam used as a placement test for incoming freshmen; creation of a Center for Student Technology Certification and Training; course...

Educators seek to introduce flexible educational experiences that are predicated on student-centered pedagogical practices. In these experiences, the teacher is not the focus of instruction, instead, there is a transference of responsibility as the teacher becomes a facilitator who guides students on highly-individualized inquiry-oriented scholarly journeys. The inductive nature of capstone experiences serve as an exemplar for excellence in flexible learning and are discussed in the following paper, which identifies the best practices for successful capstone-based instruction, introduces a capstone experience model, and discusses a State-wide capstone initiative adopted in high school business completer programs in Maryland.

Avatars act as virtual agents that facilitate human communications in social networks. Taking a number of forms, they continue to evolve with advancements in social networking technologies. This paper presents the findings of a research study that examined the perceptions of young adults with respect to the role of avatars in education and contemporary business practices through the use and exploration of Vokis, SitePal, and Second Life. According to the findings: Vokis are a great way to send people messages, enhance online discussions and communications, and make classes more interesting; while Site Pal avatars supporting branding and customer relationship management. Review of Business Technology Research. (2013). pages 440-450

Social media are growing explosively and are changing the way people around the globe think of friendship and community. While media such as Facebook offer us unique opportunities, they also present real dangers. Christians should realize that not all forms of culture are ...

Grit, the perseverance and persistence to achieve goals, and growth mindset has been shown to be a significant factor in predicting student success. They encompass such personality attributes as self-regulation, dutifulness, self-discipline, resilience, and low impulsivity. Research on grit is still in its infancy, and much remains to be discovered about how it relates to different aspects of cultural and familiar background as well as how it applies to different learning modalities. Further, as more and more universities move towards e-learning environments, and with the highly self-initiated nature of online learning, the correlation between grit and student success becomes increasingly more relevant. At this time, there is a paucity of available literature on this subject. The current study seeks to remedy this shortcoming by applying the standard 12-Question GRIT Scale with the addition of a series of validated questions that seek to measure student learning behaviors, attitude, background information, and perceived self-learning efficacy into a single instrument. The study which began in the Fall of 2015 is being run in two parts. During the first phase, a survey of assessment students enrolled in fully online undergraduate business courses has been distributed and analyzed. In the second phase, the relationship between grit and student persistence and success in online learning environments is being explored. This presentation will focus on the results of the first phase, the hypotheses and possibilities being explored in the second phase, and the implications of grit on student success in online learning.

Can a mindset intervention built into a freshmen development course and developed after years of longitudinal research have a positive impact on the outlook, achievement, and persistence of first generation and under-prepared students attending a minority serving institution? For many new college students, freshman year can be an exciting and daunting experience. Freshmen development courses are designed to help excite, prepare, and orient students into the college experience predicated on enhancing student success. The concept of “grit’ as a set of traits that lead to the persistence and perseverance to complete longterm goals in the face of obstacles has been a focus in academia for the past 12 years. It’s often coupled with such concepts as Growth Mindset, Clarity of Purpose, and Self-Efficacy

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce, describe, and document the methods involved in the preparation of a mindset intervention built into a freshmen development course, and established after years of longitudinal research, that is designed to have a positive impact on the outlook, achievement, and persistence of first generation and under-prepared students. Background: A number of studies conducted in the past fifteen years have concluded that grit, the persistence and perseverance to achieve goals, and growth mindset, the belief that skills and intelligence can be developed, are positive predictors of achievement; however, little focus has been placed on the implications at institutions purposed to educate minorities, first generation college students, and learners from diminished socio-economic backgrounds. Methodology: A series of models were created, custom self-assessment scales designed, and a lesson plan prepared purposed to deliver a mindset intervention to...

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents the preliminary findings of a pilot survey that sought to examine the technology uses, backgrounds, needs, interests, career goals, and professional expectations of Generation Z students enrolled at a minority serving institution in the United States Mid-Atlantic region. Background: Students entering college today are part of Generation Z born in the late 90’s through 2016. Known for their short attention spans and heightened ability to multi-task, they already outnumber millennials and are the first true digital natives born during the age of smart phone. Methodology: In the fall of 2017, an online student perception survey was piloted with stu-dents enrolled at a mid-Atlantic minority serving institution. The survey included a combination of dichotomous, Likert-scaled, and ranking questions. The survey was administered electronically using the Survey Monkey system to students following completion of core computer concepts courses and explored their...

Recently, with Covid-19, higher education found itself rapidly pivoting as a global pandemic forced the sudden shift to remote learning resulting in a dramatic rise in the use of digital learning resources (Lederman, 2020; Pressman, 2020; Rowe, 2020). This unprecendent rise in e-learning has pushed many in academia away from overpriced textbooks and towards digitized content (Dignan, 2020) and immersive augmented learning software (Govindarajan and Srivastava,2020). Accordingly, integrated digital learning solutions are now seen as more valuable than traditional textbooks selling for much less with greater profit margins and with greater acceptability by todays learners who see them as having a more substantive monetary value (Lambert; 2020). In the Fall of 2018, a mid-Atlantic minority serving institution, become an early adopter of a one-price per semester unlimited e-book and interactive digital learning solution subscription service. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the adoption, a student satisfaction and perceived learning efficacy survey was created and distributed. According to the findings, most students have been concerned about paying for books in the past, feel that college textbooks cost too much, believe that the subscription plan helps students save money, and would like to see it adopted in all of their classes. Most notably, unlimited e-book subscription services were found to be the most highly favored among students with financial concerns. https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/218863/

Best Paper Award InSite 2018- The digital divide and educational inequalities remain a problem impacting low income, first-generation, and minority learners and higher education is challenged to meet the needs of students with varying levels of technological readiness.

Current mediated realities and the proliferation of user generated online content have introduced a multiplicity of measures for publishing and accessing instructional resources. Educators are encouraged to harness these contemporary modalities in order to engage today’s digital learners. In particular, the research suggests that targeted YouTube videos enhance the engagement, depth of understanding, and the overall satisfaction of students. This paper will discuss the benefits of the use of YouTube in the instructional process consistent with the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. Additionally, the findings of a study conducted at a Mid-Atlantic Historically Black College or University (HBCU) that focused on the impact of YouTube on course instruction and student engagement as well as differences in perception based on gender and course modality will be presented. According to the findings, incorporation of YouTube into course instruction enhances student’s perception of lear...

Aim/Purpose This brief paper will provide preliminary insight into an institutions effort to help students understand the application of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline through the creation of a dedicated, required course added to the curriculum of a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution. In order to determine whether the under-consideration course satisfies designated student learning outcomes, an assessment regime was initiated that included examination of rubric data as well as the administration of a student perception survey. This paper summarizes the results of the early examination of the efficacy of the course under consideration. Background A small, minority-serving, university located in the United States conducted an assessment and determined that students entering a department of business following completion of their general education science requirements had difficulties transferring their understanding of the scientific method to the...

Empowered by and tethered to ubiquitous technologies, the current generation of youth yearns for opportunities to engage in self-expression and information sharing online with personal disclosure no longer governed by concepts of propriety and privacy. This raises issues about the unsafe online activities of teens and young adults. The following paper presents the findings of a study examining the social networking activities of undergraduate students and also highlights a program to increase awareness of the dangers and safe practices when using and communicating, via social media. According to the survey results, young adults practice risky social networking site (SNS) behaviors with most having experienced at least one negative consequence. Further, females were more likely than males to engage in oversharing as well as to have experienced negative consequences. Finally, results of a post-treatment survey found that a targeted program that includes flyers, posters, YouTube videos...

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of faculty and student perceptions of the importance of resource, interpersonal, information, systems, and technology management competencies in the hospitality industry Background: The increasing complexity and technological dependency of the diverse hospitality and tourism sector raises the skill requirements needed, and expected, of new hires making education and competency development a strategic priority. Identifying the skills needed for hospitality graduates to succeed in a sector that is continuously being impacted by digitalization and globalization must be a continual process predicated on the desire to meet ever-changing industry needs. This study seeks to update and further explore an investigation started a decade ago that examined the skills and competencies valued by hiring managers in the hospitality industry. Methodology: The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), comprised of...

Assessment of student learning outcomes plays an important role in educational effectiveness, improvement, and sustainability that is increasingly being recognized and required by accrediting bodies (Buzzetto-More, 2006; Haken, 2006). A form of performance-based assessment that is growing in popularity and is heralded for its purposeful, dynamic, and integrated nature is the portfolio (Cooper, 1999; ePort, 2003; Paulson, Paulson, & Meyer, 1991). Electronic portfolios encourage students to engage in self reflection by providing a broad range of means for expressing the total learning experience as linked to standards and learning outcomes (AAHE, 2001; Barett, 2004; ePort, 2003; Martell & Calderon, 2005; Popper, 2005). They are an effective form of assessment that encourages students and educators to examine skills that may not be otherwise accessed using traditional means such as higher order thinking, communications, and collaborative abilities (Buzzetto-More, 2006; Wright, 2004). E...

The UMES School of Business and Technology in collaboration with the Center for Student Technology Certification and Training has initiated an innovative three-prong program that uses the IC3 test to evaluate the information and digital literacy of new freshmen in order to examine whether students have the minimal skills necessary for college success, followed by a computer concepts course designed to prepare them for workforce entry, and finally including the availability of advanced course work and professional certifications in order to provide them with the opportunity to develop enhanced skills.

Aim/Purpose: This paper provides the results of the preliminary analysis of the findings of an ongoing study that seeks to examine the social media use, cultural and political awareness, civic engagement, issue prioritization, and social activism of Gen Z students enrolled at four different institutional types located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The aim of this study is to look at the group as a whole as well as compare findings across populations. The institutional types under consideration include a mid-sized majority serving or otherwise referred to as a traditionally white institution (TWI) located in a small coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean, a small Historically Black University (HBCU) located in a rural area, a large community college located in a county that is a mixture of rural and suburban and which sits on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and graduating high school students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs in a large...

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether grit was a contributing factor to student persistence and success at minority serving institutions. Background: A number of studies conducted in the past fifteen years have concluded that grit is a positive predictor of achievement across many domains. But, is grit really the ultimate panacea for student success? This longitudinal study sought to answer that question by specifically focusing on business students attending a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution that primarily serves low-income and first generation learners. Methodology: The research study under consideration used quantitative methods for data collection and analysis. It was initiated in the Fall of 2014 with the administration of the standard 12-item Grit assessment to all freshmen students enrolled in a university business department. Students were then followed longitudinally over a five year period with GPA and persistence to graduation documented....

The article is an attempt to assess whether Stock Ownership moderates the relationship between corporate diversification and CEO compensation. Based on agency theory, we develop the hypothesis of whether when CEOs hold a large fraction of their firms’ outstanding stock, the CEOs are acting more as owners or shareholders than employees. This reduces the principal and agency relationship of agency theory, since CEOs are acting as owners rather than employees; thus the demand for further stock-based compensation is likely to be reduced because the interests of CEOs and shareholders are relatively aligned. For the purposes of this study, a sample of 2,448 CEO compensations across 1,622 firms from 1997 to 2002 was used to test several hypotheses. Corporate diversification was divided into two categories; international diversification and industry diversification. To test the hypotheses, multiple regression analysis was employed to examine stock ownership as a moderator variable on the re...

Aim: This study sought to explore the role of the elusive non-cognitive skill set known as grit, or the resolve and determination to achieve goals regardless of impediments, on student success in online education. It represents an area of exploration where there is a dearth in the available literature and reports the results of a study conducted at a Mid-Atlantic minority-serving university that examined the relationship between grit and student performance in fully online courses. Methodology: Students were administered the standard 12-Question Grit Scale with the addition of a series of validated questions that sought to measure perceived self-learning efficacy. Additionally, student performances in online courses were recorded and correlations conducted. Basic statistical analyses such as mean, mode, standard deviation, variance, and confidence interval were calculated. Two hypotheses were introduced as part of this study and tested with Anovas and crosstabulations. Results: This...

The Black Rock Forest is a 3,785-acre wilderness area whose richly forested landscape represents the splendor of the Hudson Valley Region of New York State. Although originally intended to become the home of wealthy banker James Stillman, it was his son Ernest whose love of conservation caused him to embrace the then new and revolutionary practice of sustainable forestry and establish Black Rock in 1928. Due to Ernest Stillman's foresight, the property was protected from development and bequeathed to Harvard University following his death for the establishment of an experimental forest. The modern environmental movement in America began when the Black Rock Forest was threatened with development by Consolidated Edison, and the people of the surrounding community banded together, battling tirelessly for over 17 years to stop the degradation of this historic forest. The outcome of this crusade marked a hallmark win for the environment leaving an illustrious and inveterate legacy. The campaign resulted in the watershed legislation the National Environmental Policy Act, the formation of several environmental advocacy groups, the creation of the Council on Environmental Quality of the Executive Office of the President, as well as set a precedent for communities to initiate and win cases against major corporations in order to safeguard natural resources. In the midst of the controversy it became apparent that alternative futures for the Forest needed to be explored. As a result of a committee report and one man's vision, the idea emerged to create a consortium that would purchase and steward the Forest. With a formation that took nearly fifteen years, the Black Rock Forest Consortium was formed, a unique amalgamation of K--12 public and private schools, colleges and universities, and science and cultural centers that successfully collaborate to enhance scientific research, environmental conservation, and education. The Consortium works to bridge the gaps between learners and scientists through the creation of edifying projects that take the teaching and learning of science out of the pre-packaged lab and decontextualized textbook-based lesson and expose students to the scientific process through the use of real-data, hands-on experimentation, the examination of working systems, modeling, and anchored instruction.

The purpose of LGBTQIA+ History Month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQIA+ individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. The LGBTQIA+ community is one of the only communities that, for the most part, is not taught its history at home or in schools. Yet, the history of LGBTQIA+ people in the U.S. is as old as the country itself. Ignoring, or straight washing, history helps to perpetuate heterosexual cisgender norms and “out” groups and “in” groups in society. For youth, LGBTQIA+ History Month provides role models, builds community and makes the statement about the value and contributions of LGBTQIA+ people, who have existed throughout human history. October was chosen because it coincides with National Coming Out Day on October 11th. The primary aim of LGBT History Month is to teach young people about the history of the gay rights movement and to promote an inclusive modern society. It differs from Pride Month which is dedicated to community visibility and the movement toward equality, as LGBT History Month is an observance of the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. LGBTQ+ people in America continue to face discrimination in their daily lives. While more states every year work to pass laws to protect LGBTQ people, we continue to see state legislatures advancing bills that target transgender people, limit local protections, and allow the use of religion to discriminate. Additionally, bias-motivated crimes are a real, frightening problem in the United States, and LGBTQIA+ people continue to be targeted unjustly. This epidemic of violence against LGBTQIA+ people, which disproportionately impacts transgender women of color, is staggering.

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is held annually on November 20th. It is different from Trans Day if Visibility, held in March, in that instead of celebrating the achievements and contributions of our trans loved ones on TDOR we acknowledge the losses faced by bigotry, hatred, and anti-trans violence with the goal that there will be a future where TDOR is no longer needed.

Research suggests the ability to adapt to technological change by learning new technologies is a core feature of technological competence and is consequential for resolving inequality. Digital adaptability can be taught, can be learned, can be expanded, and can be researched. We need to pivot our focus on discussions around building digital adaptability. In AEC education, this involves continuous discourse about the evolving processes and technology norms in the industry and focusing on building the confidence and mindset of our students as well as the core skills and understanding necessary to succeed.

Recently, with Covid-19, higher education found itself rapidly pivoting as a global pandemic forced the sudden shift to remote learning. An unprecedent increase in adoption of e-learning resources ensued as well as a dramatic uptick in e-book usage as schools struggled to pivot to online remote instruction while ensuring students access to high quality inunersive educational resources (Dignan, 2020; Govindarajan and Srivastava,2020; Lederman, 2020). This phenomenon has shed a spotlight on the need to better understand the implications and options available in the e-book market. Accordingly, integrated digital learning solutions are now seen as more valuable than traditional textbooks selling for much less with greater profit margins and with greater acceptability by todays learners who see them as having a greater monetary value (Larnbert; 2020).