I am interested in social and contextual influences on student motivation. I wonder how computer mediated communication and synchronicity may influence cooperative learning in online and hybrid classes. I am also curious about the effects of multitasking on learning.
I made a digital story
In the CEP 900/930 courses of Summer, 2010, I was assigned to create a 3-5 minute compelling and informative digital story explaining my research interests. In the fall of 2009, one of my students commented that "online classes are too hard"; and they left him with a sense of isolation and lowered efficacy. I was intrigued with his perception and became interested in the differences between on-line and on-ground instruction. I wondered about the importance of meeting face to face in order to develop a sense of connectedness with instructors and classmates and if that connectedness correlates with student learning and motivation. Since then, I have become increasingly interested in how students experience hybrid and online classes.