Technology, Research in Education: Current Trends in DL Panel Presentation National Conference on Science, Technology and the Law – November 5, 2006 Susan Zucker, Ph.D. Director Technology and Distance Education at the NCSTL

Intention Snapshot of Computer Forensics Discuss trends in and prevalence of DL Explore learner preferences as expressed by adult learning theory Reference NCSTL as an example

Computer Forensics 1980’s - new generation of crimes use computers to commit them: computer-aided terrorism, espionage, bank and business fraud, identity theft Increase due to Development of Internet Sheer number of Internet users Development of high performance computing – 41.5 trillion operations/second U.S. Sales in computer-aided engineering software and services have topped $2.1 billion

Computer Forensics Community and comprehensive colleges and universities and Police Academies offer forensic computing programs on undergraduate and graduate level + grad certificates Students learn to retrieve and analyze evidence from any digital source: computer systems, hardware, Internet data, cellular phones, PDAs, digital cameras, faxes 3 components: acquiring the evidence while ensuring the integrity is preserved authenticating the validity of the extracted data analyzing the data while keeping its integrity

DL Defined Distance between teacher and learner USDLA definition: “The acquisition of knowledge and skills through mediated information and instruction, encompassing all technologies and other forms of learning at a distance.”

Web-based Learning vs. Distance Learning Web-based learning is distance learning but distance learning is not necessarily web-based. Distance learning incorporates many modalities.

Rationale for www.ncstl.org NCSTL is developing a distance education program in forensic science education for the civil and criminal justice communities Informed by Adult learning theory Distance learning theory Trends in learning technologies

Adult learning theory Adults tend to want teachers to teach not serve as facilitators … but the trend is changing Adults consider learning important when it relates to their job or other interest Adults want to put new learning to work immediately Adults want their contributions to be meaningful

Distance Learning Theory Incorporates many theories that constitute sound DL Didactic instruction Constructivism Reflection Metacognition Cognitivist learning Critical thinking Conversation theory Socratic dialogue

Technologies used for DL Web-based Live web streaming Podcasts Wikis * Blogs * Archived presentations Websites designed for DL delivery Video on demand Content Management Systems (CMS) * Live e-Learning: HorizonLive, Elluminate * Web-based presentation software: Cast:Stream, Mediasite Live RL, WebEx, and MS Producer * Non web-based Videoconferencing * Teleconferencing * CD-ROMS, DVD-ROMS Telecourses Audio and video tapes * Interactive technologies

Online classrooms also have… Asynchronous tools - discussion boards Synchronous sessions with/without VoIP Collaborative tools – discussion boards, blogs, wikis, journals Collaborative tools – enhanced with voting, visualization, hypertext capabilities to build cognitive maps

As a result of DL, shifts are observed Teacher role changing Solo faculty to instructional team Focused testing to holistic assessment CMS quizzing for low stakes – automated objective grading Discussion boards for critical thinking and developing familiarity w concepts and problem-solving Changes the testing course/environment to a community of learners Learners become sources and creators of customized content

UF – Forensics Online – Distance Learning Award … an example Masters degrees in forensic DNA and serology forensic chemistry toxicology general forensic science Grad certificate options Uses CMS

NCSTL … a case study NCSTL surveyed their diverse constituency Identified learners who they are their skill level with technology their preferences on receiving online learning

The Survey Demographics collected Determined Factors that impact the learning environment Example: hardware capabilities of target audience Target audience time and interest and skill level Example: what learners regard as important and necessary subjects

Learner Preferences Summary: in-person - characteristic of most adults – social and networking opportunities web-delivered DVDs other asynchronous media - portability, convenience, time- and cost-effectiveness Over half indicated that … they wanted interaction with others in the same class … synchronously or asynchronously

Learner responses and NCSTL Responses assisted NCSTL in making most of the initial determinations for the web-based learning program Hence, production of DVDs and web-based modules Law 101 Lecture series each year Quarterly newsletter Commitment to incorporating newest technologies

NCSTL www.ncstl.org