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Research

Since joining the College of education in 1999, I have published three articles in peer reviewed journals and presented papers at national, state and local conferences. My research is currently focused on how student learning online (or E-learning) is influenced by the discursive moves instructors make, how we can to help support K-12 teachers integrating technology into their classroom instruction, and how to gather and analyze assessment data to improve our program and instruction. I view learning online as a form of social interaction via participation in computer-mediated communication (CmC) or electronic discourse. The University of Wisconsin-Madison maintains a list of online journals in my area of interest

In the fall of 2009 working with some colleagues we explored local school districts in lower Michigan that have implemented 1:1 computing initiatives. We gathered data from decision makers in school districts - using interviews, online surveys and district documents - to develop case studies and examined them for common themes. A colleague shared early results of this work at the Society for Information Technology in Education (SITE) 2010 conference, we both presented on this project at the SITE 2011 conference, and we also developed a written report summarizing our findings that we shared with the participants. This ongoing, collaborative K-12 research has helped inform my teaching practices, as more school districts consider adopting 1:1 computing initiatives.

As a faculty member in the GVSU College of Education, I am actively involved in scholarship leading towards integrating technology into K-12 settings. I teach graduate courses in Grand Rapids, mediated in BlackBoard, and my research interests are focused on the impact technology can have on teaching practices and teacher knowledge/beliefs. Some recent publications and presentations are listed below. For more on my scholarly work, see my CV.

Peer reviewed publications

2013. Topper, A., & Lancaster, S. Common challenges and experiences of school districts that are implementing 1:1 computing initiatives. Computers in the Schools, 30(4), 346-358.

2007. Are they the same? Comparing the instructional quality of online and face-to-face graduate education courses. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 32(6), pp. 681-691.

2005. Facilitating student interactions through discursive moves. An instructor’s experience teaching online graduate courses in educational technology. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 6(1), pp. 55-67.

Recent presentations

GVSU Teaching & Learning with Technology Symposium, 2014. Topper, A., & Lancaster, S. Technology integration at GVSU: A vision of the future. Keynote presentation. (MP4 video: 55 minutes).

Lilly conference on College & University teaching, 2013. Topper, A., & Lancaster, S. Evaluating the experiences of students in an online M.Ed. program. Paper.

Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) conference, 2012. Experiences in 1:1 school districts. Panel presentation (MP4 video: 60 minutes).

Lilly conference on College & University Teaching, 2012. Experiences of students and faculty in a fully online graduate educational technology degree program. Poster.

   Implementing a ubiquitous iPad initiative in a graduate program. Panel with S. Lancaster.

Society for Information Technology in Education (SITE) conference, 2011. Challenges and experiences of school districts in lower West Michigan that are implementing 1:1 computing initiatives. Paper, with S. Lancaster.

   Supporting teacher learning in a 1:1 laptop initiative. Paper.

Global TIME conference, 2011. Supporting students’ affective development using synchronous communication tools. Paper (virtual) with D. Subramony. 

Lilly conference on College & University Teaching, 2011. Creating community in online college courses: social presence and online learning. Poster.

Society for Information Technology in Education (SITE) conference, 2010. Evaluating K-12 1:1 laptop initiatives. In D. Gibson & B. Dodge (Eds.), Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1011-1013). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

MACUL conference, 2010. Evaluating K-12 one-to-one laptop initiatives in lower West Michigan. Paper.

Version: 1.0 (February 5, 2014)