Sara Dexter | University of Virginia (original) (raw)

Papers by Sara Dexter

Research paper thumbnail of Pedagogical gaps in the bridge from classroom to field for pre-service principal competence development

Journal of Educational Administration, May 25, 2022

PurposeThis cross-sectional survey captured educational leadership preparation programs' (ELP... more PurposeThis cross-sectional survey captured educational leadership preparation programs' (ELPPs') relative emphases on 12 evidence-based school leadership competences and related pedagogical approaches to identify the gap between optimal performance per the literature base and actual practice reported for US ELPPs.Design/methodology/approachA survey with closed and open-ended questions was sent to all program coordinators of US-based ELPPs.FindingsResults indicate instructional leadership and use of data are especially emphasized competences, and readings and class-based work were the most prevalent modes of instruction. The most prevalent teaching methods are text and class-based work, and residencies/internships. The least prevalent are instructional tools associated with practice and rehearsal, such as simulations.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected prior to the world-wide shift in educational delivery associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While they do not capture during-pandemic approaches, the national-level findings provide an impetus for altering or strengthening approaches to leader preparation based upon the shortcomings these results suggest.Originality/valueThere has been no previous inquiry into all US ELPPs regarding how their curriculum aligns with empirically based leadership competences, what their pedagogical approaches include or the needs they identify to further improve their program's quality.

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership for IT in Schools

Springer eBooks, Aug 25, 2008

Effective leadership for information technology (IT) in a school is a significant predictor of it... more Effective leadership for information technology (IT) in a school is a significant predictor of its use by teachers and students (Anderson and Dexter, 2005). The out-comes of strong IT leadership include the coordinated use of IT to support teach-ing and learning among a school's ...

Research paper thumbnail of Taxonomies and Myths: A Case Study of Technology Planning and Implementation

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, 1998

Research paper thumbnail of Teachers’ Views of Computers as Catalysts for Changes in Their Teaching Practice

Journal of research on computing in education, Mar 1, 1999

In this study we examined the use of computers by teachers in their instructional practices and t... more In this study we examined the use of computers by teachers in their instructional practices and their perception of the impact of computers on changes they have made to their classroom practice. These data draw from 47 teachers from 20 K-12 schools across 3 states who each completed a questionnaire, participated in 3 semi-structured interviews, and allowed 3 observations of their classroom. The teachers who had adopted more progressive teaching practices over time felt computers helped them change but they did not acknowledge computers as the catalyst for change. Instead, they cited catalysts that included: reflection upon experience, classes taken, and the context or culture of the school. We conclude that in order for teachers to implement the use of educational technology in a constructivist manner, they must have opportunities to construct pedagogical knowledge in a supportive climate.

Research paper thumbnail of Principles to Guide the Integration and Implementation of Educational Technology

Research paper thumbnail of Developing faculty EdTech instructional decision-making competence with principles for the integration of EdTech

Educational Technology Research and Development, Feb 1, 2023

Future success for online teaching can be described in terms of competencies, the knowledge, skil... more Future success for online teaching can be described in terms of competencies, the knowledge, skills, and affect and motivation that as component parts undergird successful performance, or in terms of competence, the behaviors that demonstrate ability to perform in an online setting. Either framing could aid higher education to consider how to foster online teaching excellence. Yet, considering this dichotomy instead as a continuum emphasizes a fruitful point in between to target for faculty professional learning. This linking, middle view, emphasizes the processes faculty use to recognize what the situation demands and make decisions about what to do and operationalize competencies into competence. This concept paper presents a set of conceptual principles that can serve as guidance to organize faculty decision making when integrating EdTech into higher education courses. Drawing on an existing dataset of interview data from two studies of faculty learning to integrate a new EdTech, instructors' experiences with each principle are illustrated. This provides opportunities to see how faculty organized decisions aligned with the principles and how faculty needs were met when principles described the project's support conditions. This approach shows how universities could benefit from framing EdTech support in terms of embedding representations to first build, then guide, technical and pedagogical knowledge and skill. Providing guiding principles may then motivate faculty to acquire and assemble those competencies in context-sensitive ways for instructional decision making.

Research paper thumbnail of Design Principles for Interactive Learning Environments with Embedded Formative Assessments

IGI Global eBooks, May 25, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Teacher Systems of Practice for Technology Integration Learning: Relationships among Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning

AERA Online Paper Repository, Apr 30, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Teacher Perspectives on Technology Integration Professional Development: Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning Activities

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Relative Uses, Impact, and Possibilities For Teachers’ Uses of Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning to Integrate Technology

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Mar 21, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Five leading-edge K-12 districts’ decision-making processes for EdTech innovations

Journal of Educational Administration

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to better understand K-12 district leaders' reasoning an... more PurposeThe purpose of this study was to better understand K-12 district leaders' reasoning and processes for selecting and deploying EdTech instructional products, including which, if any, types of data are used to support decision-making.Design/methodology/approachThis multisite case study of educational technology (EdTech) decision-making comprises five purposely selected districts at the leading edge of EdTech innovation. The unit of analysis was a recent purchase they had made of an instructional, classroom-oriented digital product (defined as a product used by teachers and/or students in the classroom for the purposes of student learning). The key leader heading up the purchase was interviewed, as were other leaders and a teacher who were involved in the decision-making process.FindingsThe processes districts used to make their purchasing decisions involved teachers, district leaders and technical specialists who considered usability, usage data and alignment with student l...

Research paper thumbnail of A Needs Assessment of Educational Leadership Preparation Programs

Proceedings of the 2021 AERA Annual Meeting

Research paper thumbnail of Relationships Between Instructional Leadership Practices and Teachers' Instructional Goals, Practices, and Professional Learning

Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting

Research paper thumbnail of Learning theories for artificial intelligence promoting learning processes

British Journal of Educational Technology, May 26, 2023

This paper discusses a three‐level model that synthesizes and unifies existing learning theories ... more This paper discusses a three‐level model that synthesizes and unifies existing learning theories to model the roles of artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting learning processes. The model, drawn from developmental psychology, computational biology, instructional design, cognitive science, complexity and sociocultural theory, includes a causal learning mechanism that explains how learning occurs and works across micro, meso and macro levels. The model also explains how information gained through learning is aggregated, or brought together, as well as dissipated, or released and used within and across the levels. Fourteen roles for AI in education are proposed, aligned with the model's features: four roles at the individual or micro level, four roles at the meso level of teams and knowledge communities and six roles at the macro level of cultural historical activity. Implications for research and practice, evaluation criteria and a discussion of limitations are included. Armed with the proposed model, AI developers can focus their work with learning designers, researchers and practitioners to leverage the proposed roles to improve individual learning, team performance and building knowledge communities. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Numerous learning theories exist with significant cross‐over of concepts, duplication and redundancy in terms and structure that offer partial explanations of learning. Frameworks concerning learning have been offered from several disciplines such as psychology, biology and computer science but have rarely been integrated or unified. Rethinking learning theory for the age of artificial intelligence (AI) is needed to incorporate computational resources and capabilities into both theory and educational practices. What this paper adds A three‐level theory (ie, micro, meso and macro) of learning that synthesizes and unifies existing theories is proposed to enhance computational modelling and further develop the roles of AI in education. A causal model of learning is defined, drawing from developmental psychology, computational biology, instructional design, cognitive science and sociocultural theory, which explains how learning occurs and works across the levels. The model explains how information gained through learning is aggregated, or brought together, as well as dissipated, or released and used within and across the levels. Fourteen roles for AI in education are aligned with the model's features: four roles at the individual or micro level, four roles at the meso level of teams and knowledge communities and six roles at the macro level of cultural historical activity. Implications for practice and policy Researchers may benefit from referring to the new theory to situate their work as part of a larger context of the evolution and complexity of individual and organizational learning and learning systems. Mechanisms newly discovered and explained by future researchers may be better understood as contributions to a common framework unifying the scientific understanding of learning theory.

Research paper thumbnail of Intersections, Tensions, and Disconnections between Designers' Visions and Users' Realities

Page 1. Intersections, Tensions, and Disconnections between Designers' Visions and U... more Page 1. Intersections, Tensions, and Disconnections between Designers' Visions and Users' Realities Sara Dexter University of Virginia United States sdexter@virginia.edu David Gibson The Vermont Institutes United States dgibson@vermontinstitutes.org ...

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Leadership Preparation Programs Theory to Practice Linkages

This paper presentation will report on the preliminary findings of leadership preparation student... more This paper presentation will report on the preliminary findings of leadership preparation student ability to formulate plans of action by assessing actual case responses in an online environment. Findings suggest that if programs are to develop “expert” decision makers then students ...

Research paper thumbnail of An Ontology and A Semantic Web Application with Responsive Dissemination Features

EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology, 2004

Abstract: We present a Semantic Web application that draws upon an ontology that was created in o... more Abstract: We present a Semantic Web application that draws upon an ontology that was created in order to catalog technical assistance resources for targeted audiences of educators. The application has features that use this ontology to disseminate to the learner specific resources in ...

Research paper thumbnail of Quality Technology Support: What is it? Who Has it? and What Difference Does it Make?

Journal of Educational Computing Research, Apr 1, 2002

Using the recommendations of the CEO Forum report on Professional Development, we operationalized... more Using the recommendations of the CEO Forum report on Professional Development, we operationalized “quality technology support” as consisting of: 1) access to one-on-one personal guidance and help; 2) frequent teacher participation in technology-oriented professional support among teacher peers; 3) professional development content focused on instruction and integration; and 4) access to resources. Using the 1998 TLC national survey of teachers, we empirically confirmed that the frequency, variety, and increased use of technology in the classroom are associated with the availability of quality technology support. These results suggest that if technology leaders hope teachers will integrate technology they should attend to the instructional aspects of technology support, such as professional development opportunities and learning environments, as well as its technical components.

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Asynchronous Discussion on a Preservice Teacher Education Practicum Experience

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, 2001

Abstract: Teacher education programs have long recognized that in order to develop their pedagogi... more Abstract: Teacher education programs have long recognized that in order to develop their pedagogical capacity, pre-service teachers must have teaching experiences and interactions with students during their program of preparation. At the University of ...

Research paper thumbnail of ETIPS: Using cases with virtual schools to prepare for, extend, and deepen preservice teachers’ field experiences

Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 2008

Field experiences are identified as an important component in the preparation of new teachers. As... more Field experiences are identified as an important component in the preparation of new teachers. As such, methods to supplement field experiences with pre and post activities that ready preservice teachers to effectively learn from them warrant further examination. This paper presents one tool that has been used successfully to improve preservice teachers' instructional decision-making knowledge about technology integration, with the unintended outcome of readying them for field experiences in general.

Research paper thumbnail of Pedagogical gaps in the bridge from classroom to field for pre-service principal competence development

Journal of Educational Administration, May 25, 2022

PurposeThis cross-sectional survey captured educational leadership preparation programs' (ELP... more PurposeThis cross-sectional survey captured educational leadership preparation programs' (ELPPs') relative emphases on 12 evidence-based school leadership competences and related pedagogical approaches to identify the gap between optimal performance per the literature base and actual practice reported for US ELPPs.Design/methodology/approachA survey with closed and open-ended questions was sent to all program coordinators of US-based ELPPs.FindingsResults indicate instructional leadership and use of data are especially emphasized competences, and readings and class-based work were the most prevalent modes of instruction. The most prevalent teaching methods are text and class-based work, and residencies/internships. The least prevalent are instructional tools associated with practice and rehearsal, such as simulations.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected prior to the world-wide shift in educational delivery associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While they do not capture during-pandemic approaches, the national-level findings provide an impetus for altering or strengthening approaches to leader preparation based upon the shortcomings these results suggest.Originality/valueThere has been no previous inquiry into all US ELPPs regarding how their curriculum aligns with empirically based leadership competences, what their pedagogical approaches include or the needs they identify to further improve their program's quality.

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership for IT in Schools

Springer eBooks, Aug 25, 2008

Effective leadership for information technology (IT) in a school is a significant predictor of it... more Effective leadership for information technology (IT) in a school is a significant predictor of its use by teachers and students (Anderson and Dexter, 2005). The out-comes of strong IT leadership include the coordinated use of IT to support teach-ing and learning among a school's ...

Research paper thumbnail of Taxonomies and Myths: A Case Study of Technology Planning and Implementation

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, 1998

Research paper thumbnail of Teachers’ Views of Computers as Catalysts for Changes in Their Teaching Practice

Journal of research on computing in education, Mar 1, 1999

In this study we examined the use of computers by teachers in their instructional practices and t... more In this study we examined the use of computers by teachers in their instructional practices and their perception of the impact of computers on changes they have made to their classroom practice. These data draw from 47 teachers from 20 K-12 schools across 3 states who each completed a questionnaire, participated in 3 semi-structured interviews, and allowed 3 observations of their classroom. The teachers who had adopted more progressive teaching practices over time felt computers helped them change but they did not acknowledge computers as the catalyst for change. Instead, they cited catalysts that included: reflection upon experience, classes taken, and the context or culture of the school. We conclude that in order for teachers to implement the use of educational technology in a constructivist manner, they must have opportunities to construct pedagogical knowledge in a supportive climate.

Research paper thumbnail of Principles to Guide the Integration and Implementation of Educational Technology

Research paper thumbnail of Developing faculty EdTech instructional decision-making competence with principles for the integration of EdTech

Educational Technology Research and Development, Feb 1, 2023

Future success for online teaching can be described in terms of competencies, the knowledge, skil... more Future success for online teaching can be described in terms of competencies, the knowledge, skills, and affect and motivation that as component parts undergird successful performance, or in terms of competence, the behaviors that demonstrate ability to perform in an online setting. Either framing could aid higher education to consider how to foster online teaching excellence. Yet, considering this dichotomy instead as a continuum emphasizes a fruitful point in between to target for faculty professional learning. This linking, middle view, emphasizes the processes faculty use to recognize what the situation demands and make decisions about what to do and operationalize competencies into competence. This concept paper presents a set of conceptual principles that can serve as guidance to organize faculty decision making when integrating EdTech into higher education courses. Drawing on an existing dataset of interview data from two studies of faculty learning to integrate a new EdTech, instructors' experiences with each principle are illustrated. This provides opportunities to see how faculty organized decisions aligned with the principles and how faculty needs were met when principles described the project's support conditions. This approach shows how universities could benefit from framing EdTech support in terms of embedding representations to first build, then guide, technical and pedagogical knowledge and skill. Providing guiding principles may then motivate faculty to acquire and assemble those competencies in context-sensitive ways for instructional decision making.

Research paper thumbnail of Design Principles for Interactive Learning Environments with Embedded Formative Assessments

IGI Global eBooks, May 25, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Teacher Systems of Practice for Technology Integration Learning: Relationships among Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning

AERA Online Paper Repository, Apr 30, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Teacher Perspectives on Technology Integration Professional Development: Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning Activities

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Relative Uses, Impact, and Possibilities For Teachers’ Uses of Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning to Integrate Technology

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Mar 21, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Five leading-edge K-12 districts’ decision-making processes for EdTech innovations

Journal of Educational Administration

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to better understand K-12 district leaders' reasoning an... more PurposeThe purpose of this study was to better understand K-12 district leaders' reasoning and processes for selecting and deploying EdTech instructional products, including which, if any, types of data are used to support decision-making.Design/methodology/approachThis multisite case study of educational technology (EdTech) decision-making comprises five purposely selected districts at the leading edge of EdTech innovation. The unit of analysis was a recent purchase they had made of an instructional, classroom-oriented digital product (defined as a product used by teachers and/or students in the classroom for the purposes of student learning). The key leader heading up the purchase was interviewed, as were other leaders and a teacher who were involved in the decision-making process.FindingsThe processes districts used to make their purchasing decisions involved teachers, district leaders and technical specialists who considered usability, usage data and alignment with student l...

Research paper thumbnail of A Needs Assessment of Educational Leadership Preparation Programs

Proceedings of the 2021 AERA Annual Meeting

Research paper thumbnail of Relationships Between Instructional Leadership Practices and Teachers' Instructional Goals, Practices, and Professional Learning

Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting

Research paper thumbnail of Learning theories for artificial intelligence promoting learning processes

British Journal of Educational Technology, May 26, 2023

This paper discusses a three‐level model that synthesizes and unifies existing learning theories ... more This paper discusses a three‐level model that synthesizes and unifies existing learning theories to model the roles of artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting learning processes. The model, drawn from developmental psychology, computational biology, instructional design, cognitive science, complexity and sociocultural theory, includes a causal learning mechanism that explains how learning occurs and works across micro, meso and macro levels. The model also explains how information gained through learning is aggregated, or brought together, as well as dissipated, or released and used within and across the levels. Fourteen roles for AI in education are proposed, aligned with the model's features: four roles at the individual or micro level, four roles at the meso level of teams and knowledge communities and six roles at the macro level of cultural historical activity. Implications for research and practice, evaluation criteria and a discussion of limitations are included. Armed with the proposed model, AI developers can focus their work with learning designers, researchers and practitioners to leverage the proposed roles to improve individual learning, team performance and building knowledge communities. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Numerous learning theories exist with significant cross‐over of concepts, duplication and redundancy in terms and structure that offer partial explanations of learning. Frameworks concerning learning have been offered from several disciplines such as psychology, biology and computer science but have rarely been integrated or unified. Rethinking learning theory for the age of artificial intelligence (AI) is needed to incorporate computational resources and capabilities into both theory and educational practices. What this paper adds A three‐level theory (ie, micro, meso and macro) of learning that synthesizes and unifies existing theories is proposed to enhance computational modelling and further develop the roles of AI in education. A causal model of learning is defined, drawing from developmental psychology, computational biology, instructional design, cognitive science and sociocultural theory, which explains how learning occurs and works across the levels. The model explains how information gained through learning is aggregated, or brought together, as well as dissipated, or released and used within and across the levels. Fourteen roles for AI in education are aligned with the model's features: four roles at the individual or micro level, four roles at the meso level of teams and knowledge communities and six roles at the macro level of cultural historical activity. Implications for practice and policy Researchers may benefit from referring to the new theory to situate their work as part of a larger context of the evolution and complexity of individual and organizational learning and learning systems. Mechanisms newly discovered and explained by future researchers may be better understood as contributions to a common framework unifying the scientific understanding of learning theory.

Research paper thumbnail of Intersections, Tensions, and Disconnections between Designers' Visions and Users' Realities

Page 1. Intersections, Tensions, and Disconnections between Designers' Visions and U... more Page 1. Intersections, Tensions, and Disconnections between Designers' Visions and Users' Realities Sara Dexter University of Virginia United States sdexter@virginia.edu David Gibson The Vermont Institutes United States dgibson@vermontinstitutes.org ...

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Leadership Preparation Programs Theory to Practice Linkages

This paper presentation will report on the preliminary findings of leadership preparation student... more This paper presentation will report on the preliminary findings of leadership preparation student ability to formulate plans of action by assessing actual case responses in an online environment. Findings suggest that if programs are to develop “expert” decision makers then students ...

Research paper thumbnail of An Ontology and A Semantic Web Application with Responsive Dissemination Features

EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology, 2004

Abstract: We present a Semantic Web application that draws upon an ontology that was created in o... more Abstract: We present a Semantic Web application that draws upon an ontology that was created in order to catalog technical assistance resources for targeted audiences of educators. The application has features that use this ontology to disseminate to the learner specific resources in ...

Research paper thumbnail of Quality Technology Support: What is it? Who Has it? and What Difference Does it Make?

Journal of Educational Computing Research, Apr 1, 2002

Using the recommendations of the CEO Forum report on Professional Development, we operationalized... more Using the recommendations of the CEO Forum report on Professional Development, we operationalized “quality technology support” as consisting of: 1) access to one-on-one personal guidance and help; 2) frequent teacher participation in technology-oriented professional support among teacher peers; 3) professional development content focused on instruction and integration; and 4) access to resources. Using the 1998 TLC national survey of teachers, we empirically confirmed that the frequency, variety, and increased use of technology in the classroom are associated with the availability of quality technology support. These results suggest that if technology leaders hope teachers will integrate technology they should attend to the instructional aspects of technology support, such as professional development opportunities and learning environments, as well as its technical components.

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Asynchronous Discussion on a Preservice Teacher Education Practicum Experience

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, 2001

Abstract: Teacher education programs have long recognized that in order to develop their pedagogi... more Abstract: Teacher education programs have long recognized that in order to develop their pedagogical capacity, pre-service teachers must have teaching experiences and interactions with students during their program of preparation. At the University of ...

Research paper thumbnail of ETIPS: Using cases with virtual schools to prepare for, extend, and deepen preservice teachers’ field experiences

Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 2008

Field experiences are identified as an important component in the preparation of new teachers. As... more Field experiences are identified as an important component in the preparation of new teachers. As such, methods to supplement field experiences with pre and post activities that ready preservice teachers to effectively learn from them warrant further examination. This paper presents one tool that has been used successfully to improve preservice teachers' instructional decision-making knowledge about technology integration, with the unintended outcome of readying them for field experiences in general.