The Impact of Choice in Learning
Reference:
Murphy, J., Farrell, K., & Myers, J. (2024). Student choice in online asynchronous higher education courses. In Proceedings of the [Conference Name if known]. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3760213.3708894
Annotation:
The article explores how offering students choices in online asynchronous higher education courses enhances engagement, autonomy, and relevance. Drawing from theories like constructivism, self-determination, and andragogy, the authors argue that allowing flexibility in content, process, and product supports deeper learning and motivation. A pilot study with undergraduate and graduate students found that choice particularly strengthened connections to career goals, encouraged authentic learning experiences, and increased satisfaction. The findings suggest that structured opportunities for choice can transform courses into learner-centered environments that foster agency, self-regulation, and practical application.
Murphy, Farrell, and Myers (2024) does a good job of clearly connecting theory to practice by showing how student choice can improve engagement in online learning. The use of a pilot study with both undergraduates and graduate students gives it a practical angle that helps support the claims, even if the sample size is modest. The mix of quantitative survey results and qualitative student feedback adds depth and makes the findings feel more grounded. Overall, the article is well organized and easy to follow, making complex ideas accessible without being overly technical.
The ideas in this article translate well into workplace training and curriculum design because they highlight the importance of giving adults meaningful choices in how they learn. In professional settings, employees bring diverse experiences, learning preferences, and career goals, so offering flexibility in content, process, and product can make training more relevant and motivating. The emphasis on autonomy and authentic application resonates strongly with adult learning in the workplace, where practical connections often matter more than abstract theory. This approach supports consultants and trainers in creating programs that not only build skills but also encourage ownership, engagement, and long-term growth.
Perception drives Interpretation of Feedback
Reference:
Newman, D. (2025). Examining the emotional tone of student evaluations of teaching. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 51(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.21432/CJLT-28695
Annotation:
How does perception affect feedback? Newman (2025) analyzed 600 student-written evaluations from Rate My Professors (2018–2023) to determine the emotional tone of the language used. Students feedback was reviewed using indicators such as pleasantries and words with positive connotations using Whissell’s Dictionary of Affectionate (DOA). The study found that students provided feedback to instructors in the evaluations that were emotionally neutral in tone however, the instructors perceived the tone to be overly critical on average.
The study’s strengths lie in the reliability of the tools used, like the DOA, and the simplicity of how the study is measured. The correlations are easy to understand and the study itself and its methods are easy enough to understand that replication can be completed with ease. Newman (2025) also provided adequate acknowledgements to the limitations of the information reviewed such as sampling bias, word count variability, and the constraints of publicly available online data.
In the context of organizational performance management, this article underscores the value of distinguishing emotional perception from objective data. Similar to how faculty may overinterpret student comments as overly negative, employees and managers often perceive performance evaluations as more emotionally charged than they actually are. For consultants, the findings point to the importance of designing evaluation systems that emphasize neutrality and balance. By integrating structured training on how to give and receive feedback, organizations can foster a shared understanding that feedback is a tool for growth rather than criticism. Embedding “feedback literacy” into workplace practices not only reduces defensiveness and bias but also equips both leaders and staff with the skills to interpret evaluations constructively. This approach supports the development of resilient, evidence-based performance systems that encourage trust, reduce anxiety, and create a culture where feedback is seen as an essential driver of individual and organizational improvement.
Does Technology Make us Smarter?
Citation:
Salomon, G., & Perkins, D. (n.d.). Do Technologies Make Us Smarter? Intellectual Amplification With, Of, and Through Technology. University of Haifa & Harvard University.
Annotation:
Salomon (n.d.) examines an interesting and relevant question regarding the effects of the use of technology on human intelligence. He analyzes the effects in three separate ways: using the technology to increase human performance (effects with), what technology does to human cognition (effects of), how technology can reshape human intelligence (effects through). What was found is that the use of technology does not increase human intelligence but it does aid in the performance of the intelligence that human’s have. Technology works more like an assistant to the human that extends the cognitive ability through partnership, practice, and systemic transformation.
The articles strengths are in the way it breaks down the effects of technology into the three separate yet simple categories. Similarly it doesn’t make the claims overly broad or simplistic and instead uses empirical experimentation to synthesize theory and research findings to present clear ideas. The analysis lends credibility through an interdisciplinary approach that is more data-driven than theoretical and simple explanations that lend themselves to greater understanding of the analysis.
Salomon’s (n.d) research lends itself well to the current workforce and the field of study on educational research considering the focus on technology’s affect on people at work and in school. The information helps to understand the different ways technology can aid human’s use of existing knowledge but it also gives insight into how technology can increase the raw knowledge that humans have by taking the three distinct categories and applying them towards the intent of increase in intelligence rather than the use of it. The framework of with, of, and through technologies provides a valuable lens for analyzing how organizational tools (such as forecasting systems, AI-driven analytics, or communication platforms) not only support performance but may also leave lasting impacts on skills and even reshape organizational cognition over time. This perspective will inform my evolving research into the intersection of technology, human capability, and organizational intelligence.
The Difficulties of Educational Researchers
Citation
Labaree, D. F. (2003). The peculiar problems of preparing educational researchers. Educational Researcher, 32(4), 13–22.
Annotation
The article is part of a larger project in which Labaree (2003) reviews the American Educational system. This particular article explores the availability of educational researchers and the issues that they have seen in the recruitment and training of educational researchers. Labaree (2003) goes particularly into the dilemma of recruits that were teachers at one point and the struggle they seem to have when transitioning from the role of teacher to educational researcher. Also discussed are the difficulties of consistency and rigor in the field as the research is what is considered “soft'“ and “applied” so the application of theories in a broader sense are difficult to come by.
One strength of Labaree’s article is the clarity with which he synthesizes the historical and institutional context of education research, situating current dilemmas within long-standing legitimacy struggles. The difficulties related to cultural transitions from K-12 schools to what university education provide is an observation that stands out. From what I can gather, the only topic not talked about was the difference in teaching methods and circumstances surrounding pedogogy and androgogy which requires the educator to take on a different approach given the needs of the student in those difference phases of life. The article talked quite a bit about the need for educational research to be taken more seriously and supported by dominant societal groups to achieve that status.
This part of Labaree’s project was insightful and helps bring innovation to the learning and development in organizations. Similar to the teachers referenced in Labaree’s review, employees at all levels of education are shifting from their primary responsibility being absorbing information for several hours a day to completing tasks that many times has very little to do with the knowledge gained. Teachers shift from the model of implementing institutionism as provided by their employer, the K-12 schools, to researching how those methods may need to be revised and developing better ways to achieve the goal of learning. No tot mention the shift from pedogogy as the primary practice used to androgogy, which some learners in the workforce may not be emotional or mentally ready to transition to either.
Similar to what Labaree (2003) has uncovered, there are so many variables affecting educaitonal research to be measured that finding the right combination that delivers workable results is certainly a challenge.