Dr. Sinclaire has article published in online journal
Dr. Jollean K. Sinclaire, Computer and Information Technology, recently had an article, “Does Relational Communication Training Improve Student Satisfaction with Web-Assisted Courses?” published. It appears in the spring 2010 issue of the MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching (JOLT), a peer-reviewed online publication addressing the scholarly use of multimedia resources in education. Her co-authors were Dr. Judith C. Simon, Dr. Charles J. Campbell, and Dr. Ronald B. Wilkes, all of theUniversity of Memphis. The study explored factors affecting differences in student satisfaction between a traditional classroom environment and a Web-assisted (online) course environment. Specifically, the objective of this study was to determine whether relational communication training can positively influence student satisfaction. Although it was hypothesized that students in the traditional learning environment would report a higher level of satisfaction with the course than students in the online learning environment, this hypothesis was not supported. Instead, the significant main effect for learning environment and course satisfaction was in the opposite direction: students in the Web-assisted group reported a higher level of satisfaction with the course. Findings will help guide the development of course management practices for Web-assisted (online) courses. Dr. Sinclaire will present this article at the ITTC annual Online and Distance Education Regional Conference that will take place on Friday, April 9. 

ITTC, or Interactive Teaching and Technology Center, was created at ASU to provide helpful tips and hints for the faculty who teach in the online arena.

Josh Slone, Coal Town  at Bluegrass Monday March 22
Josh Slone and Coal Town will perform a concert of bluegrass music on Monday, March 22, at 7 p.m. at Atkins Celebration Hall, 101 South Pruett Street,  Paragould. The concert is part of the Bluegrass Monday concert series presented by KASU 91.9 FM. Admission is free, but KASU will pass the hat to collect money to pay the group. The suggested donation is $5 per person. Coming from the small rural towns of eastern Kentucky and southwest Virginia, the members of Coal Town take pride in their roots, and that pride is demonstrated in their music. Their original songs reflect the sometimes difficult life of rural coal miners as well as the joys of country living. They cite the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe and Larry Sparks as musical influences. Coal Town released their first self-produced CD in 2009, and their debut release for the Rural Rhythm record label will be released later in 2010. The band will be touring to 14 states and into Canada this year, and their appearance in the Bluegrass Monday concert series will be their first concert ever in Arkansas. For details, contact Marty Scarbrough, KASU program director, at ext. 2367.

Dr. Pearce's students present research at conference
Grant Cagle, pre-professional biology major, and Alexis Taylor, psychology major, recently presented their research, “Voluntary Oral Nicotine Intake of a Concentrated Solution: A Continuation of the Multiple Bottle Effect,” at the Mid-South Psychology Conference in Memphis. Their presentation also won first place in the undergraduate paper competition. The Mid-South Psychology Conference is held each spring at either the University of Memphis, Lambuth University, or Christian Brothers University. Students from Tennessee and surrounding states are invited to present original research and attend sessions on current topics on psychology. The purpose of the conference is to provide undergraduate psychology students with a friendly and professional outlet to present original research. Students who attend and present at the conference receive feedback from peers, professors, and judges who rate students based upon their research project and conference presentation. Cagle and Taylor are undergraduate student researchers in the lab of Dr. Amy Pearce, Psychology and Counseling, at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute.

Psychology students to present research at convention
Five psychology students were selected to present their research at the 2010 Association for Psychological Science Annual Convention in Boston on May 27-30. The Association for Psychological Science (APS) showcases quality research in scientific psychology. Anthony Eldridge and John Hogue will present their research on “Perspective Relativity of Evaluation of Performance (PREP Theory): An Empirical Test,” and Elise Eubank, Brandy Riggan, and Elizabeth Snow will present “Pregnancy Increases Voluntary Self-Administration of Nicotine in Rats.” Eldridge and Hogue are undergraduate research students under Dr. Josie Welsh and Dr. Kris Biondolillo in the department of psychology and counseling. Eubank, Riggan, and Snow worked on their collaborative project under the supervision of Dr. Biondolillo and Dr. David Saarnio.

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