Robin Holding Kay

Ontario Tech University | UOIT · Faculty of Education

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

This paper provides a review of the literature from 2009 to 2014 on student use of technology in early childhood education. Previous efforts to synthesize the literature are somewhat dated, non-specific about age range, and focus almost exclusively on literacy. Thirty peer-reviewed articles from 11 countries, selected from a comprehensive search of...

The purpose of this study was to compare community college students’ learning experiences and performance for lecture-based, active learning, and flipped classroom teaching approaches. Participants were second-semester computer programming students (n = 103) at a mid-sized college of applied arts and technology. Garrison’s (2011) Community of Inqui...

The purpose of this article was to provide a comprehensive review of research on video podcasts from 2002 to 2011 in order to guide future studies and educational practice. Fifty-three, peer-reviewed articles were selected from an extensive search of the literature. Key topics included the history and growth of video podcasts, types of podcasts, pr...

The purpose of the following study was to develop a comprehensive, theory-based framework for creating instructional video podcasts designed to present worked examples. Sixteen design characteristics, organized according to four categories (establishing context, providing effective explanations, minimizing cognitive load, and engaging students), we...

A thorough review of research on integrating technology into early years programs has yet to be undertaken. This literature review examines peer-reviewed publications from 2016 to 2024, focusing on the benefits, challenges, and effectiveness of using technology with children aged 3-5. The review identified five key benefits: developing early digita...

This study seeks to determine if effective practices for the formative process of asynchronous online discussions apply to online peer-assessment. The proposed benefits of online asynchronous discussions in higher education relate to deeper learning, exposure to unique perspectives of a subject, and increased communication and community. However, t...

In this paper, we propose a three-step conceptual framework for including movement snacks into the lives of university educators and students. The increasing presence of online teaching and learning affords numerous benefits, such as the hours we save commuting to the institution, between classes, offices, and gathering areas. However, it has also...

Over the past decade, online learning enrolment in higher education has risen by 4% annually. The COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021 further accelerated this growth, making online learning a permanent fixture in many institutions. However, rapid growth does not always lead to high-quality learning experiences, highlighting the need for evidence-ba...

Have you ever been curious about how we think and learn? It is a timeless question that led to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) through science and engineering research following World War II. However, it was not until the emergent access to and increased usability of AI in 2022 that the technology now permeates the general public co...

In the rapidly evolving landscape of art and technology, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a transformative force, challenging traditional paradigms of creativity and artistic expression. This presentation delves into the dynamic intersection of AI and the visual arts, exploring how educators can harness AI tools to enrich art education and f...

Following a fully online conference for K-12 educators and administrators, this text-based companion focuses on five key areas: AI Literacy, AI Tools, Ethical Issues, Key Subject Areas, and Teaching and Learning.

In this rapid systematic review of the social annotation platform Perusall, we sought to provide an overview of the context, benefits, and challenges of use in higher education. Traditionally, course readings and asynchronous videos are solitary passive learning experiences. Social annotation technologies afford students the ability to actively eng...

Perusall is a social annotation tool that engages students in digital course materials. The system facilitates student interaction via posts of questions, responses, and comments on the video, written materials, and audio sources. The platform was created to increase student interaction with course readings and course-specific materials. This paper...

Building community and connection in online courses can be challenging. Discord, a mobile and desktop app popular with gamers, is explicitly designed to stimulate discussion, conversations, and community. This paper explored student perceptions of the benefits and challenges of using Discord in two upper-year, undergraduate, online social science c...

In 2020, Canadian higher education institutions shifted to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many instructors were unfamiliar with online teaching, this transition resulted in widespread innovation in the use of digital technologies and pedagogical practices. This research study focused on the significant impact of the shift to on...

Objectives: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) provides opportunities to learn within a nonphysical, digital world. The purpose of this critical review was to examine published systematic reviews regarding the benefits and challenges of IVR in higher education to inform best practices. Method: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of...

Canadian higher education institutions closed physical campuses in early 2020. It transitioned to online teaching and student service delivery because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many faculty members and institutions unfamiliar with online teaching, this transition meant widespread innovation in digital technologies and pedagogical practices. Whi...

Canadian higher education institutions closed physical campuses in early 2020. It transitioned to online teaching and student service delivery because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many faculty members and institutions unfamiliar with online teaching, this transition meant widespread innovation in digital technologies and pedagogical practices. Whi...

The ability to communicate is critical for enhancing the learning experience. Integrated messaging applications, such as Discord, are critical with the increased diffusion of digitally mediated courses. The Discord application allows educators and students to readily communicate learning experiences within asynchronous and synchronous environments...

In this introduction, guest editors Dr. Sharon Lauricella and Dr. Robin Kay summarize the articles featured in this special issue of the Journal of Digital Life and Learning.

Smartwatches and other miniaturized wearable devices are continuously evolving and are being used to capture and analyze the body data of young students. The body data being captured includes physical location and body movement, heart rate, stress and arousal, as well as academic emotions. With this information teachers are incorporating student-ge...

Many theorists suggest that emotions and learning are highly interconnected, however, research on the impact of emotions is limited. This study explored the emotions of 220 pre-service teachers while they learned new technology tools and the relationship of these emotions with technology experience and preferred learning strategies. Happiness was m...

We conducted a systematic review to investigate the effect of implementing flipped classroom designs on academic performance, student satisfaction and self-efficacy in undergraduate health science disciplines. Blended learning approaches, including the flipped classroom, have been increasingly implemented in higher education. To date, studies exam...

Background Clinical care pathways may be useful tools to improve the quality of healthcare by facilitating the translation of evidence into practice. Our study is situated within a larger project, whereby end-users co-developed a care pathway for the management of shoulder pain. In this study, we explored end-user perceptions of the usefulness and...

The use of video feedback in face-to-face, blended, and online learning classes has increased markedly since 2014. However, the use of this form of feedback is not well understood. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review of how higher education instructors perceive video-based feedback. We analyzed 39 peer-reviewed articles from...

The purpose of this article was to provide a comprehensive review of research on the quality of student feedback from post-secondary institutions using online course evaluations versus traditional paper-pencil methods. Nineteen peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 to 2020 were examined for changes to course evaluations following a transition...

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

We maintain that strong social, cognitive and teaching presence are critical to the success of an online course (Garrison, 2011). We also assert that deep learning, focusing on citizenship, character, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking is essential for optimal online teaching and learning experience (Fullan, 2013). Howev...

In today’s online and blended classrooms, video use is essential for student and teacher success (Heilesen, 2010; Kay, 2012, 2014a). Using video has been proven to increase student engagement (Lowenthal et al., 2020), enhance instructor visibility (Martin & Bollinger, 2018), and improve student learning in online contexts (Hsin & Cigas, 2013). Usin...

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

I have read many books and articles on online learning, and few explicitly address guidelines to help instructors new to teaching in this medium (Boettcher & Conrad, 2016). When I first started teaching online in 2009, even though I had over ten years of teaching experience, I felt like a first-year teacher: anxious, vulnerable, and a bit lost. I r...

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

Effective feedback provides more than information on whether a student is right or wrong; it gives them clear directions about how their performance or knowledge aligns with assignment expectations (Feldman, 2019). Good feedback will also provide students with information on adjusting or changing their work to achieve success (Talbert, 2015). For l...

I believe that the heart and soul of online teaching and learning rest in selecting high-quality, engaging synchronous activities. A poorly organized activity or the passive presentation of knowledge can quickly derail focus and success in a virtual classroom. On the other hand, a carefully crafted, collaborative, focused set of activities can tran...

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and as...

Peer-assessment is an active form of socially mediated learning that can enhance student metacognitive abilities. Previous research has confirmed the value of peer-assessment in education; however, comprehensive reviews for peer-assessment in online higher education environments are limited. The purpose of the paper, then, was to conduct a systemat...

Blended learning approaches, including the flipped classroom, have been increasingly implemented in higher education. Previous studies examining the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in health sciences programs have reported mixed findings. We conducted this systematic review to investigate the effect of implementing flipped classroom on acade...

Researchers have focused broadly on self-assessment, but not in online higher education environments. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the use of self-assessment in online learning for higher education. We systematically reviewed 34 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2021 using the PRI...

The impact of emotions on learning with technology has been largely overlooked, with the exception of anxiety ([1],[2],[3]). The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship among a broader range of emotions (happiness, anger, anxiety, and sadness), strategies for learning new technology, and nine technology skills. Two hundred twen...

Numerous studies have explored the effectiveness of a flipped classroom intervention on academic performance and student satisfaction in undergraduate education; yet, few studies have documented flipped classroom design elements. We sought to explore flipped classroom designs, including pre- and in-class activities, in undergraduate health science...

Background End-user involvement in developing evidence-based tools for clinical practice may result in increased uptake and improved patient outcomes. Understanding end-user experiences and perceptions about the co-production of knowledge is useful to further the science of integrated knowledge translation (iKT) – a strategy for accelerating the up...

In this commentary, we look at digital technology use in teacher education and practice, theoretical foundations, definitions, and digital competence frameworks in an educational context. With rapid changes in the domain of technology classroom teaching, teachers need to learn and adapt quickly. We argue that a more comprehensive approach to unders...

Wearable technologies such as smartwatches, smart clothing, smart glasses, fitness trackers, and brain senor headbands are wireless body sensors designed to record physiological and physical data. Since 2015, their use has increased in K-12 classrooms, but a comprehensive investigation of student impact has yet to be conducted. A coherent, big pict...

This study provides a systematic review of the research on higher education students' perceptions of the benefits and challenges of video-based feedback. Fifty-eight peer-reviewed articles from 2009-2019 were selected using the PRISMA framework and analyzed employing a constant comparative method. Overall, students preferred video-based over text-b...

Colleges and universities are grappling with supporting underprepared students in mathematics. While research examines the demographics of students and the effects of changing the number of preparatory courses, few studies examine the impact of pedagogical practices on student outcomes. This study investigated the effect of an alternative pedagogy,...

Over the past five years, the use of wearable technologies has increased markedly in K-12 classrooms. While clear benefits of using wearable technologies have been observed for both students and teachers, a number of practical issues have also been noted that ultimately might undermine their use. In this literature review, we conducted a systematic...

Feedback is essential for learning and identifies perceived gaps between students’ observed performance and desired outcomes. In higher education, feedback is often text-based, despite significant advances in the ease of recording and distributing video in digital learning environments. While recent studies have investigated student and instructor...

Feedback is an integral component of learning and attempts to provide students with information about a perceived gap between their performance and desired outcomes. The standard format, particularly in higher education, is text-based feedback, despite significant advances in the ease of recording and distributing video-based feedback in digital le...

Since 2015, wearable technologies have increasingly been used in K-12 classrooms, however, the impact on students has not been examined in detail. This paper explores the benefits and challenges of using wearable technologies for K-12 students using a systematic review of the literature. Using the PRISMA approach in conjunction with a thematic narr...

Most K-12 teachers have a solid grasp of effective pedagogy and the teaching and learning strategies needed to succeed in the classroom. Translating those strategies into a blended or online format can be challenging, especially in the beginning. With a focus on pedagogy first, this chapter provides practical suggestions and resources to help teach...

This chapter focuses on 11 key areas of teaching and learning online for Higher Education instructors. The intent is to provide effective strategies to shift to and thrive in online learning environments. The areas covered include a description of the learning framework, video creation tips, learning outcomes and assessment, pre-course ideas, techn...

Objective To develop an online, interactive educational tool to deliver an evidence-based clinical practice guideline to faculty members at a Canadian chiropractic college. Second, to evaluate the learning, design, and engagement constructs of the tool in a sample of chiropractic faculty members. Methods Using an integrated knowledge translation m...

One of the primary skills required by mathematics teachers is the ability to provide effective explanations to their students. Using Kay's (2014) theory-based framework for creating instructional videos, this study explored the quality and growth of explanations embedded in mathematical instructional videos created by 37 pre-service teachers (femal...

Objective: To describe the best evidence on the effectiveness of technology-based learning tools designed to improve knowledge of health care providers about clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Methods: We conducted a systematic review, searching MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL from inception to July 2018. Included studies investigated the effectiv...

Many studies have examined the use of mobile apps in K-12 classrooms, however, a detailed analysis of factors that might influence the effectiveness of learning performance has yet to be conducted. The purpose of this study was to assess student and teacher-based factors that could influence learning performance with mobile apps. A total of 722 stu...

Effective, timely feedback is a critical part of learning and can increase understanding and future learning performance. The standard format of feedback in digital environments is text-based, however, the use of video-based feedback has risen recently, particularly in online environments. The viability, sustainability and effectiveness of video fe...

This review explores the benefits and challenges of using wearable technologies for teachers in K-12 learning environments. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PRISMA framework in conjunction with a thematic narrative analysis. Fifty-two peer-reviewed articles from 2003 to 2019 were examined. The benefits of using wearable...

Limited research exists on how social media can support students in K-12 environments. This narrative inquiry study focused on the Ontario Educational Student Chat (ONedSschat) to explore the extent to which students, who were part of the organizing and leadership team, developed digital citizenship, digital literacies, and student voice. Data exam...

Gender differences in preferred learning strategies for learning new software could indirectly and negatively influence the successful integration of technology in the classroom by preservice teachers. In this study, we compared four learning strategies (collaboration, authentic tasks, formal instruction, exploratory learning) between male (n=25) a...

Limited research has been conducted on the use of mathematics apps in elementary school environments. The purpose of this study was to examine student (n = 127) and teacher (n = 6) attitudes toward the use of constructive-based, mathematics apps in Grades 4-6 and to explore what factors influence learning performance. Students rated the design and...

This paper contributes a broad mapping of how discreet wearable technologies are used in K-12 contexts. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PRISMA framework in conjunction with a thematic narrative analysis. A total of 52 peer-reviewed articles from 2003 to 2019 were examined. Five key categories were used to organize the...

Many colleges and universities struggle to support underprepared first-year mathematics students [1]. A flipped classroom model is a promising approach to address at-risk, higher education mathematics students because it allows for increased interaction and support within the classroom after students have viewed instructional videos at home. Howeve...

Considerable research has been conducted in the domain of K-12 online learning, however, a limited number of studies have been conducted on the quality learning using this format and best practices [1, 2]. While standards have been created for developing online learning environments [3], no formally developed, evidence-based, reliable and valid sca...

Many colleges and universities are challenged to support students who are at-risk of failing mandatory mathematics courses [1]. The use of video-podcasts is a promising strategy for providing support, particularly within a flipped-classroom environment [2]. However, limited research has been conducted on how to design effective video podcasts to su...

As of 2017, an estimated 750,000 apps were available in the domain of education. Consequently, teachers have a monumental task in evaluating and selecting effective educational apps to be used in their classrooms. A number of studies have proposed, discussed and examined frameworks or classification schemes for evaluating mobile apps, but to date,...

The use of video feedback is relatively new. Reported benefits include improved personal connection, increased focus, and improved learning. However, limited research has been conducted on exploring student and teacher perceptions of written and video feedback in pre-service teacher education. The purpose of this study was to compare written and vi...

A review of the research [1] suggests that limited evaluation has been conducted on how pre-service teachers learn how to use technology. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare four learning strategies used by these teachers to acquire technology-related skills within an eight-month teacher education program. One hundred forty-three (...

One of the primary skills required by secondary school mathematics teachers is to provide effective explanations to their students. Using Kay’s (2014) theory-based framework for creating instructional video podcasts, this study explored the quality of explanations embedded in mathematical instructional videos created by 37 pre-service teachers (fem...

Student response systems (SRSs) allow students to answer digitally displayed questions and receive immediate feedback. While considerable research has been conducted on the use of SRSs in higher education (e.g., Chien et al., 2016; Kay & LeSage, 2009; Keough, 2012), limited research has focused on elementary school classrooms. The purpose of the st...

Current research indicates that grit, growth mindset, hardiness and resilience are psychological constructs beneficial to learning [1,2,3]. Furthermore, success in online learning may be mediated by various concepts related to the characteristics of individual learners, thereby affecting how individuals approach the online learning experience, and...

This paper describes a pilot study of online graduate students' responses to a pedagogical strategy for developing social presence in synchronous online graduate courses. This work is grounded in current research on the impact of social presence in the development of interactive, creative online communities. The article describes a teaching strateg...

The majority of research on flipped learning has focused on higher education. The purpose of the current study was to compare flipped and traditional approaches to teaching chemistry in secondary school classrooms. Attitudes and learning performance were assessed for 50 grade 11 students (21 male, 29 female) participating in two flipped and two tra...

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs are becoming increasingly popular in secondary school environments (Delgado et al., 2015; Johnson et al., 2014), however, limited research has been conducted on the impact of BYOD learning environments. There has, however, been extensive research on one-to-one (OTO) programs, where schools provide devices for s...

Preservice teachers need to develop a wide range of skills and knowledge including awareness of learners, understanding curriculum content and goals, subject matter skills, pedagogical knowledge, and how to interact in diverse, complex classroom environments (Cohen, Hoz & Kaplan; Darling-Hammond, 2006). Student-response systems (SRSs) allow teacher...

Based on over 150 meta-analyses, technology has proven to have a significant impact on education with an effect size of 0.34 [1]. If we assume that meaningful use of technology can have a significant and positive impact on student learning, teacher education is a reasonable place to start with respect to integrating technology into the classroom [2...

Student response systems (SRSs), also known as audience response systems, classroom response systems and clickers, allow students to answer electronically displayed questions. SRSs can be hardware (e.g., physical device) or software-based (e.g., mobile apps). Typically, all responses are instantly presented, in chart form, then reviewed and discuss...

The flipped classroom reverses the typical sequence of listening to an in-class lecture in class followed by completing assigned work at home, to an approach where students watch video lectures online before class, then participate in problem-solving and application-based exercises in class with the instructor acting as a guide. Previous literature...

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teacher-related factors (attitudes, demographics, lesson plan purpose, and strategies) on student learning performance with mathematics apps in elementary school classrooms. Eighteen teachers (8 male, 10 female) and 408 students from grades 4 to 8 participated in the study. Ten unique constr...

In 2017, the projected number of educational mobile apps available was estimated at 750,000 making the selection process incredibly challenging for educators. The purpose of this paper was to develop a coherent model for selecting and guiding the use of mobile apps. An emergent content analysis was conducted on 11 previous classification schemes to...

Limited research has been conducted on teacher-related factors that influence student learning performance after using STEM-based mobile apps. The purpose of this study was to examine a wide range of teacher-based factors that might influence student learning performance including teacher attitudes, preparation and implementation strategies, and de...

Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) programs in many Ontario colleges offer adult learners who have low literacy and basic skills with opportunities to improve their employment skills as well as results on prerequisite courses for entrance into post-secondary education. LBS students encounter many challenges and require extra interpersonal instructiona...

This is a collection of books that I have read over the past 5-10 years that I believe would be particularly useful, practical, and accessible to new (and experienced) teachers. Many are relatively short but impactful. All are based on sound evidence and research

A number of studies have examined the use of STEM-based mobile apps for elementary school students, however, a comprehensive analysis of factors that might contribute to individual differences in effectiveness has yet to be conducted. The purpose of this study was to investigate individual differences in student learning performance after using STE...

Extensive research has been conducted on evaluating the quality of asynchronous online learning. However, limited research has focused on assessing the effectiveness synchronous or virtual classrooms. The purpose of the study was to develop a metric to evaluate the quality of virtual learning environments in higher education. Data were collected fo...

Global initiatives have directed education to emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this study was to assess elementary school teacher attitudes and behaviours with respect to using STEM-based apps in the classroom. This mixed-methods study involved 34 teacher-participants (14 males, 20 females) integrati...

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that influence participation in virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) within the domain of healthcare education. A year-long, content analysis of 11 simulation-based healthcare education VCoPs was used to examine the frequency of participation. LinkedIn had poor user engagement compared to independ...

Previous research on the use of apps in elementary school classrooms has employed general measures of attitude and learning performance to assess overall tablet use. This study uses a reliable, validated metric for attitude and content-based learning performance measures based on Bloom's revised taxonomy (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) to examine th...

A short video on best practices for teaching in virtual classrooms.

This file provides clear examples for each of the 8 mobile app categories - Descriptions, reviews, format and educational level are listed for each app example.