Education
Ph.D., Instructional Systems & Technology, 1996
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of MinnesotaM.Ed., Curriculum and Instructional Systems, 1989
College of Education, University of MinnesotaTeacher' License, 1983
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of IcelandB.S., Geology, 1983
Faculty of Science, Department of Geology and Geography, University of Iceland
Work
University of Iceland - School of Education
(before July 2008 Iceland University of Education, Kennaraháskóli Íslands/KHI)
Assistant Professor, August 1997-1999
Program Director, ICT in education, August 1998-
Associate Professor December 1999 -Icelandic Educational Network
Research Project Leader, Jan. 1997 - Aug. 1997College of St. Catherine, Weekend College
Curriculum Planning Specialist, Spring 1996University of Minnesota, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Teacher Assistant, Fall 1993 - Spring 1994University of Minnesota, Department of Independent Study
Teacher Assistant, Fall 1992 - Spring 1993Kvennaskólinn í Reykjavík (Icelandic high school/junior college)
Teacher, Fall 1983 - Summer 1986
Publications (list does not include publications in Icelandic)
Guðmundsdóttir, G.B. & Jakobsdóttir, S. (Forthcoming). A digital divide: challenges and opportunites for learners and schools on each side. Nordic Voices: Teaching and researching comparative and international education in the Nordic countries (Eds. H. B. Hólmarsdóttir og M. O'Dowd. Rotterdam: SensePublishers.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2008). Role of campus sessions and f2f meetings in distance education. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning (2008/II).
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2008). Waltzing from needs and necessity to comfort and convenience: Online and distance learning at the upper secondary level. In Joseph Luca-og Edgar R. Weippl (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (pp. 129-134). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=28386.
Jakobsdóttir, S., Jónsson, S.F., Elfarsdóttir, T., & Jóhannesdóttir, S. (2007). Regatta for life and learning? Trends and blends in distance education at the secondary level in Iceland. In A. Gaskell & A. Tait (Eds.), The 12th Cambridge International Conference on Open and Distance Learning. What do we know about using new technologies for learning and teaching? A ten year perspective(collected conference papers and workshops on CD-ROM, ISBN 978-0-7492-1280-3) (pp. 153-160). Milton Keynes, UK: The Open University.
http://www2.open.ac.uk/r06/conference/CambridgeConferencePapers1.pdfJakobsdóttir, S. (2006). Up on a Straight Line? ICT Skill Development of Icelandic Students. In P. Kommers & G. Richards (Eds.), World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA) (pp. 67-74). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=22995.Jakobsdóttir, S., Gautadóttir, H., & Jóhannesdóttir, S. (2005). Life was bacalao - life is Internet. Should we develop a fishing culture mentality in schools? In A. M. Vilas, B. G. Pereira, J. M. González & J. A. M. González (Eds.), Recent Research Developments in Learning Techologies. III International Conference on Multimedia and ICTs in Education (mICTE2005). Caceres, Spain, June 7-10th 2005 (Vol. 3, pp. 1205-1210). Badajoz, Spain: Formatex.
http://www.formatex.org/micte2005/235.pdfJakobsdóttir, S. (2004). Distributed research in distributed education: How to combine research & teaching online. Netla - veftímarit um uppeldi og menntun 3 (2). http://netla.khi.is/greinar/2004/010/index.htm
Jakobsdóttir, S., Bára Mjöll Jónsdóttir og Torfi Hjartarson. (2004). Gender, ICT-related student skills, and the role of a school library in an Icelandic school. School Libraries Worldwide 10 (1-2), 52-72. Retrieved March 8 2006 from Proquest.
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Hjartarson, T. (2003). Information and communications technology (ICT) use among Icelandic students: Moving into the new milennium. In D. Lassner & C. McNaught (Eds.), World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA) (pp. 2841-2844). Honolulu: AACE.
Hjartarson, T. & Jakobsdóttir, S. (2003). LearnICT – ICT and Dynamics of Change in Icelandic Schools . World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA). In D. Lassner & C. McNaught (Eds.), World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA) (pp. 2821-2824). Honolulu: AACE.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2002). United we stand - divided we fall! Development of a learning community of teachers on the Net . Designing instruction for technology-enhanced learning (Ed. Patricia L. Rogers ), bls. 228-247 . Hershey, PA , Idea Group Publishing.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2001). Effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on teaching and learning in Iceland. Journal of IT for Teacher Education 10(1&2):87-100. http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=g739086626~db=all
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Jóhannsdóttir, T. (2001). Narrative Culture in a New Context: Constructing Collaboration with ICT in Teacher Education. In W. Winfield (Ed.), 17th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning - Conference Proceedings, (pp. 207-212). Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Waltz, C. F., Jakobsdóttir, S., Ramhöj, P., & Snæbjörnsdóttir, S. (2001). External assessment of: University of Akureyri, faculty of health sciences, nursing department and University of Iceland, faculty of nursing. http://www.mrn.stjr.is/media/MRN-pdf_Upplysingar-Mat_og_uttektir/hjukrunarmatskyrsla.pdf
Jakobsdóttir, S., Mýrdal,S., Ágústsson, H., & Kearney, N. A. (1998). Online distance learning environment and tools to create it. In S. Tella (Ed.), Aspects of media education: strategic imperatives in the information age, (pp. 343-358). Helsinki: University of Helsinki.Retrieved March 8 2006 from http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/media/mep8/islanti.pdf
Jakobsdóttir, S. (1997). Hvordan kan ligestilling mellem piger og drenge øges med hensyn til brug from computere i skolearbejdet? (translation: L. H. Andersen). Nytt om Data i Utbildningen, 1(IT och pedagogik), 33-39.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (1996). Elementary School Computer Culture: Gender and Age Differences in Student Reactions to Computer Use. Doctoral Thesis, University of Minnesota, 1996, MnU-D 96-184. (UMI No. 9632384). See also synopsis of thesis.
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Hooper, S. (1995). Computer-assisted Language Learning: Effects of Text, Context, and Gender on Listening Comprehension. Educational Technology Research and Development, 43(4), 43-59.
Jakobsdóttir, S., Krey, C.L., & Sales, G.C. (1994). Computer Graphics: Preferences by Gender in Grades 2, 4 and 6. Journal of Educational Research, 88, 91-100.
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Krey, C.L. (1993). Different Computer Graphics for Girls and Boys? Preliminary Design Guidelines. In M.R. Simonson, & K.L. Abu-Omar (Eds.) 1993 Proceedings of Selected Research Paper Presentations at the Annual Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, (pp. 407-414). New Orleans, LA: Iowa State University.
Current/recent projects
The role of campus-sessions and face-to-face meetings in distance education: questions of quality, community and access. Across the globe providers of education and training are adding online educational activities to regular classroom experiences. Or even replacing the latter with the former to increase flexibility regarding time and place of teaching and learning and to increase the access various groups have to education. However, sometimes the trend can be in the other direction: providers of distance and/or online education may seek to improve students’ experiences by offering campus-sessions or adding more face-to-face (f2f) meetings. But what is the role of f2f meetings in distance education? Teachers and administrators in distance education need guidance, e.g., in the matter whether and how to blend f2f-meetings with online learning. Why should f2f meetings or campus-sessions be provided and when, where, and how should those be organized? Data in relation to this topic has been collected among student groups and staff members at Iceland University of Education. A paper was written with the above title; which was published in EURODL at the end of 2008. Results from the above studies were presented at the DISTANS network meeting in Copenhagen May 22., 2008. A work group for the Iceland University of Education made recommendations regarding the organization of campus session and ways to reduce drop-out, based on the data.
Distance education (DE) policy for University of Iceland. In the summer and fall of 2007 I was a member of a project group of six staff members of Iceland University of Education (KHI) and University of Iceland. The universities merged in summer of 2008. The group had the task to collect data on the status of distance education in both universities and reccommend future policy and strategies for distance education for the joint university. A report was submitted in November 2007.
Blended learning at the upper secondary school level: the development of technical solutions and teaching methods. This research project has been supported by the the KHÍ research fund (2006, 2007, and 2008) and the fund for research and teaching assistance (2006). Three assistant researchers have been employed, two graduate students at KHÍ and one former graduate student. A paper on the study with the title Regatta for life and learning? Trends and blends in distance education at the secondary level in Iceland, was presented in Cambridge September 2007 and published in the conference proceedings. In the paper we report results of a study of distance and distributed education and the blend or mix of teaching methods and technical solutions that are being used in Iceland at the upper secondary school level. We attempt to map the fast changes occurring from the standpoint of administrators, teachers, and students. Administrators in all 29 high schools/junior colleges in Iceland were contacted in the fall of 2005 and again in the fall 2006 and interviewed and from six of those schools teachers and students were interviewed in spring 2007 revealing how they are experiencing the school blends and trends. Results from the study were presented at the EDMEDIA conference in Vienna 2008.
Internet addiction among school children in Iceland. I was co-adviser in the school year 2006 to 2007 for a master‘s student Sigríður Huld Konráðsdóttir, at University of Iceland who was writing her thesis on this topic. As I was teaching during the spring session in a graduate course on net-based teaching and learning it was decided that Sigríður and I invited that student group (also practicing teachers) to assist in the her study be collecting data in several schools across the country. As a result Sigríður had data from about 460 students from four areas instead of 200 from one area. The graduate students analyzed data from their schools and wrote separate research reports submitted for a grade in the course. I have used this research method before, and written an article where I use the term distributed research for it.
Computer culture in Icelandic schools; computer and Internet use of children and adolescents, and teachers in Iceland. From the year 1998 I have been collecting data with help of graduate students, both quantitate (in 1998, 2002, and 2004, 2008) and qualitative in 2000-2005 on computer and Internet use of Icelandic students, their computer-related attitudes and skills; Also in 1997 and 2005 on Internet use of Icelandic teachers. Many of these projects have been funded and I have given several presentions and published findings from those studies. I anticipate that more research related to these studies will be done in the future. An overview of some of the studies can be found at http://soljak.khi.is/computerculture.
Involvement in R&D and/or Colloborative Projects
ICT competences and computer culture. In 2008, there has been collaboration with Gréta Guðmundsóttir at University of Oslo who has done studies on ICT use in South African classrooms. There has been collaboration with partners from University of Minnesota on funding applications.
IKT og skoler i spredtbygde strøk i Norden (ICT and schools in rural regions in the Nordic countries). 2005-2006. Funded by Nordplus. Partners from: Norway, Finland, Iceland, Sweden.
Bemidji State University (BSU). Collaborative project: design, development and teaching of an introduction course on distance education. Funded by Minnesota State Universities and Colleges. Course co-taught summersession 2002-2006 in BSU and KHI. Partners from Minnesota, USA and Iceland. In 2008 there was similar collaboration (paralell teaching) between Iceland University of Education and Athabasca University in Canada.
NámUST (LearnICT). Computer Culture of Icelandic Schools. 2002-2005. Funded by the Icelandic Research Council. http://namust.khi.is. Partners from Iceland University of Education, University of Akureyri and Reykjavik University.
NETNOT (Internet Use of Icelandic Children). 2001-2005. Funded by the Icelandic Research Council. http://www.netnot.is. Iceland University of Education.
NETLA (Development of an online journal on education, http://netla.khi.is). Funded by the Student Innovation Fund and KHI. Iceland University of Education.
EUN - European Schoolnet, Professional Development of Teachers: Integrating ICT in Education. 1998-2000. Funded by the EU Multimedia Joint Fund. http://soljak.khi.is/eun. Partners from UK, Iceland, Italy, and Portugal.
CEEWIT. Communications, Education, and Employment for Women through Information Technology. 1998-2001. Funded by EU Leonardo. http://www.ismennt.is/vefir/ceewit/ire/ceewitweb/. Partners from Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Slovakia.
APPLAUD. A Programme for Peopel to Learn at a University Level at a Distance. 1997-1998. Funded by EU Sokrates. http://www.ismennt.is/vefir/applaud. Partners from Finland, Austria, France, Iceland, Ireland, and UK.
Conferences and presentations (in English)
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2008). Role of campus sessions and f2f meetings in distance education. 22.5.2008 á DISTANS Online support for learning, Copenhagen. http://distans.wetpaint.com/page/Organisation+of+learning?t=anon
Jakobsdóttir,S. (2008). Waltzing from needs and necessity to comfort and convenience: Online and distance learning at the upper secondary level. Presented 2.7.2008 at ED-MEDIA, Vienna.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (September 2007). Regatta for life and learning? Trends and blends in distance education at the secondary level in Iceland. Paper presented at the The 12th Cambridge International Conference on Open and Distance Learning Cambridge. http://www2.open.ac.uk/r06/conference/CambridgeConferencePapers1.pdf
Jakobsdottir, S. (June, 2006). Up on a straight line? ICT-related skill development of Icelandic students. Paper presented at the Edmedia - World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications, Orlando.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2005). ICT in Icelandic schools. Presentation 12.4.2005 at a conference organized by the Institute of Regional Development, Reykjavík.
http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/ICTIceland05/index.htmlJakobsdóttir, S. (2004). Distributed research in distributed education. Presentation 13.11.2004 Power of Onlline Learning, 10th Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks, Orlando. http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/orlando04.ppt
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2004). Distributed research by and for teachers and teacher educators. Presentation 12.3.2004 NERA (Nordic Educational Research Association), Reykjavík. http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/nera04.ppt
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2003). Students voices: on ICT in schools and online experiences. Presentation 14.11.2003 ITDG (Information technology, transnational democracy and gender) conference, Luleå, Sweden.
http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/gendertechno03.pptJakobsdóttir, S. (2003). Computer and Internet Use among Icelandic Children and Adolescents. Poster 1.7.2003 NECC, Seattle.
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Hjartarson, T. (2003). Information and communications technology (ICT) use among Icelandic students: Moving into the new milennium. Presentation 27.6.2003 ED-MEDIA, Honolulu. http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/edmedia3.ppt
Jakobsdóttir, S., Gautadóttir, H. & Jóhannesdóttir, S. (2003). Internet use of Icelandic students 2001-3: a qualitative glimpse. Presentation 13.9.2003 BERA (British Educational Research Association), Edinburgh. http://soljak.khi.is/netnot/nidurstodur/bera_sept03/bera.ppt
Jakobsdóttir, S. og Jóhannsdóttir, T. (2001). Narrative Culture in a New Context: Constructing Collaboration with ICT in Teacher Education. Presentation 9.8.2001 17th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Madison, USA.
http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/narrative.pptMatthíasdóttir, Á. & Jakobsdóttir, S. (2000). EUN - The European Schoolnet: Development and Use in European Education. Presentation 9.6.2000 Interface2000 - Learning Technologies: Practice & Promise, Edmonton, Kanada.
http://soljak.khi.is/erindi/canadaJakobdóttir, S. (2000). Effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on teaching and learning in Iceland. Presentation 6.1.2000 ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) Seminar, Keele University, Keele, UK.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2000). Computer culture in Icelandic schools: Need to promote gender-related equity. Presentation 18.9.2000 EUN Multimedia Schoolnet - European Workshop II , Keele, UK. http://soljak.khi.is/eun/ictgenderkeele.ppt
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2000). Workpackage 16 - task 1 . Presentation 18.2.2000 EUN Multimedia Schoolnet - European Workshop I, Lissabon, Portugal.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2000). ICT in Icelandic education. Presentation 25.10.2000 Conference organized by the UNESCO committee IITE (Institute for information technologies in education), Prag.
Jakobsdóttir, S. (2000). Action research to promote ICT in teacher education. Presentation 17.9.2000 EUN Multimedia Schoolnet - European Workshop II, Keele, UK.
http://soljak.khi.is/eun/keeleactionresearch.pptDenning, T.,Jakobsdóttir, S., Jóhannsdóttir, T., Chagas, I., Gobbo, C., & Anna Kristjánsdóttir. (1999). EUN – Workpackage 16: Professional development of teachers: Integrating ICT in education. Presentation 14.6.1999 IFIP – ComNED99 - Communications and Networking in Education. Learning in Networked Society, Hämeenlinna, Finnland. 14.4.2002
Jakobsdóttir, S. (1997). Elementary School Computer Culture: Gender and Age Differences in Student Reactions to Computers. Presentation February 1997 AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology), Albuquerque, NM.
http://soljak.khi.is/thesisvef/synopsis.htmJakobsdóttir, S. (1996). One computer - one child: Isolation or opportunity for interaction . Presentation February 1996 AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology), Indianapolis, IN. 5.7.2002
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Hooper, S. (1995). Computer-assisted Language Learning: Effects of Text, Context, and Gender on Listening Comprehension. Presentation February 1995 AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology), Anaheim, CA.
Jakobsdóttir, S., Krey, C.L., & Sales, G.S. (1994). Computer Graphics: Preferences by Gender in Grades 2, 4 and 6 . Presentation February 1994 AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology), Nashville, TN.
Jakobsdóttir, S. & Krey, C.L. (1993). Different Computer Graphics for Girls and Boys? Preliminary Design Guidelines. Presentation January 1993 AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology), New Orleans, LA.
Awards, grants and recognitions
The Icelandic Research Council (RANNÍS), research grants, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
Iceland University of Education (KHÍ), research grants, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008
The Icelandic Student Innovation Fund, project grants, 1997 - 2001
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), ECT Qualitative Research Award, 1997.
University of Iceland, Center for Feminist Studies, Research Grant, 1993.
University of Minnesota, Summer Research Award, 1993
Travel Awards from the University of Minnesota 1993- 1996, and University College of Education in Iceland in 1997.
Val Bjornson fellowship at the University of Minnesota 1991-1992.