bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital technology and the culture of teaching and learning in higher education
Authors: Lai Kwok-Wing
Published: April 2016

This paper discusses how the use of digital technologies may support a shift of cultural practices in teaching and learning, to better meet the needs of 21st century higher education learners. A brief discussion of the changing needs of the learners is provided, followed by a review of the overall impact of digital technologies on teaching and learning. In the final section we suggest how digital technologies may provide a more active and flexible learning experience by adopting a participatory pedagogical approach and by blending formal learning with informal learning.
A study on the adoption of clickers in higher education
Authors: Laxman Kumar
Published: April 2016

Audience response systems or 'clickers' are being used widely in both large and small educational settings. Clickers leverage upon a number of technological affordances to allow for adaptive and flexible learning to be accomplished. To promote active learning in its classrooms, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore rolled out a campus-wide initiative called "Learning that Clicks!" on using the interactive technology of clickers. This initiative will enable the necessary transformation of pedagogy and learning design to support the epistemological paradigm shift of becoming more student-centric in nature. This preliminary study attempted to investigate the experiences of undergraduate students in learning in clicker-supported instructional environments. A survey consisting of nine items was administered to 640 students from 12 classes in the Engineering, Humanities and Sciences schools to solicit their views on the effectiveness of clicker technology as an instructional device. Generally, students felt that the use of clickers has improved the quality of their learning experiences. Overall, this study reveals that clicker technology offers great promise in promoting more collaborative and engaging learning environments and innovating instructional delivery, provided lecturers apply sound pedagogical principles in their teaching.
Design and evaluation of two blended learning approaches: Lessons learned
Authors: Cheung Wing Sum , Hew Khe Foon
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we share two blended learning approaches used at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. We have been using these two approaches in the last twelve years in many courses ranging from the diploma to graduate programs. For the first blended learning approach, we integrated one asynchronous communication tool with face to face tutorials, classroom discussions, and a reflection session. For the second blended learning approach, we integrated two asynchronous tools with face to face tutorials in a course. We discuss the theoretical foundation of the two blended learning approaches. In addition, we share insights from these two blended learning approaches, based on the students' data (online postings, questionnaires, reflection logs, and interviews), as well as our own reflections. Finally, we describe and discuss several important lessons learned that could inform the design of future instructional strategies in implementing blended learning in university teaching and learning settings.
Enhancing the sense of community and learning experience using self-paced instruction and peer tutoring in a computer-laboratory course
Authors: Buraphadeja Vasa , Kumnuanta Jirang
Published: April 2016

In its second decade of education reform and its third cycle of national ICT master plans, Thailand struggles to transform its aspirations into practice. This paper chronicles three decades of Thailand's ICT national plans and their relation to education reform. It also discusses the effect of global trends, Asian cultures, and Thai cultures on teaching and learning in higher education. After discussion of existing literature on technology integration in Thailand higher education, this study proposes alternative classroom instructional strategies in a large computer laboratory course, using self-paced learning and peer tutoring. The strategies are grounded in constructivist learning theory which can foster a sense of classroom community, and thereby promote learning. The Classroom Sense of Community Indexwas utilised to measure student perceptions of classroom connectedness, learning, and community in traditional and alternative instructional approaches. Results indicated significant differences in two indices: connectedness and community. Although there was no significant difference in the learning index between the two groups, descriptively the scores were higher for the alternative instructional approaches group. The results imply that the proposed instructional choices have the potential to foster a sense of community and support learning.
Evaluation of user acceptance of mixed reality technology
Authors: Rasimah Che Mohd Yusoff , Ahmad Azlina , Zaman Halimah Badioze
Published: April 2016

This study investigates users' perception and acceptance of mixed reality (MR) technology. Acceptance of new information technologies has been important research area since 1990s. It is important to understand the reasons why people accept information technologies, as this can help to improve design, evaluation and prediction how users will respond to a new technology. MR is one of the potential technologies that has gained attention in recent time, offering a unique environment as it combines real and virtual objects, interactive in real time and registered in three dimensions. This paper discusses a study into users' acceptance of a mixed reality prototype, named Mixed Reality Regenerative Concept (MRRC). MRRC was developed using mixed reality technology to provide Biomedical Science students with exposure to regenerative concepts and tissue engineering processes. MRRC integrates situated learning as the model of instruction, emphasising authentic context and activities. Volunteer sampling was used in this study to obtain 63 participants comprising 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Biomedical Science students in two public universities in Malaysia, who had not previously experienced mixed reality technology. In this study, the constructs used to determine acceptance of mixed reality technology were personal innovativeness (PI), perceived enjoyment (PE), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and intention to use (ITU). Results from simple correlation analyses showed positive linear correlations between the constructs. However, findings from regression analysis suggested that perceived usefulness was the most important factor determining users' intention to use this technology in the future. Findings from this study also suggested that tertiary level science students showed a high willingness to use mixed reality technology in the future.
Learners' reflections on and perceptions of computer-mediated communication in a language classroom: A Vietnamese perspective
Authors: Nguyen Long V.
Published: April 2016

The paper examines Vietnamese learners' reflections on and perceptions of the application of computer-mediated communication (CMC) into collaborative learning. Data for analysis included an evaluation questionnaire, consisting of 24 4-point Likert scale items, appended with six open-ended questions, and transcripts of 15, out of 30, teacher trainees from a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) class who volunteered to participate in informal interviews. Several inferences were drawn from the results. The majority of participants enjoyed the technology-enhanced class in general. There were approximately equal numbers of students who preferred synchronous CMC, asynchronous CMC, or a combination of both. The students reported that the course helped improve their computer skills and collaborative experience, while they remained sceptical about improvements to their English language skills. More involvement in learning was observed during and after the course. In addition, the participants expressed confidence that they would attend similar courses in future and were willing to recommend this technology-embedded course to the next generations of students.
Transforming Vietnam's medical education through e-learning
Authors: Churton Michael W.
Published: April 2016

The costs for providing medical school education and services in Vietnam's universities continue to increase. Through a collaborative project between the Government of the Netherlands and Vietnam's Ministry of Health, a five year experimental program to develop in-country capacity and reduce the dependence upon a foreign medical service delivery model was initiated in 2007. A consortium of eight Vietnamese medical universities is participating in the project. The primary purpose is to design and strengthen the capacity of Vietnamese medical programs, personnel, and students in developing technical and pragmatic knowledge in several key medical and scientific categories that are currently directed by international consultants. The project intends to empower Vietnam's medical community to be self-reliant in the delivery of medical training and services to address the significant health needs of the country. To assist in the management and capacity building of the project across the eight medical universities, centres of excellence (COEs) have been proposed, encompassing five core constructs including health management, medical education, economic evaluation, medical research, and e-learning. This paper will address the design and development of two centres of excellence in e-learning.
Collaborative development of an online pharmacy experiential learning database
Authors: Owen Susanne , Ryan Greg , Woulfe Jim , McKauge Leigh , Stupans Ieva
Published: April 2016

Academics preparing students for experiential placements within professional programs require considerable curriculum planning and pedagogical expertise. Communities of practice involving workshops and online processes provide opportunities for collaborative work in developing quality curriculum materials and also in supporting widespread dissemination. The aim of an Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded project was to collaboratively establish an online repository of tasks and other associated resources. These tasks were intended for potential inclusion in the suite of activities that could be required to be completed in a pharmacy experiential clinical placement. An educational template and website were initially created, with over 90 academics and other industry partners subsequently attending a series of workshops to share ideas and develop the online materials. Online surveys regarding the tasks, written feedback concerning workshop processes and interviews were conducted as part of the ongoing evaluation processes to ascertain the effectiveness of the tasks and processes and to inform future directions. Workshops and follow up processes resulted in publication of twenty eight tasks, positive responses to the materials and to the collaborative processes.
Technology enabled active learning (TEAL) in introductory physics: Impact on genders and achievement levels
Authors: Shieh Ruey S. , Chang Wheijen , Liu Eric Zhi-Feng
Published: April 2016

This study explored the impact of Technology Enabled Active Learning (TEAL) on students learning general physics, focusing on differences between genders and among various achievement levels. A quasi-experimental investigation was conducted on two semesters of courses offered in 2008. Data sources consisted of pre-tests, post-tests, self-report surveys, class observations, and interview data. The test results indicate that the learning gain achieved by the experimental group was 11% higher than that achieved by the control group in the first semester, though the margin decreased to 1% in the second semester. In the situation of the low achievement level, there was no difference found in the learning gain achieved by the two groups in the second semester. The qualitative data revealed that student academic performances were disclosed to be associated with the following factors: the instructors' teaching styles and instructional skills, the students' prior knowledge, their study habits, and the cohort atmosphere. That is, implementation of the innovative tool alone might not be sufficient to significantly improve student performance. Nonetheless, the interactive, collaborative instructional approach seemed to appeal to females more than it did to males, disclosing the potential of TEAL in narrowing the learning gap between genders.
LMS transitioning to Moodle: A surprising case of successful, emergent change management
Authors: Lawler Alan
Published: April 2016

During 2009-10 the University of Ballarat implemented the open-source learning management system (LMS) Moodlealongside its existing legacy LMS, Blackboard. While previous IT implementations have been troublesome at the university, notably the student information and finance management systems in 2008-09, the Moodle implementation appears to have been a success. This article reviews the key factors in the implementation and points to several features which have made it a success. The success factors may be suitable for consideration by other organisations which are implementing change, particularly as several appear to run counter to the traditional conceptions of change and project management. This case study points to the importance of trust and empowerment of high quality LMS staff, who are focussed on the end-user rather than the technical side, to implement the project in an 'organic', emergent process. Given that the managerialist project management model, which appears to put more faith in systematic procedures than the staff who have to implement them, is more typical of many LMS and IT implementations, this case study revealed a surprising and refreshing level of approval for valuing staff expertise over 'tick box' adherence to technical checklists.
Blended learning: Investigating its potential in an English language teacher training program
Authors: Kocoglu Zeynep , Ozek Yesim , Kesli Yesim
Published: April 2016

Although the benefits of blended learning have been well documented in educational research, relatively few studies have examined blended learning in language teacher education. This study discusses a blended learning approach for a teacher training program designed for in-service English language teachers, and investigates its effectiveness by comparing with a face to face MA Program in English Language teaching. The research involved 39 in-service English language teachers, with 12 studying in a blended course (i.e., they received face to face instruction in the classroom and used web-based materials) and 27 in a traditional classroom. Results indicated that there was no difference in content knowledge acquisition between teachers receiving blended instruction and teachers receiving face to face instruction.
An evaluation of semi-automated, collaborative marking and feedback systems: Academic staff perspectives
Authors: Burrows Steven , Shortis Mark
Published: April 2016

Online marking and feedback systems are critical for providing timely and accurate feedback to students and maintaining the integrity of results in large class teaching. Previous investigations have involved much in-house development and more consideration is needed for deploying or customising off the shelf solutions. Furthermore, keeping up to date with the state of the art from both academia and industry is essential. This paper is motivated by a project aiming to identify a marking and feedback system for deployment at the authors' university. A detailed investigation is described which is open minded towards adopting or modifying an existing product, or the implementation of a new solution, with key features and shortcomings described in detail. Moodle Workshops, Turnitin GradeMark, Waypoint and WebMark were shortlisted and carried forward for user analysis testing. The outcomes have not only provided key conclusions concerning the suitability of existing solutions, but resulted in a comprehensive collection of functional requirements that leaders of new projects should consider. This paper should be of interest for anyone considering the adoption or upgrade of any marking and feedback system at their home institution.
Cyberbullying and victimisation among Turkish university students
Authors: Akbulut Yavuz , Eristi Bahadir
Published: April 2016

This study investigated the extent of cyberbullying and victimisation among Turkish university students at a state college of education. A personal information form and 56 scaled items were administered to 254 students. Items addressing cyberbullying victimisation were adopted from a recent study, whereas parallel cyberbullying items were developed and piloted in the current study. High internal consistency coefficients and explained variance values were observed in both 'cyberbullying' and 'victimisation' forms of the instrument. Findings revealed a moderate relationship between cyberbullying and victimisation. That is, being a victim in the cyberspace predicted 23 percent of being a cyberbully. Males were more likely to be both cybervictims and cyberbullies. Neither the cyberbullying nor the victimisation average differed with regard to age, program of study, daily Internet use, language proficiency, socioeconomic status, and the location where Internet was used. Reasons to cyberbully were investigated, which were mostly stemmed from interpersonal problems of participants. Limitations were discussed followed by suggestions for further research.
An extended Cyberhunts strategy: Learner centred learning-by-design
Authors: Du Plessis André , Webb Paul
Published: April 2016

The aim of this paper is to introduce to the education community to a newly developed 'Learner Centred Learning-By-Designing Extended Cyberhunts' (LCLBDEC) strategy for teaching and learning in schools. The main focus of the strategy is to enable learners to become designers of an educational tool which assists them to learn during the design process, and also can be used by other learners or students to get a better understanding of a topic. It is suggested that the strategy assists learners to clarify misconceptions that they might have and that it allows them to address aspects in the curriculum when there is not enough time to do so in class. During the initial stages of the strategy, learners are exposed to teacher designed Cyberhunts, a strategy that can be used to introduce learning by design to novices. As the learners become more computer literate, they become the designers instead of the teacher. Learners search for information online on a topic or theme and then are not only required to create questions on as many different cognitive levels as possible, but also to compose a complementing memorandum. The strategy is not meant to be in competition with WebQuests and other similar approaches, but should be seen as an additional information communication and technology (ICT) strategy to complement those that already exist.
A blended collaborative writing approach for Chinese L2 primary school students
Authors: Wong Lung-Hsiang , Chen Wenli , Chai Ching-Sing , Chin Chee-Kuen , Gao Ping
Published: April 2016

This paper outlines an adaptable collaborative writing approach employing a wiki to address the typical weaknesses of young Singaporean Chinese students learning Chinese as second language (L2) in Chinese writing. These students' problems in writing include limited and incorrect use of vocabulary, English-style grammar, badly structured passages, and so on. The collaborative writing approach, V.S.P.O.W., can be characterised as a recursive, bottom-up writing process that requires the students to collaboratively carry out wiki-based "word/phrase pooling" (V), "sentence making" (S), "paragraph writing" (P), and "outlining" (O); and eventually individual essay writing (W). We analysed the potential learning effects of the writing process among Primary 4 (10-year-old) students - especially in addressing and leveraging students' individual differences. Through teacher and student-initiated customisation of the original V.S.P.O.W. process, we hope to improve the students' micro-skills for writing. The results of the pilot study show that the target students' micro-skills for writing were significantly improved, which could be attributed to emerging peer coaching practices among them.
Do beginning teachers know how to participate and interact in online discussion? Outcomes from a Victorian case study
Authors: Jordan Kathy
Published: April 2016

The use of online discussion has a long history in distance education and higher education generally, and has recently been proposed as a means of supporting beginning teachers as they face the challenge of being new to the profession. Often using text-based asynchronous programs, online discussion is advocated to enable teachers to interact with one another, and therefore remove teacher isolation and encourage reflective practice (Zhao & Rop, 2001). This paper reports on a small scale study of 64 beginning teachers, who were asked to simulate online discussion, as a means of preparing them for later participation and interaction online. Transcripts were analysed using Henri's (1992) model of content analysis, revealing considerable one-way posts and few interactive posts. This study suggests that rather than being 'digital natives' (Prensky, 2001) these beginning teachers lacked the skills to participate and interact online.
Student team projects in information systems development: Measuring collective creative efficacy
Authors: Cheng Hsiu-Hua , Yang Heng-Li
Published: April 2016

For information systems development project student teams, learning how to improve software development processes is an important training. Software process improvement is an outcome of a number of creative behaviours. Social cognitive theory states that the efficacy of judgment influences behaviours. This study explores the impact of three types of team knowledge: domain knowledge, methodological knowledge and implementation knowledge, as well as achievement motivation on student teams' collective creative efficacy (CCE) during information system development. This research also discusses the correlation between CCE and project performance using data from 98 student teams. Because of the difference in project characteristics, we divided the teams into "actual demand" project teams (having a real business case) and "suppositional demand" (having no real case, just an artificial or simulated case) project teams. The results show that achievement motivation positively influences CCE, either in "actual demand" teams or in "suppositional demand" teams. Domain knowledge is significantly correlated to CCE in "actual demand" teams, but methodological knowledge and implementation knowledge significantly influenced CCE in "suppositional demand" teams. CCE is not significantly related to project performance in "actual demand" teams. However, CCE is related to process performance and product performance in "suppositional demand" teams. Whilst this study explores issues in team project learning activities for students in information systems, some suggestions are made for educational designers using similar activities in other disciplines.
Using multimodal presentation software and peer group discussion in learning English as a second language
Authors: Wang Mei-jung
Published: April 2016

This paper reports an application of multimedia in a blended learning environment in which students engaged in multimodal presentations and peer group discussion. Students' presentation files were commented upon by their peers on the discussion board and scored by the researcher, based on questions developed by Levy and Kimber (2009) to apply criteria of design, content and cohesion in analysis of multimodal texts. After the discussion phase, students revised their files and answered a questionnaire about their perception of the value of this practice for language learning. Regarding the production of presentation files, most aspects of the title slide and overall slide designs were performed well, except for a lack of dynamic effects and inadequate consideration of the visual perception of the audience. Peer group discussion and the scoring can assist the students in inspiring their creativity and modification of the designs of their presentations. In contrast, other aspects such as language use were not improved, probably due to the limited language proficiency of the students or their unawareness of the need for further improvement. The questionnaire results indicate that students appreciated peer group discussions and understood that they might need increased skills to use the presentation software in a more sophisticated way.
Measuring creative potential: Using social network analysis to monitor a learners' creative capacity
Authors: Dawson Shane , Tan Jennifer Pei Ling , McWilliam Erica
Published: April 2016

Despite the burgeoning rhetoric from political, social and educational commentators regarding creativity and learning and teaching, there is a paucity of scalable and measurable examples of creativity-centric pedagogical practice. This paper makes an argument for the application of social network visualisations to inform and support creativity-enabling pedagogical practice. This paper first describes social networks and how they relate to creative capacities and learning as a social process. It then provides an initial case study of how social network analysis may be meaningfully applied to evaluate students' learning networks and creative capacities, and elaborates on how such an evaluative resource can allow educators to design and implement creativity-enabling pedagogical practice. In so doing, this paper contributes conceptual, methodological and empirical advances that can take learning and teaching for creativity, particularly in higher education, beyond rhetoric towards more observable and measurable mainstream pedagogical practice.
The use of a visual learning design representation to support the design process of teaching in higher education
Authors: Agostinho Shirley
Published: April 2016

Over the last decade there has been considerable research and development work exploring how university teachers can document their teaching practice in such a way as to enable the sharing of ideas. The premise of this research work, referred to in the literature as learning designs, is if pedagogical practice can be documented in some readily understandable form, it can then be easily shared and thus there is the potential for greater uptake of innovative teaching practice. This paper presents findings from a research project that examined how educational designers and teaching academics used a visual learning design representation to document their teaching practice and how this representation supported their design process. Six educational designers, three university teachers, and two PhD students (whose doctorates were focused on learning design) were interviewed and the main finding was that the visual representation served as an aid to design because it provided a summary of pedagogical practice that could be used to effectively communicate and share ideas, and also enable reflection. The paper concludes by suggesting future research directions.
Implementing clickers to assist learning in science lectures: The Clicker-Assisted Conceptual Change model
Authors: Lin Yi-Chun , Liu Tzu-Chien , Chu Ching-Chi
Published: April 2016

The purposes of this study were twofold. The first aim was to design and develop a clicker-based instructional model known as Clicker-Assisted Conceptual Change (CACC), based on the cognitive conflict approach for conceptual change, to help students to learn scientific concepts. The second aim was to determine the beneficial effects of CACC on students' scientific learning and to explore how CACC might achieve these benefits. Introductory physics was the learning subject, and a mixed-method embedded observation and interview methodology within a quasi-experimental design was used to address the second aim. The participants in this study were 275 first year undergraduates from 6 classes. One class was selected as the experimental group (50 first years) and the other 5 classes were selected as the comparison group (225 first years). The results show that the experimental group who used CACC performed significantly better in the comprehension test than did the comparison group, who used common instructional methods. However, the performance of the calculation test did not differ significantly between the two groups. Several benefits and challenges of CACC are used to explain these findings based on the observational and interview data. Finally, recommendations for future studies on the application of clickers are provided based on this work.
Self reflection and preservice teachers' technological pedagogical knowledge: Promoting earlier adoption of student-centred pedagogies
Authors: Gao Ping , Tan Seng Chee , Wang Longlong , Wong Angela F. L. , Choy Doris
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this paper is to present the qualitative findings relating to fourteen preservice teachers' development and translation of their technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) into their classroom practices throughout the first year of their teacher preparation program. It was found that all fourteen participants demonstrated a gain in both technological and pedagogical knowledge, and registered positive changes both in their pedagogical beliefs and their beliefs in using information and communication technology (ICT) to engage their students in active meaning making after an ICT course and an intervention workshop on reflection. There was, however, great variation in the ways that they used ICT in their first field placements: from using ICT as a presentation tool to complement or support their teaching, to engaging their students in using ICT as a cognitive tool to extend their students' learning and knowledge construction. This variation was largely related to whether the participants could synergise their constructivist-oriented beliefs, technological knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. It seems that only the preservice teachers who demonstrated student-centric pedagogies and reflected on student learning showed more advanced development of TPK. Recommendations for engaging preservice teachers in reflection with a focus on student learning are discussed.
E-learning interactions, information technology self efficacy and student achievement at the University of Sharjah, UAE
Authors: Abulibdeh Enas Said , Syed Hassan Sharifah Sariah
Published: April 2016

The purpose for this study is to validate a model of student interactions (student-content, student-instructor and student-student interactions and vicarious interaction), information technology self efficacy and student achievement. Investigation of the relationships was undertaken with structural equation modeling analyses, in a study with 250 undergraduate students providing 231 responses for the final analyses. Adopting a framework from Moore (1989) and Devries (1996) on e-learning interactions and Bandura (1997) on self efficacy, this study has found that student interactions can be predictors of student achievement. However, self-efficacy can only promote student achievement via student interactions in an e-learning environment. Although the hypothesised model showed an overall fit, it was further re-specified due to non significant relationships between IT self efficacy and student achievement.
Designing an e-portfolio for assurance of learning focusing on adoptability and learning analytics
Authors: Oliver Beverley , Whelan Barbara
Published: April 2016

The Assurance of Learning for Graduate Employability framework is a quality assurance model for curriculum enhancement for graduate employability, enabling graduates to achieve "the skills, understandings and personal attributes that make [them] more likely to secure employment and be successful in their chosen occupations to the benefit of themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy" (Yorke, 2006). Of particular note is the framework's dependence on three foundations, including easy access to integrated and accessible tools for staff and student self-management. In other words, this approach to curriculum quality depends on staff and student access to tools that enable them to self-manage their learning. This paper examines two aspects which informed the design of a student e-portfolio system, iPortfolio, intended for students' self-management of their learning, particularly recording evidence of their achievement of capabilities. The paper focuses on two particular considerations in the design of theiPortfolio: adoptability and learning analytics. Adoptability means the phase preceding adoption, whether students have the devices, platforms and technology skills to be able to use such an innovation. The iPortfolio also facilitates learning analytics: it has the capability to gather data related to learning indicators for course quality assurance purposes. Both adoptability and analytics are very dynamic fields: new devices, platforms and applications constantly spark changes in user habits, and policy changes mean institutions need to be able to provide new data, often at short notice. In the conclusion, the paper suggests how tools such as the iPortfolio can be designed for 'future proofing' and sustainability.
Relativity in a rock field: A study of physics learning with a computer game
Authors: Carr David , Bossomaier Terry
Published: April 2016

The Theory of Special Relativity is widely regarded as a difficult topic for learners in physics to grasp, as it reformulates fundamental conceptions of space, time and motion, and predominantly deals with situations outside of everyday experience. In this paper, we describe embedding the physics of relativity into a computer game, and present the results of a study on its effectiveness for learning. The game, which is based on Asteroids, enables learners to interact with the physics, and observe and contrast their effect with Newtonian mechanics. The principal relativistic effects of length contraction, mass dilation and time dilation are each portrayed, and key with the learning outcomes of the Australian Higher School Certificate (HSC) high school physics course. Key findings from the study conducted with both students studying HSC physics, and participants without physics training, show that the game on its own serves as a powerful introduction for building up accurate qualitative descriptions of relativistic physics effects; in addition, learners generally reported finding the game accessible and interesting. However, establishing deeper understanding of the physics requires further reflection on the part of the learners than the game itself tends to facilitate. We conclude by discussing implications for design and integration of game-based learning with traditional teaching in relation to the topic of special relativity.
Marking machinima: A case study in assessing student use of a Web 2.0 technology
Authors: Barwell Graham , Moore Chris , Walker Ruth
Published: April 2016

The model of learning best suited to the future may be one which sees learning as the process of managing the different kinds of participation an individual might have in complex social systems. Learning capability and engagement is thus dependent on the relationship between an individual identity and social systems. We report on the incorporation ofmachinima, a Web 2.0 technology, as part of an interdisciplinary and collaborative project where the focus is not on the mastery of the tools or the acquisition of predetermined knowledge, but on the development of learning engagement. We provide the case study of a pilot project involving students across two Arts disciplines collaborating via the game, World of Warcraft, to produce an animated adaptation of one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Their contributions were differently assessed according to the pre-existing requirements of their home disciplines. We argue that the assessment in such projects, in conjunction with innovations and experimentation with Web 2.0 technologies, should shift from an emphasis on product to process. We believe that this has a sound pedagogical and theoretical foundation, and also fits better with the increasingly digitalised, unfixed and interdisciplinary world that students will face on graduation.
Design-grounded assessment: A framework and a case study of Web 2.0 practices in higher education
Authors: Ching Yu-Hui , Hsu Yu-Chang
Published: April 2016

This paper synthesises three theoretical perspectives, including sociocultural theory, distributed cognition, and situated cognition, into a framework to guide the design and assessment of Web 2.0 practices in higher education. In addition, this paper presents a case study of Web 2.0 practices. Thirty-seven online graduate students participated in a small-group collaborative concept mapping activity using Web 2.0 applications (e.g. Webspiration) to construct sophisticated understanding of instructional design processes. The analysis of this case focuses on different assessment strategies adopted to ensure students' successful participation in such technology-rich collaborative context. This case study concludes that a shared goal needs to be in place to establish a purpose of collaboration. The collaborative nature of learning afforded by Web 2.0 applications needs to be acknowledged through the award of grades. That is, both the processes and products of collaborative knowledge construction need to be assessed and formally graded at individual and group levels. This paper also suggests several potential assessment strategies that may enhance smoother Web 2.0 practices, and discusses some possible challenges associated with those strategies.
Can Web 2.0 technology assist college students in learning English writing? Integrating Facebook and peer assessment with blended learning
Authors: Shih Ru-Chu
Published: April 2016

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of integrating Facebook and peer assessment with college English writing class instruction through a blended teaching approach. This blended approach consisted of one-third of a semester of classroom instruction and two-thirds of a semester combining Facebook, peer assessment, and classroom instruction. The subjects were 23 first-year students majoring in English at a technological university in Taiwan participating in an 18 week English writing class. The students were divided into three groups with three Facebookplatforms. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed in the study. Research instruments included pre-test and post-test of English writing skills, a self-developed survey questionnaire, and in-depth student interviews. The findings suggest that incorporating peer assessment using Facebook in learning English writing can be interesting and effective for college-level English writing classes. Students can improve their English writing skills and knowledge not only from the in-class instruction but also from cooperative learning. In addition, this Facebook integrated instruction can significantly enhance students' interest and motivation. Finally, the findings may provide useful instructional strategies for teachers of ESL English writing courses.
 
Using Web 2.0 to teach Web 2.0: A case study in aligning teaching, learning and assessment with professional practice
Authors: Terrell John , Richardson Joan , Hamilton Margaret
Published: April 2016

Web 2.0 technologies have transformed the way people in information industries engage with their clients, collaborate on projects, promote their services and gather community knowledge. In this paper, we describe the impact of industry adoption of Web 2.0 technologies on an information management course. The students in this course are either already working in or plan to be entering information professions such as librarianship, archiving, records management, information architecture, and information and knowledge management. The lecturer and tutors for this course are changing the way learning is assessed and constructively aligning it with industry expectations for library and information graduates. Specifically in this paper we focus on the impact of the Web 2.0 affordances on student learning, the assessment process, and constructive alignment of intended learning outcomes with industry expectations in an information management blogging assignment. These findings are from the final stage of an Australian project where case studies of subjects that used Web 2.0 tools to assess student work were documented. Analysis of the students' blogs reveals exploration of the new tools used in a professional manner, greater collaboration and improved communication within the subject.
Wiki activities in blended learning for health professional students: Enhancing critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills
Authors: Snodgrass Suzanne
Published: April 2016

Health professionals use critical thinking, a key problem solving skill, for clinical reasoning which is defined as the use of knowledge and reflective inquiry to diagnose a clinical problem. Teaching these skills in traditional settings with growing class sizes is challenging, and students increasingly expect learning that is flexible and interactive. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a blended method for teaching clinical reasoning using a wiki. Groups of undergraduate physiotherapy students presented a patient case to their peers in class and on a wiki. Evaluation included student surveys, focus groups, and online participation. Students were actively involved in the wiki (mean contribution of 21.0 web pages (IQR 7.5-34.5). Most students (74%) agreed the in-class sessions were valuable, compared to 48% for the wiki. From the educator's perspective, the wiki facilitated collaboration, ensuring demonstrated reasoning skills in class. Combining wiki with in-class activities enhances student collaboration and learning of critical thinking skills.
Evaluation and improvement of student's question-posing ability in a web-based learning environment
Authors: Lan Yu-Feng , Lin Pin-Chuan
Published: April 2016

With the rapid development of web-based learning environments, question-posing activities have become an important teaching and learning mode. However, this learning approach has some difficulties, one being the lack of a practical approach to assist teachers in evaluating the question-posing ability of all learners. To remedy this problem, the present study developed a system of integrating a reward mechanism into assessment activities, to measure the question-posing ability of individual students in a web-based learning environment. The system has been applied to a learning activity in a programming design course and 100 first-year college students were invited to participate in this research. After the experiment, the results showed the proposed system can serve as both a learning and an assessment tool in higher education, by encouraging students to carry out active learning, constructive criticism and knowledge sharing. A positive satisfaction is derived from the learning activities with the system under two dimensions of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Most importantly, students' learning performance improved significantly.
Analysis of the technology acceptance model in examining students' behavioural intention to use an e-portfolio system
Authors: Shroff Ronnie H. , Deneen Christopher C. , Ng Eugenia M. W.
Published: April 2016

In recent years, instructors have had an increasing interest in integrating Internet based technologies into their classroom as part of the learning environment. Compared to studies on other information systems, student users' behaviour towards e-portfolios have not been assessed and thoroughly understood. This paper analyses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in order to examine students' behavioural intention to use an electronic portfolio system, meaning how students use and appropriate it within the specific framework of a course. An E-Portfolio Usage Questionnaire was developed using existing scales from prior TAM instruments and modified where appropriate. Seventy-two participants completed the survey questionnaire measuring their responses to perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitudes towards usage (ATU) and behavioural intention to use (BIU) the e-portfolio system. The results of the study indicated that students' perceived ease of use (PEOU) had a significant influence on attitude towards usage (ATU). Subsequently, perceived ease of use (PEOU) had the strongest significant influence on perceived usefulness (PU). The research further demonstrated that individual characteristics and technological factors may have a significant influence on instructors to adopt e-portfolio into their courses. Results suggest that TAM is a solid theoretical model where its validity can extend to an e-portfolio context.
LiveUSB Mediated Education: A method to facilitate computer supported education
Authors: Garrote Ramon , Pettersson Tomas , Christie Michael
Published: April 2016

In this paper the authors analyse the design and implementation of a course about learning management systems (LMS). The course was first given in Cuba and then in Guatemala and Peru, within the project USo+I: Universidad, Sociedad e Innovación, Mejora de la pertinencia de la educación en las ingenierías de Latinoamérica financed by the European Union's ALFA III program. In the course only open educational resources (OER) were used and all course material was stored on USB drives together with the needed software. All programs were executable directly from the memory to meet any problems of limited access to the Internet. Problem based learning was used, with the course divided into two weeks of on campus lectures and workshops followed by distance learning for three months, altogether corresponding to ten weeks of full time studies. The authors propose the term LiveUSB Mediated Education (LUME) for a course package, with course material and software contained on the same USB drive. The participants' opinions about the course and their perceptions about LMS and OER were investigated in order to determine the extent to which the LUME method can facilitate cost-effective computer aided education, especially in developing countries.
Virtualisation of engineering discipline experiments for an Internet-based remote laboratory
Authors: Tiwari Rajiv , Singh Khilawan
Published: April 2016

A comprehensive survey on the Internet based virtualisation of experiments is presented, covering several individual as well as collaborative efforts in various engineering disciplines. From this survey it could be concluded that there is a pressing need to develop full-fledged remote laboratory experiments for integrated directly into engineering curricula. The paper subsequently summarises the experiences of authors during the design, evolution and implementation of virtualisation for a number of engineering experiments, enabling these to be accessed through the Internet as virtual experiments. It also covers the features required to give the 'feel' of performing experiments, inclusion of learning components, incorporation of easy navigation, testing of effectiveness of learning, and development of useful feedback mechanisms. A detailed feedback analysis from prospective learners is presented on the effectiveness of the virtual laboratory.
 