bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of web enhanced instruction in college level biology courses
Authors: Keasar Tamar , Baruch Rachel , Grobgeld-Dahan Esther
Published: April 2016

Websites that accompany science courses typically aim to provide easy access to learning materials, and to facilitate student-instructor communication. We tested whether these aims were achieved in two web enhanced, lower division undergraduate biology courses in an Israeli college. We collected data on the students' attitudes through pre- and post-course questionnaires, monitored their usage of the course websites, and related these data to the students' final course grades.
The students (n=96) accessed the websites frequently and regularly, and regarded them as important sources of information. About 47% of the students reported an increased level of general interest in the courses due to the websites. Students mainly downloaded lecture slides and exercise forms from the websites, but did not use the sites to communicate among themselves, or with the instructor. Final course grades were not correlated with the frequency of usage of the website. Female students had a more positive pre-course attitude towards the websites as compared with male students. However, there was no difference between men and women in usage of the course websites, and in achievement levels.

We conclude that the website component of the courses in our study facilitated delivery of learning materials and individual study, but not the social aspects of learning. We suggest that effective design of web enhanced courses can overcome this limitation by stressing social interactions and group learning during face to face sessions.
Contrasting syntactic and semantic units in the analysis of online discussions
Authors: Murphy Elizabeth , Ciszewska-Carr Justyna
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a study which contrasts results obtained using semantic and syntactic units of analysis in a context of content analysis of an online asynchronous discussion. The paper presents a review of literature on both types of units. The data set consisted of 80 messages posted by ten participants in an online learning module. Data were coded twice by two coders working independently. In the first instance, each coder divided all messages into semantic units and then coded those units. The second coding was conducted on the basis of a syntactic unit of a paragraph. Analysis at the level of the whole group showed little difference in results between the two types of coding. At the level of individual participants, those differences were greater. Results are discussed within a framework of reliability, capability of the unit to discriminate between behaviors, feasibility of different units, and their identifiability. Implications for research are discussed.
Course design and student responses to an online PBL course in 3D modelling for mining engineers
Authors: McAlpine Iain , Stothard Phillip
Published: April 2016

To enhance a course in 3D Virtual Reality (3D VR) modelling for mining engineers, and to create the potential for off campus students to fully engage with the course, a problem based learning (PBL) approach was applied to the course design and all materials and learning activities were provided online. This paper outlines some of the theoretical background to online learning and PBL and its application to computer based courseware design and development. The application of this approach to the 3D VR modelling course is described. Evaluation data on student perceptions of the learning processes associated with PBL are included.
Gender and CMC: A review on conflict and harassment
Authors: Li Qing
Published: April 2016

This paper reviews the literature related to gender and communication in CMC environments. A brief summary of gender related literature concerning general communication patterns in CMC is outlined first, to set the stage. Then, a review of literature in gender and CMC with a specific focus on conflict and harassment is presented. Comments upon this diverse body of work and recommendations concerning possible areas for future research are offered.
The focus on content and communicative practices in CMC highlights the possibilities of new gendered identities being constructed through online interactions. These new gendered identities may appear in a different form from the more fixed forms of "real life." In particular, the research reviewed in this paper regarding harassment, along with previous studies, leads "one to conclude that the 'democratic' perception of CMC is seriously flawed".
Acquisition of computing literacy on shared public computers: Children and the "hole in the wall"
Authors: Mitra Sugata , Dangwal Ritu , Chatterjee Shiffon , Jha Swati , Bisht Ravinder S. , Kapur Preeti
Published: April 2016

Earlier work, often referred to as the "hole in the wall" experiments, has shown that groups of children can learn to use public computers on their own. This paper presents the method and results of an experiment conducted to investigate whether such unsupervised group learning in shared public spaces is universal. The experiment was conducted with "hole in the wall" (minimally invasive education, or MIE) computers in 17 locations in rural India. Focus groups in each location were tested for computer literacy for 9 months.
Results, which are discussed in the paper, show that groups of children can learn to use computers and the Internet on their own, irrespective of who or where they are. Furthermore, such group self instruction is as effective as traditional classroom instruction, whilst this learning is considerably less expensive and is independent of teachers and schools. The results point to a new pedagogy for children's education in those circumstances where schools and teachers are either absent or not effective due to any reason.
Students' self analysis of contributions to online asynchronous discussions
Authors: Murphy Elizabeth , Loveless Jamie
Published: April 2016

This paper presents an example of an approach that involves both the student and the instructor in the evaluation of an online discussion in a context of teaching and learning. According to this approach, the student conducts a self analysis of his or her contributions to the discussion, using criteria supplied in advance of the discussion. One student's four part self analysis of his contribution to an online discussion is presented to illustrate the approach. The self analysis focused on the number and length of postings, claims and grounds, and on knowledge construction, and was designed to engage students in higher levels of thinking. The approach to self analysis is discussed in terms of its modification for use in other contexts and implications for practice are presented.
Scaffolding and integrated assessment in computer assisted learning (CAL) for children with learning disabilities
Authors: Beale Ivan L.
Published: April 2016

Computer assisted learning (CAL) can involve a computerised intelligent learning environment, defined as an environment capable of automatically, dynamically and continuously adapting to the learning context. One aspect of this adaptive capability involves automatic adjustment of instructional procedures in response to each learner's performance, to facilitate the ease of learning and to minimise errors during learning. This process of dynamically varying the help provided to the learner by the instructor has been termed scaffolding. A bonus from using scaffolding is that the programming algorithms by which scaffolding is achieved allow integrated assessment of the learner's performance. This paper outlines the nature and origins of scaffolding concepts and illustrates their application as instructional design strategies in an experimental intelligent learning environment designed to teach basic reading skills to children with learning disabilities. The paper also illustrates the role of integrated assessment as an essential component of scaffolding and as a means of monitoring and recording the learning process.
Identifying the factors that influence computer use in the early childhood classroom
Authors: Edwards Suzy
Published: April 2016

omputers have become an increasingly accepted learning tool in the early childhood classroom. Despite initial concerns regarding the effect of computers on children's development, past research has indicated that computer use by young children can support their learning and developmental outcomes (Siraj-Blatchford & Whitebread, 2003; Yelland, 1999). Whilst this has been established, more recent research has begun to focus on the social and educational context in which computers are used in early childhood education (Brooker, 2003; Plowman & Stephen, 2005). An aspect of this focus involves understanding how educators conceive of, and use, computers in early childhood education classrooms. This paper reports the findings from a study aimed at examining twelve Victorian early childhood educators' experiences integrating computers into the early childhood classroom. The paper focuses on the factors the educators saw as influencing computer use in their classrooms. A total of nine factors were identified as important. The top four of these factors were examined in more detail, these being 1) the need for educators to have operational knowledge of the computer; 2) the need to select software appropriate to the children's learning and developmental needs; 3) the need for children and educators to have access to current and reliable technology; and 4) the need to actively consider where (and why) the computer would be located in the classroom.
The search for learning community in learner paced distance education: Or, 'Having your cake and eating it, too!'
Authors: Anderson Terry , Annand David , Wark Norine
Published: April 2016

University distance and e-learning programs generally follow one of two models. Most dual mode institutions and some open universities follow a model of cohort learning. Students start and terminate each course at the same time, and proceed at the same pace. This model allows for occasional or regular group based activities. The second model, referred to as learner paced, is based on increased student independence. Students may start their courses at many points during the year, and complete these at their own pace, depending on the learner's circumstances and interests. It is much more challenging to integrate group based activities in this learner paced model. This study is situated in a university that supports continuous intake and learner pacing in its undergraduate programs. Athabasca University is investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of adding collaborative and cooperative learning activities to this model. The report summarises a study of learner interactions in the context of learner paced courses delivered by the University. Following a review of relevant literature, the study reports on interviews with Athabasca University faculty and external distance education experts, describes results from an online survey of undergraduate students, and documents how these findings may be operationalised at the University. An extensible model of community based learning support is proposed to utilise new social computing capabilities of the web, and to permit learner-learner interaction in a scaleable and cost effective manner, while retaining learner pacing.
Agency of the instructional designer: Moral coherence and transformative social practice
Authors: Campbell Katy , Schwier Richard A. , Kenny Richard F.
Published: April 2016

In this paper we propose a view of instructional design practice in which the instructional designer is an agent of social change at the personal, relational, and institutional levels. In this view designers are not journeymen workers directed by management, but act in purposeful, value based ways with ethical knowledge, in social relationships and contexts that have consequences in and for action. The paper is drawn from the data set of a three-year study of the personal meaning that instructional designers make of their work, in a world where identities rely less on institutionally "ascribed status or place" than on the spaces that we make as actors in the social world. Through the voices of two instructional designers in this study, we begin to make the case for instructional design practice as ethical knowledge in action, and for how agency emerges from the designer's validated sense of identity in institutions of higher learning.
Measuring preparedness to teach with ICT
Authors: Forster Patricia A. , Dawson Vaille M. , Reid Doug
Published: April 2016

In this paper we discuss the development and implementation of a questionnaire that measures preparedness to teach secondary school science with information and communication technologies (ICT). The questionnaire was designed for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of instruction in a science education unit in a Graduate Diploma teacher education course. Rasch analysis of the pre- and post-unit responses indicated domains of expertise for which students perceived they had improved their knowledge during the unit, and domains for which they perceived they were less knowledgeable after the unit than before it. We discuss students' responses in relation to the unit, and report the technical decisions that we made as part of the analysis. The questionnaire could be adapted easily to suit preservice teacher education in disciplines other than science.
Staff perceptions of the role of technology in experiential learning: A case study from an Australian university
Authors: Challis Di , Holt Dale , Rice Mary
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a cross-disciplinary comparative study that examines the interplay between information and communications technologies (ICT) and experiential learning, in the context of seven fields of professional practice in undergraduate education. Our central claim is that academic teachers' framing of the meaning and nature of experiential learning shapes the actual and possible uses of ICT, in supporting the development of professional expertise in academic and workplace learning environments. Implicit in teaching conceptions and practices is an underlying view of the changing nature and conduct of the professions, and the requirements for effective entry level practice in relevant professional fields. The paper explores key indicators of ICT development and usage in supporting the creation of meaningful professional learning, and the design of integrated, coherent, professional learning environments.
Object oriented learning objects
Authors: Morris Ed
Published: April 2016

We apply the object oriented software engineering (OOSE) design methodology for software objects (SOs) to learning objects (LOs). OOSE extends and refines design principles for authoring dynamic reusable LOs. Our learning object class (LOC) is a template from which individualised LOs can be dynamically created for, or by, students. The properties of LOCs refine existing LO definitions and design guidelines.
We adapt SO levels of cohesion to LOCs, and illustrate reusability increases when LO lessons are built from LOs like maintainable software systems are built from SOs. We identify facilities required in learning management systems to support object oriented LO lessons that are less predetermined in their sequencing of activities for each student. Our OOSE approach to the design of object oriented LO lessons is independent of, and complementary to, instructional design theory underlying the LO design process, and metadata standards adopted by the IEEE for LO packaging. Our approach produces well structured LOCs with greater reuse potential.
Development, validation and use of the Online Learning Environment Survey
Authors: Trinidad Sue , Aldridge Jill , Fraser Barry
Published: April 2016

This article reports the development, validation and use of a survey for assessing students' perceptions of their e-learning environments. The Online Learning Environment Survey (OLES) was administered to 325 students, 131 in Australia and 194 in Hong Kong. The data were analysed to examine 1) the reliability and validity of the survey, 2) differences between the perceptions of a) students' actual and preferred environment, b) students and their teacher and c) male and female students and 3) whether associations exist between students' perceptions of their e-learning environment and their enjoyment of e-learning. In addition to quantitative data, unstructured interviews were used to provide a more in depth understanding of the e-learning environments created. These data provide valuable feedback to educators working in e-learning environments to help teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of the environment and to make adjustments and improvements as required.
Educational design and networked learning: Patterns, pattern languages and design practice
Authors: Goodyear Peter
Published: April 2016

There is a growing demand for advice about effective, time efficient ways of using ICT to support student learning in higher education. This paper uses one such area of activity - networked learning - as a context in which to outline a novel approach to educational design. The paper makes two main contributions. It provides a high level view of the educational design problem space. It then introduces the patterns based approach to educational design. While other professional communities, particularly in software engineering, have been developing patterns based approaches to sharing and re-using design experience, this paper goes back to the original conceptions of participatory design that informed Christopher Alexander's early work on patterns and pattern languages. In particular, it makes connections between the technicalities of design and the central place of values. A patterns based approach can help with encoding, sharing and using knowledge for educational design. But it is also a powerful way of connecting educational values and vision to the details of the tasks, tools and resources we offer our students.
A spreadsheet based simulator for experiential learning in production management
Authors: Basnet Chuda , Scott John L.
Published: April 2016

This paper presents a spreadsheet based simulation game for teaching and learning production management concepts of forecasting, material requirements planning, order review and release. In this game the student plays the role of a production planner managing two products, for which customer orders are placed in variable quantities throughout the week. The student builds forecasting and material requirement planning systems to help in the tasks of production and vendor order release. In parallel with this, we have run a small learning awareness program, to test and stimulate the skill of reflection. Initial student responses to the game have been favourable, but the proportion of time spent on reflection is low. Contemplated refinements are presented.
An instrument to support thinking critically about critical thinking in online asynchronous discussions
Authors: Murphy Elizabeth
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on the creation of an instrument for use by instructors, students, or researchers to identify, measure or promote critical thinking (CT) in online asynchronous discussions (OADs). Four models of CT were reviewed, synthesised, analysed, and evaluated to clarify the construct. Indicators of specific cognitive processes related to CT were identified, and subsequently retained, rejected or modified to show how the construct might be operationalised in real contexts of use. Subsequent empirical testing of the instrument for the analysis of a transcript of an OAD revealed that while the instrument was valuable in identifying and measuring CT in the OAD, issues of practicality need to be addressed. Implications for research and practice are presented.
Computer skills development by children using 'hole in the wall' facilities in rural India
Authors: Inamdar Parimala
Published: April 2016

Earlier work often referred to as the "hole in the wall" experiments has shown that groups of children can learn to use public computers on their own. This paper presents the method and results of an experiment conducted to investigate whether such unsupervised group learning in shared public spaces can improve children's performance in school examinations. The experiment was conducted with "hole in the wall" (minimally invasive education, or MIE) kiosks in the rural Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra State, India. 103 children of the Grade 8 level, across 3 villages, were administered the curricular examination for 'Computer Science' for that grade.
The results show that children who had learned at MIE kiosks were able to complete this curricular examination without being taught the subject. They scored only marginally lower than children who had been taught the 'Computers' curriculum in school throughout the school year. The results of this study throw new light on pedagogy for bridging the digital divide. It poses the question that similar learning may well be observed in whole or part in other subjects of the school curriculum.
A study of educational technology project management in Australian universities
Authors: Kenny John
Published: April 2016

The development of quality learning materials using new technology requires the use of a wide range of skills beyond those possessed by many academic staff. Obtaining quality online learning experiences may require academics to work in teams with others who provide educational design support and technical expertise. The effective management of a team to produce the desired outcomes to a specified quality standard has typically been the responsibility of the project manager.
Applying standard project management techniques to teams containing highly independent academics and teachers in an educational environment presents certain cultural and procedural difficulties. This paper reports on some of the current literature on this issue and relates it to the results of a survey of 25 project managers in Australian universities. Parallels are made with the literature of innovative projects.
Technology, human agency and Dewey's constructivism: Opening democratic spaces in virtual classrooms
Authors: Hyslop-Margison Emery J.
Published: April 2016

This article examines whether the ubiquitous presence of technology in schools negatively affects democratic learning by promoting instrumental rationality and, hence, reifying social reality. The author suggests that structural critiques of educational technology ignore the considerable impact of human agency on shaping related learning outcomes. By combining Dewey's constructivism with Internet technology, the article suggests student agency and participatory democratic learning are actually encouraged. Rather than condemning educational technology as necessarily socially reproductive, then, the author concludes that democratic educators should appropriate classroom technologies and utilise them in ways to promote the critical consciousness of students.
Secondary school reform and technology planning: Lessons learned from a ten year school reform initiative
Authors: Bain Alan
Published: April 2016

The lessons learned from a decade long, site based school reform project are used to examine the relationship between technology integration and school reform. The nature of the reforms will be described along with implications and conclusions for technology planning. Six key school reform takeaways will be shared that are necessary to build a foundation for successful IT integration.
Cooperative learning on the web: A group based, student centred learning experience in the Malaysian classroom
Authors: Neo Mai
Published: April 2016

This paper presents a multimedia mediated, student centred learning environment which seeks to study the group based, cooperative learning paradigm, using a web based multimedia project. This project is carried out in a Malaysian classroom by groups of students in the second year course in the Faculty of Creative Multimedia (FCM), Multimedia University (MMU). In the cooperative learning environment, students are grouped in small learning teams to solve a problem or to perform a task that is presented to them by the teacher. This learning environment, however, uses a web based multimedia project as the core of study, and is a variation of the student team learning techniques proposed by Slavin (1994) using project based learning. Students in the group cooperate and work among themselves, help each other to build the web based project, and then receive a group performance score. The overall objective of this 9-week study is to provide students with a group based, student centred, cooperative learning experience, and to investigate its impact on student learning. A survey was given to the students to ascertain their reactions and perceptions to this learning environment. Some students' works were also showcased. Results obtained were positive and encouraging.
Automated formative feedback and summative assessment using individualised spreadsheet assignments
Authors: Blayney Paul , Freeman Mark
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on the effects of automating formative feedback at the student's discretion and automating summative assessment with individualised spreadsheet assignments. Quality learning outcomes are achieved when students adopt deep approaches to learning (Ramsden, 2003). Learning environments designed to align assessment to learning objectives and learning activities encourage these approaches (Biggs 1999). A crucial part of any learning or assessment activity is the degree to which students receive timely and effective feedback. As academics have experienced more pressure, frequently feedback has been limited to a single score, achieved most commonly by auto-corrected multiple choice questions in ICT supported environments. Spreadsheet assignments are a good way to learn and demonstrate understanding of concepts requiring calculation and interaction of different elements. However, they can be an assessment nightmare either because of validity problems (the potential for cheating using the cell copy function) or because of marking time (if students are allowed individual choice in application topic). This paper responds to Higgins, Hartley and Skelton's (2002) observation on the lack of research on feedback and builds on work by Lehman and Herring (2003) in using interactive spreadsheets to provide immediate feedback by describing effects on students. Effects on academics and their productivity are considered, including Rogers' (1995) diffusion of innovation factors. Academics and academic managers seeking ways to improve learning by improving feedback, without an increasing workload, will find this research of interest.
Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector
Authors: Williams Jeremy B , Jacobs Joanne
Published: April 2016

'Blogging' - a contraction of the term 'web logging' - is perhaps best described as a form of micro-publishing. Easy to use, from any Internet connection point, blogging has become firmly established as a web based communications tool. The blogging phenomenon has evolved from its early origin as a medium for the publication of simple, online personal diaries, to the latest disruptive technology, the 'killer app' that has the capacity to engage people in collaborative activity, knowledge sharing, reflection and debate (Hiler, 2003). Many blogs have large and dedicated readerships, and blog clusters have formed linking fellow bloggers in accordance with their common interests.
This paper explores the potential of blogs as learning spaces for students in the higher education sector. It refers to the nascent literature on the subject, explores methods for using blogs for educational purposes in university courses (eg. Harvard Law School), and records the experience of the Brisbane Graduate School of Business at Queensland University of Technology, with its 'MBA blog'. The paper concludes that blogging has the potential to be a transformational technology for teaching and learning.
Instructional designers' observations about identity, communities of practice and change agency
Authors: Schwier Richard A. , Campbell Katy , Kenny Richard
Published: April 2016

We presume that models and theory in instructional design inform professional practice, but theory has not been consistently built from the professional experiences of instructional designers. This study draws on the observations of five instructional designers who discuss their professional identities, their communities of practice and their roles as agents of social and institutional change. This study is embedded in two theoretical positions: instructional design as a social construct that is expressed in professional communities of practice, and critical pedagogy, in which designers act as agents of social change.
Organisational and technological skills: The overlooked dimension of research training
Authors: Phelps Renata , Fisher Kath , Ellis Allan
Published: April 2016

Over the last three decades new technologies have emerged that have the capacity to considerably streamline the research and publication process and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of research. This paper argues that to achieve high quality research training in the context of today's government and industry priorities, there must be a renewed focus on the organisational and technological skills that are appropriate to research. It reports on a survey of both researchers in training (higher degree research students) and early career researchers across a number of Australian institutions. The study revealed moderate levels of confidence in these areas but also found strong evidence that researchers see these aspects of research as very important and that they require greater knowledge, skills and support. The paper recommends inclusion of these organisational and technological aspects of research in research training programs and that higher education institutions take seriously the importance of such skills and do not assume that beginning researchers are already adequately trained in these skills.
International design collaboration and mentoring for tertiary students through Facebook
Authors: McCarthy Josh
Published: April 2016

This study explores the efficacy of the online social networking site Facebook, for linking international digital media student cohorts through an e-mentoring scheme. It reports on the 2011 collaboration between the University of Adelaide in Australia, and Penn State University in the United States. Over one semester, twelve postgraduate students in Australia and ten undergraduate students in the United States took part in an online mentor scheme hosted by Facebook. Students were required to submit work-in-progress imagery each week to a series of galleries within the forum. Postgraduate students from Adelaide mentored the undergraduate students at Penn State, and in turn, staff and associated industry professionals mentored the Adelaide students. Interaction between the two student cohorts was consistently strong throughout the semester, and all parties benefitted from the collaboration. Students from Penn State University were able to receive guidance and critiques from more experienced peers, and responded positively to the continual feedback over the semester. Students from the University of Adelaide received support from three different groups: Penn State staff and associated professionals; local industry professionals and recent graduates; and peers from Penn State. The 2011 scheme highlighted the efficacy of Facebook as a host site for e-mentoring and strengthened the bond between the two collaborating institutions.
Editorial 29(4)
Authors: Dalgarno Barney , Bennett Sue , Kennedy Gregor
Published: April 2016

We are pleased to present Volume 29, Issue 4 of AJET. In this editorial we would like to discuss the importance of building on the results of prior research. Building on prior research is an important consideration for AJET authors, as it is for authors of educational research publications in general. Arguably, there has been a tendency in educational research to ‘reinvent the wheel’ rather than building on the work of others. This has resulted in a proliferation of studies that propose new conceptual models for learning processes or educational issues rather than testing and refining the conceptual models developed by others. This limits the field in collectively moving forward and also makes it hard for practitioners trying to apply the results of ‘the latest research’ in their own context. A tendency to ignore or duplicate related research done by others may be one of the reasons why average citation rates for educational research publications are generally lower than those in the natural and biomedical sciences.
Sketching up new geographies: Open sourcing and curriculum development
Authors: Boyd William , Ellis David
Published: April 2016

The functionality of web 2.0 technologies has caused academics to rethink their development of teaching and learning methods and approaches. The editable, open access nature of web 2.0 encourages the innovative collaboration of ideas, the creation of equitable visual and tactile learning environments, and opportunity for academics to develop contemporary assessment tasks. In reviewing an example of a teaching tool based on Google SketchUp 3D Warehouse, we have had to consider social and cultural changes required by academics adopting and adapting such technology. In using open source and collaborative knowledge technology there is a risk of work – including the work of students and others – being seen to be plagiarised, and this coming into conflict with established rules of academic behaviour. We conclude that universities must not only be willing to invest in the educational infrastructure to avoid communication, ownership, and authority issues, but, more importantly, be prepared to examine cultural change regarding values and beliefs around ownership of knowledge and the roles of collaborative knowledge generation.

 
Designing interaction tasks in Second Life for Chinese as a foreign language learners: A preliminary exploration
Authors: Lan Yu-Ju , Kan Yu-Hsuan , Hsiao Indy Y.T. , Yang Stephen J.H. , Chang Kuo-En
Published: April 2016

The aims of this research were to develop guidelines for designing interaction tasks for learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) and to investigate the attitudes of CFL learners toward a full CFL class in Second Life (SL). Three research questions were addressed in this research: (1) what are the attitudes of CFL learners toward the language learning tasks in SL? (2) what kinds of social interactions emerge from learning activities in a CFL class in SL? (3) how do those activities benefit CFL learners in the learning of Chinese in SL? Two studies were conducted to tackle these questions. The cognition, usage, and expansion (CUE) model was proposed based on the findings obtained from study 1 and then implemented and evaluated in study 2. The findings of study 2 indicated that the activities run in the CUE model were effective at motivating CFL beginners and improving their oral communication and social interactions. Based on the video data analysis, three criteria were proposed for designing learning activities. Suggestions are also made for future research on CFL teaching/learning in SL.
Impact of an open online course on the connectivist behaviours of Alaska teachers
Authors: Graham Lee , Fredenberg Virgil
Published: April 2016

In this article we will describe a continuum of development towards knowledge generation and networked learning which emerges as practising teachers participate in a connectivist experience offered through an open online class (OOC) learning design. We believe that this design offers an opportunity to provide authentic professional development and collaboration particularly for those teachers in remote areas such as in the Alaska bush. Research remains in progress; however, current findings indicate that those teachers who valued the connectivist experience indicate a desire to promote these experiences with their own students. Content analysis of interviews, focus group transcripts and Twitter transcripts reveal four distinct stages of awareness of values necessary for success in the OOC. Of the practising teachers who enrolled, 98% were successful in completing the OOC for credit; however, 20% remained resistant to connectivist pedagogy throughout the experience.
Editorial 29(5)
Authors: Bennett Sue , Dalgarno Barney , Kennedy Gregor
Published: April 2016

We are pleased to present a new issue of AJET and in the editorial we would like to reflect on an ascilite-sponsored workshop in Singapore that Sue recently presented, on the topic of ‘Researching Educational Technology in Higher Education’. The purpose of the workshop was to provide an introduction for those new to educational technology research, but it also served as a refresher for those already familiar with the area. As part of the editorial for this issue we’ve decided to share some of the advice Sue gave to workshop participants on ‘8 Things You Need to Know About Doing Educational Technology Research’.
Exploring university students’ use of technologies beyond the formal learning context: A tale of two online platforms
Authors: Deng Liping , Tavares Nicole Judith
Published: April 2016

Situated within an informal learning context, this study examines how a group of pre-service teachers in Hong Kong use Facebook and Google Sites on their own initiative to fulfil their academic and socio-emotional needs during their teaching practice. Also included in the study are the motivating and inhibiting factors that influence student online participation. Guided by an informal learning model and the literature relating to online participation and sense of community, this exploratory study generates its findings from questionnaires, individual interviews and online postings. The results show that the Google Sites created an avenue for the students to share a range of self-developed teaching resources and ideas. Facebook is a more interactive platform through which the participants seek peer support, exchange teaching ideas, and engage in discussions on a variety of topics. Structure and control provided by Google Sites and immediacy and interactivity afforded by Facebook become complementary to each other.

 
Influences that undermine learners’ perceptions of autonomy, competence and relatedness in an online context
Authors: Hartnett Maggie Katherine
Published: April 2016

Online learning has grown considerably in recent years. However attrition rates from online courses indicate that not all learners are successful in such settings, and various factors have been identified as crucial to learner persistence. Research evidence suggests that motivation is one such factor. This study builds on previous studies by using self-determination theory (SDT) as an analytical framework to explore, in-depth, the motivation of pre-service teachers situated within an online learning context. In particular, the underlying concepts of autonomy, competence and relatedness from SDT were adopted as critical lenses to identify social and contextual influences which undermined the psychological needs of these learners. Most prominent among these in the current study were: high workload, assessment pressure, perceptions that the learning activity lacked relevance (autonomy-undermining), unclear and complicated guidelines, insufficient guidance and feedback from the instructor (competence-undermining), and communication issues with peers (relatedness-undermining). By not exclusively focusing on learners’ autonomy needs as others have done, the paper offers a more extensive picture of undermining influences on motivation than has been previously identified in online studies.
Collaboration and competition on a wiki: The praxis of online social learning to improve academic writing and research in under-graduate students
Authors: Carroll Julie-Anne , Diaz Abbey , Meiklejohn Judith , Newcomb Michelle , Adkins Barbara
Published: April 2016

While the Internet has been described as fundamental to higher education students, social and leisure internet tools are also increasingly being used by these students to generate and maintain their social and professional networks and interactions. Rapid technological advancements have enabled greater and faster access to information for learning and education. As such, we sought to integrate interactive, online social media into the assessment profile of a Public Health undergraduate cohort at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The aim of this exercise was to engage students to both develop and showcase their research on a range of complex, contemporary health issues within the online forum of Wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/) for review and critique by their peers. We applied Bandura's social learning theory (SLT) to analyse the interactive processes from which students developed deeper and more sustained learning, and via which their overall academic writing standards were raised. This paper outlines the assessment task and the students' feedback on their learning outcomes in relation to the attentional, retentional, motor reproduction, and motivational processes outlined by Bandura in SLT. We conceptualise the findings in a theoretical model, and discuss the implications for this approach within the broader tertiary environment. 

 
Editorial 29(6)
Authors: Dalgarno Barney , Bennett Sue , Kennedy Gregor
Published: April 2016

We are pleased to present a new issue of AJET and in the editorial we would like to discuss some of the challenges involved in undertaking and reporting on experimental research in education and in educational technology specifically. The first challenge relates to the need to find the right balance between internal and external validity in the research design, while the second relates to the need for clarity about the likely causes of learning effects: technology or learning design.
Students’ perspectives on e-portfolio development and implementation: A case study in Taiwanese higher education
Authors: Hsieh Pei-Hsuan , Lee Chun-I , Chen Wei-Fan
Published: April 2016

This study explores students’ perceptions related to the implementation of e-portfolios in the context of Taiwanese higher education. Thirty Taiwanese university students were interviewed, and data analysis includes 14 interviewees’ e-portfolios and responses to 281 valid surveys from non-interviewed students. The study presents students’ perspectives using textual descriptions and visual presentations related to developing e-portfolios. A three-stage model developed by the first author links five critical success factors for implementing e-portfolios in Taiwan. Overall, the students’ perceived usefulness, university support, and e-portfolio audiences (i.e., educators, employers, and friends) as well as intentions to visit e-portfolios are the major components used to promote e-portfolios in Taiwanese higher education. The findings of the study indicate that the value of developing an e-portfolio can be enhanced by using incentives such as design contests or encouragement through various other activities (e.g., class activities, team projects, and extracurricular activities). Accessibility, interactivity, and ownership are university students’ concerns when they are deciding to develop e-portfolios. For implementing a system of e-portfolios, the study suggests guidelines that can become important references for countries with similar cultural backgrounds in higher education. New insights relevant for scholars from Western countries also appear at the end.
A pilot study: Facilitating cross-cultural understanding with project-based collaborative learning in an online environment
Authors: Shadiev Rustam , Hwang Wu-Yuin , Huang Yueh-Min
Published: April 2016

This study investigated three aspects: how project-based collaborative learning facilitates cross-cultural understanding; how students perceive project-based collaborative learning implementation in a collaborative cyber community (3C) online environment; and what types of communication among students are used. A qualitative case study approach was applied to explore these aspects using a variety of data sources. First, students’ reflections were evaluated to determine their level of cross-cultural understanding. Second, students’ messages on the discussion board were analysed to explore their cross-cultural learning process and types of communication. Third, interviews were conducted with the students and their instructor to investigate their experiences and perceptions with respect to project-based cross-cultural learning. Results of this study show that cross-cultural learning took place in the 3C online environment. Folk games, learning activities, were interesting, drew students’ attention, and stimulated their motivation. The students and the instructor positively perceived the 3C online environment as it created an authentic learning environment by connecting students from different cultures. Educational, technical, and communicative types of communication in the 3C environment were derived; however, only communication of the educational type could facilitate cross-cultural understanding. Based on the results, this study provides implications and suggestions for the teaching and research community in the field.
Foregrounding knowledge in e-learning design: An illustration in a museum setting
Authors: Carvalho Lucila , Dong Andy , Maton Karl
Published: April 2016

The nature of knowledge, and the various forms knowledge may take, is a neglected aspect of the development of e-learning environments. This paper uses Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) to conceptualise the organising principles of knowledge practices. As we will illustrate, when it comes to the design of e-learning, the organising principles of the knowledge comprising the subject area, matters as much as the content. Drawing on one dimension of LCT, Specialisation, we show how to identify and apply organising principles of knowledge, in two successive stages, through an example of our own recent work developing an e-learning environment called Design Studio. First, an analytic stage explored knowledge practices within four design disciplines, engineering, architecture, digital media, and fashion design, in terms of their organising principles. Second, a generative stage involved the creation of content for the Design Studio software as well as its look and feel, and interaction design elements, all of which were designed to be consistent with the output from the analytic stage. Design Studio was then pilot-tested by 14 high school students. The paper concludes with some general observations about how LCT can improve the creation of other e-learning environments.
Modelling the intention to use technology for teaching mathematics among pre-service teachers in Serbia
Authors: Teo Timothy , Milutinovic Verica
Published: April 2016

This study aims to examine the variables that influence Serbian pre-service teachers’ intention to use technology to teach mathematics. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the framework, we developed a research model to include subjective norm, knowledge of mathematics, and facilitating conditions as external variables to the TAM. In addition, we investigated the influence of gender and age on the behavioural intention to use technology. With data gathered from 313 participants using a survey questionnaire, structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis revealed that the proposed model in this study has a good fit and accounted for 5.4% of the variance in the behavioural intention to use technology. Pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards computers were found to be the only factor with direct influence on the intention to use technology. All other factors were found to have an indirect influence. Using multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) modelling, pre-service teachers’ intention to use technology was not found to be significantly different by age and gender. Various contributions to research and implications for teacher training are discussed.