bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determining the factors affecting student perceptions of a popular science video
Authors: Muller Derek A. , Sharma Manjula D.
Published: April 2016

Video is a widely used resource in teaching at all levels of education, yet research regarding its pedagogic development and use is inconsistent, dependent on outdated learning theories, and inapplicable to the current cohort of students. This study aimed to determine the key multimedia design features, from the student perspective, related to learning from the popular science video, Dr Karl's Falling Cats.The goal was to compare factors arising from three focus groups, each comprised of low, moderate, or highly interested students, with those outlined by current multimedia research. Overall, students' preferences coincided with research in the areas of context, tone, colours, sound, and onscreen text. Participants in the moderate and high interest groups were more accommodating to complex aspects of the film that overwhelmed some novices, consistent with the literature. Although the design of Falling Cats was largely based on intuitive choices, it adheres closely to research based principles; this is identified as one of the keys to its success.
Strategic development of information technology services in a provincial higher education institute
Authors: Intaganok Prachit , Waterworth Peter , Srisamai Siwaporn
Published: April 2016

This paper describes a research project on the introduction of information technology (IT) services to a higher education institution in north eastern Thailand. The project considered the literature on the processes involved in the introduction of IT services to educational institutions in various parts of the world and attempted to understand the issues that institutions had to deal with in introducing and productively using IT services in teaching, scholarship and administration. It then analyses the nature of the process at the case study institution, through a range of quantitative and qualitative measures designed to draw data from staff, students and senior institutional managers. A number of similarities and differences were identified between what was found in the literature and what had occurred at the case study institution and analysis of them led to the development of a model to attempt to explain the attitudinal and practical stages through which an institution goes in adopting a technical innovation. The impact of cultural and contextual factors upon the acceptance of an innovation is stressed.
Learning through online discussion: A case of triangulation in research
Authors: Hammond Michael , Wiriyapinit Mongkolchai
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on issues in carrying out research into online discussion. The context is a study of a distance learning module within an MBA program. The module required students to tackle problems based on real life scenarios within small online groups. Students were studying part time and shared similar professional backgrounds. The research looked at students' overall evaluation of the module, ways in which group work was conducted, and the contribution of the tutor. The approach taken was an interpretive case study using questionnaire survey, text analysis and interviews. The main findings from the study are reported, but the focus is on the strengths of, and difficulties in, using the research methods. Triangulation of methods provides the researcher with a greater degree of confidence in reporting findings, although subjective interpretation is still needed.
Participatory multimedia learning: Engaging learners
Authors: Kiili Kristian
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this paper is to present a participatory multimedia learning model for use in designing multimedia learning environments that support an active learning process, creative participation, and learner engagement. Participatory multimedia learning can be defined as learning with systems that enable learners to produce part of the learning materials themselves. The aim of the model is to represent the human information processing system more exhaustively than its predecessor, the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, and to support the transformation of free cognitive resources into a germane cognitive load needed for knowledge construction. Flow theory is used as a framework to facilitate positive user experience and engagement in order to maximise the impact of digital learning environments. The proposed model is studied through an educational game, IT-Emperor. In this game university level students (n = 18) worked in a virtual production company as trainees who were hired to produce learning material about usability. The focus of this paper is on studying the usefulness of participatory multimedia learning tasks included in IT-Emperor and factors that have an influence on flow experience. Questionnaires and interviews revealed that content creation was reported as the main activity causing flow. Additionally, a positive connection between flow and learning was found. Although these results support the proposed model, more research on the topic is recommended.
Student attrition in mathematics e-learning
Authors: Smith Glenn Gordon , Ferguson David
Published: April 2016

Qualitative studies indicate that mathematics does not work well in e-learning. The current study used quantitative methods to investigate more objectively the extent of problems with mathematics in e-learning. The authors used student attrition as a simple measure of student satisfaction and course viability in two studies, one investigating attrition in e-learning and a second comparison study of attrition in face to face courses. In e-learning, attrition (drop out rate) was significantly higher for math courses versus non-math. For face to face courses, attrition rates for math versus non-math courses were nearly equal. The authors suggest reasons for high student attrition in math e-learning. Online student populations are different from their face to face peers. E-learning systems are poorly adapted to mathematics.
Hypermedia and discovery based learning: What value?
Authors: Jacobs Gabriel
Published: April 2016

In 1992, I published a paper entitled 'Hypermedia and discovery based learning: A historical perspective'. It traced the swings in the history of educational thinking between, on the one hand, support for conventional curriculum based learning and, on the other, the non-linear approach expressed by many educational commentators over the centuries. As I saw things, hyperlink technology would finally allow learning truly to mesh with the free association characteristics of the human mind. Once the technology had matured, it would be a teaching resource that would transform passive learners into active thinkers. Thirteen years on, I take a critical look at those optimistic conclusions. Are students better equipped to learn than previously? Are they able to think reflectively to a greater degree than their counterparts of a decade or two ago? This present paper addresses such questions, the result being that the guarded optimism of 1992 has turned to a deep pessimism.
 
The Athabasca University eduSource Project: Building an accessible learning object repository
Authors: Cleveland-Innes Martha , McGreal Rory , Anderson Terry , Friesen Norm , Ally Mohamed , Tin Tony , Graham Rodger , Moisey Susan , Petrinjak Anita , Schafer Steve
Published: April 2016

Athabasca University - Canada's Open University (AU) made the commitment to put all of its courses online as part of its Strategic University Plan. In pursuit of this goal, AU participated in the eduSource project, a pan-Canadian effort to build the infrastructure for an interoperable network of learning object repositories. AU acted as a leader in the eduSource work package, responsible for the metadata and standards for learning objects. In addition, the team of professionals, academics, librarians and other researchers worked to create an accessible repository of learning objects across university departments and subjects. Most critically, the team worked beyond the development of a learning object repository and considered the adaptation of content and related applications, pedagogical approaches and the use of learning objects by instructional designers, faculty and the learners themselves. This paper describes one institution's approach to learning object repository development, from a technical and pedagogical perspective, along with some of the lessons learned during the process.
An investigation of the effectiveness of electronic classroom communication systems in large lecture classes
Authors: Sharma Manjula D. , Khachan Joe , Chan Ben , O'Byrne John
Published: April 2016

Since 2002 we have been investigating the use of an electronic classroom communication system in large first year lecture classes. Handheld keypads were distributed to teams of students during a lecture class. Students used the keypads to answer two step multiple choice problems after a discussion within their group. The questions were generated using students' answers from previous exams. We have evaluated our use of the classroom communication system using a survey about how comfortable students are with this type of interaction. In addition, we have tried to determine if the use of the classroom communication system can be linked to student performance on exams. Our results show that students are comfortable with this technology and feel that, on the whole, interactive lectures are useful. At a first glance, there is an improvement in students' exam performance, but there are too many competing factors to clearly say that this improvement is solely due to the use of the classroom communication system. Even though this paper is based in physics and a physics example is used to illustrate points, the technique can be applied to other discipline areas.
Developing and using multimedia effectively for undergraduate teacher education
Authors: Chambers Dianne P. , Stacey Kaye
Published: April 2016

Members of the Department of Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Melbourne have developed a range of multimedia resources for undergraduate education students, that allow the students to participate in authentic tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to arrange for large numbers of students. The multimedia resources have been carefully designed to project students into their future role as classroom teachers, as it has been observed that those students who do this tend to perform better, as they can see the relevance of learning opportunities presented in their studies. Observation of student work using these resources shows deeper thinking and enhanced reflective practices in considering how children think.
Teaching IP networking fundamentals in resource constrained educational environments
Authors: Armitage Grenville , Harrop Warren
Published: April 2016

Many educational institutions suffer from a lack of funding to keep telecommunications laboratory classes up to date and flexible. This paper describes our Remote Unix Lab Environment (RULE), a solution for exposing students to the latest Internet based telecommunications software tools in a Unix like environment. RULE leverages existing PC laboratories (often based on Microsoft's Windows) to enable student access to Internet Protocol (IP) networked hosts for telecommunications coursework and research projects. Re-use of existing PC labs substantially decreases the cost of introducing hands on teaching of Unix based Internet services into curricula. We discuss our experiences of deploying, using and provisioning RULE since early 2003. RULE itself is a handful of FreeBSD hosts, mounted in a small back room, utilising FreeBSD's "jail" functionality to create multiple virtual hosts.
 
Revisiting the impact of formative assessment opportunities on student learning
Authors: Peat Mary , Franklin Sue , Devlin Marcia , Charles Margaret
Published: April 2016

This project developed as a result of some inconclusive data from an investigation of whether a relationship existed between the use of formative assessment opportunities and performance, as measured by final grade. We were expecting to show our colleagues and students that use of formative assessment resources had the potential to improve performance of first year students. This first study, undertaken in semester 1 2002, indicated that there was no apparent relationship between the two, even though the students reported how useful they found the formative assessment resources. This led us to ask if there was a transition effect such that students were not yet working in an independent way and making full use of the resources, and/or whether in order to see an effect we needed to persuade non-users of the resources to become users, before investigating if use can be correlated with improvement in performance. With the 2002-3 NextEd ASCILITE Research Grant we set out to repeat our project and to look at use and usefulness of resources in both first and second semester, to encourage non-users to become users and to investigate the relationship between use and performance. Now our story has a different ending.
The power of the 6 three model for enhancing academic teachers' capacities for effective online teaching and learning: Benefits, initiatives and future directions
Authors: Segrave Stephen , Holt Dale , Farmer James
Published: April 2016

To gain the full educational benefits of the major new investments in corporate technologies supporting online teaching and learning it is argued that a strategic, systems based approach to academic professional development (APD) is required. Such an approach requires a clear view of the key areas of potential and enduring teaching and learning benefit which can be realised from online developments, including an understanding of the changing role of the academic teacher in higher education, the identification of the desired professional capacities to educate online, and the implementation of a number of coordinated initiatives to develop these professional capacities in order to engage constructively with the learning and technology opportunities. Based on previous work, we propose a 6three model of Academic Professional Capacities Development for effective APD of online teaching and learning. The model can help inform the actions of policy makers, executives and practitioners in ways that promote an authentic learning organisation.
E-learning compared with face to face: Differences in the academic achievement of postgraduate business students
Authors: Ladyshewsky Richard K.
Published: April 2016

The use of information technology in higher education has increased significantly over the years. There is a paucity of controlled research which examines differences in electronic learning (EL) and face to face (F2F) learning. This study examined student (n = 1401) performance (final grade) in nine units offered in both F2F and EL mode over the course of two years. The effect of age and gender was also considered. Students, on average, did better in the EL mode although at the individual unit level there were minimal if any significant differences. Age and gender did not appear to moderate performance in any way except for those students under 33 who did better, on average, in the EL mode. The implications for teaching and learning in virtual mediums are discussed.
Classroom computer climate, teacher reflections and 're-envisioning' pedagogy in Australian schools
Authors: Robertson Margaret , Fluck Andrew , Webb Ivan , Loechel Barton
Published: April 2016

Considerable resources have been committed to providing information and communication technology in Australian schools. However, little is known about their effects on professional practice and student learning. This paper reports two main aspects of the data emerging from a current, ongoing three-year study (2002-04) Years 3, 5 and 7 of Government and Catholic Education Schools in Tasmania, Australia. The aim is to develop a professional learning ICT pedagogy package for teachers. Relevant quantitative information and qualitative themes arising from survey questionnaire responses and preliminary findings from more in depth classroom case studies and the implications of these for pedagogy are discussed.
Relationship between learning outcomes and online accesses
Authors: Suanpang Pannee , Petocz Peter , Reid Anna
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a study carried out in Thailand investigating the relationship between students' use of an e-learning system and their learning outcomes in a course on Business Statistics. The results show a clear relationship between accesses to the e-learning system, as measured by number of "hits", and outcomes, as measured by final results. While the results do not establish a direct casual connection, they indicate that under appropriate conditions a component of online study provides significant benefits to learning. In this, it contrasts with the results of recent studies that find no relationship between access and results. Quotes taken from interviews with some of the students illuminate the relationship between the online learning environment and their own learning.
Developing a learning object metadata application profile based on LOM suitable for the Australian higher education context
Authors: Agostinho Shirley , Bennett Sue , Lockyer Lori , Harper Barry
Published: April 2016

This paper reports recent work in developing of structures and processes that support university teachers and instructional designers incorporating learning objects into higher education focused learning designs. The aim of the project is to develop a framework to guide the design and implementation of high quality learning experiences. This framework is premised on the proposition that learning objects are resources that can be incorporated within a learning design. The learning design serves as the pedagogical model that drives the development. The first phase of the project required an analysis of metadata schemas by which learning objects could be described, to facilitate discovery, retrieval and inclusion in a learning design. In particular, the pedagogical descriptors within the IEEE Learning Object Metadata (LOM) standard were examined to determine their suitability for use in this project. The findings indicated that enhancement of the educational descriptors was required. To address this, a learning object metadata application profile specific to Australian higher education has been developed. This paper describes the process by which the metadata application profile was developed within the context of the overall project.
Visualising learning goals with the Quail Model
Authors: Botturi Luca
Published: April 2016

This paper introduces the Quail Model, a device for the classification and visualisation of learning goals. The model is a communication tool that can smoothen the discussion within a course design team, support shared understanding, and improve decision making. Its theoretical background mingles contributions from instructional design (Bloom, Gagné, Merrill) with the insights of an author of philosophy (Lonergan). The paper presents a literature review, the Quail Model and some examples. Reference to a demonstration application is also provided.
User control and task authenticity for spatial learning in 3D environments
Authors: Dalgarno Barney , Harper Barry
Published: April 2016

This paper describes two empirical studies which investigated the importance for spatial learning of view control and object manipulation within 3D environments. A 3D virtual chemistry laboratory was used as the research instrument. Subjects, who were university undergraduate students (34 in the first study and 80 in the second study), undertook tasks in the virtual laboratory and were tested on their spatial knowledge through written tests. The results of the study indicate that view control and object manipulation enhance spatial learning but only if the learner undertakes authentic tasks that require this learning. These results have implications for educational designers making a choice between video or animation and interactive 3D technologies. The results are discussed within the framework of Piaget's theories on active learning and Gibson's ecological theory of perception and action.
Making sense of audit trail data
Authors: Kennedy Gregor E. , Judd Terry S.
Published: April 2016

In this paper we argue that the use of audit trail data for research and evaluation purposes has attracted scepticism due to real and perceived difficulties associated with the data's interpretation. We suggest that educational technology researchers and evaluators need to better understand how audit trail data can be processed and analysed effectively, and identify three stages of audit trail analysis. We present an investigation of a computer based learning resource as a vehicle for exploring strategies that can assist researchers and evaluators in the analysis and interpretation of audit trail data. The analytical approach we describe is iterative in nature, moving to greater levels of specificity as it proceeds. By combining this approach with primarily descriptive techniques we were able to establish distinct patterns of access to the learning resource. We then performed a series of cluster analyses which, guided by a clear understanding of two critical components of the learning environment, led to the identification of four distinct 'types' or 'categories' of users. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to document meaningful usage patterns at a number of levels of analysis using electronic records from technology based learning environments. The implications of these results for future work are discussed.
Online interaction impacts on learning: Teaching the teachers to teach online
Authors: Wilson Gail , Stacey Elizabeth
Published: April 2016

This paper explores the importance of interaction in the online teaching environment and the important role of staff development in developing teacher presence online. Professionally developing staff to use information and communication technologies is viewed from the standpoint of diffusion of innovation, moving from early adopters to mainstream majority, and targeting staff development at this latter group. Approaches to staff development using information and communication technologies are described, and recommendations for staff development for online teaching are made.
 
Teachers and ICT: Exploring a metacognitive approach to professional development
Authors: Phelps Renata , Graham Anne , Kerr Berenice
Published: April 2016

Professional development for teachers in information and communication technology (ICT) is currently a major priority for school systems in Australia and internationally. The metacognitive and reflective approach to professional development described in this paper is a response to the limitations of directive approaches to ICT learning within a context of rapid technological change. It proposes a capability based approach which strives to develop lifelong computer learning strategies. An important characteristic of the metacognitive approach is that, rather than specific objectives or outcomes being 'imposed' on learners, participants are encouraged to identify, articulate and pursue personally relevant goals, including those related to skills, attitudes, confidence, values and understandings, integration and school leadership. This paper reports on a research project which investigated the applicability of such an approach to teacher professional development. The approach was found to have significant outcomes in terms of computer skill development, and in influencing teachers' approaches to their own and their students' learning.
 
Webfolio: An online learning community to help link university studies and classroom practice in preservice teacher education
Authors: Sorin Reesa
Published: April 2016

The Webfolio project was developed at James Cook University to extend students' professional learning beyond what is taught in lectures or gleaned through the practicum. Through web based case studies, early childhood and primary preservice teachers explored topics of professional significance to their growth as teachers. Each case study included a range of media, such as: work samples; audiotaped conversations; links to websites; telephone and in person professional opinions from practising teachers, principals, social workers and welfare agents; and online discussion with other participants, including students, teachers and university lecturers.
Case studies were based on authentic classroom situations; ones which student teachers may never encounter during their practicums, therefore requiring them to immerse themselves in the professional world of teaching into which they were moving. There were no single, correct solutions; rather learners were encouraged to reflect, imagine and develop multiple and often non-traditional solutions. This exploration was supported within a learning community, where participants were positioned as co-learners, scaffolding each other's learning while building links to the professional world. These links may assist in bridging the gap that some neophyte teachers feel when beginning their professional teaching careers.
Valuing and using web supported teaching: A staff development role in closing the gaps
Authors: Shannon Susan , Doube Loene
Published: April 2016

This paper describes findings from a 2002-03 research project which sought to establish what the barriers were to the adoption or extended use of the centrally supported online learning management and content creation system by academic staff at the University of Adelaide. The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews and a survey administered to all teaching staff at the University. The survey canvassed respondents' use of and the value they placed on web supported teaching (particularly the centrally supported learning management system MyUni) and barriers to its adoption and further use. Respondents reported a higher valuing of and future intention to use than their current use of the Internet to support teaching. Factors that constrained their adoption or expanded use of web supported teaching included time and workload pressures, concerns about knowledge and skills, conceptions of teaching and the value of web supported learning for improving student outcomes, and the perceived stability and integration of the University infrastructure and learning management system. Respondents' views of priorities in addressing these concerns related to improved support from the University for web supported teaching, including staff development and training, IT and administrative support, and management support. This paper discusses some staff development implications of the findings.
Influence of teachers' perceived e-portfolio acceptance on teacher evaluation effectiveness in Taiwan
Authors: Chou Chun-Mei
Published: April 2016

This study examines technological and vocational school teachers' perceived e-portfolio acceptance, computer self-efficacy, and evaluation effectiveness in Taiwan. Teachers' perceived e-portfolios acceptance includes four factors, namely, staff commitment, performance expectancy, performance expectancy, and technology training. Computer self-efficacy includes four factors, namely, playfulness, ease of use, effectiveness, and usefulness. Evaluation effectiveness includes four factors, namely, classroom management, instructional design, dedicated attitude, professional development. Participants (N=318) responded to a 5-point Likert-type scale for each factor. Analysis was conducted using the structural equation modeling (SEM), and a good model fit was found for both the measurement and structural models. Findings demonstrate that technological and vocational schools teachers' e-portfolios acceptance significantly and directly influences evaluation effectiveness, and e-portfolio acceptance influences evaluation effectiveness by computer self-efficacy. The teachers' e-portfolio acceptance and computer self-efficacy fit the influence model and empirical data of evaluation effectiveness.
Research students’ conceptions of the role of information and communication technologies in educational technology research
Authors: Markauskaite Lina , Wardak Dewa
Published: April 2016

The emergence of big data, digital scholarship and eResearch raises the question of how these digital developments in research methods and practices affect research students. This paper presents findings from a phenomenographic study that investigated postgraduate students’ conceptions of the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in research. Ten students conducting research in the broad area of educational technology were interviewed. Three qualitatively different conceptions of ICT in research were identified: complementary, enhancing, and transforming. Results indicate that the three conceptions were closely associated with the expanding students’ focus from seeing ICT as a tool in the researchers’ hands, to noting that digital technologies may have implications for the process of inquiry, to seeing that ICT has distinct generative capacities and changes the nature of research practices. Findings suggest that students’ general understanding of ICT’s potential in research is underpinned not by abstract knowledge, but by their practical experiences of how ICT works and their abilities to see how technologies can enhance researchers’ individual capacities to generate knowledge in specific situations. Some implications for postgraduate research students’ education and capacity building are discussed.

 
Testing measurement invariance and latent mean differences across gender groups in college students’ Internet-specific epistemic beliefs
Authors: Chiu Yen-Lin , Tsai Chin-Chung , Liang Jyh-Chong
Published: April 2016

The purposes of this study were to investigate the measurement invariance and gender differences in the Internet-specific epistemic beliefs between male and female undergraduates. A total of 735 university students in Taiwan were surveyed using the Internet-specific epistemic beliefs questionnaire (ISEQ). By conducting structural equation modeling (SEM), the measurement invariance and latent mean comparisons across gendered groups were tested. After the invariance tests were all satisfied, the latent mean analysis approach was conducted. The results of the latent mean comparisons revealed that a gender gap occurred in the uncertainty, complexity and source of Internet-specific epistemic beliefs; however no gender difference was found in the justification dimension. In general, the study findings suggest that differences in beliefs regarding Internet-based knowledge exist between undergraduate males and females. The gendered issue of Internet-based learning and epistemic beliefs cannot be ignored. Finally, some suggestions for developing Internet-related curricula and instruction were also proposed.
Social capital from online discussion forums: Differences between online and blended modes of delivery
Authors: Carceller Charles , Dawson Shane , Lockyer Lori
Published: April 2016

This study explored the concept of social capital in higher education contexts by investigating student discussion forum activity and academic performance. To address these aims online discussion forum logs, student marks and teaching delivery method (blended or fully online) data were extracted from the universities learning management system (LMS). Student social network centrality measures were then calculated from the course discussion activity and correlated against student academic performance for each delivery mode. Drawing on social capital and social network theories the analyses identified that in comparison to low performing students the high-performing group held more central positions in their networks and tended to establish dense social connections with students of a similar academic ability. It was also observed that the relationships formed in blended teaching units were of a greater intensity and reciprocity than those established in fully online teaching units indicating a higher level of social capital was reached. This difference in the amount of available social capital between the two teaching modes suggests that students in blended units have comparatively greater access to resources embedded within the network, which in turn can be mobilised to assist them in their academic endeavours.
Learning in the Café: Pilot testing the collaborative application for education in Facebook
Authors: McCarthy Josh
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a pilot study using the Café, the collaborative application for education as an online learning environment within the Facebook framework, for first-year tertiary design students. The Café, a new e-learning application, has been designed based on five principles of user interface design – visibility, usability, relevance, accessibility and interactivity – and developed not only to take advantage of Facebook’s popularity and social qualities, but also to provide institutions with an established, structured and dedicated e-learning environment that meets the needs of contemporary tertiary students and teaching staff. From March to June in 2013, 48 students participated within the e-learning environment, in combination with traditional face-to-face classes including lectures and tutorials. Students were required to submit work-in-progress imagery related to major assignments, and provide feedback and critiques to their peers. The evaluation process of this new e-learning application involved pre- and post-semester surveys providing participating students with the opportunity to critically reflect on the experience during the semester.

 
Males are not as active as females in online discussion: Gender differences in face-to-face and online discussion strategies
Authors: Tsai Meng-Jung , Liang Jyh-Chong , Hou Huei-Tse , Tsai Chin-Chung
Published: April 2016

This study examined the gender difference in students’ perceived discussion strategies in face-to-face and online asynchronous contexts. A survey of 363 university students and follow-up interviews of 20 participants was conducted to examine any gender differences within each context and between the two contexts. The Discussion Strategies Scale was developed to examine students’ discussion strategies for both contexts in four dimensions: comprehension, interaction, elaboration and anxiety. The results show that no gender difference was found within the face-to-face context; however, within the online asynchronous context, the females perceived themselves better than did the males regarding their elaboration strategies. Although both genders experienced less anxiety in asynchronous discussion, the males perceived themselves as having better strategies in face-to-face discussion than in asynchronous discussion and the females perceived themselves as having about the same level of sophistication in both contexts. This study provides an in-depth observation of how both genders adapt themselves to different discussion contexts. We conclude that female students adapted themselves, as strategic learners, better than the males in asynchronous learning situations in which the male students were not as active as they were in traditional face-to-face discussion contexts.
Preparing teachers to integrate Web 2.0 in school practice: Toward a framework for Pedagogy 2.0
Authors: Jimoyiannis Athanassios , Tsiotakis Panagiotis , Roussinos Dimitrios , Siorenta Anastasia
Published: April 2016

Web 2.0 has captured the interest and the imagination of both educators and researchers while it is expected to exert a significant impact on instruction and learning, in the context of the 21st century education. Hailed as an open collaborative learning space, many questions remain unanswered regarding the appropriate teacher preparation and the pedagogical impact of using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom practice. Do teachers feel comfortable and ready to adopt educational Web 2.0? What are their beliefs and perceptions regarding the educational potential of Web 2.0? What are the educational and contextual issues that determine teachers' challenges and decisions to use Web 2.0 in their classroom practice? This paper addresses the questions above by presenting the design and the implementation of a development program aiming to prepare teachers to make meaningful and purposeful use of Web 2.0 tools in their classroom. The model of technological pedagogical content knowledge and the authentic learning approach were the guiding principles that largely influenced the Web 2.0 pedagogical framework, which was designed and applied in this particular teacher preparation program. The program findings were encouraging as far as the participants' perceptions and beliefs towards educational Web 2.0 and the expected outcomes for the students. Implications and recommendations are drawn in relation to the use of the proposed Web 2.0 pedagogical framework to guide teachers' development and the effective implementation of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom to maximize benefits and enhance students' learning.
Examining students' use of online annotation tools in support of argumentative reading
Authors: Lu Jingyan , Deng Liping
Published: April 2016

This study examined how students in a Hong Kong high school used Diigo, an online annotation tool, to support their argumentative reading activities. Two year 10 classes, a high-performance class (HPC) and an ordinary-performance class (OPC), highlighted passages of text and wrote and attached sticky notes to them to clarify argumentation structures and to represent and share argumentation processes. Analysis of annotations revealed that highlighting was the most frequently used online annotation feature. The HPC made significantly more sticky notes and used them more to annotate terms, claims and judgments than the OPC. The study suggests that Diigo is a promising tool for supporting reading-to-argue. The findings may be of value to teachers and researchers in designing online annotation tools that more effectively foster the process of reading-to-argue.
Getting inside the black box of technology integration in education: Teachers' stimulated recall of classroom observations
Authors: Tondeur Jo , Kershaw L. H. , R. Vanderlinde R. , Van Braak J.
Published: April 2016

This study explored the black box of technology integration through the stimulated recall of teachers who showed proficiency in the use of technology to support teaching and learning. More particularly, the aim of the study was to examine how these teachers use technology in their lessons and to gain deeper insights into the multifaceted influences affecting their current practices. In order to explore this black box, observations and stimulated recall interviews with primary school teachers were conducted in schools which were selected by the inspectorate on the basis of advances they had made in educational technology use. Stimulated recall interviews – a verbal reporting technique in which the teachers were asked to verbalize their thoughts while looking at their own classroom practice on video – seemed to be a promising approach to increase authentic understandings of technology integration. The results emphasize that (a) the teachers involved in this study were pedagogically proficient and flexible enough to fit technology in with the varying demands of their educational practices, (b) the teachers' ongoing learning experiences rather than training affected the development of the quality of their practices, and (c) the role of the school and the broader context of teachers' personal lives played an important role. By interpreting the results of the study, recommendations are discussed for teacher technology integration and future research.

 
A case study of an adult learner with ASD and ADHD in an undergraduate online learning environment
Authors: Meyers Christopher A , Bagnall Richard G
Published: April 2016

The contemporary need for older workers to participate in education and training programs to increase their employability has exposed many of them to learning opportunities involving online learning in higher education. This paper reports research into the issues and experiences of an adult learner with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) engaging in undergraduate online learning. The issues and experiences were identified through the use of inductive, in-depth interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), as part of a larger study. The profile of the target student was very different from the other nine participants in the study, and was interpreted as principally related to disorientation within his online learning environment. Three types of disorientation were identified – navigational, contextual, and procedural – each of which presented strategies for its mitigation. The research revealed a significant disjunction between the characteristics of the learner’s online learning environment and his learning needs and preferences, which has implications for the design and development of inclusive online learning environments in higher education.
A mindtool-based collaborative learning approach to enhancing students' innovative performance in management courses
Authors: Wu Chih-Hsiang , Hwang Gwo-Jen , Kuo Fan-Ray , Huang Iwen
Published: April 2016

Educators have indicated that creative teaching is the most important educational activity; nevertheless, most existing education systems fail to engage students in effective creative tasks. To address this issue, this study proposes a mind map based collaborative learning approach for supporting creative learning activities and enhancing students' innovative performance. An experiment has been conducted on a university management course to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed approach significantly enhanced the students' innovative performance in a project-based learning task. Such a finding not only provides evidence of the cultivability of innovative thinking, but also good references for those researchers who are interested in conducting creative learning activities.
Cognitive presence through social and teaching presence in communities of inquiry: A correlational–predictive study
Authors: Gutiérrez-Santiuste Elba , Rodríguez-Sabiote Clemente , Gallego-Arrufat María-Jesús
Published: April 2016

This study focuses on the relationships established between the elements that compose the community of inquiry (CoI): cognitive, social, and teaching presence. Using three questionnaires, we analyse the students’ perception of synchronous and asynchronous virtual in text-based communication (chats, forums and emails). Starting from the high correlations found between the three elements, we perform a multiple linear regression analysis. The findings show that relationships can be established in the model in which the cognitive elements are strongly predicted, to a greater extent by social presence than by teaching presence. In the forums the cognitive presence is better explained by other presences than in chats and emails. The results reveal the need to analyse the three kinds of presence jointly, assessing the impact of each on student learning. We also determine that the instructor benefits from knowing which tool is more valid for the learning objectives.
iResilience of science pre-service teachers through digital storytelling
Authors: Ng Wan , Nicholas Howard
Published: April 2016

We live in a multimodal world where communication enabled by digital media supports the expression of ideas, opinions, instructions and experiences in a variety of formats that empower the individual to convey thoughts and emotions persuasively. In education, digital storytelling as a pedagogical strategy can be embedded in student-generated videos of narratives of personal learning experiences or in teacher-constructed stories that inform or instruct. The aim of this qualitative research was to investigate how a group of science pre-service teachers created digital stories to elicit resiliency (risk and protective factors) during their teaching practicum and how their peers responded to the digital stories, uploaded and shared on VoiceThread. The results showed that the digital stories were able to convey thinking and emotions successfully at a deeper level. A range of issues (risk factors) and strategies (protective factors) to overcome them could be identified in the digital stories. As reducing the risk of attrition in teachers’ early professional careers is important for maintaining teacher numbers and quality in teaching, this research is significant in understanding how pre-service teachers view resiliency in their education. Digital stories are able to provide teacher educators and researchers with richer data for this purpose.
Exploring factors affecting students’ continued Wiki use for individual and collaborative learning: An extended UTAUT perspective
Authors: Yueh Hsiu-Ping , Huang Jo-Yi , Chang Chueh
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors affect students’ adaptation and continued use of a Wiki system for collaborative writing tasks through an extension of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). This study was conducted in a general education course in a university in northern Taiwan. Data were collected from surveys of 103 students after their continued writing on the CourseWiki system for one semester. With structural equation model (SEM) analysis, results from this study partially confirm that, in the UTAUT model, factors of social influence have direct and significant effects on students’ actual usage of the Wiki system. Moreover, students’ actual use of the Wiki influences their intention of future use. This study successfully applies the extended UTAUT model and tests the predictive power in determining students’ acceptance of a Wiki system in terms of their actual use and their behavioural intentions of future use. It further provides suggestions for future research and practice, and should contribute to theoretical understanding as well as practical application of learning technology in post-secondary teaching.

 

 
Has student learning been improved by the use of online and offline formative assessment opportunities?
Authors: Peat Mary , Franklin Sue
Published: April 2016

For almost a decade we have been providing a large group of first year, undergraduate biology students with both offline (paper based) and online assessment resources to support them in their learning. This paper reports on an investigation of the students’ use of these assessment resources, as well as their perceptions of the usefulness of these resources to their learning. The research plan enabled us to investigate any correlations between use or non-use of the assessment resources and final performance in the course. The results show that while the majority of students use and find useful both offline and online assessment resources, use has no differential impact on final learning outcomes.