ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Role of Re-Appropriation in Open Design: A Case Study on How Openness in Higher Education for Industrial Design Engineering Can Trigger Global Discussions on the Theme of Urban Gardening
Author: Ostuzzi, Francesca
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Industrial Arts,Gardening,Feedback (Response),Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Computer Mediated Communication,Educational Change,Criticism,Urban Areas,Engineering Education,Sustainability,Course Descriptions,Web 2.0 Technologies,Open Education,Cooperative Learning,Higher Education,Qualitative Research

This case study explores the opportunities for students of Industrial Design Engineering to engage with direct and indirect stakeholders by making their design process and results into open-ended designed solutions. The reported case study involved 47 students during a two-weeks intensive course on the topic of urban gardening. Observations were collected during three distinctive phases: the co-design phase, the creation of an open design, and the sharing of these design solutions on the online platform Instructables.com. The open sharing of local solutions triggered more global discussions, based on several types of feedback: from simple questions to reference to existing works and from suggestions to critiques. Also, some examples of &quot;re-appropriation&quot; of the designed solutions were reported. These feedbacks show the possibilities for students to have a global vision on their local solutions, confronting them with a wider and more diverse audience. The case study shows, on the other hand, the difficulty in keeping students engaged in this &quot;global&quot; discussion, considering how after a few weeks the online discussions dropped to an almost complete silence. It is also very difficult with such online platforms to follow the re-appropriation cycles, losing the possibility of exploring the new local context where the replication/modification of the designed product occurred. The course's focus on open design is interesting from both the design and educational points of view. It implies a deep change in the teaching approach and learning attitude of students, allowing unknown peers to take part in the design process and fostering a global discussion starting from unique and local solutions.
Structural Relationships of Environments, Individuals, and Learning Outcomes in Korean Online University Settings
Author: Lim, Keol
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Characteristics,Educational Environment,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Higher Education,Student Motivation,Technological Literacy,Self Efficacy,Academic Achievement,Student Satisfaction,Environmental Influences,Asian Culture,Hypothesis Testing,Undergraduate Students,Questionnaires,Incentives,Regression (Statistics)

This study examines relationships of instructional environments, learner traits, and learning outcomes in the context of an online university course in Korea which has an advanced information technology background and rich e-learning experiences. However, the educational heritage of the country adheres to directive instruction with little interaction in the classroom. Based on the literature review, specific research variables are as follows: the environmental variables include learner-learner interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and content/system quality. Regarding learner traits, intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and computer/academic self-efficacy were investigated. Academic achievement and class satisfaction were identified as potential determinants of online learning outcomes. A total of 937 valid responses from online university students were used to establish structural relationships among the variables. Most of the structural associations among the factors were significantly positive, although some variables reflected Korean cultural and educational contexts specifically. The findings suggest a need for a synthetic approach towards e-learning and that further research should be conducted concerning context-specific variables.
The Effect of Multilingual Facilitation on Active Participation in MOOCs
Author: Colas, Jean-François
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Large Group Instruction,Online Courses,Barriers,Language Usage,Language of Instruction,Facilitators (Individuals),Student Participation,Peer Teaching,Comparative Analysis,Predictor Variables,Intention,Group Dynamics,Hypothesis Testing,Technology Uses in Education,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,English,French,Greek,Spanish,Slavic Languages,Romance Languages

A new approach for overcoming the language and culture barriers to participation in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is reported. It is hypothesised that the juxtaposition of English as the &quot;language of instruction,&quot; used for interacting with course materials, and one's preferred language as the &quot;language of participation,&quot; used for interaction with peers and facilitators, is preferable to &quot;English only&quot; for participation in a MOOC. The Hands-On ICT (HANDSON) MOOC included seven teams of facilitators, each catering for a different language community. Facilitators were responsible for promoting active participation and peer tutoring. Comparing language groups revealed a series of predictors of intention to learn, some of which became apparent in the first days of the MOOC already. The comparison also uncovered four critical factors that influence participation: facilitation, language of participation, group size, and a pre-existing sense of community. Especially crucial was reaching a sufficient number of active participants during the first week. We conclude that multilingual facilitation activates participation in MOOCs in various ways, and that synergy between the four aforementioned factors is critical for the formation of the learning network that supports a social dynamic of active participation. Our approach suggests future targets for the development of the multilingual and community potential of MOOCs.
Guidelines for Transferring Residential Courses into Web
Author: Tüzün, Hakan
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Publishing,Production Techniques,Guidelines,Design Preferences,Models,Educational Change,Formative Evaluation,Instructional Design,Focus Groups,Interviews,Transcripts (Written Records),Distance Education,Web Based Instruction,Delivery Systems,Instructional Development,Program Descriptions,Computer System Design,Online Courses,Qualitative Research,Graduate Students,Participant Observation,Grounded Theory

This study shared unique design experiences by examining the process of transferring residential courses to the Web, and proposed a design model for individuals who want to transfer their courses into this environment. The formative research method was used in the study, and two project teams' processes of putting courses, which were being taught in classrooms at the time, on the Web were examined in depth to reveal and confirm the components of the design model. The participants were 13 instructional designers. In addition to the logbooks kept by the designers, individual and focus group interview techniques were employed in the data-gathering process. Two researchers analyzed the data concurrently using content analysis. The logbooks and the focus-group interviews were used for model formation, and the individual interviews to confirm the components of the model. Based on the findings from the two design cases, the experience-based e-course design model consisting of seven basic stages including forming design team, preliminary search, analysis, instructional and technical design, integration, tests, and improvements was proposed. It is considered that sustaining Web-based course design efforts within this model will enable both implementing the design process more effectively, and the Web-based course obtained at the end of the process to have higher quality.
Children as &quot;Solutionaries&quot;: Environmental Education as an Opportunity to Take Action
Author: Crawford, Elizabeth O.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Environmental Education,Elementary School Students,Interdisciplinary Approach,Teaching Methods,Units of Study,Behavior Change,Curriculum,Inquiry,Pilot Projects,Lesson Plans,Conservation (Environment),Grade 3,Perspective Taking,Recycling,Prior Learning

&quot;'Do You Want Paper or Plastic?' An Inquiry into Single-Use Grocery Bags&quot; is an inquiry-based, solutions-focused environmental education unit developed for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Field-tested in two U.S. southeastern regions, the unit engages students as informed change makers who investigate the production, consumption, and disposal of single-use, disposable grocery bags. Based upon their inquiries, students become empowered as &quot;solutionaries&quot;, or individuals who plan and implement action steps that lead to a sustainable future. Results from the curriculum pilot offer support for the importance of interdisciplinary environmental education in the elementary setting.
A Critical Look at a Blended English Language Teacher Education Program with an Emphasis on the Practicum
Author: Koç, Ebru Melek
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Blended Learning,English Instruction,Language Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Practicums,Semi Structured Interviews,Student Evaluation,Computer Mediated Communication,Psychological Patterns,Cooperating Teachers,Distance Education,Foreign Countries,Data Analysis,Preservice Teachers,Qualitative Research

The aim of the present study was to explore what types of difficulties student teachers enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English Language Teacher Education program offered in a blended format and their cooperating teachers encountered during the student teacher practicum. The participants were 21 fourth grade student teachers and 12 cooperating teachers. Semi-structured interview questions were used to collect data. The interviews were tape-recorded and then transcribed to be analyzed. According to the findings, the problems student teachers faced were grouped into four areas: assessment systems, computer-assisted communication, challenges with mentors, and psychological issues. Cooperating teachers' problems were categorized as problems associated with the program and problems associated with the student teachers. The results of this study contribute to an increased understanding of the problems that student teachers and their cooperating teachers face during field experience at an English language teacher education program offered in a distance format. This study provides suggestions for establishing more effective mentorship during the field experience.
Nature and the Outdoor Learning Environment: The Forgotten Resource in Early Childhood Education
Author: Cooper, Allen
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Natural Resources,Outdoor Education,Play,Child Development,Early Childhood Education,Educational Environment,Educational Policy,State Regulation,Inquiry,Child Health,Child Behavior,Physical Activity Level,Psychomotor Skills,Quality Assurance

Longitudinal studies now confirm the economic, academic, and social importance of high-quality early childhood education. At the same time, a substantial body of research indicates that an outdoor learning and play environment with diverse natural elements advances and enriches all of the domains relevant to the development, health, and well-being of young children. Despite these findings, the outdoor learning environment goes virtually unmentioned in national and state level standards, guidelines, and regulations, and has been largely overlooked in the considerable efforts to enhance the quality of early childhood education (ECE). Moreover, children most likely to benefit from an outdoor play and learning environment are less likely to have access to one. This article lays out recommendations for increasing the availability and use of natural outdoor play and learning environments in order to improve the quality of ECE. The article summarizes research indicating the contribution of an outdoor learning environment to the domains of ECE; describes the current policy related to the outdoor learning environment and nature exploration in state regulations; identifies model policy content in key areas; and concludes with specific actions that will increase availability of quality outdoor learning environments.
Effects of Group Awareness and Self-Regulation Level on Online Learning Behaviors
Author: Lin, Jian-Wei
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Dynamics,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Self Control,Influences,Comparative Analysis,Peer Relationship,Statistical Analysis,Learner Engagement,Help Seeking,Helping Relationship,Perception,Foreign Countries,Quasiexperimental Design,Undergraduate Students,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Pretesting

Group awareness can affect student online learning while self-regulation also can substantially influence student online learning. Although some studies identify that these two variables may partially determine learning behavior, few empirical studies or thorough analyses elucidate the simultaneous impact of these two variables (group awareness and self-regulation) on online learning behavior. This paper compared one online collaboration environments with GA support with one without group awareness (NA) support and further investigated how these two variables, different system types (i.e., GA and NA) and different self-regulation levels (i.e., high and low), influence learning task (i.e., assessment) participation, and peer interaction (i.e., asking for help and willing to help) using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Analytical results first showed that both variables have significant interaction on assessment participation and requesting rate. GA can particularly stimulate students with high-level self-regulation to engage more learning task (assessment) participation and ask for help more, compared with students with low-level self-regulation. Second, both variables have no significant interaction on willingness to help. The GA class can enhance a student's willingness to help regardless of his/her self-regulation level.
Wild Beginnings: How a San Antonio Initiative Instills the Love of Nature in Young Children
Author: Kharod, Deepti
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Environmental Education,Program Descriptions,Preschool Education,Lesson Plans,Toddlers,Parks,Parent Child Relationship,Caregiver Child Relationship,Guidelines,Professional Associations,Outdoor Education,Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Teaching Methods

This paper describes an environmental education initiative called Starting out Wild (SoW) designed for toddlers and their caretakers. The program, developed by staff and volunteers of a city parks department, engages children ages 1-3 and their parents and caretakers through outdoor learning experiences. We suggest that environmental education learning for young children should focus on nurturing positive emotional relationships with nature and keep in mind practices that are appropriate to the children's development. In this article, first we offer a rationale for situating early environmental learning in an affective approach. Next, we examine learning about the environment in the context of developmentally appropriate practice for young children, drawing on guidelines developed by the North American Association for Environmental Educators (NAAEE) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Then we describe the San Antonio-based SoW program, including discussion of a sample lesson. We conclude with recommendations for practice.
Perceived Service Quality and Student Loyalty in an Online University
Author: Martínez-Argüelles, María-Jesús
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Educational Quality,Student Attitudes,Student Satisfaction,Hypothesis Testing,Student Surveys,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Pretests Posttests,Questionnaires,Factor Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Virtual Universities,Virtual Classrooms,College Students

This paper examines the influence that student perceived quality of service (PSQ) has on continuance intention and willingness to recommend a course in a fully online university. A holistic view of the service provided by the university is taken. It is not only the effect of the teaching which is examined, but also that of the administrative services, the additional services, and the virtual learning environment (user interface). Through a survey completed by 1,870 students and the subsequent analysis using structural equations, we found that each of these services has a significant impact on the students' PSQ, their level of satisfaction, and, as a result, their loyalty and willingness to recommend the university. The study found that the perceived quality of the administrative services can have a comparatively higher impact on student satisfaction than the other services. PSQ is shown to have also a direct impact on student loyalty and recommendations. Moreover, as a whole, non-teaching services have a greater impact on loyalty and willingness to recommend than teaching service. The peculiarities of the process of providing educational services in a virtual environment (such as the absence of face-to-face interaction between student and teacher and the lack of conventional tangible elements which act as benchmarks for quality of service) are well-known. The relationship established in the literature between the constructs of service quality, satisfaction, loyalty, and willingness to recommend the service in an offline environment can also be seen in this context. The interconnection of factors proves to be more complex and interrelated than has been accounted for as yet in the scholarly literature. The findings of the survey are relevant to system concerns related to quality management and sustainability, both of which are increasingly important in today's competitive educational postsecondary environment.
Developing Guidelines for Evaluating the Adaptation of Accessible Web-Based Learning Materials
Author: Radovan, Marko
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Guidelines,Internet,Instructional Materials,Instructional Material Evaluation,Electronic Learning,Learning Disabilities,Dyslexia,Check Lists,Special Needs Students,Needs Assessment,Access to Information,Information Technology,Accessibility (for Disabled),Assistive Technology,Usability,Readability

E-learning is a rapidly developing form of education. One of the key characteristics of e-learning is flexibility, which enables easier access to knowledge for everyone. Information and communications technology (ICT), which is e-learning's main component, enables alternative means of accessing the web-based learning materials that comprise the content of e-learning. However, these materials can help provide a good educational experience only if they are designed carefully, which is especially true for people that have difficulties with learning from text or those with other learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia). The main obstacle to learning for such people is usually posed by the form in which web-based learning materials are provided. Using guidelines from relevant literature, this article provides a checklist that assesses the degree to which web-based learning materials take account of the needs of people with disabilities, especially those with dyslexia. The article focuses more on the technical aspects of web-based learning materials, as they are a crucial factor that can influence the accessibility of web-based learning materials.
Meeting Teacher Expectations in a DL Professional Development Programme--A Case Study for Sustained Applied Competence as Programme Outcome
Author: Kruger, Cornè Gerda
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Expectation,Distance Education,Professional Development,Sustainability,Teacher Competencies,Qualitative Research,Correlation,Developing Nations,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Theory Practice Relationship,Teacher Motivation,Program Implementation,Program Evaluation,Mixed Methods Research,Professionalism,Case Studies,Faculty Development

Meeting teacher expectations for a professional development programme (PDP) is expected to strengthen sustainable applied competence as programme outcome since teachers will be more motivated to apply the programme content in practice. A revised distance learning (DL) programme was augmented by a practical component comprising a work-integrated portfolio and audio-visual material, aimed to support the applied competence of practising teachers in the South African context. An evaluation of the way the programme measured up to teacher expectations was deemed critical for future DL programme design. A qualitative study based on an interpretivist philosophical approach collected data of teacher expectations &quot;for&quot; and &quot;of&quot; the practical component through multiple methods. Their contributions were linked with four main themes related to applied competence as identified in the literature. Participant expectations and experiences with regards to each theme were compared by means of electronic coding through ATLASti™. The findings show a strong correlation between expectations &quot;for&quot; and experiences &quot;of&quot; the way the practical component supports the elements of applied competence. Since DL is viewed as a viable and cost effective way to improve teacher competence in developing countries, these findings serve as impetus for further investigation and refining ways to support applied competence in a distance learning professional development programme (DL PDP).
An Empirical Study of Factors Driving the Adoption of Mobile Learning in Omani Higher Education
Author: Sarrab, Mohamed
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,Adoption (Ideas),Higher Education,Computer Attitudes,Surveys,Usability,Learner Engagement,Influences,Educational Technology,Management Systems,Correlation,Data Analysis,Discriminant Analysis,Factor Analysis,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications,Likert Scales,Undergraduate Students

Mobile learning (M-learning) provides a new learning channel in which learners can access content and just in time information as required irrespective of the time and location. Even though M-learning is fast evolving in many regions of the world, research addressing the driving factors of M-learning adoption is in short supply. This article focuses on the driving factors in adoption of M-learning and the learner's perceptions and willingness towards M-learning adoption. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been shown to be a valid and powerful model in mobile and other learning technologies research. Based on Technology Acceptance Model theory, this paper analyzes the influencing factors on M-learning adoption and measure the acceptance of M-learning in Oman. The data collected from 806 participants in 17 different Omani higher education institutions using a survey questionnaire. Some factors of perceived innovative characteristics, such as ease of use, usefulness, enjoyment, suitability, social, and economic were found to have more influence on learners' adoption of M-learning which help to facilitate and promote future empirical research. This effort is part of funded research project that investigate the development, adoption, and dissemination of M-learning in Oman.