ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Visualizing Solutions: Apps as Cognitive Stepping-Stones in the Learning Process
Author: Stevenson, Michael
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Criticism,Creativity,Productivity,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Informal Education,Learning Experience,Learning Processes,Teaching Methods,Instructional Design,Computer Software,Multiple Literacies,Case Studies,Cooperative Learning,Teacher Student Relationship,Critical Thinking,Correlation,Media Literacy,Visual Literacy,Student Centered Learning,Visualization

In many K-12 and higher education contexts, the use of smart mobile devices increasingly affords learning experiences that are situated, authentic and connected. While earlier reviews of mobile technology may have led to criticism of these devices as being largely for consumption, many current uses emphasize creativity and productivity, with diverse purposes ranging from blogging and social networking to near full-scale video editing, office productivity and language translation. These affordances are further made possible by the large-scale development of mobile applications (or apps). For the vast majority of mobile device users--now numbering in the billions--many of these learning experiences are informal and just-in-time, sometimes unplanned, unsanctioned by educational discourse and beyond the immediate locus of institutional control. As smart technologies become increasingly an extension of the personal, educators are faced with the question: how can we best facilitate and explicate the learning process and design relevant experiences that leverage the affordances of so many mobile devices? This paper explores how the effective use of apps enable the learning process to be visualized in ways that support meaningful and student-centered learning. The authors discuss recent developments in technology, mobile learning and multiliteracies, drawing on a range of case studies deploying mobile devices and using apps as part of learner-led inquiry processes to enable creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. Emerging from these case studies are real classroom examples, teacher-student reflections, scaffolds and working models that all speak to the importance of using apps to visualize learning and support learners at each stage of the learning process. Exploring the connections between mobile devices, media literacy and visual literacy, the paper also emphasizes the collaborative affordances of many current apps and the importance of multimodal forms of representation through gesture, voice, text, video and audio. Citing the common issues involved in deploying mobile devices in most education institutions, the authors argue the need for schools and education systems to move away from infrastructure-led developments towards more learner-led solutions.
Staff Development and Institutional Support for Technology Enhanced Learning in UK Universities
Author: Almpanis, Timos
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Staff Development,Higher Education,Tutors,Blended Learning,Electronic Learning,Educational Needs,Educational Technology,Mixed Methods Research,Questionnaires,Semi Structured Interviews,Data Analysis,Educational Quality,Costs,Case Studies

This paper presents the findings of a mixed methods study conducted in the context of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). More specifically, it focuses on the staff development needs of tutors who teach in blended and online environments, the ways HEIs in the United Kingdom (UK) address these needs and institutional issues around the deployment and support of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) by campus-based institutions. The informants in both phases of this research were the heads of e-learning in various UK HEIs. Using an online questionnaire, quantitative data were gathered on the various ways that the staff development needs of the lecturers in blended and online learning have been addressed by UK HEIs. During the second phase of this research, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted. The findings from both phases are integrated in the results section of the paper.
Does the Web Contain Pedagogically Informed Materials? The COSREW Outcomes
Author: Nitchot, Athitaya
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Internet,Instructional Materials,Competence,Electronic Learning,Search Engines,Comparative Analysis,Information Retrieval,Models,Questionnaires,Pretests Posttests,Likert Scales

Web resources allow a learner to have more opportunities for study at any time and any place. It is still difficult, however, for learners to choose the right study materials to match their desired learning. A competence-based system for recommending study materials from the Web (COSREW) is proposed, based on the learner's competences. COSREW generates a list of learning paths, and extracts search terms from the competence statements on the chosen learning path. Three experiments were conducted to evaluate COSREW's recommendations. The first explored the differences between search engines and the qualities of the study material links in helping learners achieve their competences. The second experiment explored the differences between search keywords, and the third experiment compared COSREW with freely-browsing learning modes. The results showed that the Web is currently not a good resource for a pedagogically informed competence-based system, since Web pages predominantly comprise text-based subject matter content with little support for learning competence or capability.
Learner Differences in Perceived Satisfaction of an Online Learning: An Extension to the Technology Acceptance Model in an Arabic Sample
Author: Al-Azawei, Ahmed
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Online Courses,Psychometrics,Questionnaires,Distance Education,Access to Education,Cognitive Style,Models,Educational Technology,Structural Equation Models,Predictor Variables,Self Efficacy,Technological Literacy,Gender Differences,Higher Education,Foreign Countries,Management Systems,Computer Science Education,Hypermedia,Web Sites,Student Surveys,Program Descriptions,Correlation,Positive Attitudes,Statistical Analysis

Online learning constitutes the most popular distance-learning method, with flexibility, accessibility, visibility, manageability and availability as its core features. However, current research indicates that its efficacy is not consistent across all learners. This study aimed to modify and extend the factors of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine perceived satisfaction of an Arabic sample in online learning. The integrated factors in the modified model includes: deep level (learning styles), surface level (gender), and cognitive (online self-efficacy) factors. Learning styles were chosen as a central factor. Hence, the online course was purposefully developed to support one pole in each dimension of Felder and Silverman Learning Styles Model (FSLSM) in order to reveal the pedagogical implications of learning styles on learner satisfaction. A total of 70 learners participated voluntarily in the research. At the end of the online course, they were requested to fill in two questionnaires: the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) and a standard questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the latter were firstly analysed to validate the instrument. Then, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to examine the proposed hypotheses. The model achieves an acceptable fit and explains 44.8% of variance. Perceived usefulness represented the best predictor, whereas online self-efficacy and perceived ease of use failed to show a direct impact on perceived satisfaction. Furthermore, neither learning styles nor gender diversity had direct influence on the dependent factors. Accordingly, the research suggested that other variables may have to be integrated to enhance the power of the model.
Appraising the Role of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a Change Agent for Higher Education in Nigeria
Author: Adeoye, Yusuf Musibau
Date: 2013-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Change Agents,Educational Change,Influence of Technology,Higher Education,Information Technology,Foreign Countries,Role,Barriers,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty,Gender Differences,Costs,Technological Literacy,Teacher Qualifications,Technology Uses in Education,Questionnaires

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become inseparable entities in all aspects of human life. The use of ICT has fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of nearly all forms of endeavour within business, governance and civil service. In education, ICT has begun to have a presence but the impact has not been as extensive as in other fields of endeavour. The moving of the world to digital media and information has made the role of ICT in education to become more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in the 21st century. Information and communication technology (ICT) is an indispensable part of the contemporary world. In fact, culture and society have to be adjusted to meet the challenges of the knowledge age. Undoubtedly ICT has impacted on the quality and quantity of teaching, learning and research in tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria. The various constraints to ICT utilisation as a change agent for higher education must received prominent attention, for the ICT to continue playing its lofty role as a change agent for Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Basic Education from Early Childhood: Impacts of Free Primary Education and Subsidized Secondary Education on Public ECDE Centers in Nyahururu District, Kenya
Author: Mwangi, Peter Murage
Date: 2013-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary Secondary Education,Access to Education,Budgets,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Early Childhood Education,Basic Skills,Enrollment,Questionnaires

Kenya must invest more in education to realize her vision 2030. The government commitment to Education for All's goal has been expressed through provision of basic education in pre-primary, primary and secondary school levels. To this end, the government introduced two kitties; Free Primary Education in 2003 and Subsidized Secondary Education in 2008 (where the government paid tuition fees for the students in secondary schools), but left parents to finance Early Childhood Development and Education. Since public centers were not well equipped, only the poor parents enrolled their children. The study was carried out in Nyahururu District in 2010, to assess the impacts of the two government kitties on public Early Childhood Development and Education centers in Kenya. To evaluate the impact of the kitties on the public Early Childhood Development and Education centers, private centers were also studied together. The study revealed that while the kitties led to rising enrolment in primary, secondary school and private Early Childhood Development and Education centers, enrolment declined in public centers. The two have lowered the quality of education in public Early Childhood Development and Education centers since parents were unwilling to raise finances enough to employ and motivate teachers, buy teaching/learning resources, school facilities and school feeding program. High enrolment after Free Primary Education also took up classrooms meant for Early Childhood Development and Education in public centers.
Right to Education of Scheduled Tribe: An Indian Perspective
Author: Chowdhury, Madhurima
Date: 2013-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Tribes,Civil Rights,Individual Development,Disadvantaged Environment,Literacy,Poverty,American Indian Education,Educational Legislation,Indians,Foreign Countries,Language of Instruction,Barriers,Geographic Isolation,Childrens Rights,International Law,Treaties,Educational Policy,Sociocultural Patterns,English (Second Language),Indigenous Populations

Education seeks to unfold the latent qualities of a person, thereby giving full development to the individual. As such, it has been described as the act or art of developing, or creating, cultivating the various physical intellectual, aesthetic and moral faculties of the individual. Scheduled Tribe has a history of social and economic deprivation, and the underlying causes of their educational marginalization are also strikingly distinct. About 87 percent of the main workers from these communities were engaged in primary sector activities. The literacy rate of Scheduled Tribes is around 47 percent, as against the national average of 74.04 percent. More than three-quarters of Scheduled Tribes women are non-literate. Not surprisingly, the cumulative effect has been that the proportion of Scheduled Tribes below the poverty line is substantially higher than the national average. The study intends to explore the state of education and the awareness of the disadvantaged groups towards right to education as a fundamental human right with special reference to Right to Education Act, 2010.
Determinants of Non-Compliance of Public Procurement Regulations in Kenyan Secondary Schools
Author: Migosi, Joash
Date: 2013-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Secondary Schools,Questionnaires,Sampling,Administrator Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Compliance (Legal),Federal Legislation,Surveys,Committees,Public Schools,Interviews,Familiarity,Stakeholders,Educational Finance,Federal Aid,Educational Resources,Purchasing,Money Management,Competition,Correlation,Institutional Characteristics,Regression (Statistics),Federal Regulation

Kenya's public procurement and disposal Act of 2005 sets out clear rules and procedures for public procurement entities to follow; however this does not seem to be the case. This study sought to examine determinants of Non-compliance to the Public Procurement Regulations in Kenyan Secondary Schools. The study adopted a descriptive survey research. A sample of twelve (12) schools was utilized in this study from a population of thirty three (33) registered public secondary schools in Kitui Central District. The target population was the Public Secondary School Tendering Committees' members; the suppliers and the principals of the twelve (12) Public Secondary Schools were adopted for this study. Stratified random sampling was adopted in this study. The tendering committees yielded 120 respondents, school principals were 12 and the total number of suppliers was 60. Structured self administered questionnaires, interview guides and document analysis were used in data collection. Findings in this study revealed that most respondents in this study were not familiar with the new procurement rules and regulations. There is need therefore for government and public institutions to lay emphasis on familiarization of the new procurement rules and regulations and to intensify continuous education among the procurement stakeholders in the public procurement process particularly at the secondary school level.
Higher Education Financing in Nigeria: Issues and Trends
Author: Adewuyi, Jacob Olusayo
Date: 2013-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Trend Analysis,Access to Education,Student Costs,College Students,Partnerships in Education

The potential of the higher education system to act as an agent of growth and development in Nigeria is being challenged by the long-standing problems of limited access, inadequate financing, poor governance, declining quality and relevance. Thus, this paper provides an overview of the trends and nature of public funding of higher education in Nigeria. The arguments in this paper support increased public investment in higher education for many reasons. First, most societies believe that education is a public service; hence, its provision is not and needs not be justified on economic ground alone. More so, schooling, especially at the tertiary level, has a large number of direct beneficial effects beyond raising economic output, such as lowering child mortality, hedging options and non-market returns among others. The paper however recognises the fact that government alone cannot provide all the resources needed to increase access into and promote quality of higher education, thus the need for alternative financial mechanisms to complement public funds in higher education.
A Strategic Response to MOOCs: How One European University Is Approaching the Challenge
Author: Brown, Mark
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Online Courses,Universities,Educational Policy,Educational Technology,Higher Education,Open Universities

This paper briefly outlines some of the macro level claims, counter-claims, and unresolved debates surrounding the rapid growth of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in Higher Education. It then reports insights, experiences, and perceptions of those charged with developing a strategic institutional response to the challenges and opportunities presented by the MOOC movement framed within a wider European context. A description of the key drivers, strategic deliberations, and major decision points in micro-level MOOC related discussions at Dublin City University (DCU) is provided along with brief analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of a range of platform options. In critically reflecting on the burgeoning MOOC literature in the context of this single institution experience, the paper aims to demonstrate the value of aligning key decisions with well-defined institutional drivers, which in turn are used to help review and evaluate the technical and pedagogical affordances of different MOOC platforms. Finally, a number of strategic questions are presented that may help guide future decisions about the adoption of MOOCs by other institutions.
New &quot;Field&quot; of Vocal Music Teaching and Research: Research on the Construction of a Novel Interaction Mode
Author: Li, Donglan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Singing,Music,Student Characteristics,Personality Traits,Teacher Student Relationship,Teaching Methods,Music Education,Innovation,Talent,Outcomes of Education,Self Concept,Personal Autonomy

This paper, as an attempt to find a solution to the problem of &quot;Identity Crisis&quot; brought about by the traditional spoon-feeding Education Mode, explores to construct a new mode of vocal music teaching characterized by an interaction on an equal and democratic footing between learners and the teacher in light of Habermas' Communicative Action theory. This new mode, taking into consideration students' personalities and characteristics, can help to cultivate their innovative spirit and practical ability, hence enhancing the expressiveness of the teaching content and bettering teaching effect and the quality of vocal music talents.
An EMI Pedagogy That Facilitates Students' Learning
Author: Chuang, Yung-Ting
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language of Instruction,Course Content,Feedback (Response),Instructional Effectiveness,Cooperative Learning,Outcomes of Education,Language Role,Higher Education,Computer Science Education,Undergraduate Students,Course Descriptions,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Programming,Student Projects,Web Sites,Assignments,Learning Processes,Foreign Countries

In recent decades, increasing numbers of EMI (English as Medium of Instructions) courses have been added to university course offerings in countries where English is not the first language, as a way of supporting university internalization and addressing the global status of English. However, some studies argue that EMI courses might affect the overall learning of course content because of students' poor lecture comprehension and passive engagement in class. In order to facilitate student engagement and improve learning experiences in EMI courses, the author introduces a pedagogical method that would facilitate students' overall learning in her EMI course. Based on students' overall feedback, the author confirms that her pedagogy is an effective method that improves lecture comprehension, encourages more class engagement, and promotes collaborative learning. Finally, the author recommends that other instructors apply this pedagogy to their EMI classes for better learning outcomes.
Grammar and Grammaring: Toward Modes for English Grammar Teaching in China
Author: Nan, Chengyu
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grammar,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Story Telling,Inquiry,Active Learning,Advanced Students,Foreign Countries

The value of grammar instruction in foreign language learning and teaching has been a focus of debate for quite some time, which has resulted in different views on grammar and grammar teaching as well as different teaching approaches based on different perspectives or in different language learning contexts. To explore some modes for grammar teaching in China on the basis of distinguishing grammar and grammaring, this research reviews briefly the current situations of grammar teaching at colleges in China and the various teaching modes adopted in different teaching contexts. Two teaching modes are suggested, linguistic mode and story-telling mode, which may activate inquiry learning and active learning. Linguistic mode, which emphasizes the dual features of grammar learning, is more reasoning-centered than knowledge-centered and is designed from linguistic and academic perspective for advanced learners. Story telling mode, which focuses on smooth communication in different contexts, is more skill-centered than rule-centered and is designed from social and communicative perspective for beginners. Exploring the modes for teaching grammar from linguistic and social perspectives will be a pilot study for inquiring other aspects of grammar teaching as well as for teaching grammar to the learners of other languages.
The Cultivation of Cross-Cultural Communication Competence in Oral English Teaching Practice
Author: Sun, Chunyan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Oral Language,Intercultural Communication,College Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Correlation,Communicative Competence (Languages),Role,Listening Skills,Multimedia Instruction,Thinking Skills,Extracurricular Activities

This paper analyzes the main problems and difficulties in current college English oral English teaching practice, illustrates the relationship between oral English teaching and cross-cultural communication competence. On the one hand, cross-cultural communication plays an essential role in oral English teaching; besides, oral English teaching promotes cross-cultural communication competence. Our oral English teaching concept should be consistent with that of the world. We should lay equal stress on cross-cultural communication competence and oral English teaching for the purpose of improving the students' cross-cultural oral communication ability.