Showing papers in "Computer Education in 2003"

Beyond Nintendo: design and assessment of educational video games for first and second grade students

Abstract: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the introduction of educational videogames into the classroom, on learning, motivation, and classroom dynamics. These effects were studied using a sample of 1274 students from economically disadvantaged schools in Chile. The videogames were specifically designed to address the educational goals of the first and second years of school, for basic mathematics and reading comprehension. The sample was divided into experimental groups (EG), internal control groups (IC) and external control groups (EC). Students in the EG groups, used the experimental video games during an average of 30 h over a 3-month period. They were evaluated on their acquisition of reading comprehension, spelling, and mathematical skills, and on their motivation to use video games. Teachers' expectations of change due to the use of video games, their technological transfer, and handling of classroom dynamics, were assessed through ad hoc tests and classroom observations. The results show significant differences between the EG and IC groups in relation to the EC group in Math, Reading Comprehension and Spelling, but no significant differences in these aspects were found between the EG and the IC groups. Teacher reports and classroom observations confirm an improvement in motivation to learn, and a positive technological transfer of the experimental tool. Although further studies regarding the effects of learning through videogame use are imperative, positive effects on motivation and classroom dynamics, indicate that the introduction of educational video games can be a useful tool in promoting learning within the classroom.

College student web use, perceptions of information credibility, and verification behavior

Abstract: Concerns about the potentially dubious nature of online information and users' ability to evaluate it appropriately prompted this research on college students' use of Web-based information, their perceptions of information credibility, and their online verification behaviors. Two studies were conducted to address these issues. Results of the first study show that college students rely very heavily on the Web for both general and academic information, and that they expect this usage to increase over time. Results of the second study indicate that students find information to be more credible than do those from a more general adult population, across several media and considering many different types of information. Nonetheless, students verify the information they find online significantly less. Implications are discussed in light of current efforts of educators to improve Internet literacy.

An empirical investigation of student acceptance of course websites

Abstract: The World Wide Web (WWW) is the future in teaching and learning. This paper uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) constructs of usefulness and ease of use to assess university students' acceptance of course websites as an effective learning tool. A survey instrument was distributed to 450 undergraduate students and a total of 403 usable responses were obtained. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were implemented using structural equation modeling techniques through LISREL version 8.52. A structural equation model was used to fit and validate the Course Website Acceptance Model (CWAM) and the results indicated good fit to the data. Course website usefulness and ease of use proved to be key determinants of the acceptance and usage of course website as an effective and efficient learning technology. The causal relationships between the constructs considered by the CWAM were well supported, accounting for 83% of the total variance in the course website acceptance and usage.

Sage, guide or ghost? The effect of instructor intervention on student participation in online discussion forums

Abstract: When facilitating asynchronous discussion forums, should online instructors be encouraged to take a prominent 'sage on the stage' role, a more constructivist 'guide on the side' role, or an ultra low profile as 'the ghost in the wings'? There is no shortage of anecdotal advice on how to conduct discussion forums in online education, but there appears to be very little research available so far to back that advice up. In this study of an online astronomy program with approximately 200 participants, we investigated the way that the rate at which instructors post and how often those instructors initiate discussions correlate with several variables--student posting rates, lengths of discussion threads, and student survey responses concerning their educational experience. We found that the ways in which instructors post to forums can influence students' forum discussions and perceptions, but not always in expected ways. On average, frequent posting by instructors did not lead to more student postings, and the more the instructors posted, the shorter were the lengths of the discussions overall. On the other hand, while most students rated their educational experience highly, instructors who posted frequently were judged on average to be more enthusiastic and expert than those who did not. Clearly the number of student postings and the rate at which instructors participate are not simple indicators of the quality of forum discussions. We need to find more subtle measures of the effectiveness of asynchronous discussion forums for learning and teaching.

Effectiveness of PowerPoint presentations in lectures

Abstract: We investigated whether students liked and learned more from PowerPoint presentations than from overhead transparencies. Students were exposed to lectures supported by transparencies and two different types of PowerPoint presentations. At the end of the semester, students preferred PowerPoint presentations but this preference was not found on ratings taken immediately after the lectures. Students performed worse on quizzes when PowerPoint presentations included non-text items such as pictures and sound effects. A second study further examined these findings. In this study participants were shown PowerPoint slides that contained only text, contained text and a relevant picture, and contained text with a picture that was not relevant. Students performed worse on recall and recognition tasks and had greater dislike for slides with pictures that were not relevant. We conclude that PowerPoint can be beneficial, but material that is not pertinent to the presentation can be harmful to students' learning.

Assessing online collaborative learning: process and product

Abstract: The assessment of online collaborative study presents new opportunities and challenges, both in terms of separating the process and product of collaboration, and in the support of skills development The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of assessment with respect to the processes and products of online collaborative study It describes a qualitative case study of staff and students perspectives on two UK Open University courses which have used a variety of models of online collaborative assessment The findings underline the importance of assessment in ensuring online participation, and in supporting the practice and development of online collaborative learning They have led to a number of recommendations for the assessment of online collaborative learning

Cultures in negotiation: teachers' acceptance/resistance attitudes considering the infusion of technology into schools

Abstract: A teachers' training project, employing teacher-mentored in-school training approach has been recently initiated in Greek secondary education for the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the classroom. Data resulting from this project indicate that although teachers express considerable interest in learning how to use technology they need consistent support and extensive training in order to consider themselves able for integrating it into their instructional practice. Teachers are interested in using ICT (1) to attain a better professional profile, and (2) to take advantage of any possible learning benefits offered by ICT but always in the context of the school culture. They are willing to explore open and communicative modes of ICT-based teaching whenever school objectives permit, otherwise they appear to cautiously adapt the use of ICT to the traditional teacher-centered mode of teaching (strongly connected to the established student examination system). Teachers' attitude to adapt ICT mode of use is supported by research evidence that emphasize the situational character of knowledge and expertise. Authors discuss the view that introducing ICT into schools can be understood as initiating a "negotiation" process between cultures and the way that technological tools are used reflects school "single context" epistemological stance.

Redefining the learning companion: the past, present, and future of educational agents

Abstract: The development of intelligent tutoring systems has long been the focus of applying artificial intelligence and cognitive science in education. A new breed of intelligent learning environments called learning companion systems was developed over a decade ago. In contrast to an intelligent tutoring system, in which a computer mimics an intelligent tutor, the learning companion system assumes two roles, one as an intelligent tutor and another as a learning companion. Motivated by recent interest in agent research and other technologies, this learning companion field has received increasing attention. This study addresses issues that arise from different perspectives on this research effort. With a view to future networked learning environments, the learning companion is redefined for application to a wide spectrum of educational agent research. Accordingly, several subjects that relate to educational agents, and hence learning companions, are identified.

The design and the formative evaluation of an adaptive educational system based on cognitive styles

Abstract: Adaptive Hypermedia Systems (AHS) can be developed to accommodate a variety of individual differences, including learning style and cognitive style. The current research is an attempt to examine some of the critical variables, which may be important in the design of an Adaptive Educational System (AES) based on student's cognitive style. Moreover, this paper describes the design issues that were considered for the development of the system that are reported in the relevant literature Throughout the development of the system, formative evaluation was an integral part of the design methodology. The results of the formative evaluation were used to improve our system in order to make the instruction more effective and efficient. Furthermore, the recommendations resulted from the formative evaluation could be seen as some points worth considering from designers of AHS.

A conceptual map model for developing intelligent tutoring systems

Abstract: With the recent rapid progress of computer technology, researchers have attempted to adopt artificial intelligence and use computer networks to develop computer-aided instruction systems. Meanwhile, researchers have also attempted to develop more effective programs to test and enhance the learning performance of students. However, conventional testing systems simply give students a score, and do not give them the opportunity to learn how to improve their learning performance. Students would benefit more if the test results could be analyzed and hence advice could be provided accordingly. This study proposes a conceptual map model, which provides learning suggestions by analyzing the subject materials and test results. A testing and diagnostic system is also implemented on computer networks based on the novel approach. Experimental results have demonstrated that the novel approach benefits students and deserves further investigation.

On automated grading of programming assignments in an academic institution

Abstract: Practise is one of the most important steps in learning the art of computer programming. Unfortunately, human grading of programming assignments is a tedious and error-prone task, a problem compounded by the large enrolments of many programming courses. As a result, students in such courses tend to be given fewer programming assignments than should be ideally given. One solution to this problem is to automate the grading process such that students can electronically submit their programming assignments and receive instant feedback. This paper studies the implementation of one such automated grading system, called the Online Judge, in the School of Computing of the National University of Singapore for a compulsory first-year course that teaches basic programming techniques with over 700 students, describing the student reactions and behavior as well as the difficulties encountered. The Online Judge was also successfully employed for an advanced undergraduate course and an introductory high school course.

The Jeliot 2000 program animation system

Abstract: Jeliot 2000 is a program animation system intended for teaching introductory computer science to high school students. A program animation system is a system that displays a dynamic graphical representation of the execution of a program. The goal is to help novices understand basic concepts of algorithms and programming like assignment, I/O and control flow, whose dynamic aspects are not easily grasped just by looking at the static representation of an algorithm in a programming language. The paper describes the design and implementation of Jeliot 2000 and an experiment in its use in a year-long course. The experiment showed that animation provides a vocabulary and a concrete model that can improve the learning of students who would otherwise have difficulty with abstract computer-science concepts.

An activity theory approach to research of ICT integration in Singapore schools

Abstract: This paper explains how activity theory is used as a framework to study the information and communication technologies (ICT) integration processes in Singapore schools, both from the sociocultural and pedagogical perspectives. The research study addresses the pertinent question of 'How has ICT been integrated in Singapore schools such that students engage in higher order thinking?' Taking activity system as a unit of analysis, the study documents the processes by which activities shape and are shaped by their different levels of context. Such a framework guides the study by documenting and describing the activity systems within and across schools and classrooms, with the integral contextual understanding of how larger entities such as policymakers have on them. This understanding is particularly critical to education research where the object of its inquiry is not simply knowledge, but useable knowledge.

Managing evolution and change in web-based teaching and learning environments

Abstract: The state of the art in information technology and educational technologies is evolving constantly. Courses taught are subject to constant change from organisational and subject-specific reasons. Evolution and change affect educators and developers of computer-based teaching and learning environments alike both often being unprepared to respond effectively. Educational systems are often designed and developed without change and evolution in mind. We will present our approach to the design and maintenance of these systems in rapidly evolving environments and illustrate the consequences of evolution and change for these systems and for the educators and developers responsible for their implementation and deployment. We discuss various factors of change, illustrated by a Web-based virtual course, with the objective of raising an awareness of this issue of evolution and change in computer-supported teaching and learning environments. This discussion leads towards the establishment of a development and management framework for teaching and learning systems.

Interactive simulated patient: an advanced tool for student-activated learning in medicine and healthcare

Abstract: An advanced learning system for interactive simulation of patient cases (ISP) is described. The system was designed to meet specific pedagogical needs where student activation and problem orientation were two of the key issues. The system includes features such as video based illness history-taking function using free text input, highly interactive physiological examination procedures, extensive laboratory tests and detailed user feedback. The system was constructed mainly in Authorware Professional, starting more than 10 years ago, and it is now available in refined versions in different languages. Twelve pedagogical and three technical features were initially defined for the project. All of these aims were fulfilled. The ISP system has been successfully used in education, and in international collaboration, including three applicability field tests. The system is also a powerful research tool for studying for instance medical decision-making.

Developing a taxonomy of faculty participation in asynchronous learning environments: an exploratory investigation

Abstract: Anecdotal evidence suggests that instructor performance in the online discussion portion of online courses has a major impact on learning and learner satisfaction. If this is the case, faculty development is an important component of success. This paper describes the development of a taxonomy of six categories to describe instructor postings to asynchronous discussions in online courses. This taxonomy was used during the inspection of 18 post-graduate level course sections at a Midwest university. The resulting data show that there is considerable variation in faculty teaching styles, interaction, and the amount of content-related feedback. The process also allowed issues such timeliness of feedback and responsiveness of faculty to be quantified. In-depth interviews with instructors and learners with experience of online courses were conducted to validate the qualitative data.

Using sentence openers to foster student interaction in computer-mediated learning environments

Abstract: This paper reports two studies into the efficacy of sentence openers to foster online peer-to-peer interaction. Sentence openers are pre-defined ways to start an utterance that are implemented in communication facilities as menu's or buttons. In the first study, typical opening phrases were derived from naturally occurring online dialogues. The resulting set of sentence openers was implemented in a semi-structured chat tool that allowed students to compose messages in a free-text area or via sentence openers. In the second study, this tool was used to explore the students' appreciation and unprompted use of sentence openers. Results indicate that students hardly used sentence openers and were skeptical of their usefulness. Because both measures were negatively correlated with students' prior chat experience, optional use of sentence openers may not be the best way to support students' online interaction. Based on these findings, alternative ways of using sentence openers are discussed and topics for further research are advanced.

Patterns of female and male students' participation in peer interaction in computer-supported learning

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to analyze how intensively female and male students participate in discourse interaction within two computer-supported classrooms. Technical infrastructure for the study was provided by the Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environments (CSILE). The study was carried out by qualitatively analyzing written notes logged by two grade 5/6 classes to CSILE's database over one academic year. The results of the study indicate that only one of the classrooms engaged in a progressive discourse focused on collaborative advancement of explanation whereas the other classroom performed more traditional learning tasks. Female students participated most actively in the progressive-discourse classroom whereas male students dominated discourse interaction in the other class, but the reasons for this are subject to debate. The investigators argue that the use of new technology should be thoroughly subsumed under pedagogical goals in order to facilitate female students' participation in computer-supported learning.

Respecting the human needs of students in the development of e-learning

Abstract: This paper deals with the process pupils, aged 11 and 12, go through in the course of distance learning using electronic mail. Based on the constructive approach principles for teaching, the idea underlying this course was that students may acquire basic computer skills through experiential learning while actively using the software programs being learned and experiencing through trial and error. During the course of the research, detailed instructions were sent to the learners who performed the assigned tasks and returned the completed work, or any question, problem or ambiguity, to the teacher for evaluation and reassignment if necessary. The teacher's role was that of guide, facilitator, mentor, manager of resources and students and disseminator of tasks and questions. Collection of data was carried out through interviews, observations, questionnaires, tasks that the students were required to send in, and the portfolios that the students were asked to prepare. The data analysis strategy was that of "content analysis". Six themes appeared over and over again and it appears that there are two dimensions that all of them have in common. The first dimension relates to the technological aspect and the second dimension relates to the social aspect. A summary of the findings shows that children aged 11-12 find it difficult to learn in a distance learning computerized environment, a situation in which there is no face-to-face contact with the teacher or with other students. The main conclusions of this paper indicate the importance of personal contact and direct connection between teachers and their pupils. It is important for the teacher to take into consideration and respect the varied and various human needs of the children when developing electronic learning for such young learners.

Internet-assisted versus traditional distance learning environments: factors affecting students' preferences

Abstract: Factors related to students' selection of Internet-assisted vs. traditional distance learning environments (IDL vs. TDL) at the Open University of Israel were investigated. The two groups differed in their demographic variables, academic achievements and value priorities. The IDL group had a higher percentage of males, and a different age distribution. Students in the IDL group also had higher academic achievements: higher grades in Statistics, a higher grade point average, and a better knowledge of English. The groups also differed in their value priorities. The IDL group attributed higher importance to values that emphasize independence in thought and action, creativity and curiosity, and lower importance to values that emphasize maintenance of the status quo, and preference of what is familiar and well-organized. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Applying tacit knowledge management techniques for performance assessment

Abstract: Performance assessment is an important task in all levels of education, both as input for identifying remedial needs of individual students and for improving general quality of education. Although explicit assessment measures can be obtained through objective standardized testing, it is much more difficult to capture fuzzier, or tacit, performance assessment measures. The problem of tacit knowledge capture is a central theme in the field of knowledge management, and assessment management can be thought of as a form of knowledge management. Therefore, tacit assessment management can be facilitated through technologies commonly used in knowledge management systems such as databases, Internet architectures, artificial intelligence, and decision support techniques. This paper describes tacit performance assessment in the context of knowledge management and presents a prototype decision support system for managing tacit assessment knowledge using knowledge management techniques.

User requirements of the ultimate online assessment engine

Abstract: As online computer assisted assessment (CAA) is adopted throughout education, the number of CAA systems proliferates. While a number of commercial systems are gaining in sophistication, no single package is universally appropriate. For those implementing online assessment, selecting appropriate systems or indeed building them, it may be helpful to consider the "ultimate" online CAA system. This combination of web server software, middleware and database package does everything required of it for all possible users of the system. In this paper we take a step back from developments and re-evaluate the requirements of CAA systems for users with 21 possible roles. These user requirements are then mapped onto two leading online assessment systems to analyse how close we are to achieving the "ultimate" CAA system.

A comparison of student outcomes with and without teacher facilitated computer-based instruction

Abstract: The SuccessMaker computer-based instructional package can be used to improve the academic outcomes of disruptive students when intervention is teacher facilitated. Over a 2-year period, 215 participants identified as disruptive student were involved in a naturalistic quasi-experimental design in which independent sample t-tests were employed to determined differences between comparisons (Group I) and interventions (Group II) on psychosocial and academic measures. A significant difference (P> 0.05) was found between Group I and Group II on locus of control and grade point average at the end of the first grading period subsequent to the intervention. The difference in grade point averages was suspected to be attributed to the average amount of time spent on two curriculum areas, math and science, within the 14 academic areas that comprise the SuccessMaker computerized program. Evidence from this study provides hope that teacher facilitation with computer-based instruction (CBI) may be the key to improving locus of control and grade point averages of disruptive students.

Assisting the uptake of on-line resources: why good learning resources are not enough

Abstract: The proliferation of information resources for learning, and the increased range of media that make up learning resources, introduce new challenges for those supporting the effective use of online resources within education. This paper describes the importance of good on-line resources, and why despite the best efforts of their developers and institutional support staff, their uptake is low. It explores the issues of matching resources available to the identified needs of users and to their perceived expectations. An analysis of common strategies employed in building collections to improve uptake is made. While the impacts of these strategies are limited when separately adopted, it is possible to increase their effectiveness by combining collection-based and user-based strategies. A revised definition of critical mass is offered that is user-oriented and takes into account the human and technological constraints of developing and maintaining online resource services. The process of needs-analysis is linked to the central role of evaluation in building collections of resources that demonstrably meet the needs of users. The paper concludes that elements of both strategies are necessary to build collections that do support learning.

Analysis and design of a web-based authoring tool generating intelligent tutoring systems

Abstract: Authoring tools for intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) are meant to provide environments where instructors may author their own ITSs in varying domains. In this way, painful constructions of ITSs, which are not reusable, may be avoided. However, the construction of an authoring tool is associated with many problems, such as the generality of the techniques incorporated, domain-independence, effectiveness for the prospective authors (instructors), and effectiveness for the students who will use the resulting ITSs. In this paper we will report on an empirical study that we conducted in order to design and develop WEAR, an ITS authoring tool for Algebra-related domains. In the study we investigated several aspects concerning the attitude and behaviour of both students and instructors. The study revealed important issues and was then used for the specification of the design of WEAR. A brief description of the developed system is also included in the paper so that the way that the design specifications were put into practice may be shown. However, a lot of the authoring tool's requirements that came to light could be applicable to other authoring tools as well. The most important requirement of this kind was the need for an instructor modelling component so that adaptivity could be provided to human instructors (authors). The provision of such facility is a novelty in the area of ITS authoring tools.

Multimedia learning system and its effect on self-efficacy in database modeling and design: an exploratory study

Abstract: Metadatabase modeling and design integrate process modeling and data modeling methodologies. Both are core topics in the information technology (IT) curriculum. Learning these topics has been an important pedagogical issue to the core studies for management information systems (MIS) and computer science (CSc) students. Unfortunately, the learning curve for the associated metadatabase modeling methodologies and their corresponding computer aided software engineering (CASE) tools have made it difficult for students to grasp. Addressing this learning issue, this study developed a multimedia learning system (MLS) and examines the effect of this MLS on the self-efficacy of learning these topics. It confirms that the MLS has significant impact on the self-efficacy in learning and that the software usefulness and software ease-of-use indeed affect the learning self-efficacy of MIS students. Furthermore, longer usage of the MLS can improve the self-efficacy in learning, but cannot make the improvement faster. Finally, the MLS can help the MIS students improve their self-efficacy in learning more than helping the CSc students.

Combining interactivity and improved layout while creating educational software for the Web

Abstract: Two major attributes influence a project aimed at developing educational software: user interactivity and graphic design. These two attributes are not easily found within the same development tool. Moreover, sometimes the development tool is either very expensive to acquire or too difficult to use. This article aims to present a solution to the creation of educational development tools which emphasize the conjunction between interactivity and graphic design. The authors propose a methodology based on Web technology and an association between the Java programming language and the authoring tool Flash. In addition to fostering interactivity, Java offers development packages at no cost. The authoring software Flash is inexpensive and allows the creation of finely crafted Web pages with graphic animations and sound editing. This article describes the methodology that enables the association between Java and Flash components. This methodology was conceived during the development of a structural analysis educational software product specially geared to undergraduate engineering students. In order to ensure the understanding of our proposal, a specific example was created, along with sample pages that illustrate this methodology.

Distance learning in elementary schools in Cyprus: the evaluation methodology and results

Abstract: During the school year 2000-2001, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus, the Department of Computer Science of the University of Cyprus and the bank of Cyprus implemented the first pilot program on distance learning in elementary schools of Cyprus, called "ODYSSEUS". The objective of this paper is to present the evaluation methodology and discuss the most important results with regard to the learning effectiveness and social implications that were realised in the students of two elementary schools that participated in the program. The combination of the new educational technologies with the traditional learning pedagogical model, the aid of learning actions that cause interaction between the students into the virtual classroom and the appointment of school as the most important point of social integration, constitute the more important conclusions of this research.

Concretising the programming task: a case study in a secondary school

Abstract: Empirica Control (EC) is a visual programming platform designed primarily for technology education. Students can use EC's visual tools to construct programs for controlling technological processes or systems, as well as to show graphical representation of program functions on a control flow diagram (flowchart). This means that EC is also a useful tool in learning programming. EC unifies flow diagrams with concrete semantics: each program structure corresponds to a factual event in the learner's physical environment, not just as a visual representation on the screen. A teaching experiment for 34 eighth grade (14 years old) students using EC in a learning environment was intended to promote active, co-operative, and problem-centred learning. The data were gathered by teacher interview, observations during a teaching experiment, a questionnaire with a Likert scale instrument, and a test with open tasks. The results indicate that control technology, as implemented in EC, serves as a useful tool for learning principal elements of programming, like control structures, with minimal teaching effort. However, for more complex structures, teacher intervention is clearly required to achieve advanced outcomes. Thus, EC has suggested an important subject for further research: approaching the balance between student-centred exploration and teacher-guided instruction in learning environments.

A graphical partitioning model for learning common fraction: designing affordances on a web-supported learning environment

Abstract: The aim of this study is to design cognitive tools for mediating the cognitive capabilities of learners on learning common fraction. A web-supported learning environment (WSLE) with the use of a graphical partitioning model (GPM) to encourage knowledge construction on common fraction was designed and developed. The design of the WSLE originated from the nature of the subject matter and mediated for meeting diverse needs of learners by offering affordances. Offering affordances in the GPM is to make available scaffold or profitable spaces and ample opportunities for the learners to interact and to meet their own needs. The model of affordances is derived from the results of an evaluation study of an initial prototype of the cognitive tool, leading to the design of the GPM of a WSLE, which aims to assist learners in developing concepts and procedural knowledge for learning fraction addition/subtraction with unlike denominators. The three functions of cognitive tool in the GPM are: graphical presentation tool, partitioning device and hypothesis testing bed. Affordances are accessible for fulfilling the diverse needs of learners. Pedagogical implications for interactions with the GPM and future evaluation work were discussed.