Showing papers in "Educational technology research in 2021"
TL;DR: How design can be informed by humanizing pedagogy and pedagogical of care during ERT is shared to inform how learning design could be adapted during an emergency remote teaching (ERT) as it is dynamic and open to revision.
Abstract: This paper is in response to the article entitled "The process of designing for learning: understanding university teachers' design work" (Bennett et al., Educ Tech Res Dev 65:125-145, 2017). Bennett et al. (Educ Tech Res Dev 65:125-145) present a descriptive model of the design process that reports findings from a qualitative study investigating the design processes of 30 instructors from 16 Australian universities through semi-structured interviews. This exploratory study provides rich, contextualized descriptions about university teachers' design process and pinpoints key design characteristics as top-down, breadth-first, iterative, responsive, and reflective. These key design characteristics revealed by the rich contextual descriptions could provide applicable insights into the design process especially for new instructors. The findings of the study could inform how learning design could be adapted during an emergency remote teaching (ERT) as it is dynamic and open to revision. A noteworthy limitation of the study is that complementary data such as design artifacts could be utilized to ensure data triangulation in addition to self-reported data obtained via interviews. The study found that university instructors' design process did not appear to draw on instructional design models. Therefore, future studies could focus on to what extent and how such models could be used by university instructors. Lastly, future studies may explore how technology is used in ERT design to support their needs. In this article, I share how design can be informed by humanizing pedagogy and pedagogy of care during ERT.
52 citations
TL;DR: The Activity-Centred Analysis and Design (ACAD) as discussed by the authors has been developed over the last two decades and has been tested and refined through collaborative analyses of a large number of complex learning situations and through research studies involving experienced and inexperienced designers.
Abstract: This paper provides a summary account of Activity-Centred Analysis and Design (ACAD). ACAD offers a practical approach to analysing complex learning situations, in a way that can generate knowledge that is reusable in subsequent (re)design work. ACAD has been developed over the last two decades. It has been tested and refined through collaborative analyses of a large number of complex learning situations and through research studies involving experienced and inexperienced design teams. The paper offers a definition and high level description of ACAD and goes on to explain the underlying motivation. The paper also provides an overview of two current areas of development in ACAD: the creation of explicit design rationales and the ACAD toolkit for collaborative design meetings. As well as providing some ideas that can help teachers, design teams and others discuss and agree on their working methods, ACAD has implications for some broader issues in educational technology research and development. It questions some deep assumptions about the framing of research and design thinking, in the hope that fresh ideas may be useful to people involved in leadership and advocacy roles in the field.
35 citations
TL;DR: This special issue article extends Hilton’s (2016) synthesized findings by presenting four additional perspectives in research, design, culture, practice about implementing OER in digital education.
Abstract: The outbreak of COVID-19 leads to an increasing demand for online educational resources to continue teaching and learning. Open educational resources (OER), with the benefits of cost-saving and open licenses, have great potential in facilitating the rapid transition to digital education, but concerns about whether OER decrease the effectiveness of student learning remains unsolved. Hilton's review article (2016) provides synthesized evidence stating that OER can help decrease college students' textbook spending without undermining student learning effectiveness. It is also noteworthy that implementing OER in digital education needs additional considerations beyond the efficacy of OER. Therefore, this special issue article extends Hilton's (2016) synthesized findings by presenting four additional perspectives in research, design, culture, practice about implementing OER in digital education.
28 citations
TL;DR: Three specific shifts needed in current learning analytics practice for analytics to be accepted by and effective for students are described, which involve students in the creation of analytic tools meant to serve them and empower students’ agency in using analytic tools as part of their larger process of learning.
Abstract: This paper is in response to the manuscript entitled "Student perceptions of privacy principles for learning analytics" (Ifenthaler and Schumacher, Student perceptions of privacy principles for learning analytics. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(5), 923-938, 2016) from a practice perspective. Learning analytics (the use of data science methods to generate actionable educational insights) have great potential to impact learning practices during the shift to digital. In particular, they can help fill a critical information gap for students created by an absence of classroom-based cues and the need for increased self-regulation in the online environment, However the adoption of learning analytics in effective, ethical and responsible ways is non-trivial. Ifenthaler and Schumacher (2016) present important findings about students' perceptions of learning analytics' usefulness and privacy, signaling the need for a student-centered paradigm, but stop short of addressing its implications for the creation and adoption of learning analytics tools. In this paper we address this limitation by describing the three specific shifts needed in current learning analytics practice for analytics to be accepted by and effective for students: (1) involve students in the creation of analytic tools meant to serve them; (2) develop analytics that are contextualized, explainable and configurable; and (3) empower students' agency in using analytic tools as part of their larger process of learning. These shifts are currently in different stages of maturity and adoption in mainstream learning analytics practice. The primary implication of this work is a call to action for researchers and practitioners to rethink and reshape how students participate in the creation, interpretation and impact of learning analytics.
28 citations
TL;DR: Ideas on how to apply the findings from Borup et al. (2015) from a combination of practice, research, design, and inclusion perspectives to ensure emotional support, mental wellness, and social presence during times of crisis, even at the expense of efficiency of instruction are offered.
Abstract: This paper reflects on the findings of Borup et al. (Educ Technol Res Dev 63:161-184, 2015) regarding the efficiency and affect of text and video feedback in the context of the rapid shift to online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on reports of diminished mental wellness, increased depression, and anxiety among learners and instructors, this paper offers ideas on how to apply the findings from Borup et al. (Educ Technol Res Dev 63:161-184, 2015) from a combination of practice, research, design, and inclusion perspectives to ensure emotional support, mental wellness, and social presence during times of crisis, even at the expense of efficiency of instruction.
20 citations
16 citations
TL;DR: How empathic design can be applied to consider four types of engagement and three contextual features in order to best support learner experiences in the “shift to digital” remote learning during the pandemic is discussed.
Abstract: This paper is in response to the manuscript entitled "Empathic design: Imagining the cognitive and emotional learner experience" (Tracey and Hutchinson in Educ Technol Res Dev 67(5):1259-1272, 2019) from a research perspective. The original manuscript provides a theoretical and empirical foundation of an instructional design approach-empathic design-where designers, during the design process, predict how learners would feel while engaging in the final design solution. Empathic design has significant implications in the "shift to digital" during the pandemic. That is, when designing the remote learning experience, instructional designers need to project into the remote contexts and predict learners' engagement experiences in these contexts. To address the "shift to digital" remote learning, empathic design needs to be extended with two important considerations, including learners' engagement and the context in which engagement occurs. This paper discusses how empathic design can be applied to consider four types of engagement (i.e., behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social engagement) and three contextual features (e.g., physical environment, technological, and social features) in order to best support learner experiences in the "shift to digital" remote learning during the pandemic.
14 citations
TL;DR: This paper is in response, from an international perspective, to the manuscript entitled “Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: a systematic meta-aggregative review” (Philipsen, B., Tondeur, J., Pareja Roblin, N. et al. 2019).
Abstract: This paper is in response, from an international perspective, to the manuscript entitled "Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: a systematic meta-aggregative review" (Philipsen, B., Tondeur, J., Pareja Roblin, N. et al. 2019). The impact of the manuscript has been reinforced by the claims of international organisations like UNESCO and ILO, as far as they highlight that Teacher Professional Development (TPD) for Online and Blended Learning are a priority in the present scenario. The findings can be clearly applied to guide appropriated TPD for the recovery as well as for a resilient education system. Nevertheless, the research was conducted in a West-European context where most learners use computers on an everyday basis, while half the world's students do not have access to a household computer, and this has determined the emergency response to the pandemic. Dreesen et al. (2020) reported that most of the countries have adopted a remote education based on some combination of digital platforms, television, radio, take-home packages, home visits, text messaging and phone calls. It would be very interesting to incorporate these recent discoveries in the use of frugal technologies and elucidate if new components should be aggregated for TPD strategies from an international perspective. As far as the authors adopted the approach of a systematic meta-aggregative review, new data supported by unequivocal or credible evidence can be conveniently incorporated without reinterpreting the original findings.
13 citations
TL;DR: A discussion of the limitations of the meta-aggregative review, including the lack of an explicitly critical framework, is discussed and suggestions for how the work could be improved are provided, especially as regards a discussion of equity for teachers and students.
Abstract: This paper provides a response to the work of Philipsen et al. (Educ Technol Res Dev 67:1145-1174, Philipsen et al., Educational Technology, Research and Development 67:1145-1174, 2019), from a critical pedagogy perspective. Here, critical pedagogy is defined from a post-colonial framework focused on liberation. From this perspective, the value of Philipsen et al.'s paper is in its implicit alignment with critical methodologies, including how liberatory ideas are embedded in the TPD for OBL framework. In a response to Philipsen et al.'s work, this paper provides advice on practical actions teachers can take to develop their ability to engage in critical pedagogy, both from the TPD for OBL lens and from an equity lens. This paper concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the meta-aggregative review, including the lack of an explicitly critical framework, and it provides suggestions for how the work could be improved, especially as regards a discussion of equity for teachers and students. Future research in this area should focus on methods for disrupting educational inequity regarding online and blended learning.
10 citations
TL;DR: The value of the findings and how they could be applied to prepare K-12 teachers for online and blended learning are discussed and Limitations of the study are discussed.
Abstract: This response reviews the article entitled "Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: a systematic meta-aggregative review" (Philipsen in Educ Technol Res Dev 67:1145-1174, 2019) from a practice perspective. Philipsen (Educ Technol Res Dev 67:1145-1174, 2019) conducted a systematic meta-aggregative review that targets teacher professional development for online and blended learning. This paper summarizes the key findings of their study and discusses the value of the findings and how they could be applied to prepare K-12 teachers for online and blended learning. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
10 citations
TL;DR: Open educational resources, such as open textbooks, are an appropriate and worthwhile response to consider as colleges and universities shift to digital modes of teaching and learning, but without scrutiny, such efforts may reflect or reinforce structural inequities.
Abstract: In this paper I argue that open educational resources (OER), such as open textbooks, are an appropriate and worthwhile response to consider as colleges and universities shift to digital modes of teaching and learning. However, without scrutiny, such efforts may reflect or reinforce structural inequities. Thus, OER can be a mixed blessing, expanding inclusion and equity in some areas, but furthering inequities in others.
TL;DR: A sociocultural framework is introduced that highlights the complexity of achieving alignment between policies and practice spanning the national to local school to classroom levels and provides ‘tools to think with’ to enhance future curriculum development initiatives.
Abstract: There is considerable rhetoric internationally around the need for national curricula to reflect the changes that are taking place in the world outside school. This raises questions about what a quality curriculum in a technological era should look like, and equally challenging issues about how to achieve the necessary changes in schooling in order for such a curriculum to be realised. This paper summarises the views of 11 experts from seven countries. It introduces a sociocultural framework that highlights the complexity of achieving alignment between policies and practice spanning the national to local school to classroom levels. Three key issues that underpin alignment are then explored, each of which link with the issue of trust:stakeholders engagement;teacher professionalism;summative assessment. By exploring and exemplifying these three issues the paper indicates potential ways of addressing them and provides 'tools to think with' to enhance future curriculum development initiatives.
TL;DR: In this article, a conceptual model of cross-cultural alignments in education in the digital era is presented, which explores the enabling or constraining influences of educational systems, digital environments, learners, and educators on other learners.
Abstract: This article presents a conceptual model of cross-cultural alignments in education in the digital era. The intention was to explore and respond to urgent questions regarding learners and the learning environments in today's networked society. The model explores the enabling or constraining influences of educational systems, digital environments, learners, and educators on other learners and is based on the concept of social justice. The skills and competencies required for efficient learner development in a digital environment include digital competence, collaboration skills, intercultural competence, and lifelong learning skills. The interrelationship of these components and their influence on learners' skills and competencies are discussed through the lens of cross-cultural alignment by examining three intercultural projects worldwide. The authors recommend that educational systems provide educational institutions with a high-quality infrastructure as well as to support educators and learners in the development of digital skills. Future research may examine the model's components and their interrelationships so that it may serve researchers and practitioners as a basis for the design of future intercultural projects.
TL;DR: GoLab as discussed by the authors is an ecosystem that supports teachers in creating Inquiry Learning Spaces (ILSs), which are built around STEM-related online laboratories, and teachers can combine these online laboratories with multimedia material and learning apps.
Abstract: Designing and implementing online or digital learning material is a demanding task for teachers. This is even more the case when this material is used for more engaged forms of learning, such as inquiry learning. In this article, we give an informed account of Go-Lab, an ecosystem that supports teachers in creating Inquiry Learning Spaces (ILSs). These ILSs are built around STEM–related online laboratories. Within the Go-Lab ecosystem, teachers can combine these online laboratories with multimedia material and learning apps, which are small applications that support learners in their inquiry learning process. The Go-Lab ecosystem offers teachers ready–made structures, such as a standard inquiry cycle, alternative scenarios or complete ILSs that can be used as they are, but it also allows teachers to configure these structures to create personalized ILSs. For this article, we analyzed data on the design process and structure of 2414 ILSs that were (co)created by teachers and that our usage data suggest have been used in classrooms. Our data show that teachers prefer to start their design from empty templates instead of more domain–related elements, that the makeup of the design team (a single teacher, a group of collaborating teachers, or a mix of teachers and project members) influences key design process characteristics such as time spent designing the ILS and number of actions involved, that the characteristics of the resulting ILSs also depend on the type of design team and that ILSs that are openly shared (i.e., published in a public repository) have different characteristics than those that are kept private.
TL;DR: Lee and Hannafin this article developed a design framework for enhancing engagement in student-centered learning: Own It, Learn It, and Share It (OLSit), a three-stage model known as, own it, learn it, and share it.
Abstract: This paper was developed in response to the article titled, "A design framework for enhancing engagement in student-centered learning: Own it, learn it, share it," by Eunbae Lee and Michael J. Hannafin (2016). Their work is examined through a research perspective. The authors' discovery of the lack of a comprehensive framework to guide the design, development, and implementation of student-centered learning prompted them to develop the model. The result advances a three-stage model known as, Own It, Learn It, and Share It. The impact of the model can be understood through the simplicity of the OLSit model by how it affords educators a clear pathway for transforming instructional planning. Given the many uncertainties associated with the "shift to digital" as a result of COVID-19, the OLSit model is very applicable for action research by teachers, student teachers, and teacher educators. A critique of the model is provided along with suggested applications to extend the OLSit research base.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined teacher candidate and instructor perceptions of feedback in blended learning environments and proposed applicable feedback delivery strategies for educators as an extension of Borup et al.'s work.
Abstract: Borup et al. (Educ Technol Res Dev 63: 161–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9367-8
, 2015) examined teacher candidate and instructor perceptions of feedback in blended learning environments. Their work juxtaposed two different modalities of learning and feedback; it serves as a critical anchor to support future efforts to ensure students and instructors are engaged in an efficient feedback experience that offers affective benefits in digital learning spaces. In this article, I offer applicable feedback delivery strategies for educators as an extension of Borup et al.’s work.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the relationship between performance feedback and emotions in diagnostic reasoning and found that positive emotions are associated with higher performance while negative emotions were associated with poorer performance.
Abstract: This paper is in response to the published article entitled "Success, failure and emotions: examining the relationship between performance feedback and emotions in diagnostic reasoning" (Jarrell, Harley, Lajoie, & Naismith, Education Technology & Research Development, 65, 1263-1284: 2017) focusing on its implications to inform educational practice and research as learning and instruction are shifted to digital environments in times of emergencies and crisis. The study explored the relationships between learners' retrospective performance outcome emotions and their academic performance (i.e., efficiency and accuracy). The results revealed that positive emotions were associated with higher performance while negative emotions were associated with poorer performance, and the low intensity emotions were associated with performance between high and low levels. A summary of the study reported by the article is provided, including the purpose, methods, measures, data analysis and findings. Following the summary, the paper focuses on the discussion about the focused perspective, values and impact of the study on digital learning environments with implications for education during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergency situations. Based on Jarrell and her colleagues' study, suggestions are made for designing and developing instructional strategies to support students with negative or low intensity emotions and for creating learning environments to cultivate positive emotions. This paper concludes with recommendations for future research.
TL;DR: The contextual factors and design of OER, and the limitations of Hilton’s work are considered in addition to several ideas and suggestions for further research regarding OER in online and face-to-face instruction.
Abstract: The study conducted by Hilton (2016) focused on open educational resources (OER) by analyzing the findings of 16 studies that investigated (a) the influence of OER on academic learning outcomes at the tertiary context, and (b) students' and instructors' perceptions of OER in their teaching and learning contexts. Hilton's analysis of the findings of these studies indicated two major findings: (1) when students use OER, they obtain the same learning outcomes as with traditional textbooks while saving money; and (2) both students and teachers find OER comparable to traditional learning resources in terms of quality. Several advantages of OER were also revealed. These included low or no cost of OER, perceived ease of reading and access, their ability to provide the same learning outcomes as traditional materials, and students' and instructors' positive perceptions. By indicating the role of OER in obtaining the same or similar learning, the study has also suggested that OER be considered useful sources for classes and also a valid replacement for commercial textbooks. However, we also need to consider the context where OER will be used and how OER are designed and used in this context since these two determine whether OER will work and suffice. This article considers the contextual factors and design of OER, and the limitations of Hilton's work in addition to several ideas and suggestions for further research regarding OER in online and face-to-face instruction.
TL;DR: How instructors might consider the cultural and racialized experiences of their students through an asset lens as they design online coursework is described.
Abstract: COVID-19 has forced educators to make rapid changes to their pedagogy in order to shift from face-to-face instruction to online delivery. In this time of rapid change, Kuo and Belland's (Educ Technol Res Dev 64:661-680, 2016) exploratory study that highlights the types of interactions that correlated with African American students' success in an undergraduate course could provide instructors with ideas about how to create more equitable online courses. Thus, this article describes how instructors might consider the cultural and racialized experiences of their students through an asset lens as they design online coursework. Specifically, instructors should attend to students' experiences and determine how students will interact with the content, with the instructor, and with other learners. Implications are described.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined practical implications of the work by Bennett et al. entitled, "The process of designing for learning: Understanding university teachers' design work". They addressed the knowledge gap of design practices of university faculty by conducting an extensive qualitative study with 30 interviewees.
Abstract: This article examines practical implications of the work by Bennett et al. (Educational Technology Research and Development 65(1):125-145, 2017) entitled, "The process of designing for learning: Understanding university teachers' design work". It addressed the knowledge gap of design practices of university faculty by conducting an extensive qualitative study with 30 interviewees. Three design practices reported that are incremental and iterative. Understanding these common design practices is critical to effectively and efficiently support faculty with transferring their instruction online when many institutions face the challenge of supporting a large number of inexperienced faculty with transferring instructions online. Based on the findings, three stages of support can be devised for before, during, and after sessions. Given the non-systematic cyclic design process of the teachers, need-based, just-in-time support and resources may be helpful. Although the reported process is not specifically for online learning design, the findings may contribute to establishing best practices for supporting faculty's online learning design.
TL;DR: The Authentic Online Work Rubric (AOWR) as mentioned in this paper is a psychometrically validated measure of authentic online work that measures opportunities for higher-order thinking and real-world relevance.
Abstract: Researchers tout digital learning as a tool that can increase the authenticity of student learning and assessment tasks but lack a psychometrically valid instrument to test this hypothesis. Further, there are several complementary definitions of authentic work, versus a single agreed upon definition, presented in academic literature. I synthesized this literature to develop the Authentic Online Work Rubric that measures two primary components of authentic online work - opportunities for higher-order thinking and real-world relevance. Data were collected from online courses developed by one of the largest online course providers in the United States. I validated the scale using principal component analysis before generating a lesson-level standardized coefficient using item response theory for both the higher-order thinking and real-world relevance subscales. The use of this rubric facilitates the measurement of authentic work and is targeted for use in the evaluation of learning tasks and assessments in online instructional settings to support researcher, developer, and school-based continuous improvement processes.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the potential usage of social media tools in enhancing children's physical activities in the early years, particularly during the pandemic period, by using WeChat Sports, one of the most famous children's games supported by social media web 2.0, to explore the benefits, challenges and potentialities of using them in early childhood (EC) teachers in communication and collaboration.
Abstract: Social media web 2.0 technologies can be adopted as an inclusive method to assist children in enhancing their quality of education for the Sustainable Development Goals (e.g. SDGs 4 and 17). Social media technologies have been documented as low-cost, synchronous, and convenient methods to assist young children, parents, and early childhood (EC) teachers in communication and collaboration. However, few researchers have explored the potential usage of social media tools in enhancing children's physical activities in the early years, particularly during the pandemic period. This article uses the example of WeChat Sports, one of the most famous children's games supported by social media web 2.0, to explore the benefits, challenges, and potentialities of using them in ECE. This research uses semi-structured interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the attitudes and perspectives of EC teachers and parents on the potential usage of social media technologies in supporting children's physical activities. The results reveal that most participants had a good understanding of using scientific methods to assist children's physical development, however, they expressed concerns on children's health, privacy, and formal learning in terms of overexposure to social media technologies. Suggestions and implications are also provided for both social media application developers and educators in future research studies.
TL;DR: The authors found that participants engaged in sharing notes; slacking, doubting, and fearing; requesting retweets; preferring topics; complaining; connecting with baccalaureat heritage and experience; joking; and showing awareness of time.
Abstract: Despite the continued use of social media in educational contexts, there remains skepticism about whether platforms like Twitter can actually contribute to learning. In this paper, we argue that such skepticism is based on an overly narrow conception of learning that focuses on academic performance and disregards other manifestations. To advance this argument, we document use of the #bac2018 Twitter hashtag in the month leading up to the 2018 baccalaureat exams (the “bac”), which are significant not only for their role in the French educational system but also for their connections with broader French society and culture. We found that participants engaged in sharing notes; slacking, doubting, and fearing; requesting retweets; preferring topics; complaining; connecting with bac heritage and experience; joking; and showing awareness of time. In keeping with the significance of the bac, we found that these practices within the #bac2018 hashtag were associated with not only academic learning but also social and cultural practices that are significant despite their absence from any formal curriculum. These findings underline the complexity and richness that characterizes learning—especially in digital contexts.
TL;DR: This paper explores how learner support roles can be leveraged to balance affordances offered by the learning environment and the learners themselves and discusses the implications for addressing social inequities in digital environments and education policy reform.
Abstract: This paper is in response to Nacu et al.'s (Educ Technol Res Dev 66(4):1029-1049, 2018) guidelines to enable educators to fulfill learner support roles in online education from a contextual perspective and how their heuristic method can be utilized in today's current pandemic. It also explores how learner support roles can be leveraged to balance affordances offered by the learning environment and the learners themselves. Additionally, this paper discusses the implications for addressing social inequities in digital environments and education policy reform.
TL;DR: Specific ways that institutions can apply and extend insights from Bennett et al.
Abstract: To suggest sound practices in obtaining the faculty design talent needed to rapidly deploy or scale up digital learning, this paper adopts a systems view of the findings and implications of "The Process of Designing for Learning: Understanding University Teachers' Design Work" by Bennett et al. (Educational Technology Research and Development 65(1), 125-145, 2017). Bennett et al.'s article makes an important contribution to our growing understanding of faculty capacity for and approaches to course design. Their work establishes faculty roles as designers, which is an essential consideration as institutions seek digital design talent. Nevertheless, important limitations of their research are limited detail about faculty design skills and an emphasis on how faculty design resembles others' design approaches. This paper suggests specific ways that institutions can apply and extend insights from Bennett et al.'s research to cultivate faculty design talents in nimble responses to large-scale or rapid shifts to digital learning through practices of professional development and strategic faculty hiring.
TL;DR: Hilton’s findings provide collective evidence to support the adoption of OER and shed light on how it can be used and what future work is needed internationally.
Abstract: This article examines the work by Hilton (Educ Technol Res Dev 64: 573-590. 10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9, 2016) entitled, "Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions" from international perspectives. Hilton (Educ Technol Res Dev 64: 573-590. 10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9, 2016) synthesized findings of 16 studies that investigated the academic outcomes of open educational resources (OER) and perceptions of college students and instructors. The academic outcomes were comparable to using traditional textbooks, and perceptions were positive. His work highlights effectiveness of OER in online courses resulting from their technological affordances. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed many institutions around the globe to abruptly shift their instructions digital and make learning more flexible and affordable for those who face medical, financial, and daily life challenges. Hilton's findings (Educ Technol Res Dev 64: 573-590. 10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9, 2016) provide collective evidence to support the adoption of OER and shed light on how it can be used and what future work is needed internationally. This article examines the international value, implications, and limitations of his work and suggests future directions.
TL;DR: The ways in which these various themes, elucidated by Ke (Designing and integrating purposeful learning in game play: A systematic review), can be brought to life when transitioning a course to an online format are discussed.
Abstract: Activation of known material, the importance of context and narrative, opportunities for reflection, and appropriate feedback are all major issues to be taken into consideration when designing online courses. The purpose of this review is to discuss the ways in which these various themes, elucidated by Ke (Designing and integrating purposeful learning in game play: A systematic review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64, 219–244.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9418-1
, 2016), can be brought to life when transitioning a course to an online format. Issues related to this review will be discussed from a practical perspective aimed at assisting course instructors when making a fast transition to an online teaching modality.
TL;DR: This response focuses on the key ideas presented in Giannakas et al. (2018) from a practical perspective, highlighting how practitioners, scholars and designers can use their findings to effectively utilise mobile Game Based Learning (mBGL) approaches to support and enhance learning.
Abstract: This paper is a response concerning the implications of scholarship of the article entitled "A critical review of 13 years of mobile game-based learning" by Giannakas et al. (in Educ Technol Res Dev 66:341–384, 2018). This response focuses on the key ideas presented in Giannakas et al. (2018) from a practical perspective, highlighting how practitioners, scholars and designers can use their findings to effectively utilise mobile Game Based Learning (mBGL) approaches to support and enhance learning. This response paper is discussing the value, impact and practical implications of Giannakas, et al. (2018) and possible future directions relevant to the use of smartphone enabled virtual reality to support mGBL.