Showing papers in "Research in Learning Technology in 2010"

Blended learning in Saudi universities: challenges and perspectives

Abstract: This study is an attempt to investigate the nature of obstacles and challenges encountered at Saudi universities while implementing a blended learning approach. A literature review of blended learning rationale and designs, and the status of web-based education in Saudi higher education are demonstrated. Three main challenges of applying blended learning in Saudi higher education are addressed. One major challenge to be considered in the implementation of blended learning in Saudi universities is the adaptation of this element in the traditional university culture. Finding the right design of blended learning is another challenge that is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the time issue is considered a crucial challenge facing blended learning faculty. Practical recommendations that would facilitate transition to a blended learning university environment are presented. It is hoped that this study will help to provide insight for the faculties and the decision-makers throughout higher education in Saudi Arabia. Although this investigation is specifically related to the implementation of blended learning in the universities of Saudi Arabia, we are confident that the assumptions and recommendations contained herein will be of great value to other populations facing similar challenges. Keywords: blended learning; challenges of blended learning; higher education; Saudi Arabia DOI: 10.1080/09687761003657614

Exploring mobile learning success factors

Abstract: This paper is a comparative account and analysis of three mobile Web 2.0 projects instigated within a tertiary learning environment during 2008. Following the successful instigation of a mobile Web 2.0 project in the third year of a Bachelor of Product Design course during semester one, similar projects were initiated in semester two within the first-year and second-year Bachelor of Product Design courses. A common methodology for supporting and facilitating mobile Web 2.0 projects was used for all three projects. The projects were designed to explore the potential of mobile Web 2.0 tools to enhance both the formal and informal teaching and learning environments with a focus upon mobile blogging (moblogging). A comparison of student and teaching staff feedback from each of the three projects provided a basis for identifying and illustrating critical success factors within similar m-learning scenarios. Critical success factors identified include: the importance of the pedagogical integration of the technology into the course assessment, lecturer modelling of the pedagogical use of the tools, the need for regular formative feedback from lecturers to students, and the appropriate choice of mobile devices and software to support the pedagogical model underlying the course. Keywords: mobile learning; Web 2.0; moblogging; social constructivism; action research DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.494718

Students and Mobile Devices

Abstract: Many educators advocate, promote and encourage the dreams of agency, control, ownership and choice amongst students whilst educational institutions take the responsibility for provision, equity, access, participation and standards. The institutions traditionally procure, provide and control the technology for learning but now students are acquiring their own personal technologies for learning and institutions are challenged to keep pace. These allow students to produce, store, transmit and consume information, images and ideas; this potentially realises the educators’ dream but for institutions is potentially a nightmare, one of loss of control and loss of the quality, consistency, uniformity and stability that delivered the dreams of equity, access and participation. This paper traces the conflicting dreams and responsibilities. Keywords: mobile devices; ownership/agency; institutional procurement DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.492847

Change, Technology and Higher Education: Are Universities Capable of Organisational Change?.

Abstract: Technology and change are so closely related that the use of the word innovation seems synonymous with technology in many contexts, including that of higher education. This paper contends that university culture and existing capability constrain such innovation and to a large extent determine the nature and extent of organisational change. In the absence of strong leadership, technologies are simply used as vehicles to enable changes that are already intended or which reinforce the current identity. These contentions are supported by evidence from e-learning benchmarking activities carried out over the past five years in universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Keywords: organisational change; e-learning maturity model DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529107

Sustainability factors for e-learning initiatives

Abstract: This paper examines the challenges that ‘grass roots’ e-learning initiatives face in trying to become sustainable. A cross-institutional study focused on local, rather than centrally driven, initiatives. A number of successful e-learning innovations were identified that had been driven by capable teachers seeking solutions to real educational problems. However, most of these remain in a high-risk category for institutions and offer poor rewards to their creators. While they may attract grant funding, these initiatives are typically not well supported in other important ways. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 staff in various academic and support roles from the tertiary sector in New Zealand, who were nationally recognised as e-learning leaders. Analysis of their responses revealed both institutional and cultural barriers to long-term sustainability. The following influences on sustainability were identified and discussed: supportive organisational structures, a vision shared by all and staff accountability. The paper proposes that not all initiatives are sustainable and offer practical strategies for achieving diffusion and continuity through collective action. The paper concludes that there is a need for cross-functional collaboration to accommodate different and sometimes conflicting perspectives. This is just one aspect of the culture change that research shows is needed for e-learning to transform, rather than sit uncomfortably alongside, institutional practice. Keywords: e-learning sustainability; e-learning strategy; integration; dissemination DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.492848

The role of information and communication technologies in improving teaching and learning processes in primary and secondary schools

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to analyse what is happening at schools regarding the integration and use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and to examine teachers’ perceptions about what teaching and learning processes can be improved through the use of ICT. A multiple-case-study research methodology was applied. From a previous exploratory research, four different types of schools were determined. Data show there is a widespread view that ICT in teaching favours several teaching and learning processes. In particular, it shows that the contribution of ICT to the improvement of teaching and learning processes is higher in the schools that have integrated ICT as an innovation factor. To attain this highest level implies that a school not only has to modernise the technological tools, but also has to change the teaching models: the teacher’s role, issues regarding classroom organisational, the teaching and learning processes, and the interaction mechanisms. Keywords: school improvement; information and communication technologies; teaching and learning processes; educational innovation; quality DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529108

Web-based lecture technologies and learning and teaching: a study of change in four Australian universities

Abstract: The uptake of web-based lecture technologies for recording and delivering live lectures has increased markedly in recent years. Students have responded positively, and for many their use has transformed learning – freeing them up from rigid timetables by providing choice in lecture attendance and supporting learning by extending the lecture experience and enabling them to revisit key concepts and ideas in their own time. Less transformational has been the impact on teaching. Although changing attendance patterns and disquiet about the quality of learning are of concern to many, lecturers have largely responded by simply modifying lectures. For most, the challenges of catering for the learning needs of a cohort with variable lecture attendance have not been addressed at a whole of the curriculum level. The technologies have been added on, rather than integrated into the curriculum. This paper will review the changes taking place in learning and teaching, explore the reluctance to embrace more wholesale change to the curriculum, and discuss the implications for institutions in the face of ongoing change.

Effective e-learning? Multi-tasking, distractions and boundary management by graduate students in an online environment

Abstract: This paper reports the findings of a small-scale study that documented the use of information technology for learning by a small group of postgraduate students. Our findings support current knowledge about characteristics displayed by effective e-learners, but also highlight a less researched but potentially important issue in developing e-learning expertise: the ability of students to manage the combination of learning and non-learning activities online. Although multi-tasking has been routinely observed amongst students and is often cited as a beneficial attribute of the e-learner, there is evidence that many students found switching between competing activities highly distracting. There is little empirical work that explores the ways in which students mitigate the impact of non-learning activities on learning, but the evidence from our study suggests that students employ a range of ‘boundary management’ techniques, including separating activities by application and by technology. The paper suggests that this may have implications for students’ and tutors’ appropriation of Web 2.0 technologies for educational purposes and that further research into online boundary management may enhance understanding of the e-learning experience. Keywords: effective e-learning; boundary management; multi-tasking; distractions DOI: 10.1080/09687761003657598

Self-regulation across time of first-generation online learners

Abstract: Self-regulatory skills have been associated with positive outcomes for learners. In the current study, we examined the self-regulatory skills of students who are firstgeneration online learners over the course of their first semester of online instruction. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the online selfregulatory skills of learners changed across time as associated with being immersed in their first online learning environment. The results of the current study indicate no significant differences in the online self-regulatory skills of learners across time. Results suggest that environmental factors such as being immersed in an online learning environment for the first time is not, in and of itself, associated with the development of self-regulatory skills of online learners. We conclude that the design of online courses needs to consider ways of developing self-regulatory skills as these skills are not automatically developed with students’ online learning experiences. Keywords: self-regulation; online learning DOI: 10.1080/09687761003657572

Medical students’ perceptions of video-linked lectures and video-streaming

Abstract: Video-linked lectures allow healthcare students across multiple sites, and between university and hospital bases, to come together for the purposes of shared teaching. Recording and streaming video-linked lectures allows students to view them at a later date and provides an additional resource to support student learning. As part of a UK Higher Education Academy-funded Pathfinder project, this study explored medical students’ perceptions of video-linked lectures and video-streaming, and their impact on learning. The methodology involved semi-structured interviews with 20 undergraduate medical students across four sites and five year groups. Several key themes emerged from the analysis. Students generally preferred live lectures at the home site and saw interaction between sites as a major challenge. Students reported that their attendance at live lectures was not affected by the availability of streamed lectures and tended to be influenced more by the topic and speaker than the technical arrangements. These findings will inform other educators interested in employing similar video technologies in their teaching. Keywords: video-linked lecture; video-streaming; student perceptions; decisionmaking; cross-campus teaching DOI: 10.1080/09687761003657622

Typing compared with handwriting for essay examinations at university: letting the students choose

Abstract: Students at the University of Edinburgh do almost all their work on computers, but at the end of the semester they are examined by handwritten essays. Intuitively it would be appealing to allow students the choice of handwriting or typing, but this raises a concern that perhaps this might not be ‘fair’ – that the choice a student makes, to write or to type, will affect their mark. The aim of this study was to identify and explore any systematic differences that may be introduced due to offering students the choice to write or type essay examinations. A class of 70 first-year divinity students were given the option of taking a mock examination, and the further option of handwriting or typing their answer. All the examination scripts were then faithfully transcribed into the opposite format so there was a printed copy and a handwritten copy of every script. These were then marked by four markers, such that every marker marked every script exactly once, in one format or the other. No significant differences could be identified due to the format in which the students had written their answer. Factors explored included length of essay, overall score awarded, and some qualitative measures designed to indicate essay quality. In contrast, the variation between the markers was striking. Keywords: essay; examination; laptop; type; choice DOI: 10.1080/09687761003657580

Transforming Distance Education Curricula through Distributive Leadership.

Abstract: This paper examines a core leadership strategy for transforming learning and teaching in distance education through flexible and blended learning. It focuses on a project centred on distributive leadership that involves collaboration, shared purpose, responsibility and recognition of leadership irrespective of role or position within an organisation. Distributive leadership was a core principle in facilitating the transformation of learning and teaching through a Teaching Fellowship Scheme that empowered leaders across a regional distance education university. In parallel, a design-based research project analysed the perceptions of the Teaching Fellows in relation to blended learning, time/space, peer learning, innovation and equity issues in relation to distance education. Keywords: flexible and blended learning; distributive leadership; design-based research; fellowships; transformative change; transformative learning DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529112

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: mobile Web 2.0 informing a new institutional e-learning strategy

Abstract: Mobile learning (m-learning) has moved beyond the realms of fantasy to become a viable platform for contextual learning that bridges formal and informal learning environments. This paper overviews how mobile Web 2.0 has been instrumental in facilitating pedagogical change and informing an institution’s new e-learning strategy that focuses upon social constructivist pedagogies. The project developed an intentional community of practice model for supporting new technology integration, pedagogical development, and institutional change. Beginning with a small selection of early adopter trials, the results of the research are now informing a wider integration of wireless mobile computing. Keywords: m-learning; Web 2.0; case study DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529110

On designing a pervasive mobile learning platform

Abstract: This article presents the features, design and architecture of the Myst pervasive game platform that has been applied in creating pervasive mobile learning games in various contexts such as science festivals and museums in Finland. Based on our experiences with the development, we draw a set of design principles for creating successfully a pervasive game platform that can be easily ported to various contexts. These principles advocate openness, flexibility, interaction models, connections to the outside world, and participatory design of the game content. In the evaluation part we present preliminary results of tests conducted in Finland at the SciFest 2008 festival in Joensuu and at the Museum of Technology in Helsinki. The results suggest that games built with the Myst platform are particularly suitable for children and young adults, and these games motivate players to interact with the environment and help to learn by discovering new things. The Myst platform has clearly potential for similar success in other environments due to easy portability and extensibility. Keywords: pervasive learning space; mobile learning; pervasive game; design principles; participatory design DOI: 10.1080/09687761003657606

Integrating Technology with Literacy: Using Teacher-Guided Collaborative Online Learning to Encourage Critical Thinking

Abstract: This paper reports on classroom-based research that was designed to monitor the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in a teacherguided collaborative online learning context to encourage students’ critical response to literary texts. The study investigates the premise that an ICT project where children read books and then use email communication to exchange responses with other learners will support critical thinking. Videos of classroom observations, journals and rap sheets were analysed for individual students’ levels of critical awareness. Improvements in critical thinking were measured using linguistic analysis. Teachers and students were also interviewed for attitudes to technology use related to learning. Although there were gains in critical thinking, there was little student engagement with technology. The discussion problematises the integration of technology in the classroom through a repositioning of collaboration in a blended learning context known as book raps. Keywords: blended learning; critical thinking; collaboration; e-learning; linguistic analysis; reading DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.492846

Using Voice Boards: pedagogical design, technological implementation, evaluation and reflections

Abstract: We present a case study to evaluate the use of a Wimba Voice Board to support asynchronous audio discussion. We discuss the learning strategy and pedagogic rationale when a Voice Board was implemented within an MA module for language learners, enabling students to create learning objects and facilitating peer-to-peer learning. Previously students studying the module had communicated using text-based synchronous and asynchronous discussion only. A common criticism of text-based media is the lack of non-verbal communication. Audio communication is a richer medium where use of pitch, tone, emphasis and inflection can increase personalisation and prevent misinterpretation. Feedback from staff and students on the affordances and constraints of voice communication are presented. Evaluations show that while there were several issues with the usability of the Wimba Voice Board, both staff and students felt the use of voice communication in an online environment had many advantages, including increased personalisation, motivation, and the opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills. However, some students were inhibited by feelings of embarrassment. The case study provides an in-depth study of Voice Boards, which makes an important contribution to the learning technology literature. Keywords: Voice Boards; asynchronous audio discussion; learning objects; peerto- peer learning DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529106

The role of podcasting in effective curriculum renewal

Abstract: This paper reports on a case study into the contribution of podcasting to the curriculum transformation of two distance-taught master’s programmes. Both programmes attract work-based Occupational Psychology practitioners, most of whom are in full-time employment. Challenges faced by the course team included adding flexibility to the curricula, increasing learner engagement (both with learning materials and feedback) and reducing learner isolation. As part of a coordinated enhancement effort, which included changes to curriculum design and delivery, 59 podcasts were introduced into the curriculum over a 12-month period. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from students and staff throughout the study. Action research ensured a regular flow of relevant evidence informing each stage of the renewal process. Evidence suggested that the students’ learning experiences improved as a result of four key benefits associated with the integration of podcasting in learning design: personalisation; an additional and different format for providing clear and engaging guidance, support and feedback; increased flexibility and mobility within the curricula; and ‘design once, deliver many times’ with minimum adaptation. Keywords: action research; curriculum design; curriculum delivery; curriculum renewal; occupational psychology; institutional transformation; learning design; podcasting DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.492849

Enhancing online distance education in small rural US schools: a hybrid, learner-centred model

Abstract: Online distance education (ODE) has become pervasive and can potentially transform pedagogical practices across primary, secondary and university-based educational systems. ODE is considered a flexible option for non-traditional students such as adult learners and home-schoolers, and a convenient way to deliver remedial courses. ODE is also a feasible and attractive option for rural schools, which educate 29% of all K–12 students in the United States, and often struggle to provide advanced courses and attract highly qualified teachers. This paper presents qualitative data from both cohorts of a two-year, randomised, controlled research study of online distance learners in US rural high schools. Course providers in K–12 environments often rely on the teacher-facilitator model, which assigns a local staff member in the role of on-site facilitator to operate equipment, distribute instructional materials, and answer questions. In order to address issues of isolation and interaction, and to attend to the local context, our study aimed to develop a learner-centred model of social support at the local, small-school level that emphasises communication and interaction. This expanded role links the local classroom environment more closely with the online environment. The responsibilities for ensuring student success are distributed between online instructor and facilitator: a form of hybrid learning. Keywords: online distance education; rural; K–12 DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529109