Research Article
Teodora Kiryakova-Dineva, Dilyana Yaneva
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep544
ABSTRACT
To educate capable and literate citizens in the current digital age, high adequacy in all facets of education is required. One could argue that innovation necessitates educational needs and specific knowledge including general literacy for a more profiled human activity towards new emerging technological, digital and social standards. The way that teaching and learning are traditionally understood in relation to the idea of literacy is affected by this shift. The traditional conception of teaching and learning with regard to the idea of literacy is impacted by this remodeling as well. It becomes clear in this case that financial literacy, digital literacy, or economic literacy cannot be regarded as the only, best, or most appropriate kind.
With respect to the concept of literacy in marketing, the current study explores the educational requirements that stem from the broader definition of literacy. Utilizing a state-of-the-art approach and a mixed methodology, the authors explore the needs for specific literacies in marketing and search for a new model for their application in marketing itself. The focus is on how the students feel about needing a particular kind of literacy. Certain aspects of the literacies set and their requirements within the context of higher education institutions are related, according to the findings of a questionnaire survey. This study’s discussion attests to the intricacy and dynamic nature of education at the tertiary level and reveals the concept of literacy in its widest sense.
Keywords: marketing education, basic literacies, state-of-the-art approach
Research Article
Xiaotong Yu, María Ángeles Gutiérrez-García, Roberto Soto-Varela, Melchor Gómez-García
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep545
ABSTRACT
Robotics education and robot-embedded learning have become focal points in recent interdisciplinary and innovative education. Despite the identified opportunities, there are still limitations and considerations before integrating educational robotics into foreign language education on a large scale. This survey investigates foreign language teachers’ perceptions and acceptance of teaching with educational robotics and robot-assisted language learning. To achieve this, the ERPA scale, containing five subscales measuring teachers’ technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, and the perceived usefulness of robots, was adapted as the data collection instrument. The scale consisted of 19 items based on a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 109 foreign language teachers from Spain participated in the survey. The results suggest a positive relationship between teachers’ basic digital competence, technological knowledge of robot usage, pedagogical knowledge in foreign language teaching, and perceived usefulness of robots. Additionally, the length of service and target language positively affect acceptance. This research contributes to current educational robotics studies by identifying features of robots considered suitable for language teaching, such as animal-like embodiments instead of humanoid forms.
Keywords: attitudes, acceptance, educational robotics, EFL, second language
Research Article
Łukasz Tomczyk
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep546
ABSTRACT
The aim of the article is to present ways of resolving the situations related to cyberbullying and cyberaggression that occur in Polish schools. The research fills a gap (taboo subject) in the means of solving crisis situations related to attacks on teachers that occur online. The qualitative research (online interviews) conducted in Poland at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 involved teachers who had been attacked by students and/or parents because of their profession. On the basis of the analysis and categorization (in the grounded theory stream), nine strategies were identified: educational and preventive actions targeted at students; working with the student’s family; removal of harmful content from the Internet; independent action by teachers; notifying the police; involvement of judicial authorities; individual consequences for the student; a combination of these different forms; and no response to the cyber-attack. The research was carried out as part of the digitally safer teacher project and is characterized by a praxeological dimension related to the special attention paid to the protection of teachers in cyberspace.
Keywords: attacks, cyberbullying, cyberaggression, teachers as victims, students, parents, school
Research Article
Marwan Mohammad Abualrob
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep547
ABSTRACT
This study aims to uncover the prompts most frequently repeated by pre-service teachers when using the Copilot technique, as well as their reflections on its use in preparing and planning science lessons for fourth graders. The qualitative research methodology with an exploratory case-study design was conducted on a purposeful sample of 20 pre-service teachers. The sample was divided into four focus groups. Data was collected through document analysis of the outcomes from the pre-service teachers’ artificial intelligence creations, their reflective journal entries, and the discussion that occurred during the four focus groups’ interviews. The study’s results revealed that the applications mostly used by pre-service teachers include lesson plans, instructional media, authentic assessment, tables, pictures, drawings, and instructional strategies. Six themes emerged from the reflective Journal and focus groups’ interview analysis connected to the use of the Copilot method in teaching. These themes were the following: developing cognition of new ideas, attracting attention to things that never crossed their minds, saving time and effort, compatibility with students’ needs, less human interaction, and dependency.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, Copilot, pre-service teachers, science
Research Article
Abbas Bodaubekov, Shakhrizat Agaidarova, Talgat Zhussipbek, Davronzhon Gaipov, Nuri Balta
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep548
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the effectiveness of feedback provided by teachers versus feedback generated by the Write & Improve platform in enhancing the writing skills of senior undergraduate students enrolled in a “two foreign language” program at a private university in Kazakhstan. The quasi-experimental design involved four teachers, each teaching one control and one experimental class, totaling eight groups of students. Pre- and post-tests were conducted over a period of five weeks, focusing on task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammar and accuracy, and overall score. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests for pre-test comparisons, and MANCOVA analyses for post-test comparisons. Results show no significant difference in the impact of Write & Improve feedback compared to traditional teacher feedback across multiple dimensions of the writing test, both within individual teachers’ classes and when combined. Longitudinal analysis reveals fluctuating scores over time with no consistent improvement. Thus, the study concludes that the Write & Improve tool is equally effective as teacher feedback in improving students’ writing skills. This implies that educational institutions can potentially integrate technology-based feedback systems like Write & Improve alongside traditional teaching methods to enhance student learning outcomes in writing proficiency.
Keywords: AI feedback, English language, student learning outcomes, teacher feedback, Write & Improve tool
Research Article
Mohamed Ali Elkot, Eltaieb Youssif, Omer Elsheikh Hago Elmahdi, Mohammed AbdAlgane, Rabea Ali
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep549
ABSTRACT
Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology in educational institutions for students with mild intellectual disabilities offers promising avenues for enhancing this population’s learning outcomes and skill development. This study aims to investigate the effect of using generative conversational AI to improve English communication skills among students with mild intellectual disabilities. The study involved twelve students diagnosed with mild intellectual disabilities, divided equally into two groups. Six students engaged in guided conversations with AI, while the other six participated in free conversations with AI. These participants were randomly chosen from educational institutions specializing in intellectual disability education and mainstream schools. The results indicate that guided conversations significantly enhance English communication skills among participants. Additionally, the study highlights the development gains from engaging in guided conversations by AI applications. Statistical analysis reveals notable differences in the effect of guided versus free conversational approaches, with guided conversations yielding superior outcomes. This underscores the importance of structured guidance for comprehension and participation in different English communication skills among students with mild intellectual disabilities. Moreover, the study recommends the integration of AI tools in education to support students with disabilities, emphasizing the need for tailored AI applications to cater to diverse learning needs.
Keywords: conversational AI, intellectual disability, education, communication skills
Research Article
Anh Tuan Pham
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep550
ABSTRACT
Blended massive open online courses (bMOOCs) have emerged as a potential educational model that combines conventional in-person instruction with online learning. The investigation into students’ level of interaction in bMOOCs is significant to the effective implementation of bMOOCs in higher education. This study investigates the perceived level of student interaction with their peers, instructors, content, and technology in bMOOC environments, the relationship between their interaction and satisfaction, and ways of enhancing student interaction. This research employs a mixed-method data collection approach, including qualitative semi-structured interviews and quantitative data analysis, with the participation of 339 students at a higher education institution in Vietnam. The findings reveal that students’ perceived level of interaction was quite high. Student interaction in offline classes was preferred to the massive open online courses environment. Besides, student interaction types and their satisfaction were positively correlated. The paper also addresses possible suggestions for maximizing student interaction in bMOOC environments and practical implications for educational practices in higher education.
Keywords: blended learning, MOOCs, interaction, Coursera
Research Article
Jhon Holguin-Alvarez, Juana Cruz-Montero, Jenny Ruiz-Salazar, Raquel Leonor Atoche Wong, Irene Merino-Flores
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep551
ABSTRACT
The application of gamification methods is still complex for most Latin American teachers who apply gamified pedagogies. Many confuse their nature with cognitivist classes that are totally confusing when using gamified tools for active learning of their students. The background information states the reduction of academic obstacles for students to perform at a high level, especially when participating in an interactive and combinatorial way with gamification technologies offered by the teacher. We tested the effects of the D-S-F[IR] proposal (dynamics, strategies, feedback, and interactive reinforcement), replicating gamified pedagogical phases with virtual applications, the use of video games in academic underachievement; and a follow-up verbal interactive reinforcement. The method made it possible to develop between 1,600 and 1,800 verbal didactic interactions of knowledge (orientation, questioning, and reassuring). The approach consisted of 60 reinforcement sessions (± 8 months of implementation), for 140 students with low cognitive performance at school (range[age] = 8.5-12.5), who were previously selected and randomly assigned to three comparison groups (EG[1] = 47; EG[2] = 47; CG = 46). The results were evidenced by performance tests, reporting significant improvements in mathematics cognitive performance (F = 53.316; p < 0.05). A specific analysis of performance in science and communication allowed for significant improvement (F = 93.119; F = 85.770; p < 0.05), although no differentiating effects were evident between the experimental groups. It is important to conclude that mixed gamification was responsible for the reduction of the low level of school cognitive performance.
Keywords: gamified learning, cognitive processes, learning to read, mathematical skills, scientific competences
Research Article
Cao Tuong Dinh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep552
ABSTRACT
In the rapidly evolving landscape of online education, understanding what drives student satisfaction is crucial for designing effective learning experiences. The study examines the factors influencing English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ satisfaction with online cooperative learning (CL) in massive open online courses (MOOCs). Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research investigates how different aspects of CL contribute to student satisfaction and identifies challenges students face in such environments. Quantitative data were gathered from 374 students through a structured survey, while qualitative insights were derived from semi-structured interviews with 16 participants. The findings suggest that CL enhances academic performance, engagement, and social interaction among students. However, challenges such as language barriers, unequal participation, and technological issues were also highlighted. The study emphasizes the importance of clear task assignments, effective leadership, and structured collaboration to mitigate these challenges. The research underscores the need for further exploration into the nuanced experiences of EFL students in MOOCs, particularly concerning cultural and linguistic factors that may influence their learning outcomes. These insights contribute to the broader understanding of how CL can be optimized in online education settings to enhance student satisfaction.
Keywords: online cooperative learning, MOOCs, constructivism theory, higher education