Research Article
Parama Chaudhuri
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: ep539
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic began in the late months of 2019 and by Spring of 2020, in an effort to limit transmission of the virus, schools across the globe had closed and transitioned to emergency online teaching which may have disrupted their current learning procedures. In the United States, over 13,000 school districts completely closed down during this time. Schools began to offer multiple types and modes of instruction in order to continue providing instruction for their students. One of these was emergency remote teaching. During the emergency remote teaching environments (ERTE), teachers worked within the ERTE framework to design their online instructional strategies. The purpose of the study is to report instructional strategies teachers used to provide education to their students during the extremely constrained set of circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to examine their contextualized stories regarding why they used these strategies as well as their perspectives on the comparative success of those strategies.
Keywords: adaptive experience, instructional strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic, teacher voices
Review Article
Warakon Phommanee, Boonrat Plangsorn, Sutithep Siripipattanakul
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: ep453
ABSTRACT
Learning experience design (LXD) is a new wave in educational technology and learning design. This study was conducted to clarify conceptual change to practice by applying a systematic literature review to a combination text mining and bibliometric analysis technique to visualization network. Based on the study selection articles from SCOPUS. Our research questions focused on the changing concept, the elements of dimensionality, and the process or practice of LXD. The findings showed that 152 articles were finally selected to be analyzed. Conceptualizing LXD is currently underway in design thinking and user research methods with emphasis on the empathize process. Moreover, three dimensions to consider including (1) design dimension focus on user experience design in a technology context, (2) learning dimension focus on instructional design and learning theory, and (3) standard dimension focus on assessment and evaluation in learning goal and project management. In addition, five steps cycle for practice follows: research learners as users and learning goals, design with ideate, develop prototyping, validity testing, and launch and follow-up. These factors enhance learning engagement and aesthetics for a great learner experience and learning efficacy.
Keywords: conceptual to practice, learning experience design, systematic review, text data, bibliometric analysis
Research Article
Paula Charbonneau-Gowdy, Dánisa Salinas, Juan Carlos Oyanedel, Héctor Magaña
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 3, Article No: ep446
ABSTRACT
The deep disruption to education caused by the move to online learning during COVID-19 was unprecedented. While most educational stakeholders adapt to the transition back to a “new normal”, it seems an obvious time for constructivist reflection on the lessons learned. The aim of this longitudinal inquiry was to examine the experiences of higher education learners in Chile during the pandemic for potential insights to be gained. The focus was on students in multi-disciplinarian fields and the changes to their perspectives, practices, and identities. Working within the qualitative paradigm, data was gathered using interviews (n=22), surveys (n=1,054, n=1,137, n=205) and field notes. Learners’ experiences were mapped against contemporary e-learning theory and 21st century learner identity goals. Through this lens, pedagogical practices, course designs, and uses of technology reflected in online spaces were found to influence learners and their learning in complex ways. Two key themes emerged in the analysis: (1) exposure to conventional pedagogy, information transfer and assessment-driven designs and technology challenges online, left students discouraged with their learning progress and disparaging of their future workplace preparedness and (2) students who experienced learner-centered practices online, supported by contemporary learning theory and community-building course designs and technologies, underwent transformative changes to their learning and identities and feeling confidently qualified for their post study careers. In view of the increasing role e-learning will play in this century, we believe further empirical research of this kind into a myriad of global, digital learning contexts, could help transform online learning and learners in our new post pandemic reality.
Keywords: online learning, COVID-19 online experiences, contemporary online learning theories and goals, instructional design, learner identity, transforming learning online
Research Article
Omar Sulaymani, Ahmad R. Pratama, Moneer Alshaikh, Ali Alammary
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep349
ABSTRACT
In Saudi Arabia, some e-learning initiatives such as the Future Gate Project (FGP) and Madrasati (MySchool) have been in place since 2018 and 2020, respectively. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they were used as a means of distance learning for students across the country. This paper investigates the willingness of students to use the e-learning platforms and whether it varies across different sex and age group. Primary data in the form of a survey of 265 secondary school students across the Makkah region was analysed with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework. We found that students’ self-efficacy, which is strongly influenced by their previous experience with the underlying technology used in the e-learning platforms, has a positive effect for older students in high school, yet surprisingly, a negative one for younger students in middle school. We also found that perceived ease of use and social influence to be the most important factors behind the students’ acceptance of e-learning platforms and that the effects are stronger for female students than for male students. While this study was conducted in Saudi Arabia, the findings from this study provide a first-hand insight that can help ensure the continuity of the e-learning platforms if they are to be implemented permanently as distance learning platforms even after the end of the pandemic that is also applicable to any other countries.
Keywords: e-learning, distance learning, previous experience, self-efficacy, COVID-19 pandemic
Research Article
Trang Phan, Earl Aguilera, Susan Tracz
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article No: ep337
ABSTRACT
Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educational technologies in the classroom. Meanwhile, teacher experiences with new technologies prior to their entry into the classroom do not always match these expectations. For many teacher education programs, the solution to this challenge lies in the incorporation of educational technologies into coursework for pre-service teachers (PSTs). This study examines PST reported uses and proficiency with educational technologies before and after taking introductory educational coursework. Based on surveys administered at the beginning and end of introductory education courses, the study found that PSTs reported consistent improvement in their technological skills. There were also positive relationships among skills competence and PST outcomes of satisfaction, effectiveness, and usefulness. These findings support existing efforts to incorporate educational technology into teacher certification coursework, while also suggesting ways to expand on these approaches to better support PSTs experience with educational technologies.
Keywords: pre-service teachers, technologies, proficiency, coursework, experience
Research Article
Amka Amka, Juhriyansyah Dalle
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article No: ep334
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 had a disastrous impact on the education sector resulting in a boom of online learning systems. This shift has severely impacted the underprivileged students with special needs due to the sudden implementation of prolonged distance learning. Thus, it creates an immense need to analyze distance learning media’s effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic for students with special needs. The E-learning readiness and satisfaction of special needs students are scarcely investigated areas in education and e-learning literature. Established on the community of inquiry (COI) model, this study aims to determine the factors that underpin students’ satisfaction with their e-learning experience through the mediated mechanism of students online learning readiness. Surveying 178 special needs students from various Indonesian universities revealed that teaching presence, cognitive and social presence, and content quality, directly and indirectly, influence e-learning satisfaction. This extended and more comprehensive model would help educators better understand e-learning’s use as an effective pedagogical platform, especially in the context of special needs students. Key policy implications and directions for future research are suggested.
Keywords: community of inquiry model, content quality, online learning readiness, students’ cognitive presence, social presence, students’ satisfaction with e-learning experience, teaching presence
Research Article
Mailizar Mailizar, Abdulsalam Almanthari, Suci Maulina
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 2, Article No: ep298
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to examine factors that influenced experienced teachers’ intention to use E-learning in their teaching of mathematics. Data were collected using a questionnaire from 161 secondary school mathematics teachers who completed a six-month in-service online training provided by the Indonesian Ministry of Education. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used as the framework while E-learning experience was included as an additional construct. An extended TAM model was proposed and tested in this study. It consisted of five constructs, namely: intention to use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward using, and experience. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling with SMARTPLS 3.0. The findings showed that attitude toward E-learning use and E-learning experience were the two most significant constructs in predicting E-learning use. Contrary to previous studies, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were non-significant factors for the prediction of the behavioral intention. Implications for future research and practices are discussed.
Keywords: behavioral intention, teachers’ intention to use e-learning, extended TAM model, teachers’ e-learning experience, e-learning in mathematics classroom
Research Article
Ekaterina Pechenkina, Amanda Scardamaglia, Janet Gregory
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 9, Issue 4, pp. 405-422
ABSTRACT
This mixed method study involved twenty students enrolled in three consecutive intakes of an Australian Bachelor of Laws program’s introductory unit. Pioneering a multi-element blended design, the unit featured three key elements: summary videos, self-test online quizzes and interactive discussion boards. These elements were chosen based on evidence-based research into digital tools found effective in enhancing students’ face-to-face learning experience in blended and fully online designs. The study’s main goal was to evaluate how students utilized these elements and in what ways their previous experiences with blended designs influenced their learning process in this unit. A focus-group and online surveys were used to collect data. Based on literature review, four areas of student experience with this blended designs formed a particular focus of this study: student expectations, support, resources, and collaboration. It was found that students extensively used videos and quizzes for catch-up, revision, and clarification, while discussion boards were not perceived as useful, with students preferring to have discussions face-to-face, in and out of classroom. Findings also indicated that students’ expectations of and previous experiences with blended learning can be leveraged to strengthen blended designs.
Keywords: Blended learning, Videos, Quizzes, Discussion boards, Law program, Student experiences
Research Article
Lai Cheng Tung
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 4, Issue 4, pp. 236-248
ABSTRACT
Given the rising popularity of both open and distance learning (ODL) and social networking tools, it seems logical to merge and harness these two popular technologies with the goal of improving student educational experience. The integration seems to hold tremendous promise for the open and distance learning mode. To reduce the gap in the literature, this study explores the educational benefits of social media tools on distance learners’ perspectives and experiences in an online course taught using elgg (open source social media tool) platforms. To achieve this, the study relied on collecting qualitative and quantitative data from students who were required to use elgg, in addition to LMS, for one semester as part of their coursework. The findings indicated that students enjoyed the social learning experience afforded by the elgg better when compared to LMS to support one another in their distance learning experiences. It was also noted that students, with little experience in social networking and the sharing features on elgg, in most cases, exhibited high involvement in course-related work and graded exercises. Additionally, it was observed that students shared information limited only at the level required by the instruction mode. The study concludes that most students perceived their learning experience was enhanced by their interaction with each other and with the instructors in the elgg. The article ends with a discussion of results and highlighting the areas for future research on the topic.
Keywords: ODL, Social networking technology, Student interaction, LMS, elgg, Social learning experience
Research Article
Kun Li, Niamboue Bado, Jamie Smith, David Moore
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 4, Issue 3, pp. 172-186
ABSTRACT
Blogs have been widely used in education since their emergence. Educational researchers and practitioners have integrated blogs into teaching and learning in different subject areas, but does blog use encourage critical thinking? This paper presents a study, which explores peer commenting for critical thinking in blog writing. In order to discover blogging for skill development, survey method and focus group were employed in this study. Results of blog content analysis indicate levels of critical thinking remain constant with or without peer commenting. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided for effective use of blogs for instruction.
Keywords: Blogging, Critical thinking, Attitude, Experience, Pre-service teacher
Research Article
Casimir C. Barczyk, Emily Hixon, Janet Buckenmeyer, Heather Zamojski
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 3, Issue 2, pp. 99-114
ABSTRACT
Students at a regional campus of a Midwestern university were surveyed using an online questionnaire to determine their ownership, skill, and use of technological devices. Four hundred ninety-three students responded to the survey. It was found that the survey sample mirrored the student population at the university. Students owned and used a wide variety of electronic devices. Eighty five percent of the students owned laptop computers, 62% digital phones, 60% desktop computers, and 52% gaming systems. Students used electronic devices an average of 6.03 hours per week on classroom activities and 3.93 hours per week surfing the Internet for pleasure. They perceived themselves as being very skilled at using email, surfing the web, and word processing. It was also found that there was a significant correlation between students’ ownership of and skill with educational technology and their experience with Blackboard. Technological barriers were found to have a negative impact on students’ experience with Blackboard. Those barriers also negatively impacted their technological use and skill. A simple linear regression model explains that students’ experience with Blackboard is enhanced by having greater skill with technology, but is diminished when confronted with technological barriers. Implications for course design are discussed.
Keywords: Educational Technology, Post-Secondary Education, Student Experience with Technology, Barriers to Use Technology, Course Design
Research Article
Richard A. Schwier, Jay R. Wilson
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 1, Issue 2, pp. 134-147
ABSTRACT
Students complete courses or entire programs in instructional design (ID) and enter the professional arena confident they are prepared to wrestle with the complexities and demands of ID. What many of those fresh to the profession discover is that in addition to applying what they learned in school, they are called upon to carry out a number of additional tasks, often in areas where they have no training or previous experience. This paper reports on the results of an investigation carried out with 22 instructional designers practicing in post-secondary institutions in Canada and the United States. The purpose was to reveal the aspects of professional practice that instructional designers felt were important, but that were outside the traditional boundaries and training of instructional design. Through focus groups and e-mail discussions, we identified several roles that instructional designers described as important, but were peripheral to the traditional standards of practice and competencies in instructional design.
Keywords: Instructional design, ID, Professional practice, Experience, Interviews, Research