Research Article
Marta Montenegro Rueda, José Fernández Cerero, Daniel Fernández Cerero, Eloy López Meneses
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: ep525
ABSTRACT
Online learning in higher education has established itself as a key educational strategy that transforms the teaching and learning process in universities. In this context, it is crucial to examine the different effects that this method can generate in order to identify both the opportunities and challenges that teachers face when adopting this modality. The aim of this research is to analyse the perspectives of online learning, focusing on the advantages and challenges it presents in higher education. The information was collected through semi-structured interviews with 47 teachers from the University of Cadiz and the University of Seville. The analysis of the data obtained highlights the benefits that online learning offers, such as flexibility and accessibility, as well as the difficulties related to technical problems and access to technology. The results underline the significant opportunities that online learning offers to improve the educational process, provided that the necessary teacher support and training is available. This study also provides valuable recommendations to guide future teachers and researchers in the effective integration of this method in higher education.
Keywords: online learning, higher education, digital learning, impact, educational innovation
Review Article
Izida I. Ishmuradova, Alexey A. Chistyakov, Alexey D. Chudnovskiy, Elena V. Grib, Sergey V. Kondrashev, Sergei P. Zhdanov
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 2, Article No: ep508
ABSTRACT
This study looks closely at research papers about blended learning (BL) from the last 10 years (2014-2023). It pulls information from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). By using both, it gives a full picture of what is being published and what’s important in BL research. The search found 1,704 articles in Scopus and 1,545 in WoS. After putting them together and removing duplicates, there were 2,455 articles for the study. The study used a Bibliometrix R to look at who published a lot, which countries and schools did most, who worked together, and which articles got mentioned a lot. Each year, the number of articles grew by about 15.58%. Most of these, 93.00%, were articles. Universities in Australia were among those that wrote the most. “Education and Information Technologies” and “International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education” were often cited, which shows they have big roles in this research area. Some of the main researchers who connect a lot of the work are Zhu, Graham, and Jackson. It is found that keywords “higher education”, “online learning”, “students”, and “COVID-19” are very common in discussions and help shape the research being done. While much research comes from Australia and the West, there is also growing work from Asia and the Middle East. This shows that BL is becoming important in different parts of the world. But there’s a chance to get more research from less wealthy countries. This study puts together a clear picture of BL research. It looks at what’s been published, who talks to who, and which places are doing the work. The research has grown who the main people are, where there’s a gap between different regions, and what we should think about for the future. This can help make policies and change how we teach.
Keywords: bibliometrics, blended learning, higher education, research impact, knowledge mapping
Research Article
Steven M. Ross, Gary R. Morrison, Deborah L. Lowther
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 1, Issue 1, pp. 17-35
ABSTRACT
Today, the exponential growth of technology usage in education, via such applications of distance education, Internet access, simulations, and educational games, has raised substantially the focus and importance of educational technology research. In this paper, we examine the past and present research trends, with emphasis on the role and contribution of research evidence for informing instructional practices and policies to improve learning in schools. Specific topics addressed include: (a) varied conceptions of “effective” technology uses in classroom instruction as topics for research, (b) historical trends in research approaches and topics of inquiry; (c) alternative research designs for balancing internal (rigor) and external (relevance) validity; and (d) suggested directions for future research. Attention is devoted to describing varied experimental designs as options for achieving appropriate rigor and relevance of research evidence, and using mixed-methods research for investigating and understanding technology applications in complex real-life settings.
Keywords: Educational technology research, Technology and learning, Research designs and trends, Impact of technology on learning