Research Article
Jane Elizabeth Casey, Lisa K. Pennington, Dallas Lopez
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep281
ABSTRACT
When educators provide students with opportunities to interact with educational technology such as floor-robots, it may: (a) increase students’ awareness of new educational tools, and (b) enhance students’ use and engagement with new technologies. This case study provided upper-elementary, Hispanic students with opportunities to engage in structured and unstructured activities with floor-robots, with direct support from researchers and the cooperating teacher. These educational robots were introduced to student-participants on multiple occasions during regular instructional class time in a Title I school on the U.S.-Mexico border to determine: (a) students’ interest in continued use of floor-robots; and (b) students’ perceptions of ease-of-use of floor-robots. Floor-robots were selected largely because researchers had access to two types: a Roamer floor-robot and a Thymio floor-robot. For students from underserved populations, it is important that educators strengthen students’ self-efficacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas (Mau & Li, 2018), as well as increase students’ awareness and use of newer educational technologies, which is a growing field and includes floor-robots. However, in-service teachers may need guidance, support, and professional development when selecting and using new educational technologies such as floor-robots. Student-participants’ post-study surveys and interviews provided researchers with insight into elementary students’: (a) interest in floor-robots and robotics, (b) perceived ease-of-use, (c) preferred type of floor-robot in this particular study, and, (d) opinions on the potential uses and downsides of floor-robots.
Keywords: Hispanic students, floor-robots, English language learners
Research Article
Francisco David Guillén-Gámez, Maria Jose Mayorga-Fernández, Marta Ramos
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep282
ABSTRACT
The growing rise of information and communication technologies (ICT) in all areas of society demands that university professors have an adequate level of digital literacy, so that they can contribute effectively to the training of their students and respond to the demands of the job. The objective of this research is to know and compare the use by university teachers of different ICT resources, in their teaching, evaluation, and research (UTIC-EEI model, its acronym in Spanish), depending on the area of knowledge to which they belong (science and engineering-architecture, health sciences, art-humanities, and social-legal Sciences), in order to be able to take measures to effectively address the digital shortcomings of teachers. An ex post facto study is carried out, with a quantitative methodology utilising a survey technique, with a sample of 867 Spanish university teachers, with a descriptive and inferential analysis via ANOVA for multiple comparisons. The results showed a medium-high use by teachers of ICT resources in four areas, with there being a superior use in the teaching and research dimensions compared to the evaluation dimension in each area of knowledge. These data underline the need to continue training teachers to make excellent instrumental use of specific ICT resources in each area of knowledge.
Keywords: digital literacy, teachers, ICT, educational use, ANOVA
Research Article
Maxim L. Grunis, Inna I. Golovanova, Galiya I. Kirilova, Elena Y. Levina, Zhanna M. Sizova
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep289
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this work is to identify the transformations of communicative functions. These functions are associated with the subjects of communication in both fields: in pedagogical and organizational, also in the instrumental and design once during the process of creating digital video recordings for online courses. Questionnaires, observation, and factor analysis were used as research methods. It helped to formulate a popularity rating of digital tools for future teachers. The study was conducted at the Institute of Psychology and Education of Kazan (Volga region) Federal University. The study involved 120 people: teachers developing online courses and students studying at the pedagogical educational programs. Transforming indicators of pedagogical communicative competence are highlighted. These indicators are needed to be emphasized when improving teacher training. It will help future teachers to be able to effectively carry out their activities in digital educational environment. These indicators are: the ability to organize interactive cooperation during training, the ability to organize mutual exchange and development of students, the ability to create an open environment for analysis and improvement. The methodological aspects of the development of pedagogical communication functions in the dynamic environment of digital education and an interactive environment are disclosed on the basis of work with videos. Some recommendations for future teachers’ skills improving and development of training experience organization in the digital environment are given. These are a clearly-set-goal for educational video materials, adequate video content, skills for digital tools using, also the skill to choose adequate digital tools for a task fulfillment. The tool that can enhance enthusiasm, and stimulate students for productive work in a digital environment. The study allows improving video content and increasing the effectiveness of its use in the educational process. Also, the results of the experiment can become a basis for teacher training programs improving. Especially it can be useful for future teachers’ pedagogical communicative and digital competences development. The tasks developed within the frame of the research will be included in the assignments of pedagogical internship for pedagogical Master’s degree courses at the Institute of Psychology and Education of Kazan Federal University. These tasks for students include development and use of online courses with video materials.
Keywords: pedagogical communicative competence, digital educational environment, digital video recordings, educational videos, online courses
Research Article
Ehab Malkawi, Ali Khaled Bawaneh, M S Bawa'aneh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep283
ABSTRACT
The study aims at investigating the satisfaction level and attitudes of undergraduate students at United Arab Emirates University towards eLearning and virtual classes in exceptional circumstances of COVID-19 Crisis, in view of five demographic independent variables: students’ gender, educational level, residential location, college, and GPA. The researchers adopted and implemented a questionnaire where its validity and reliability for collecting data have been verified. Mean, standard deviations, and one-way ANOVA tests were conducted. The results indicate that the students’ satisfaction level and attitudes towards eLearning and virtual classes are strong in general with varying degrees between items. The results did not show a significant difference at the level (α = 0.05) for the independent variables: students’ gender, residential location, college, and GPA. However, the results imply that there is a statistically significant difference in students’ satisfaction level and attitudes towards eLearning and virtual classes for the independent variable of educational level. The study concluded with few recommendations; supporting the current efforts of the university to provide all the requirements of education via eLearning and virtual classes such as suitable infrastructure and technical support. Besides, there is a need for a continuous update of the teaching and learning platforms in line with continuous development and training for instructors and students.
Keywords: undergraduate students’ satisfaction, students’ attitudes, eLearning and virtual classes, UAEU, COVID-19
Research Article
Saurabh Maheshwari, Tuheena Mukherjee
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep284
ABSTRACT
The debate on the positive and negative impact of Facebook on youth particularly on their academic performance has become prevalent in academic discourses. The previous studies show mixed findings of the effect of Facebook on academic performance as well as on other education-related variables. Though the role of Facebook in academics is well explored, however, the impact of academics on Facebook usage has not been examined. The present study examines the reverse possibility i.e. effect of study and academic performance on Facebook usage. Two offline survey studies were conducted on Indian college students. Study one was conducted on 250 undergraduate students (mean age = 20.15; 101 female participants) which shows a significant positive impact of past academic performance on Facebook friendship. Study two was conducted on 317 undergraduate students (mean age = 19.95; 259 females) with two additional indicators of Facebook usage i.e. time spent on Facebook and attitude toward Facebook use. Results of study two also show a positive impact of academic performance on Facebook friendship, however, no such impact is found for other indicators of Facebook use. Overall research shows academic achievement positively influences the virtual popularity of individuals, especially for college students.
Keywords: Facebook, virtual popularity, academic performance, Facebook friendship
Research Article
Olgun Sadik
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep285
ABSTRACT
This research was designed and conducted considering the theoretical and practical suggestions of design-based research (DBR) methodology and aimed to identify and address problems in a one-semester technology integration course at a Midwest university in the US. Community of practice (CoP) was used as the theoretical framework in this research to design and implement interventions, and improve the quality of the course. The researcher observed a community of teacher educators and aimed to make suggestions for building successful strategies for communities of practice in similar contexts. The study results showcased the connection between pedagogy, content and technology as an important theme for preparing future teachers in technology integration courses but also in all the teacher education courses. Furthermore, aligned with the previous literature, pre-service teachers’ beliefs and confidence were identified as important conditions for effective technology integration. CoP was found as a challenging but helpful model when all the members share ideas in a supportive and balanced environment. An experienced member of the community acting as a moderator and facilitating the discussions was helpful to address the communication issues in a community of teacher educators.
Keywords: community of practice, design-based research, teacher education, technology integration
Research Article
Ricardo-Adán Salas-Rueda, Jesús Ramírez-Ortega, Ana-Libia Eslava-Cervantes
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep286
ABSTRACT
This mixed research analyzes the use of the Collaborative Wall to improve the teaching-learning conditions in the Bachelor of Visual Arts considering data science and machine learning (linear regression). The sample is made up of 46 students who took the Geometric Representation Systems course at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) during the 2019 school year. The Collaborative Wall is a web application that facilitates the organization and dissemination of ideas through the use of images and text. In the classroom, the students formed teams and used mobile devices to access this web application. The results of machine learning indicate that the organization of ideas in the Collaborative Wall positively influences the participation of students, motivation and learning process. Data science identifies 3 predictive models about the use of this web application in the educational field. Also, the Collaborative Wall facilitates the learning process in the classroom through the comparison and discussion of information. Finally, technological advances allow organizing creative activities that favor the active role of students.
Keywords: collaborative wall, bachelor, technology, learning, data science, teaching
Research Article
Lera A. Kamalova, Makhabbat Zh. Umbetova, Narine S. Putulyan
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep288
ABSTRACT
The aim of this work is to determine the most effective technologies and practices for the linguistic and sociocultural adaptation of foreign students studying in Russian and foreign universities, the use of which will help foreign students overcome barriers in academic performance, mastery of the Russian language, psychological and sociocultural adaptation in the host country. The fundamental basis of this study is the experimental work carried out at the Institute of Psychology and Education of Kazan Federal University, Arkalyk State Pedagogical Institute named after Y. Altynsarin, St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics. Sociocultural and linguistic adaptation of foreign students is organized on the basis of an integrated approach, which is a combination of intercultural, humanistic, personality-oriented, activity-based approaches to learning. Education and training of foreign students should be organized on the basis of modern technologies and practices (authoring online simulators in Russian, interactive whiteboard, case method, brainstorming, role-playing game, discussion) contributes to effective language, socio-cultural adaptation of students. An effective tool to promote the sociocultural and linguistic adaptation of foreign students is a specially organized tolerant developing educational environment of the university, organized taking into account the specifics of social problems and the psychological state of migrants, contributing to the leveling of emerging problems of socio-cultural adaptation, the integration of foreign students in the host community. In this study, the most effective diagnostics were identified that affect the mechanisms of linguistic and sociocultural adaptation of foreign students studying in Russian and foreign universities: diagnostics of the level of social isolation of a person, determination of the level of depression, methods for determining sociocultural identity, adaptation of a person to a new sociocultural environment, methodology for determining level of knowledge of Russian as a foreign language. The scientific novelty of this study is to determine the most effective technologies and practices of linguistic and sociocultural adaptation of foreign students in the context of globalization and the Eurasian integration of sociocultural and educational space.
Keywords: foreign students, migrants, adaptation, linguistic, sociocultural, technology, pedagogical, learning, Russian
Research Article
Ardita Todri, Petraq Papajorgji, Howard Moskowitz, Francesco Scalera
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep287
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the perceptions on distance learning approaches, assessed through an online survey, using experimental design of ideas (Mind Genomics). Students and professors of higher education institutions who had not yet experienced distance learning before COVID-19 pandemic period participated in the study. The participants belong to the universities located in Mediterranean basin, e.g., Albania, Italy, Morocco, Algeria and few African countries.
Results suggest that distance learning will shift many of the responsibilities formerly on the professors to those of the students. The data suggests the need for emotional support during this transition, specifically to maintain interaction among students and professor as well as among students themselves in distance learning platforms as in traditional classrooms. The study shows that the effectiveness and the interactivity of this new paradigm are very important and any further developments of distance learning should provide strong support for these components. The position of the professor is indispensable as the guide to the entire process, suggesting that at least at the time of this writing (2020) distance learning approach is perceived only to be an intermittent complementary path to in-person interactions.
Keywords: distance learning, Mind Genomics, survey, user’s perceptions
Research Article
Chenin Chen
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep290
ABSTRACT
Along with the rapid development of technology, the constant innovation and application of computer and information technology has information technology change humans’ future lifestyles as well as induce comprehensive changes in humans’ learning. Due to knowledge digitization, knowledge creation and update is fast that the acceleration and enhancement of learning effectiveness becomes the important issue concerned in global education development. Along with the population of digitization, information technology largely changes life and learning model.
Applying experimental design model to the quasi-experimental research, total 188 business management students of universities in Fujian are preceded technology education with WebQuest. The experimental teaching is preceded 3 hours per week for 16 weeks (total 48 hours). Research results reveal 1. WebQuest would affect critical thinking psychology, 2. WebQuest would affect operation capability, 3. critical thinking psychology presents significantly positive effects on problem clarification in operation capability, 4. critical thinking psychology shows remarkably positive effects on effective interaction in operation capability, and 5. critical thinking psychology reveals notably positive effects on inductive inference in operation capability. According to the results, suggestions are proposed, expecting to help domestic technology education get into organizational and systematic development to further cultivate students’ technology literacy.
Keywords: WebQuest, technology education, business management students, critical thinking psychology, operation capability
Research Article
Umut Akcil, Mert Bastas
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep291
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on people’s social interaction and has brought changes on education, environment and economy. COVID-19, which affects every aspect of life, has produced results that require re-evaluating the perspective on education. Distance learning, digital learning, e-learning has reshaped education in many ways. There can be a chance of the pandemic in the digital age to turn into an advantage for the education sector. In this period, it can be said that those who have high interest in technology move more easily in distance education and e-learning processes. In this context, expressing the best skills in the digital age, it was thought that the concept of digital citizenship would have positive effects on e-learning. This study is a relational survey and tested by establishing a relationship between digital citizenship and e-learning. The study was conducted among higher education students. It has been observed that there is a positive relationship between digital citizenship behaviors and e-learning attitudes. In addition, it has been observed that the negative anxiety of students due to the pandemic is reflected in their e-learning processes. However, overall results show that digital citizenship behavior digital learning process could be a positive response to COVID-19 closure period.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning, digital citizenships, digital age, higher education
Research Article
Emeka Joshua Chukwuemeka, Samaila Dominic, Mary Ayanjoke Kareem, Ibrahim Ango Mailafia
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep292
ABSTRACT
Education has been one of the worst-hit sectors of the economy since the detection of the first index case of Covid-19 in Nigeria on February 27, 2020. Like many affected countries of the world, the Federal government of Nigeria has taken several necessary precautionary measures to curtail the spread of the disease. This has led to the suspension of all educational activities especially in-class teaching and learning processes. This paper studied the state of education in Nigeria and the effort of government towards continuous education in comparison to the measures put in place by other developing countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper equally reviewed five different available and popular online learning platforms that can be implemented by the government to provide start-up educational programs that would help to keep students on course by learning remotely from home throughout the period of Covid-19 pandemic. These include Distance Learning, Social media, Virtual Classroom, M-Learning, and Flipped classroom. Implementation of these online forms of education will successfully offer alternatives and ensure continuous education presently and in the future. The recommendations of this study would be useful even for other developing countries that are yet to discover any alternative to the disrupted in-class learning activities so that their students will start to learn from home.
Keywords: COVID-19, Coronavirus, open and distance learning, social media, virtual classroom, mobile learning, flipped classroom