Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2012

ABSTRACT

Technologies are available for education in various forms now. One primary task involves determining how best to utilize available technology resources to enhance student learning. Electronic Learning Management System (E-LMS) is one the important strategy for learning. It has the ability to document the academic performance of the individual student. This is highly useful in managing all type of academic and other activities of students by institutions. This study aimed to know the facts and effectiveness of E-LMS among the school students. Survey, comparative analysis and Interview methods were used in this study. Major findings from the study are: E-LMS is significantly influence the students and teachers. The absenteeism ratio has declined. This in turn reflected in the academic performance of the students since they have no other option than sustaining with the learning activities. Overall performance of a student is also significantly increased. The effectiveness of E-LMS may be improved from the points of reporting in regional languages when exist, Web-based reporting, and Interactive communication. Because the system has positive impact among the students, this will prove very effective when implemented in large scale in India.

Keywords: Learning management system, LMS, Electronic learning management system, ELMS, E-Learning, ICT in education

ABSTRACT

The main goal of the current study was to analyze early childhood and elementary pre-service teachers’ choices of participant-designed materials and the reasons for their selection. To this end, 57 elementary and 39 early childhood teacher candidates were asked to design one physical material and one electronic material for instruction. Then, they were asked which type of material they would prefer if they were teaching and what their rationale was for this selection. The results revealed several dissimilarities between early childhood and elementary teacher candidates in terms of their choices and the reasons for their choices. In their rationale, elementary pre-service teachers more referred their limited technological knowledge while early childhood pre-service teachers took attention to the need for hands-on activities for their instruction. In general, participants raised critical questions related to teachers’ technological knowledge, and teacher preparation programs as well as professional development programs regarding how to integrate such instructional technologies effectively into course activities to enhance learning.

Keywords: Instructional material, Instructional material design, Pre-service teachers, Early childhood education, Elementary education, Teacher education programs

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to explore teachers’ skills, perceptions, and practices about ICT in second-cycle institutions in Ghana. Questionnaires were distributed to 273 teachers in different departments, 241 were returned, and 231 were valid for data analysis, representing a response rate of 85%. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts in the field. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was 0.91. Descriptive statistics and correlation were used to analyze data. Of the 231 teachers, 66% were males and 34% were females. Majority of the respondents were between the ages 30-39. The correlation analysis revealed positive correlation between ICT use and teachers’ competences. Further, teachers’ perceptions in terms of using ICT were found to be positive but not statistically significant. Finally, the study revealed inverse correlations among ICT use, age, and teaching experience. The descriptive results indicated that teachers’ knowledge in basic ICT applications as well as integrating ICT into teaching and learning processes was low. These results provide evidence that the introduction of ICT in teaching and learning has not brought any change in the delivery of education in second-cycle schools in Ghana. This also implies that teachers have not shifted from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning. From the findings of the study, it is recommended that courses such as computer supported learning, ICTs and designing instructional materials should be introduced in initial teacher training programs to improve teachers’ level of confidence and perceptions towards the use of ICT.

Keywords: Technology integration in schools, Teachers’ perceptions of ICT, Student-centered learning, Information and communication technologies, Teacher education

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted with the purpose of comparing the effect of teaching of the online teacher with that of the real teacher on the students' learning in the university classroom. The study was conducted in the academic year 2009-2010. The sample of the study consisted of 80 students working either in control group or experimental group, 40 in each. The subjects were chosen and assigned by cluster sampling method. For data gathering, a 40 item test was administered in given time intervals to measure prior knowledge, achievement and retention of learning. Research methodology is of empirical, applied, and prospective nature. For data analysis, a t-test for comparing the differences between mean scores was employed. Based on the findings of this study, it appears that to overcome the lack of skilled university instructors, one could use online teachers. The quality of learning provided by the online teacher is the same as the one provided by the real teacher. In the university classrooms, one can use online teachers instead of the real teacher for a number of reasons. Finally, the degree of learning retention in both types of instruction (online versus traditional) is the same.

Keywords: Online learning, Virtual teaching, Face-to-face instruction, Online teacher, Distance education

ABSTRACT

This article describes a development work whose focus was examining whether designing a game as an educational technology based on interdisciplinary dialogue between design and education can contribute to education of deaf children in learning a language. Through methods and techniques of design it was sought to identify how this area of knowledge can be part of the processes of teaching and learning in terms of developing learning materials to enhance the strategies of acquiring knowledge. The work was guided by the Multi-Tracks, which is a game to help the acquisition of a second language by deaf children. This game was developed in light of methods and techniques of design, under the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Design/Education - LIDE, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in partnership with the National Institute of Education for the Deaf in Rio de Janeiro-INES/RJ. The development work was particularly interested in designing learning materials for deaf children by considering their special traits and dialogue with the surrounding reality. Considering that educational technology research in special education is rather weak, it was thought that this work may contribute to this interdisciplinary area.

Keywords: Interdisciplinary design, Educational technology, Learning games, Deaf Children, Special education

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