Volume 12, Issue 2, October 2020

ABSTRACT

Instructional design and training skills have become a key competency that is expected of public health professionals. However, the research on educating public health students as instructional designers (ID) is lacking. The purpose of this study is to better understand how novice IDs design trainings using their design judgment in an authentic instructional design project in order to provide them with effective educational supports. The data sources of this case study include 11 training lesson plans generated by 37 students through a semester and six semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that: (1) online games, (2) instructional videos, (3) handouts, (4) PowerPoint presentation slides, and (5) infographics were designed and used by novice IDs. In the midst of the various challenges that were encountered, framing judgment, core judgment, instrumental judgment, navigational judgment, and appearance judgment were manifested in the design process of novice IDs. Based on the findings, practical implementations are recommended to develop effective instructional design curricula for novice public health student designers.

Keywords: design judgment, instructional design, instructional design challenges, instructional design practices, novice instructional designers, public health

ABSTRACT

Marczewski (2015) has introduced a new classification model for different user types. Tondello et al. (2016) developed and later revised (Tondello et al., 2019) “The Gamification User Types Hexad Scale” based on this model. The aim of this study is to adapt this scale into Turkish. The validity and reliability study of the scale was conducted on 330 university students. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the model also showed that the fit indices were acceptable. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the factors were also within the acceptable range. Additionally, it was found that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the lower 27% and upper 27% groups for both the items and the sub-factor scores. As a result, it can be concluded that this valid and reliable scale composed of 24 items and 6 factors can be used as an effective tool in the gamification solutions considering the characteristics of the target group.

Keywords: gamification, player/user types, scale adaptation, validity, reliability

ABSTRACT

Digital learning has reshaped education in many ways. The purpose of this study is to respond to the question of whether COVID-19 is the gateway for digital-learning in mathematics education. To this end, this study explores some uptakes of social media platforms by prospective secondary school teachers. Data was collected from 102 prospective mathematics teachers from the Copperbelt University (CBU). Cluster analysis approach was used. Results revealed that participants’ scores for digital learning in mathematics in cluster 2 were higher than those in both cluster 1 and 3. This is a clear indication that prospective teachers in clusters with low scores are more likely to exhibit low skill levels in the use of mobile technology and the adoption of social media in relation to mathematics pedagogy during the COVID-19 crisis. Results show different patterns. However, overall results show that digital learning could be a positive response to COVID-19 closure period.

Keywords: COVID-19, digital learning, social media, students, mathematics education, Zambia

ABSTRACT

This study investigated different modalities of videos in a flipped classroom for English writing classes in an intensive English program at a state university in Turkey. This quasi-experimental study was conducted with six experimental groups (n= 109) and one control group (n = 18). The dataset included the participants’ scores of an essay pretest and two posttests, namely, recall and essay posttests. The data analysis showed that the experimental group viewing the video lecture which includes simultaneous presentation of animation and on-screen text followed by a narration in a user-paced environment outperformed the control group on the recall posttest. The groups studying the video lecture including animation with simultaneous narration and sequential on-screen text in a whole presentation and in a part-by-part presentation outperformed the control group on the essay writing posttest. In the whole presentation, participants studied all the parts of a video in a system-paced design and answered the related questions whereas participants studied each part of a video and answered the related questions in a part-by-part presentation. The paper provides a discussion and a set of recommendations on how to design flipped classrooms.

Keywords: flipped learning, flipped classroom, multimedia learning, video modalities, English as a foreign language, academic essay writing

ABSTRACT

As a variety of commercial educational applications are currently being taken into daily use to provide technology-enhanced feedback, research is needed to observe whether pedagogical evidence of the impact of feedback on learning and well-being is being utilized. To this end, this study explores the connections between technology-enhanced feedback, motivation, competence and the relationship with teachers. A nationally representative sample of pupils undertaking Finnish basic education (N=2031) was analyzed using latent profile analysis. Seven patterns for receiving technology-enhanced feedback were identified. Most girls (80%) and boys (55%) belonged to groups receiving mainly positive feedback in the form of teacher praise, which was connected to the highest scores in all measured indicators. Although the results indicate teachers’ efforts to encourage pupils through technology-enhanced feedback, we also identified profiles in which pupils (up to 30%) repeatedly received negative feedback related to behavior problems or forgotten matters, as well as profiles in which pupils (5%) reported that they never received any technology-enhanced feedback at all. Pupils who did not receive any feedback reported the lowest values in all scales. The relationship with teachers was particularly weak for pupils receiving negative feedback or no feedback. The results indicate that current technology-enhanced feedback practices do not fully meet pedagogical knowledge concerning efficient feedback.

Keywords: technology-enhanced feedback, motivation, competence, academic well-being

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the literature relating to the factors that contribute to the difficulties in learning of computer programming. Programming has been a difficult subject to learn and master even at the early stage of education. It has been a global problem and continues to worsen at the local level. Although, there are many education tools available to complement the teaching and learning of computer programming. The problem persists until present day. Even at the initial stage of computer introduction courses, there were high failure rates and high drop out. One of the rationalism behind this scenario is from the students’ lack of problem solving abilities. However, the problem does not only lie within the students’ level of efficacy. It involves the effective use of teaching and learning material as well. Therefore, the focus of this review is on the factors concerning the students learning method and the effectiveness of the teaching material. Based on plethora of literature review, it is vital that these two aspects need to be consider simultaneously to overcome the difficulties of learning computer programming. A much more comprehensive, effective and universal teaching and learning tools need to be design to address the severity of this problem.

Keywords: computer programming, difficulties in programming, phases of programming, teaching materials

ABSTRACT

Distance education delivery has shifted from the mere meaning of distance due to the use of abridged technologies. Current distance education utilizes technologies that have made the term distance a metaphor. The affordances of technology have promoted student-student interaction; teacher-student interaction as well as student-student interaction across boundaries. This has been possible due to blended leaning that combines both the online component in addition to the face-to-face sessions. One of the technologies that have made blended learning possible in distance education is the Learning Management System (LMS). However, intentions towards the use of LMS have been a crucial element in contemporary literature especially in Africa. Consequently, one of the key determinants of LMS use intentions is attitude towards the technology. Hence, this study is focused on unraveling the key determinants of attitude based on a Technology-Related Stimulus-Response Theoretical Framework (TR-SR-TF) while addressing empirically, the mediating role of attitude on these determinants. In view of this, the study employed a survey design with the questionnaire as an instrument for data collection from a sample of 267 course tutors in distance education. The results from a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) approach revealed performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions as key antecedents of attitude towards LMS for blended learning. Again, attitude had a significant mediating effect on all three antecedents in determining behavioural intention towards LMS use for blended learning in distance education. The results of the study suggests that factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions should be critically addressed while implementing LMS-enabled blended learning because the former factors have a direct effect on attitude towards use intentions of blended learning for distance education delivery.

Keywords: distance education, LMS, blended learning, use intention, attitude, determinants

ABSTRACT

Cognitive learning complexity identification of assessment questions is an essential task in the domain of education, as it helps both the teacher and the learner to discover the thinking process required to answer a given question. Bloom’s Taxonomy cognitive levels are considered as a benchmark standard for the classification of cognitive thinking (learning complexity) in an educational environment. However, it was observed that some of the action verbs of Bloom’s Taxonomy are overlapping in multiple levels of the hierarchy, causing ambiguity about the real sense of cognition required. The paper describes two methodologies to automatically identify the cognitive learning complexity of given questions. The first methodology uses labelled Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) as a machine learning approach. The second methodology uses the BERT framework for multi-class text classification for deep learning. The experiments were performed on an ensemble of 3000+ educational questions, which were based on previously published datasets along with the TREC question corpus and AI2 Biology How/Why question corpus datasets. The labelled LDA reached an accuracy of 83% while BERT based approach reached 89% accuracy. An analysis of both the results is shown, evaluating the significant factors responsible for determining cognitive knowledge.

Keywords: multi-class text classification, labelled LDA, pre-trained BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), question classification

ABSTRACT

Purpose of the study: The object of this paper is to explore the literature in order to discover on what conditions a video-mediated form of instruction can be a learning instrument, the one that enhances teaching, increases the potential of improving learners’ performance and leads to a change in students’ knowledge and behaviours. Methodology: This exploration is literature based and involves a critical discussion of articles on video-based instruction and video pedagogies. Main findings: Video-based forms of teaching and learning are steadily gaining popularity in the classroom and beyond and are supported by a growing body of academic and professional literature. However, while the pedagogical use of video within a lesson has been explored, what is missing is a focus on the pedagogy within the video – the pedagogical style or design of the video that leads to learning – the transformation of information. Applications of this study: Research involving university students suggests that students conceive of video as an important element of their learning process and they will often choose to use videos for support and clarification rather than any other form of digital instruction. The conducted analysis of the research subject will eliminate concerns of instructional designers over the video design and help employ video more consciously and efficiently. Novelty/Originality of this study: In the last decade, the majority of the literature focusing on creating video for learning purposes adopt a transmission of knowledge approach. Thus, the authors focus on a list of characteristics that will facilitate the transmission of content. Few of the articles focus on learning per se. This paper discusses the results of our review of the literature that support the transmission styles of learning, the “hygiene” principles and then it explores the literature to identify the elements that enable a more transformative learning pedagogy for video.

Keywords: video-based instruction, instructional methodology, learning videos, pedagogy, formal learning, digital elements, streaming technology

ABSTRACT

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, companies around the world have suspended on-site jobs and adopted remote operations. Education and training in some companies are also being carried out through web-based teaching. In addition to bringing new challenges to traditional education and training, web-based teaching platforms also provide a wealth of information sources and application channels for corporate education and training. This study targeted service staff in the service industry as subjects, and incorporated three types of teaching methods into the research design, namely video tutorial, computer-aided teaching and web-based teaching. ANOVA and stepwise regression are then used to analyze the learning motivation, learning attitude and learning performance in an integrated comparison. The results showed that in the service industry, using web-based teaching to conduct employee training for service staff had a substantial impact on improving their learning performance.

Keywords: video tutorial, computer-aided teaching, web-based teaching, learning motivation, learning attitude, learning performance

ABSTRACT

Modern educational process has to take into account the tendencies in science and tech advancement and also demands of society to quality of education services. As one of the most effective ways, there is reasonably considered purposeful usage of digital educational resources. In this study, there has been considered modern educational technology of “Blended learning” by model of the “Flipped classroom”, that is based on the concept of unifying the technology of “class-lesson system” and technology of digital teaching on the grounds of new didactic possibilities given by ICT (informational and communicational technologies) and modern teaching means. Theoretical methods among which there are analyzing, comparing and summarizing the research subject on the base of psychological and pedagogical literature; query-diagnostic method that help to evaluate effectiveness of digital educational resources usage in teaching students with application of “Flipped classroom” technology. In the carried study, there are shown different variants and technological means in realization of “Flipped classroom” when making digital educational resources on subjects of “Methodology and methods in organizing scientific research” and “Method of teaching mathematics”. According to survey results it can be stated that students sufficiently highly evaluate the level in organization of teaching, the content of digital educational resources and also qualification and responsiveness of teachers. Study results can be used at development of teaching courses, digital educational resources that are introduced within scope of higher education, when making comparative studies for working out design methodology for digital educational resources. Pilot project on introduction of new educational technology on within realization scope of digital education resources at various levels of higher professional education, was held on the base of Kazan (Volga region) federal university institute and proved its trustworthiness.

Keywords: flipped classroom technology, blended learning, digital educational resource, informational and educational environment of higher education institution

ABSTRACT

Learning area integrated teaching, teaching unit topics and the contents of various subjects with team teaching and cooperative learning to have students learn better integrated concepts, is emphasized domestically. Nevertheless, it is discovered that subject-specific teaching is still used in living technology teaching area. The integration and application of knowledge content learned in classes could enhance the problem solving opportunity.
To effectively achieve research objectives and test research hypotheses, nonequivalent test experimental design is applied to the experimental research in this study. Aiming at 312 business school students of Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR), Indonesia, as the experimental objects, the research results are summarized as below. 1. STEM curriculum integration model presents significant effects on learning effect. 2. STEM curriculum integration model shows remarkable effects on learning gain. 3. Living technology teaching reveals notable effects on learning effect. 4. Living technology teaching appears significant effects on learning gain. 5. STEM curriculum integration model integrated living technology teaching presents remarkable effects on learning effect. 6. STEM curriculum integration model integrated living technology teaching shows notable effects on the promotion of learning gain. According to the results to propose suggestions, it is expected to have students analyze problems from more aspects and develop diverse solving strategies to effectively enhance living technology learning effectiveness.

Keywords: STEM curriculum, living technology teaching, business school, learning effectiveness

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article was to compile a general map of existing research on digital education from the Self-determination theory (SDT) perspective, in order to understand SDT’s contribution to the emerging field of research on digital technologies in education, the methods used to advance this research, the gaps in existing research, and the development of the theory itself in this context. Methods include searching in databases or search engines and chaining from known research papers. Papers were classed as relevant if their primary focus was to explore the Self-determination theory perspective for digital education. Articles published over the past twelve years in leading scientific journals were analyzed and synthesized. Results show that this theory is actively used both in studies on digital education and in the development of training programs. It makes a significant contribution to solving the problem of continuing digital learning and its motivation, to predicting the academic success of students, to increasing teachers’ motivation to use digital resources. The ideas of SDT have become an important reference point in various formats of digital education: MOOC, hybrid virtual classes, mobile applications, etc. The study found that digital education technologies provide many opportunities to satisfy the need for autonomy whereas they pose the greatest challenge to the need for relatedness. Research in the context of digital education provides new perspectives for the development of SDT, clarifying the relationships of basic needs among themselves. The materials presented in the article are useful for planning further research from the point of view of SDT, as well as for use in the development of digital educational resources. The scientific novelty of this study is to collate, highlight and generalize the directions of application of Self-determination theory in the rapidly developing field of digital education. As an original result, a new general map of the main areas of such research has been created. The review categorizes the literature into five different areas: predicting motivation and intentions to continue digital learning, predicting student academic success, combining SDT ideas with other theories in digital education research, application of SDT for creating online courses, and teachers’ readiness to use digital education.

Keywords: self-determination theory, internal motivation, online learning, digital education

ABSTRACT

The use of cases has been promoted as a promising instructional method for creating authentic learning environments. However, the development and implementation of the best instructional strategies for effective use of cases still require further research. This paper addresses some of these gaps by proposing an emergent instructional model to be grounded in constructivism and current instructional models for case-based pedagogy. The model was implemented in a science methods course for elementary education prospective teachers. The participants engaged in several activities for four cases such as participating in online and classroom discussions and writing reflection papers. In this paper, first, we will present the connection between the pedagogy and teacher education; second, we will introduce the theoretical framework with implications for the instructional model; then, we will present some examples of learning experiences that should be included in a constructivist case-based learning environment with the proposed instructional model. Lastly, we will present findings from a study wherein the proposed model was applied to support prospective teachers’ socioscientific issue-based teaching and learning, and discuss implications for research and practice.

Keywords: case-based pedagogy, teacher education, instructional model

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