Research Article
Ali Sharaf Al Musawi, Asma Al Suhi, Zainab Al Mamari
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article No: ep562
ABSTRACT
Virtual reality (VR) has fundamentally changed how students interact with their subjects and learn because it offers an immersive learning environment. This qualitative study aims at exploring Omani English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of using VR. It employed semi-structured interviews with 20 schoolteachers working in Al-Dhahira Educational Governorate in Oman, 10 females and 10 males. The findings revealed positive perceptions towards VR integration into education. However, the study found key challenges hindering the implementation of VR in education, including time constraints, technological barriers, financial concerns, the need for professional training, content creation challenges, and the necessity for students to acclimate to VR technology. Further, it showed that the primary concerns related to VR focus on cultural considerations, hacking, privacy, data security, and potential addiction. It also illustrated teachers’ main recommendations of providing sufficient infrastructure, institutional support, and continuous research on such technology. This research fills a gap in literature regarding the effective integration of VR into the Omani educational system. By tackling the specific challenges related to this context, it provides valuable implications and recommendations for Omani policymakers and educators to introduce VR for students in public schools in Oman.
Keywords: virtual reality, Oman, EFL schoolteachers, perceptions, technology integration
Research Article
Lane Maxcy, Denise A. Soares, Judith Harrison
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article No: ep563
ABSTRACT
The current study evaluated the effect of technology-based self-management on disruptive behavior and academic engagement (AE) with a student with an emotional and behavioral disorder. A multiple baseline design across three general education settings was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention, self-management using the CellF-Monitoring app. The use of technology based self-management resulted in an increase in AE across all three academic settings. Furthermore, students and teachers rated CellF-Monitoring app as highly social valid
Keywords: emotional behavior disorders, self-management, academic engagement, disruptive behavior, intervention
Research Article
Antony Musasa, Jameson Goto, Geoffrey Lautenbach
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article No: ep564
ABSTRACT
Educators must effectively integrate technology into their teaching practices in today’s technology-driven world. This study investigated factors influencing technology integration into teaching among mathematics educators in Gauteng secondary schools in South Africa. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, extended by adding the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framed the study. Data was collected using an online questionnaire from 309 mathematics educators. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to validate and verify the measurement model. The structural equation modelling analyses indicated that hedonic motivation (HM), performance expectancy (PE) and TPACK influenced behavioral intention (BI) to integrate technology. TPACK, facilitating conditions (FC), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SIN), descriptive norms (SID) and habit (HT) influenced the behavioral use (BU) of technology integration. The second-order structural modelling indicated that all the constructs contributed to technology integration. Still, TPACK was the most important, with the highest explained variance of 64.4%, followed by EE, FC, HM and HT, which all had explained variances above 50%. BI and BU, PE and social influence contributed less than 50% of the explained variance. Our findings could provide insights into future interventions for effective technology integration for in-service educator training.
Keywords: TPACK, facilitating conditions, technology integration, effort expectancy, mathematics
Research Article
Izida I. Ishmuradova, Alexey A. Chistyakov, Tatyana A. Brodskaya, Nikolay N. Kosarenko, Natalia V. Savchenko, Natalya N. Shindryaeva
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article No: ep565
ABSTRACT
This investigation aimed to ascertain latent profiles of university students predicated on fundamental factors influencing their intentions to acquire knowledge in artificial intelligence (AI). The study scrutinized four dimensions: supportive social norms, facilitating conditions, self-efficacy in AI learning, and perceived utility of AI. Through the utilization of latent profile analysis (LPA), the investigation endeavored to unveil distinct subgroups of students delineated by unique amalgamations of these factors. The study was carried out with a cohort of 391 university students from diverse academic disciplines. LPA disclosed five unique subgroups of students: Cautious Participants, Enthusiastic Advocates, Reserved Skeptics, Pragmatic Acceptors, and Disengaged Critics. These categories showed somewhat different goals to learn AI; Enthusiastic Advocates showed the highest intention while Disengaged Critics showed the lowest. The findings enhance the growing corpus of research on AI education in higher education by providing a sophisticated knowledge of the variation among university students about their attitudes and preparedness to learn AI. Subgroups of students show that learners need unique educational strategies and interventions to meet their diverse needs and attitudes. AI is changing many fields, therefore college students must learn about it and prepare for it. The findings advance AI education research and impact curriculum and policy.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, higher education, latent profile analysis, situated expectancy-value theory, intention to learn AI
Research Article
Sofía Rocha-Castillo, Cynthia Pasquel-López, Yolanda Heredia-Escorza
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article No: ep566
ABSTRACT
Evidence indicates that the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education improves knowledge acquisition, reduces socioeconomic disparities, fosters autonomous learning, and develops problem-solving and collaboration skills. Teachers and their professional development play a crucial role in facilitating an effective process and redefining perceptions of ICT in education. The study aimed to examine the implementation of a technological integration initiative in rural, indigenous, bilingual, and multi-grade elementary schools in Chiapas. The study used an action research approach and considered a social intervention. The participants were 166 students from 1-6 grades of primary school, some in single grade, others in multi-grade, and six teachers. We use a variety of action research techniques: participant observation, active listening, in-depth interviews, and teacher surveys. The results suggest that the acceptance and application of educational technology vary among teachers, showing an inconsistent level of adoption at the pedagogical level. It was revealed that, although the integration of technological tools in pedagogical practices tends to be positively accepted, in this case, it has not been fully assimilated with the ease, naturalness, and enthusiasm expected in its daily application. The implementation of this initiative demonstrates the importance of adapting educational innovation projects to the specific needs and characteristics of communities to develop culturally relevant projects.
Keywords: technology-based learning, indigenous education, impact evaluation, technology integration
Research Article
Kaur Kiran, Rohaida Mohd Saat, Lieven Demeester, Magdeleine Duan Ning Lew, Wei Leng Neo, Nopphol Pausawasdi, Thasaneeya Ratanaroutai Nopparatjamjomras
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article No: ep567
ABSTRACT
Online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic compelled many instructors to seek efficient and effective ways to stay connected with their students and improve the learning experience by using a wide range of available technologies. This multiple-case study, in three South-East Asian universities, investigated whether the use of technology in university teaching and learning during that period influenced personalized learning, and if so, how. The study also explored the kinds of institutional support for teachers and learners that led to increased technology-enhanced personalized learning (TEPL). Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzed 23 individual interviews and 3 document analyses (circulars, announcements, etc.), involving six administrators (AD), six faculty developers (FD), and eleven instructors. Purposeful sampling targeted AD involved in policy development and strategic planning, FD responsible for professional development programs, and instructors with high teaching evaluation scores and expertise in online learning across various disciplines. Thematic analysis revealed that technology enhanced flexibility in learning pace, time, and place, increased student choice in learning methods, enabled needs-driven teaching adjustments, and provided more and broader personalized feedback, sometimes facilitated by anonymity. The provision of training and resources, including emotional, physical, and infrastructure support for students, facilitated the growth of TEPL. The significance of this study lies in discussing how online teaching, and institutional support for it, facilitated the growth of TEPL. Universities can explore collaborations to further advance this growth.
Keywords: technology-enhanced personalized learning, online teaching and learning, instructors, faculty developers, administrators, university support