Research Article
Benjamin Aidoo, Veli-Matti Vesterinen, Marey Allyson Macdonald, Berglind Gísladóttir, Svava Pétursdóttir
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep377
ABSTRACT
The views of student teachers on using the flipped classroom approach were investigated in three Ghanaian colleges of education during the 2020/2021 academic year. A questionnaire with open-ended questions was used to collect data from 143 student teachers. Responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. In addition, a focus group interview was taken to examine some of the issues in more depth The flipped classroom approach allowed the students to feel that they were in control of their own learning by using self-paced and collaborative learning. The approach also deepened their conceptual understanding as well as their learning skills. The student teachers also experienced three interconnected challenges, including inadequate ICT infrastructures, such as poor internet connectivity, lack of skills to use ICT, and increased workload. The flipped classroom approach can positively impact students’ learning, but educators planning to use the approach should consider the adequacy of the ICT infrastructure available.
Keywords: flipped classroom, ICT infrastructure, students, collaborative learning
Review Article
Abdullah S. Alshalawi
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep378
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the current study is to provide a synthesis review of previous social media networks studies and to elaborate on the influence of social media networks on learning performance. The study analyzed 130 articles on social media networks that were published by five major journals in the field of educational technology in the last decade. It summarizes demographic, methodological, and theoretical trends, including educational level, learning domain, country context, research methods, data collection tools, data analysis techniques, and research purpose, followed by a summary of the influence of social media networks on student learning performance and students’ perceptions toward the use of social media networks in learning. The findings show that more than two thirds of the reviewed articles studies were conducted in higher education institutes, college students were the most common participants in these studies, and most of the learning performance focus articles reported a positive influence of social media networks on learning performance. Students recognize and value the learning benefits of social media networks on the majority of the reviewed articles. Patterns in these articles are discussed in order to better understand the research and identify gaps that need to be filled by future studies.
Keywords: social media networks, learning performance, teaching/learning strategies, mobile learning, literature review
Research Article
Brandford Bervell, Irfan Naufal Umar, Mona Masood, Jeya Amantha Kumar, Justice Kofi Armah, Beatrice Asante Somuah
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep379
ABSTRACT
Contemporary distance higher education is hinged on modern technologies to deliver purely online and blended modes of learning mostly through learning management system (LMS). This is to bridge the transactional gap between students and instructors as well as among students themselves. However, the use of technologies such as LMS for dispensing distance tertiary education is at a cross-road of mandatoriness or voluntariness of use. Nonetheless, current literature supports the voluntary use of LMS by instructors in order to foster positive attitudes and personalization among instructors. Based on this, there is the need to unravel the determining facts that promote voluntary usage of LMS among tutors.
This study thus, employs a quantitative approach based on a survey design to purposively collect data from 267 tutors in a blended distance education setting using a questionnaire. Generalized structural component analysis technique was adopted for structural equation modelling. Results from a structural equation modelling revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and social influence, all determine tutors’ voluntariness of use of LMS for blended learning in distance education. Additionally, voluntariness of use predicted actual LMS use behavior among tutors. On the basis of the results, recommendations were made to reflect theory, policy and practice of voluntary integration of LMS by tutors for blended learning in distance education.
Keywords: LMS, voluntariness of use, tutors, blended learning, distance higher education, generalized structural component analysis