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
Research Article
Yuxiong Zhang
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep380
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate the ownership and usage of Tablets among Chinese foreign language students. Adopted a quantitative approach, this research was considered a case study with exploratory nature. The data were collected from a self-reported questionnaire between May 31st and June 6th, and 276 valid responses were analyzed utilizing SPSS. Independent samples t-test and Fisher’s exact tests were carried out to perform inferential and descriptive analyses. Findings revealed that augmented ownership of tablets did not result from the implementation of online courses after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, some students demonstrated preferences for paperless learning, whose learning style might have changed during the intensive distance learning process for more than one semester. Still, students’ opinions towards the introduction of tablets into pedagogical practice weren’t overall positive; those who did not have or were not willing to purchase tablet devices were more likely to be unsupportive.
Keywords: tablets, COVID-19, individual learning, foreign language learning, paperless learning
Research Article
Milagros Torrado Cespón, José María Díaz Lage
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep381
ABSTRACT
As a motivational teaching practice, gamification does not always work as expected. This paper supports these findings and adds the factor of online teaching analyzing the results of an experiment carried out in an online higher education context to test the relevance and motivational efficacy of ludic methodologies using learning and knowledge technology. Three groups of students (n=78, n=64, and n=74) participated in gamified experiences in the same subject. These groups were offered different approaches to the experiences, only one of which included a reward. Neither of the gamified experiences was compulsory. The results show how the use of technologies and gamification is not as appealing as it may seem and how other aspects—such as teacher-student relationship and interaction, rewards, and the sense of alienation generated by online teaching—influence student participation. The low rate of participation indicates that teachers must consider not only those students who participate but also those who do not. The main conclusion is that not only the methodology is important, but also the performance and the fact that student-teacher relationship in online education is more demanding, affectively speaking. Thus, those students who were in direct contact with the teacher during the execution of the gamified experience present a higher level of involvement. This is a factor to consider for the motivational needs of online university students where intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and direct interaction play essential roles.
Keywords: gamification, motivation, interaction, higher education, e-learning, alienation
Research Article
Alfiya R. Masalimova, Klavdiya G. Erdyneeva, Anatoly S. Kislyakov, Zhanna M. Sizova, Elena Kalashnikova, Elmira R. Khairullina
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep382
ABSTRACT
One of the objectives of education is to provide diverse pupils with proper educational opportunities. It is anticipated that the night instructors will have this equipment. In this study, validity, and reliability evaluations of the scale to be used to identify digital competence in prospective instructors to support children with functional diversity were conducted. To conduct the research, education faculty students were selected as the target audience. The data gathered were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the obtained results. According to the findings of the investigation, thirty components and five contributing variables were found. It has been proposed that future academics do studies on the validity and reliability of the instruments with a number of different populations.
Keywords: pre-service teachers, digital competence, assist students
Research Article
Xiaoman Wang, John Hampton, Albert D. Ritzhaupt, Kara Dawson
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep383
ABSTRACT
As journal editors play an important role in defining and shaping academic discourse, knowing their opinions could likely prove beneficial for both current and future academic journal stakeholders. Within this vein, this study used the Delphi method to help build a profile on the trends and priorities within educational technology, from the unique perspective of the journals’ editors-in-chief. This expert panel—initially built from 117 national and international research journals—concluded with 25 editors-in-chief who finished all three rounds of the survey. Results indicated five emerging themes for trends and priorities: computer-focused, teaching and learning, online and digital education, societal, and research and theory. By exploring these current trends and priorities within educational technology, this study may provide meaningful insights to better understand the field as a whole and may also help scholars in their goal of publishing relevant, high-quality academic scholarship.
Keywords: educational technology research, trends, priorities, research journal editors, Delphi