Research Article
Hua Zheng, Eulho Jung, Tong Li, Meehyun Yoon
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep347
ABSTRACT
This experimental study examined the effects of segmentation and self-explanation designs on cognitive load in instructional videos. Four types of instructional videos (segmentation, self-explanation, combined, and control) were created and tested by 121 undergraduate students randomly assigned to one of four research groups. The results of students’ self-ratings on the cognitive load survey showed that the segmenting design produced a significantly less germane cognitive load than the two non-segmenting designs (self-explanation and control). The self-explanation design did not produce a significantly more germane load than the control design. However, students’ dispositions toward segmentation and self-explanation designs were generally positive and supported the theoretical justifications reported in the literature. The findings are discussed, along with segmentation dilemmas, limitations, and future study implications.
Keywords: instructional video, multimedia learning design principle, segmentation, self-explanation, cognitive load
Research Article
Verónica Marín-Díaz, Begoña Sampedro, Jorge Figueroa
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep348
ABSTRACT
The advancement of emerging technologies in the classroom is a reality, however, the vision that teachers may have of them is essential in order for these to be incorporated. Using this as a foundation, this article’s main objective is to know the vision that secondary education (SE) teachers have of the use of Augmented Reality (AR) in teaching at that educational level. Through a descriptive correlational quantitative study, an ex-post facto design, and an ad-hoc questionnaire of 39 items, (N=350 teachers), this objective has been corroborated. The main conclusion that has been reached is that SE teachers consider AR as an element that will cause a change in the student’s learning methodology making it more autonomous and experiential. In addition, the teachers will need more training with AR, lower costs, and greater availability of resources to carry out the teaching process with greater ease.
Keywords: secondary education, professor, augmented reality, emergent technologies
Research Article
Omar Sulaymani, Ahmad R. Pratama, Moneer Alshaikh, Ali Alammary
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep349
ABSTRACT
In Saudi Arabia, some e-learning initiatives such as the Future Gate Project (FGP) and Madrasati (MySchool) have been in place since 2018 and 2020, respectively. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they were used as a means of distance learning for students across the country. This paper investigates the willingness of students to use the e-learning platforms and whether it varies across different sex and age group. Primary data in the form of a survey of 265 secondary school students across the Makkah region was analysed with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework. We found that students’ self-efficacy, which is strongly influenced by their previous experience with the underlying technology used in the e-learning platforms, has a positive effect for older students in high school, yet surprisingly, a negative one for younger students in middle school. We also found that perceived ease of use and social influence to be the most important factors behind the students’ acceptance of e-learning platforms and that the effects are stronger for female students than for male students. While this study was conducted in Saudi Arabia, the findings from this study provide a first-hand insight that can help ensure the continuity of the e-learning platforms if they are to be implemented permanently as distance learning platforms even after the end of the pandemic that is also applicable to any other countries.
Keywords: e-learning, distance learning, previous experience, self-efficacy, COVID-19 pandemic
Research Article
Maha Ismail Alkhawaja, Mutia Sobihah Abd Halim, Mohanad S. S. Abumandil, Ahmed Samed Al-Adwan
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep350
ABSTRACT
This study explores the mechanism through which system quality influences e-learning system acceptance. Precisely, this study aims to examine how perceived usefulness and intention to use serially mediate the impact of system quality on actual use. The data were collected from three public universities in Jordan. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine 336 questionnaires. The findings reveal that system quality significantly affects perceived usefulness and intention to use, perceived usefulness significantly affects intention to use and actual use, where the intention to use significantly affects actual use of the e-learning system as well. Furthermore, the study also confirms that system quality does not affect the e-learning system actual use directly but indirectly and serially through the two acceptance variables, perceived usefulness and intention to use. Thus, this study improves the understanding of student’s acceptance and behavior towards the e-learning system in Jordan public universities and the effect of system quality attributes on this relationship. Also, this study set certain directions for the decision-makers and university management in designing their strategies.
Keywords: actual use, e-learning system, intention to use, perceived usefulness, serial mediators, system quality
Research Article
Sotiris Kirginas
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep351
ABSTRACT
This paper aims to explore the impact of freeform digital games on primary school students’ narrative skills, in terms of linguistic cohesion and semantic coherence, compared to other digital media, such as formally structured digital games and movies. A total of 128 Year 6 Primary school students participated in this research. Initially, students were divided into three groups. In all three groups, an educational intervention programme was applied. At the end of this phase, each student was asked to produce a narrative discourse (pre-test) about Crusoe’s survival on the mysterious island. Subsequently, students of each group were involved in activities with different digital material. At the last part of the research, students were asked to produce a narrative discourse (post-test) which was compared to the pre-test discourse, to determine whether there had been an improvement in the narrative discourse produced by the students of the three groups. The results presented in this paper show that the narrative discourses of students who played with the freeform digital game showed statistically significant improvement in cohesion and coherence compared to the discourse of students who played with the formally structured digital game and the students who watched the film.
Keywords: freeform digital games, structured digital games, narrative skills, primary school
Research Article
Irene García-Lázaro, Jesús Conde-Jiménez, María Pilar Colás-Bravo
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep352
ABSTRACT
The presence and use of technologies in educational settings is constantly increasing. Therefore, initial teacher education needs to prepare future teachers to deal with this technological implementation from both practical and pedagogical perspectives. This paper examines the treatment of technologies that initial teacher education offers to early childhood education and primary education preservice teachers facing their practicum experiences. A bibliometric and thematic review during the 2010-2020 period is conducted in WoS, Scopus, PsycInfo, and ERIC databases. An analysis of co-occurrence of terms and the creation of bibliometric maps are considered. The thematic analysis follows an inductive approach. Three big areas are addressed through this approximation: consideration of technologies before practicum, the use of technologies at the schools, and the study of preservice teacher’s personal variables. Findings show the importance of working with technological preparation of university supervisors and cooperating teachers when teacher candidates do their practicum. In this proposal, to consider the self-efficacy and technological, pedagogical and content knowledge model of preservice teachers is encouraged. Conclusions underline the importance of teaching and strengthening pedagogical and reflective experiences during the practicum. Limitations are considered.
Keywords: initial teacher education, bibliometric review, practicum, TPACK, educational technologies, teaching practices
Research Article
Sultan Aldehami
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep353
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in the central region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to investigate levels of teachers’ assistive technology (AT) knowledge and skills use in classrooms for students with intellectual disability (ID). A total of 98 special education teachers of students with ID completed an online survey. Results indicate that the teachers’ levels of knowledge and skills related to AT use in classrooms for students with ID were reaching proficiency. Teachers’ levels of AT knowledge and skills statistically significantly differed based on gender, training, level of education, teaching experience, and school location but not on grade level. However, there were statistically significant differences in teachers’ professional development based on gender and teaching experience but not based on training, level of education, grade level, and school location. Furthermore, results indicate that teachers’ perceptions of AT significantly predicted teachers’ knowledge and skills related to AT use in educational environments.
Keywords: special education, intellectual disability, assistive technology, attitudes, special education teachers
Research Article
Ayodeji Awobamise, Yosra Jarrar, Gabriel E. Nweke
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep354
ABSTRACT
This study aimed at furthering the research on the relationship between social communication apprehension, self-esteem and Facebook addiction. To measure the three variables, a questionnaire comprised of The Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24), The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RES), and The Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) was administered to 654 university students in Uganda. Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple linear regression coefficient analysis were carried out. A positive significant relationship between communication apprehension and Facebook addiction and a negative significant relationship between self-esteem and Facebook addiction were reported. Findings further revealed that self-esteem and communication apprehension significantly predicted Facebook addiction.
Keywords: social communication apprehension, self-esteem, Facebook addiction, Uganda
Research Article
Usman Durrani, Omar Hujran, Ahmad Samed Al-Adwan
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep355
ABSTRACT
The importance of formal online education has been felt like never before because of the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers and academics are continuously experimenting with combinations of established pedagogies, tools, and technologies to enhance or sustain the student learning process and motivation. For this study, we have designed and developed a multi-player game called CrossQuestion to explore the combined effect of applying gamification and flipped classroom pedagogies using the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) model guidelines and its application in the obligatory IT foundation online course during the pandemic. We delivered this course to 79 undergraduate (mostly) non-IT students in Ajman University, UAE. Students were randomly divided into a non-gamified cohort (35 students gone through lecture-based instructions and paper-based assessments–Spring 2019-20–pre-COVID-19 face to face environment) and a gamified flipped classroom cohort (44 students, played the CrossQuestion game–Spring 2020-21–during COVID-19 online environment). We collected the survey data anonymously through our customized Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) tool and then performed descriptive analysis, t-test, and regression analysis to address the research hypothesis. We found a significant relationship between learning motivational factors and learning effectiveness. We also found the positive influence of our game on students’ motivation.
Keywords: flipped classroom, gamification, motivation, ARCS motivation model, instructional materials motivation survey (IMMS), educational game
Research Article
Zeinab Azizi, Afsheen Rezai, Ehsan Namaziandost, Shouket Ahmad Tilwani
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep356
ABSTRACT
E-learning anxiety plays a key role in students’ success in online courses. One of the factors that may affect students’ e-learning anxiety is computer self-efficacy (CSE). However, the role of CSE in high school students’ e-learning anxiety has remained unexplored in the Iranian context. Therefore, the present mixed-methods study purports to explore the role of CSE in Iranian high school students’ e-learning anxiety. To this end, for the quantitative part, 410 female high school students were selected, as well as for the qualitative part, 30 female high school students were selected using a random sampling method. The required data were collected using a computer self-efficacy questionnaire, an anxiety in online classes questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analyzed through a Pearson correlation analysis, a multiple-regression analysis, and a content analysis. Results revealed a strong negative correlation between the students’ CSE and e-learning anxiety. Further, the findings documented that the factors of CSE (i.e., beginning skills, mainframe skills, and advanced skills) determined the high school students’ e-learning anxiety. Moreover, the complementary qualitative findings yielded four overarching themes: ‘promoted digital literacy’, ‘increased problem-solving’, ‘increased learning satisfaction’, and ‘enhanced self-regulated learning’. Finally, a range of implications is suggested for different stakeholders.
Keywords: computer self-efficacy, e-learning anxiety, content analysis, high school students, online classes
Review Article
Minzilya N. Shagiakhmetova, Elena V. Bystritskaya, Servet Demir, Roman A. Stepanov, Elena E. Grishnova, Nina I. Kryukova
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep357
ABSTRACT
Due to a lack of preparation, teachers were not emotionally or cognitively prepared to use new approaches. Teachers discovered that while teaching online, elementary school teachers face various challenges. Summarizing and categorizing the difficulties encountered by primary school teachers in compulsory distance education will add to the literature, ensuring the dissemination of online instruction technological tools at both the distance education and primary education levels. The study sought to categorize the difficulties encountered by primary teachers. In order to figure out the purpose of the study, the study data including primary teachers in the COVID-19 period was synthesized. The study was accepted as a meta-synthesis. The education database ERIC was searched using the keywords “Primary Teacher”, “Distance Education”, and “Online Education”; and 79 studies were located as a result of the search. After eliminating ineligible studies, 23 of the 79 collected studies remained. As a result, students, parents, infrastructure, and teachers are all affected by the challenges. Cutting-edge technologies and a strong internet infrastructure are required for online education. Teachers are unable to maintain the minimum level of compulsory distance education due to limited internet connection and a lack of technological resources in many places. As a result of the strain, teachers felt inadequate. In many classrooms in poor countries, there is a lack of access to professional expertise and help for the use and integration of ICTs. COVID-19 has made this an issue for almost all schools, not just those in underdeveloped countries. The importance of online learning for elementary children and teachers has gotten considerably less attention. Teachers can take pedagogical diversity professional development training online and experience it as if they were students. The practical advantage of identifying the difficulties that teachers have faced is to aid teachers in overcoming such obstacles and to give the appropriate assistance. Successful distance education can only be achieved when teachers are supported in all areas of difficulty.
Keywords: Compulsory Distance Education, COVID-19, Primary Teachers Difficulties