Research Article
Nivine Aziz, Rayya Younes
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 4, Article No: ep601
ABSTRACT
Today’s generation exhibits a strong affinity for video games, presenting an opportunity to harness this interest for educational purposes. Integrating gaming elements into education has the potential to captivate students while improving information retention. Virtual reality (VR), in particular, offers a transformative approach by creating immersive and interactive learning experiences. In our study, we investigated the feasibility of integrating VR into Lebanese classrooms (K-12). Data was collected through an online survey with 110 respondents and interviews with 14 educators. Findings reveal that educators are enthusiastic about VR’s potential but express caution about its implementation. While acknowledging benefits such as enhanced student engagement, improved retention, and alignment with student preferences, they also highlighted challenges, including physical side effects, the need for teacher training, extensive preparation, and classroom management complexities. Additionally, educators proposed a comprehensive list of activities that could effectively utilize VR in educational settings, reflecting a balance between innovation and practical application. These insights underline the need for further exploration and structured planning to successfully integrate VR into the Lebanese educational system.
Keywords: virtual reality, Lebanon, challenges, opportunities, educators’ perception
Research Article
Filomachi Spathopoulou, Konstantinos M. Pitychoutis, Stavros Papakonstantinidis
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 4, Article No: ep600
ABSTRACT
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education, impacting pedagogical practices, administrative processes, and faculty engagement with technology. While AI holds promise to enhance learning and streamlining operations, its adoption remains complex and debated. This study examines faculty perceptions of AI integration, focusing on factors such as teaching experience, institutional context, and disciplinary specialization. Using a quantitative survey, the research explores AI engagement across institutions and disciplines, analyzing how demographic factors influence adoption. Findings suggest that junior faculty and those in technology-driven environments demonstrate higher AI confidence and adoption, whereas senior faculty engage in AI leadership yet express skepticism about its pedagogical applications. Disciplinary differences reveal that faculty in content-based fields view AI as a teaching tool, while those in applied disciplines utilize it more strategically for administrative and leadership functions. The study also addresses ethical and institutional challenges, including concerns over data privacy, algorithmic bias, and institutional readiness. By identifying these barriers, the research highlights strategies for fostering AI literacy, professional development, and ethical implementation in higher education. This study contributes to the discourse on AI in academia by presenting an educator-centered perspective, bridging the gap between technological advancement and pedagogical practice. The findings provide academic leaders and policymakers with insights on creating AI-inclusive environments that align with faculty needs, uphold ethical standards, and enhance student learning outcomes.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, faculty perceptions, pedagogical practices, AI adoption, ethical challenges, institutional readiness
Review Article
Thanapat Sripan, Pattarawat Jeerapattanatorn
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 3, Article No: ep584
ABSTRACT
Based on an analysis of 36 peer-reviewed publications from academic databases, including ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, this review article provides an in-depth examination of the current trends, challenges, and future implications of metaverse-based learning in education. To ascertain the quality and applicability of the papers studied, the scoping review applied a thorough methodology that included specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thematic analysis approach was employed to extract and synthesize the collected data. To guarantee the consistency and dependability of the results, tools like quality evaluation frameworks and structured data extraction forms were used. Findings revealed that immersive technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, gamification, and collaborative virtual environments represent key developments that have significantly enhanced student engagement, practical skill development, and individualized learning experiences. However, there are also obstacles including high cost, limited accessibility, teacher readiness, and data concerns about privacy that keep widespread use in resource-poor places. The results show how metaverse technologies have the potential to democratize access to academic excellence, transcend cultural and geographic barriers, and facilitate experiential learning through simulation-based systems. Future studies must deal with these issues by examining the long-term effects of artificial intelligence-powered adaptive learning systems and concentrating on inclusive design, affordable solutions, and the moral use of data. If these barriers are overcome, the metaverse might serve as an essential tool for improving fair, exciting, and cutting-edge education globally.
Keywords: metaverse-based learning, immersive learning, educational challenges, personalized education
Research Article
Rosita Rahma, Andayani, Atikah Anindyarini
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: ep530
ABSTRACT
This illustrative case study investigation was conducted to learn how Indonesian in-service teachers perceived teaching reading in a digital era and the challenges they encountered. The data were submitted by a total of 30 teachers who participated in the subject post for Indonesian junior high schools. Data collection strategies include participatory classroom observation, interviews, and guided written reflection. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The study’s findings highlight issues concerning teachers’ perceptions and teachers’ challenges while teaching reading in a digital setting. As many as 63% of teachers believe that the proportion of time teachers spend to practice reading skills from online sources is 40%–50% of total teaching hours at school. Furthermore, 40% of them believe that the criteria for teacher success in reading is when pupils improve their reading comprehension skills. The analysis also revealed that teachers encountered a number of challenges: (1) lack of knowledge about models and media for learning to read in a digital context, (2) lack of students’ ability to read multi-text sources, and (3) lack of motivation and awareness among students in reading. The findings of this study impact the understanding and training requirements of junior high school teachers concerning reading instruction methods in a digital context. Future studies should focus on innovation and the development of learning models to improve the quality of reading comprehension in a digital environment.
Keywords: digital era, Indonesian in-service teachers, teaching reading, teachers’ challenges, teachers’ perceptions
Research Article
Alaa Alahmadi, Mohammad Saleem
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep394
ABSTRACT
FCM is a new approach to lesson delivery in most of the developing world, and neither the (higher education) system, nor the teachers and learners are prepared and well-equipped to handle the demands of the approach. The present study was conducted to document the challenges before teachers implementing FCM in EFL/ESL classrooms. The study was conducted as an end-of-term survey using questionnaires and interview techniques for data collection. The questionnaire was comprised of statements on methods, materials, mode of delivery, and feedback to learners, while the semi-unstructured interviews were meant to gather a narrative account of teachers’ experiences in implementing FCM approach to language teaching. 50 university teachers from Saudi Arabia were surveyed for the study. The obtained results present a picture of difficulties before ESL teachers in implementing FCM. The majority of the participants (mean=49.8) opine that they face one or the other challenge when they use FCM approach in ESL classrooms. Roughly one third (mean=31.6) of the participants expressed that they do not face any challenges in implementing FCM. In the semi-structured interview sessions, the teachers expressed their dissatisfaction with the approach, and said they are generally ill-equipped to deliver lessons and address feedback issues effectively.
Keywords: flipped classroom, teaching challenges, survey study, learner achievement, in-class activities, out-of-class activities
Review Article
Svetlana N. Vachkova, Elena Y. Petryaeva, Marina G. Tsyrenova, Liudmila V. Shukshina, Natalia A. Krasheninnikova, Mikhail G. Leontev
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep391
ABSTRACT
The world we live in today holds some uncertainties. The processes of automation, big data, the digital environment, global crises, and the interconnectedness of international society are changing common technological patterns and the educational system. Among the essential features of competitiveness of teachers in higher education are mobility, digital competencies, adaptability, participation in scientific networks and projects, and continuous acquisition of new technological skills. For this reason, teachers must continuously develop their professional skills to remain competitive and create professionals in higher education. Current conditions are fostering global demand for teachers who produce pedagogical and scientific developments.
This article aims to solve the problem of defining the structure, content, and requirements of scientific and methodological support for higher education teachers’ competitiveness in a digital world in the context of global challenges and risks. Theoretically, the problem is defined by the need for new approaches to explaining the concept of teacher competitiveness and the need to develop a psychological and teaching methodology for training and developing teacher competitiveness. In practice, we conclude that researchers must develop personal, professional, procedural, and technological enhancements to support higher education faculty competitiveness in a digital world.
Keywords: higher education, competitive teacher, digital economics, global risks & challenges, network-based education, social profile, digital transformation, competencies, digital world
Research Article
Muhammad S Bawa’aneh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 3, Article No: ep304
ABSTRACT
In the current circumstances, the second wave of COVID-19 Pandemic is spreading and we seem to have to live longer with most of the urgent measures taken in early 2020 to fight the spread out of the pandemic; of which is school closure. The present study aims at investigating students’ satisfaction, attitudes and challenges in UAE public schools during the distance learning time of the third trimester of the academic year 2019-2020. The study also aims to measure differences of satisfaction level, attitudes, and challenges across gender and geographic places of residence within the UAE. Data collection started eight weeks after the commencement of the distance learning process and continued for two weeks. The first eight weeks that preceded data collection witnessed a continuous update of the, previously rich and well established, educational plans in line with continuous development plan for students and instructors that included intensive training for students and instructors on the use of up-to-date educational technologies. That has reflected on the results of the study, where the student satisfaction level, attitudes and challenges were found to lie within the “strong” category indicating high satisfaction level, positive attitude, and minimum faced challenges, with statistically significant differences in the mean across gender and residency for some cases. Such positive result is directly related to the fact that students of the UAE public schools were partially exposed to electronic learning even before the pandemic, the tremendous efforts of the ministry of education to guarantee smooth transfer to full distance learning after the outbreak of the pandemic, and the well established infrastructure of the country.
Keywords: student satisfaction, student attitudes, student challenges, distance learning, e-learning, virtual classes, COVID-19
Research Article
Meina Zhu, Merve Basdogan, Curtis J. Bonk
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 12, Issue 2, Article No: ep267
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
Research Article
Andrew C. Lawrence, Adel T. Al-Bataineh, Douglas Hatch
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 9, Issue 2, pp. 206-224
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine educator’s perceptions regarding the quality of student learning during the implementation of a one-to-one computing program in a private secondary school in central Illinois. The sample of the study consisted of 26 teachers, administrators, and counselors who worked with 320 students during one-to-one technology implementation program. First a Likert type scale was administered and then interviews were conducted with the participants to find out their observations, perceptions, and opinions with regard to student learning. The results show that most educators believe that student learning has slightly improved with the implementation of one-to-one technology program
Keywords: One to one technology, Technology implementation, Challenges of technology, Teacher perceptions of technology use