Research Article
Francisco David Guillén-Gámez, Maria Jose Mayorga-Fernández, Marta Ramos
CONTEMP EDUC TECHNOL, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep282
ABSTRACT
The growing rise of information and communication technologies (ICT) in all areas of society demands that university professors have an adequate level of digital literacy, so that they can contribute effectively to the training of their students and respond to the demands of the job. The objective of this research is to know and compare the use by university teachers of different ICT resources, in their teaching, evaluation, and research (UTIC-EEI model, its acronym in Spanish), depending on the area of knowledge to which they belong (science and engineering-architecture, health sciences, art-humanities, and social-legal Sciences), in order to be able to take measures to effectively address the digital shortcomings of teachers. An ex post facto study is carried out, with a quantitative methodology utilising a survey technique, with a sample of 867 Spanish university teachers, with a descriptive and inferential analysis via ANOVA for multiple comparisons. The results showed a medium-high use by teachers of ICT resources in four areas, with there being a superior use in the teaching and research dimensions compared to the evaluation dimension in each area of knowledge. These data underline the need to continue training teachers to make excellent instrumental use of specific ICT resources in each area of knowledge.
Keywords: digital literacy, teachers, ICT, educational use, ANOVA
Research Article
Nilgun Ozdamar-Keskin, Fatma Zeynep Ozata, Kerim Banar, Karl Royle
CONTEMP EDUC TECHNOL, Volume 6, Issue 1, pp. 74-90
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study is to examine digital literacy competences and learning habits of learners enrolled in the open and distance education system of Anadolu University in Turkey. Data were gathered from 20.172 open and distance learners through a survey which included four parts: demographic information, abilities to use digital technologies, learning habits, preferences in using digital technologies for learning purposes. Principal Component Factor Analysis was applied in order to group and classify the attitudes and statements of the learners in their personal learning preferences, problem solving skills, project work skills, and abilities to use digital tools for learning purposes. Their personal learning preferences produced five factors: visual, auditory, dependent, collaborative, and reading-writing learning styles. According to the results of the study, learners believe that they have problem solving and project working skills to deal with educational difficulties. However, they seem to have only basic competences of digital literacy and the skills to use information and communication technologies at a basic level. They need training on how to use digital tools more efficiently for learning purposes. Further research is needed to explore how to increase the use of digital tools for the purpose of effective learning and also how to design learning environments to improve digital literacy of open and distance learners
Keywords: Open and distance learning, Digital literacy, Learning preferences, Learning styles, Problem solving, Project skills