Research Article
Yulia Maftuhah Hidayati, Muhammad Noor Kholid, Anton Adi Suryo Kusuma, Achmad Januar Arifin, Anatri Desstya, Fitri Puji Rahmawati
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 18, Issue 2, Article No: ep648
ABSTRACT
Mathematical creativity is a crucial component of 21st century education, yet limited research has examined how augmented reality (AR) can systematically enhance this ability in elementary mathematics. Grounded in the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) and constructivist perspectives, this study investigates the effectiveness of ARGeo Math, an AR-based learning application that transforms abstract geometry concepts into interactive 3D visualizations to foster creative mathematical thinking. A quasi-experimental design involving 49 fifth-grade students in Indonesia was conducted, with one class serving as the control group and another as the experimental group using ARGeo Math. Quantitative analyses using normalized gain (N-gain) and t-tests revealed a significant improvement in students’ creative thinking skills in the experimental group (N-gain = 76.84%, effective category). Beyond statistical gains, ARGeo Math supported cognitive engagement, flexible problem-solving, and deeper understanding by linking visual and symbolic representations. The findings extend educational technology theory by demonstrating a clear mechanism through which CTML principles particularly integrated multimodal cues can be operationalized to stimulate generative mathematical reasoning. This study offers practical, scalable insights for designing AR-enhanced STEM learning in primary education, and its theoretical model provides a distinct contribution for guiding future creativity-oriented AR instructional design. Nonetheless, the quasi-experimental design with limited sample size and short intervention duration constrains the generalizability of results, indicating the need for longitudinal and multi-site research to further validate the model.
Keywords: augmented reality, elementary education, elementary students, geometry, mathematics education
Research Article
Adeeb M. Jarrah, Kamar Fayez, Hanan Almarashdi, Patricia Fidalgo
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 3, Article No: ep516
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an unprecedented reliance on digital technologies in education, regardless of the pre-existing attitude of teachers. This study explores elementary school teachers’ perceptions about teaching mathematics through distance education. Using a quantitative approach, an online questionnaire was administered to primary teachers in the UAE during the spring semester of 2020-2021. The results show teachers’ readiness to adopt digital technology in teaching against increased workload. Difficulties emerged in optimizing student performance in online environments. While the institution supports digital integration, teachers prefer traditional in-person classroom instruction. Therefore, the research would inform some educational systems and curriculum planning worldwide on the best way to integrate digital technology within elementary mathematics education. The study aims to close the gap in mathematics education within a digital context to solve the emerging educational demands.
Keywords: distance education, elementary education, information and communication technology, mathematics education, United Arab Emirates
Research Article
Eirini Tzovla, Katerina Kedraka, Thanassis Karalis, Marina Kougiourouki, Konstantinos Lavidas
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 4, Article No: ep324
ABSTRACT
Teachers’ Professional Development Massive Open Online Courses (TPD-MOOCs) are a new form of MOOCs and have influenced an intense research interest. This study reports on the design and implementation of a TPD-MOOC which utilizes digital educational content and Open Educational Recourses (OER) and supports in-service elementary school teachers to enhance their self-efficacy beliefs. In the design framework we take into consideration the findings of previous research and the educational needs of the participants. We conducted an experimental design research and compared the teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs before and after their participation in a TPD-MOOC. A total of 251 teachers enrolled in this course and 142 of them completed it. We used quantitative data to measure the enhancement of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and the effectiveness of the course. The results provide evidence that our TPD-MOOC improved in service elementary school teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in teaching biological concepts. Recommendations are made for future research.
Keywords: teacher professional development, MOOC, self-efficacy beliefs, elementary education, improving classroom teaching
Research Article
Yalin Kilic Turel, Filiz Varol
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 3, Issue 1, pp. 17-35
ABSTRACT
The main goal of the current study was to analyze early childhood and elementary pre-service teachers’ choices of participant-designed materials and the reasons for their selection. To this end, 57 elementary and 39 early childhood teacher candidates were asked to design one physical material and one electronic material for instruction. Then, they were asked which type of material they would prefer if they were teaching and what their rationale was for this selection. The results revealed several dissimilarities between early childhood and elementary teacher candidates in terms of their choices and the reasons for their choices. In their rationale, elementary pre-service teachers more referred their limited technological knowledge while early childhood pre-service teachers took attention to the need for hands-on activities for their instruction. In general, participants raised critical questions related to teachers’ technological knowledge, and teacher preparation programs as well as professional development programs regarding how to integrate such instructional technologies effectively into course activities to enhance learning.
Keywords: Instructional material, Instructional material design, Pre-service teachers, Early childhood education, Elementary education, Teacher education programs
Research Article
Ali Simsek
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 2, Issue 3, pp. 177-187
ABSTRACT
This study examined the relationship between computer anxiety and computer self-efficacy of students and teachers in elementary and secondary schools. The sample included a total of 845 subjects from two private school systems in Turkey. The Oetting’s Computer Anxiety Scale was used to measure computer anxiety whereas the Murphy’s Computer Self-Efficacy Scale was used to measure computer self-efficacy of subjects. The results demonstrated that elementary students were less-anxious than secondary students; males had lower anxiety scores than females; and the difference between anxiety scores of students and teachers was not significant. However, students had higher self-efficacy scores than their teachers; elementary students were more self-efficient than secondary students; and males had higher computer self-efficacy scores than females. The correlation between the variables of computer anxiety and computer self-efficacy was moderate, negative, and significant.
Keywords: Computer anxiety, Computer self-efficacy, Attitudes toward computers, Beliefs about computers, Elementary education, Secondary education