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
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
Ardita Todri, Petraq Papajorgji, Howard Moskowitz, Francesco Scalera
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep287
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the perceptions on distance learning approaches, assessed through an online survey, using experimental design of ideas (Mind Genomics). Students and professors of higher education institutions who had not yet experienced distance learning before COVID-19 pandemic period participated in the study. The participants belong to the universities located in Mediterranean basin, e.g., Albania, Italy, Morocco, Algeria and few African countries.
Results suggest that distance learning will shift many of the responsibilities formerly on the professors to those of the students. The data suggests the need for emotional support during this transition, specifically to maintain interaction among students and professor as well as among students themselves in distance learning platforms as in traditional classrooms. The study shows that the effectiveness and the interactivity of this new paradigm are very important and any further developments of distance learning should provide strong support for these components. The position of the professor is indispensable as the guide to the entire process, suggesting that at least at the time of this writing (2020) distance learning approach is perceived only to be an intermittent complementary path to in-person interactions.
Keywords: distance learning, Mind Genomics, survey, user’s perceptions