Digital games in the classroom? A contextual approach to teachers’ adoption intention of digital games in formal education

Interest in using digital games for formal education has steadily increased in the past decades. When it comes to actual use, however, the uptake of games in the classroom remains limited. Using a contextual approach, the possible influence of factors on a school (N = 60) and teacher (N = 409) level are analyzed. Findings indicate that there is no effect of factors on the school level whereas on a teacher level, a model is tested, explaining 68% of the variance in behavioral intention, in which curriculum-relatedness and previous experience function as crucial determinants of the adoption intention. These findings add to previous research on adoption determinants related to digital games in formal education. Furthermore, they provide insight into the relations between different adoption determinants and their association with behavioral intention.     

Smartphones or laptops in the collaborative classroom? A study of video-based learning in higher education

This paper explores how the use of smartphones vs. laptops influences students’ engagement, behaviour and experience watching academic videos in a collaborative classroom. Experiments were run in authentic teaching sessions with a total of 483 first-year higher education students. The methodology applied is a quasi-experimental design with post-test-only, being the independent variable, the device used to visualise the academic videos. Results indicate that the use of laptops has provided better results in terms of student’s engagement with the videos, their collaborative behaviour and satisfaction with the device. Hence, the findings of this research suggest that the type of mobile device used in activities that consider the use of videos in a collaborative class need to be carefully chosen to maximise the student’s comfortability – and in consequence, their engagement with the video-based learning activity and their positive behaviour and experience within the collaborative context.     

Developing classroom‐focused research in technology education

Abstract

During the last 10 years, curriculum documents in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and New Zealand have emphasized the importance of students’ developing technological literacy. In utilizing research findings to consider future curriculum needs, there is the danger that the field may come to be understood in light of the research undertaken, not in light of what needs to be done. Past research has tended to focus on curriculum issues and the defining of the subject. If technology education is to advance as a curriculum area of worth and as a focus of research, then much more of our research effort must be on student and teacher learning in technology. This paper argues that classroom‐based research must become the focus of research over the next 10 years. While there is published research on what students do when involved in technological activities, we still lack significant research on students’ learning in technology and on ways in which this learning can be enhanced. Teacher and student conceptualization of technology is a complex issue and requires an understanding of the many factors that influence it. Classroom culture and student expectations appear to influence strongly the way in which students carry out their technological activities. Student learning in technology can be enhanced by effective formative interactions occurring between teacher and student and between student and student. Part of technology assessment should provide evidence of progression in learning, about which we currently know very little. This paper describes some fruitful areas of classroom‐based research that could inform technology curriculum development.     

LectureLounge – experience education beyond the borders of the classroom

Capturing presentations (lectures, seminars, etc.) on video is on the brink of becoming a normal event in educational environments. However, a breakthrough has yet to occur. Why is this so? First, it seems that capturing purely video is not enough to capture the whole educational experience [4]. Second, while equipment is relatively cheap, the amount and quality of manual work needed to operate capturing and publication systems is very high, and thus so are the costs. Third, systems that support the capturing process by including additional metadata tend to be intrusive on the presenter’s way of working.We would like to introduce LectureLounge [3], a presentation capturing, management, and publication system that shows that it does not have to be this way.     

Mobile Technology in the Classroom: What Drives Student-Lecturer Interactions?

Online learning when combined with mobile technology transforms the traditional classrooms from teacher-centered to student-centered classrooms. Despite the widespread use of mobile technology among students and educators today, limited researches have been conducted to study the effects of using mobile technology to enhance student–lecturer interactions. In addition, existing theories of technology acceptances, chiefly Information System Success Model (ISSM), Motivational Model (MM), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Cultural Dimension Theory (CDT) are widely recognized for their predictive power in determining adoption intentions. In this study, determinants from all five theories were unified and examined, namely system quality and information quality from ISSM, enjoyment from MM, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use from TAM, self-efficacy from SCT, and uncertainty avoidance from CDT as predictors of adoption intention in the context of predicting student–lecturer interactions. This empirical study was conducted using an online survey. Data collected from the samples (n = 328) were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results obtained exhibited adequate explanatory power, where information quality, system quality, enjoyment, and uncertainty avoidance significantly predict adoption intention, while perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and self-efficacy were insignificant. Secondly, each theory was independently analyzed, and the predictive power and relevance of ISSM, MM, TAM, and UDT confirmed the importance and relevance of these theories. Results obtained provided a comprehensive understanding of the factors that significantly affect students’ intentions to use mobile technology to interact with their lecturers on academic matters. The discussions and implications of this study are crucial for researchers and practitioners of educational technologies in higher education.     

E-Science in the classroom – Towards viability

E-Science has the potential to transform school science by enabling learners, teachers and research scientists to engage together in authentic scientific enquiry, collaboration and learning. However, if we are to reap the benefits of this potential as part of everyday teaching and learning, we need to explicitly think about and support the work required to set up and run e-Science experiences within any particular educational context. In this paper, we present a framework for identifying and describing the resources, tools and services necessary to move e-Science into the classroom together with examples of these. This framework is derived from previous experiences conducting educational e-Science projects and systematic analysis of the categories of ‘hidden work’ needed to run these projects. The articulation of resources, tools and services based on these categories provides a starting point for more methodical design and deployment of future educational e-Science projects, reflection on which can also help further develop the framework. It also points to the technological infrastructure from which such tools and services could be built. As such it provides an agenda of work to develop both processes and technologies that would make it practical for teachers to deliver active, and collaborative e-Science learning experiences on a larger scale within and across schools. Routine school e-Science will only be possible if such support is specified, implemented and made available to teachers within their work contexts in an appropriate and usable form.     

iTunes University and the classroom: Can podcasts replace Professors?

iTunes University, a website with downloadable educational podcasts, can provide students the opportunity to obtain professors’ lectures when students are unable to attend class. To determine the effectiveness of audio lectures in higher education, undergraduate general psychology students participated in one of two conditions. In the lecture condition, participants listened to a 25-min lecture given in person by a professor using PowerPoint slides. Copies of the slides were given to aid note-taking. In the podcast condition, participants received a podcast of the same lecture along with the PowerPoint handouts. Participants in both conditions were instructed to keep a running log of study time and activities used in preparing for an exam. One week from the initial session students returned to take an exam on lecture content. Results indicated that students in the podcast condition who took notes while listening to the podcast scored significantly higher than the lecture condition. The impact of mobile learning on classroom performance is discussed.     

What have examinations got to do with computers in education?

Abstract   Courseware, i.e. computer based learning materials, usually includes some self-assessment for formative assessment. Insufficient attention has been paid, however, to the link between formal assessment and use of courseware: teachers and learners focus on examination syllabuses. Examinations bodies can use only the simplest forms of ICT-based assessment (objective or multiple choice tests) until learners are familiar with newer styles. This problem can be addressed on several fronts: with new ICT styles of tests, by developing websites supporting learners and teachers, by conducting field trials using computers under examination conditions and by commissioning new types of examination questions built around online interactive simulations.     

A new environment for education? The computer in the home

This paper derives from an interdisciplinary research project which is studying the engagement of young people with different aspects of techno-popular culture. The focus is on the young person and the significance of digital technologies in their lives as a whole. Drawing on cultural studies research we are investigating the ways in which the contexts for computer use are structured by the different discourses present within the family, and the ways in which these discourses may provide a framing context for children’s interactions with digital technology. Drawing on socio-cultural research we take the view that learning is learning to do something with a cultural or cognitive tool. Our analysis of data from case studies of 16 families shows that the context of home computer use amongst young people is far from a simple and uniform phenomenon and is structured by the different discourses present within the family. What young people learn through interaction with computers is thus as much framed by the context of use as by the affordance of the technology.     

How to solve students’ problems in a flipped classroom: a quasi-experimental approach

With the adoption of online learning and the development of educational technologies, many universities and teachers are attempting to provide qualified teaching for their students. In order to improve students’ learning, the authors designed and provided flipped learning (FL) and treatment of online academic help-seeking (OAHS) in a computing course to help students develop computing skills for using Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. The participants in this study were 126 undergraduates from three classes taking a compulsory course titled “Applied Information Technology: Office Software.” According to the analysis, students who received the treatment of OAHS had significantly better computing skills for using Microsoft Word and PowerPoint than those without. However, the treatment of FL did not result in better development of students’ computing skills. Based on the results obtained, the authors present possible implications for online teachers, educators, and schools, particularly to assist those students who may feel bashful and are not willing to ask questions or seek for help in traditional classrooms. This study designs and provides reference for an integration of FL with OAHS to improve students’ learning outcomes.     

Wireless messaging: ready to take center stage in the US?

After the initial hype, WAP, the wireless application protocol, aka the Wireless Internet, has disappointed many users. In the US, the wireless powers-that-be continue to look for wireless data service offerings to compete with voice as a revenue generator. Wireless messaging services have yet to take hold in the US, despite their success in Japan and Europe; the author gives some reasons why     

How to improve collaborative learning with video tools in the classroom? Social vs. cognitive guidance for student teams

Digital video technologies offer a variety of functions for supporting collaborative learning in classrooms. Yet, for novice learners, such as school students, positive learning outcomes also depend centrally on effective social interactions. We present empirical evidence for the positive effects of instructive guidance on performance and on learning of students who use web-based video tools during a short collaborative-design task in their history lesson. In an experiment with 16-year old learners (N?=?148) working on a history topic, we compared two contrasting types of guidance for student teams?? collaboration processes (social-interaction-related vs. cognitive-task-related guidance). We also compared two types of advanced video tools. Both types of guidance and tools were aimed at supporting students?? active, meaningful learning and critical analysis of a historical newsreel. Results indicated that social-interaction-related guidance was more effective in terms of learning outcomes (e.g., the students?? history skills) than cognitive-task-related guidance. The different tools did not yield consistent results. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Who Controls the Technology in Group Support Systems? Determinants and Consequences

Student groups completed a rank-ordering task in a "low-structure" computerized meeting room where all group members had equal access to a shared computer with a large monitor. Strategies used by the groups to distribute control over the public monitor, determinants of which members took control, and the consequences of control strategies were examined. Groups adopted either a dedicated-scribe strategy, in which one member had control throughout the session, or a non-dedicated-scribe strategy, in which control of the public monitor passed among members. Groups with at least one member who had low proficiency with the technology were very likely to adopt a dedicated-scribe strategy. Social influence within the group, proficiency with the computer system, and gender predicted which group members would take control of the public monitor. The results suggest that a group's social structure may be altered by the use of low-structure computer support, depending on the distribution of technical proficiency in the group. Dedicated-scribe groups had marginally better task performance but reported less increase in satisfaction (over previous work together) than non-dedicated-scribe groups. The implications of this research for the design and use of group computer support are discussed.     

To use or not to use? Social media in higher education in developing countries

This research is a response to the universal use of social media by students for academic-related purposes. It bridges a gap in knowledge in relation to the value and use of social media as effective teaching and learning tool in higher education in developing countries. A pre-tested questionnaire survey was self-administered to faculty members in the eight public Egyptian higher institutions offering tourism and hotel management programs. The results showed that social media have a great value for academic-related purposes, particularly as teaching and learning tool; however, the actual use by faculty was at a minimal level. In-depth interviews were conducted to identify the perils, barriers and concerns for the minimal use. Several barriers were identified with some specific to developing countries' context. Nonetheless, there was consensus by faculty that if these barriers were overcome, social media could be developed as an innovative and effective tool for teaching and learning. Implications for researchers and policy makers are discussed.     

Electronic networking in initial teacher education: is a virtual faculty of education possible?

This article is a report of the use of an electronic network by trainee teachers in a `school-based' initial teacher education course to facilitate discussion between participants. A rational for incorporating computer conferencing, drawing on teachers' knowledge and how this might be acquired, is presented. The potential of electronic networks for sharing ideas about teaching, and encouraging `reflective practice', is examined. Features of one application of electronic working are briefly described, and data are reported on the extent to which the potential of the medium was realised with the trainee teachers in a specific case. Deeply held concerns about computer conferencing by these trainees indicates that participation in a `virtual community' cannot be assumed when computer conferencing is introduced into initial teacher education courses.     

Determining the factors influencing students’ intention to use m-learning in Jordan higher education

M-learning is characterized as a powerful element of learning and education for facilitating the learning experiences. With enhanced and rapid advancements in technologies of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) and mobile, numerous innovative services and applications are being developed. Therefore, it becomes significant to investigate the factors influencing the intentions of m-learning to be used among the students of higher education institution. This study examines the “Technology Acceptance Model” (TAM), “Theory of Reasoned Action” (TRA) and “Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology” (UTAUT). The study is based on a survey being conducted across diverse groups of students, belonging to different communities and universities. The survey questionnaire was utilized for collecting the relevant data from 250 respondents. The results analyzed yields the impact that the proposed model of m-learning is comprehensive to study in the institutions of higher education.     

The use of ‘Clickers’ in the classroom: Teaching innovation or merely an amusing novelty?

‘Clickers’ are individual response devices in which students each have a remote control that allows them to quickly and anonymously respond to questions presented in-class. Clickers are now being used in many classrooms as an active learning component of courses. Educators considering the use of clickers in their own classrooms may wonder whether the clickers are a worthwhile, pedagogical tool or merely an amusing novelty. As Li (2008) pointed out, research has examined clicker effects on interaction within the classroom, but little research has examined whether clicker use can affect the understanding of concepts. This article will discuss ways in which clickers may help students organize and understand material presented in the classroom. The paper is intended to help guide educators in potentially effective uses of clickers as well as to guide future research.