Designing good institutional contexts for innovation in a technology-mediated learning environment

Abstract How to innovate information technology (IT) effectively in a technology-mediated learning (TML) environment remains a problem. To better understand how knowledge sharing (KS) and ‘coordination and support of TML environment’ (i.e. CTML) influence the propensity for TML innovation, this study develops a research framework to delineate the relationships among KS, CTML, and three antecedents of TML innovation – cognizance of technology, ability to explore TML, and intention to explore. In order to test the impact of KS and CTML on the propensity for TML innovation, we collected data from elementary schools of Taiwan through a survey instrument. Our results indicate that KS has a positive effect on all the three antecedents of TML innovation, while CTML exerts a positive impact only on instructors' ability to explore. The implications of the study are discussed, and future research directions are proposed.     

超级分布学习对象的学习服务研究

以超级分布学习对（super distributed learning object,SDLO）的寻找伙伴服务为例,对SDLO的学习服务、学习服务的通信进行了描述,并给出学习服务算法,最后利用Aglet2．0．2开发出了SDLO原型系统,对SDLO的学习服务进行了验证。SDLO的学习服务是其分布性、协作性等特性的重要体现,为知识的交流、共享与创新提供了有力支持,从而达到分布式学习和协作学习的目的。     

The role of student learning styles, gender, attitudes and perceptions on information and communication technology assisted learning

The present study adopts an illuminative approach to evaluate students’ initial attitudes towards the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Ninety-nine undergraduate science students participated in this study and their learning styles were classified according to Honey and Mumford (1986) (Honey, P., Mumford, A., 1986. The Manual of Learning styles. Peter Honey, 10 Linden Avenue, Maidenhead) learning style questionnaire. Student learning styles were classified as activist, reflector, theorist, or pragmatist. No significant difference in learning styles was observed between genders and between student cohorts. Six dimensions to student attitudes toward ICT were identified as follows; ‘comfort’, ‘interactivity’, ‘self-satisfaction’, ‘value new technology’, ‘experience’ and ‘context’. Students exhibited low scores in the attitude dimensions of ‘value new technology’, ‘interactivity’ and ‘context’ indicating that they were uncomfortable with computers, were unhappy about the lack of personal contact and would prefer to learn in a more traditional mode. A significant, though weak, negative correlation between the ‘theorist’ and the ‘interactivity’ and ‘context’ attitude dimensions was also observed. In addition, based on the results of this study it appears that first year students exhibit a more positive perception of ICT supported learning than second and third year students. Though the use of ICT in higher education is becoming more widespread based on the results of this study student use of the technology may be limited by a negative attitude toward a style of teaching which is not consistent with their past learning experiences.     

Images of self and others as computer users: the role of gender and experience

Abstract Gender differences in the pursuit of technology careers are a current issue of concern. We report on two studies that use surveys, drawings and interviews to examine sixth- and eighth-grade students' perceptions of knowledgeable computer users and their self-perception as a computer-type person. In Study 1, participants were asked to generate representations of computer users in pictures or words. The results indicate that the majority of representations were of male users and they frequently wore glasses. Students of both genders were more likely to draw males. Eighth-grade students' representations included more stereotypical features than those of sixth-grade students. In Study 2, students were asked whether they believed that there was such a thing as a computer-type person and whether they perceived themselves to be one. Eighty per cent of students rejected this characterization. They differed from students who accepted it in their levels of past experience, their confidence, and the probability that they shared their knowledge with others. The results of both studies suggest that while there is a male image of computer science in general, it is not overly negative and students' self-perception is not governed by their own gender as much as by other variables.     

Investigating the mediating role of online learning motivation in the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of online learning motivation (OLM) in the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh by observing and comparing direct lectures (DL), instructor–learner interaction (ILI), learner–learner interaction (LLI), and internet self-efficacy (ISE) as predictors of OLM and online learning satisfaction (OLS). Data were collected from 442 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 35 universities in Bangladesh. To test the hypotheses, the PLS-SEM approach was applied using SmartPLS 3.0. The study shows a significant mediating role of OLM between the independent variables and learning satisfaction. In addition, DL, ILI, and ISE are shown to be significant predictors of student satisfaction. The findings have a number of valuable implications for education policy makers, universities, instructors, and students. Moreover, the study suggests some new research perspectives to overcome the limitations of this research and to gain precise knowledge on students' learning motivation and satisfaction regarding other online classes for different categories of students (e.g., high school and college, professional, and PhD).     

Learning effectiveness in a Web-based virtual learning environment: a learner control perspective

Web-based technology has a dramatic impact on learning and teaching. A framework that delineates the relationships between learner control and learning effectiveness is absent. This study aims to fill this void. Our work focuses on the effectiveness of a technology-mediated virtual learning environment (TVLE) in the context of basic information technology skills training. Grounded in the technology-mediated learning literature, this study presents a framework that addresses the relationship between the learner control and learning effectiveness, which contains four categories: learning achievement, self-efficacy, satisfaction, and learning climate. In order to compare the learning effectiveness under traditional classroom and TVLE, we conducted a field experiment. Data were collected from a junior high school of Taiwan. A total of 210 usable responses were analysed. We identified four results from this study. (1) Students in the TVLE environment achieve better learning performance than their counterparts in the traditional environment; (2) Students in the TVLE environment report higher levels of computer self-efficacy than their counterparts in the traditional environment; (3) Students in the TVLE environment report higher levels of satisfaction than students in the traditional environment; and (4) Students in the TVLE environment report higher levels of learning climate than their counterparts in the traditional environment. The implications of this study are discussed, and further research directions are proposed.     

Acceptance of Internet-based learning medium: the role of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation

This study is one of the few attempts to investigate students’ acceptance of an Internet-based learning medium (ILM). By integrating a motivational perspective into the technology acceptance model, our model captured both extrinsic (perceived usefulness and ease of use) and intrinsic (perceived enjoyment) motivators for explaining students’ intention to use the new learning medium. Data collected from 544 undergraduate students were examined through the LISREL VIII framework. The results showed that both perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment significantly and directly impacted their intention to use ILM. Surprisingly, perceive ease of use did not posit a significant impact on student attitude or intention towards ILM usage. Implications of this study are important for both researchers and practitioners.     

Investigating the quality of student approaches to using technology in experiences of learning through writing

This study reports on the student experience of learning through writing in an undergraduate science subject. During their writing experience, 52 first year university science students used a writing database, bulletin board and word-processor. Using quantitative questionnaires developed from student learning research, this study investigates the quality of the approaches adopted by students to the use of the technologies and how this related to the quality of their whole experience and performance measures. The results show that students who adopted a surface or reproductive approach tended to achieve relatively poorer learning outcomes and lower performance measures than students who adopted approaches which reflected understanding. The findings have important implications for teachers introducing technologies into writing processes for the purpose of improving students’ learning outcomes.     

Investigating ICT using problem-based learning in face-to-face and online learning environments

This article reports on the design, implementation and evaluation of a module in the MEd (Business) in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong in which an explicit problem-based learning (PBL) approach was used to investigate the challenges associated with the adoption and use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in Hong Kong secondary school classrooms. PBL influenced both the way the curriculum was developed and the process by which students (n = 18) investigated topics related to the integration of ICT in business studies classrooms. The evaluation was based on five evaluative questions dealing with the implementation of PBL, the extent to which PBL facilitated academic discourse, the extent of ‘new’ knowledge about ICT that had been created, the role of the tutor, and the online learning environment provided. The evaluation revealed that PBL provided a practical approach to investigating ICT in both face-to-face and online learning environments, leading to ‘new’ knowledge about challenges associated with the adoption and use of new technologies in various educational settings.     

Natural,practical and social contexts of e‐learning: a critical realist account for learning and technology

Much of the research in educational technology with a primary concern over how technology enhances learning has been criticized as privileging the immediate learning settings over the other dimensions of learners’ social life and the wider social and economic contexts in which learning and technology are located. The ability to develop a rich understanding of learning and technology in various contexts requires careful use of theory that might enable ‘looking beyond learning’. To meet this need, this paper proposes the use of a critical realistic account of learning and technology, in particular Margaret Archer's ‘three orders of reality’ and ‘personal Identity’. Drawing on an empirical case study for illustration, the paper argues that such an approach offers a ‘way out’ to unpack the relationship between learning and technology through a deep exploration of the interrelationship between individual practices of learning, with or without technology, and the bigger picture of how learning intervenes in other dimensions of social life and how other contexts come into play in learning settings.     

Interactive video technology: Enhancing professional learning in initial teacher education

The University of Sussex In-School Teacher Education Project (InSTEP) uses interactive video technologies to enhance initial teacher education programmes for science trainee teachers. With four Internet Protocol cameras and mounted microphones in both school laboratories and the university teaching room, trainees and their tutors have access to live interaction with schools. This paper presents some of the findings of a 2 year evaluation of InSTEP aimed at identifying the benefits for trainee teachers. There has been an increase in the use of video material for teacher training purposes, however, trainee teachers are often intimidated by carefully selected extracts featuring experienced teachers. InSTEP activities are live and capitalise on all the opportunities associated with normal classroom practice. Literature points to InSTEP-type activities having the potential to enhance the development of trainees’ observation skills, develop reflective thinking, to provide authentic illustrations of classroom practice, enable remote observation and facilitate the coaching of trainees by mentors. A fourth generation model of evaluation was undertaken with data generated by semi-structured interviews with university tutors and mentors supported by a questionnaire and group interviews with the trainees. Our main findings point to InSTEP enhancing and accelerating the growth of trainee teachers’ professional knowledge through enabling reflective practice, facilitating collaborative learning and supporting the development of the language of pedagogy.     

Queer identity online: Informal learning and teaching experiences of LGBTQ individuals on social media

In this study, we explored how social media, particularly social networking sites, serve as informal learning environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and otherwise-identified (LGBTQ) individuals during formative stages of their evolving LGBTQ identity. We conducted semi-structured interviews (N = 33) probing LGBTQ individuals’ use of social media and identified three educational uses tied to online information seeking: traditional learning (e.g., information seeking about LGBTQ-related issues), social learning (e.g., observing role models or other LGBTQ individuals’ behavior and experiences), and experiential learning (e.g., experimenting with online dating sites and dating apps). These experiences were especially common during the coming out process. Participants also reported a fourth educational function, teaching (e.g., sharing information with others about their experiences as an LGBTQ individual). Teaching was more common among individuals who were out and those with less common identities (e.g., asexual and transgender). Several affordances of social media, including visibility, association, persistence, anonymity, and interactivity enabled these learning experiences.     

Tracing female gamer identity. An empirical study into gender and stereotype threat perceptions

It seems that women stand outside game culture resulting in a low gamer identity profile. A nuanced and detailed examination of how gender identity and threatening experiences tap into their play practices has hitherto been lacking however. The present study fills this gap by examining how female players express a gamer identity and how this relates to perceptions of threat and stigmatization. Based on a large-scale survey directed at female players, a statistical model is specified taking into account how respondents attribute a gamer label to their self-concept. Results suggest that the cognitive, evaluative, and affective dimensions of female identity predict gamer identification in distinct ways. Whereas the mere cognitive process of categorizing as a woman is not related to gamer identity, women who feel closely connected to other women are less inclined to self-identify as gamer. However, group appraisal of womanhood is positively related to identifying as a gamer. When taking into account stigmatization, experienced discrimination by male players seems to discourage women to label themselves as gamer.     

Improving the SVM gender classification accuracy using clustering and incremental learning

Gender recognition has been playing a very important role in various applications such as human–computer interaction, surveillance, and security. Nonlinear support vector machines (SVMs) were investigated for the identification of gender using the Face Recognition Technology (FERET) image face database. It was shown that SVM classifiers outperform the traditional pattern classifiers (linear, quadratic, Fisher linear discriminant, and nearest neighbour). In this context, this paper aims to improve the SVM classification accuracy in the gender classification system and propose new models for a better performance. We have evaluated different SVM learning algorithms; the SVM‐radial basis function with a 5% outlier fraction outperformed other SVM classifiers. We have examined the effectiveness of different feature selection methods. AdaBoost performs better than the other feature selection methods in selecting the most discriminating features. We have proposed two classification methods that focus on training subsets of images among the training images. Method 1 combines the outcome of different classifiers based on different image subsets, whereas method 2 is based on clustering the training data and building a classifier for each cluster. Experimental results showed that both methods have increased the classification accuracy.     

Investigating cooperation and collaboration in near synchronous computer mediated conferences

The development and use of computer mediated communications as a tool for teaching and learning has grown considerably in recent years. It has been developed to extend the conventional face-to-face tutorial environment and for distance-learning purposes, actively engaging students in productive learning situations. Here we document the findings of an analysis of near synchronous conferencing where postgraduate distance learners worked in small groups to produce a report that examined media coverage of controversial science. The results suggest that students actively engaged in both cooperative and collaborative learning in preparing and producing these reports, and that tutor interventions were an important factor in influencing peer interaction. Furthermore, we have found evidence of cooperation between learners who passively participate in vicarious learning. We consider the implications of these findings with respect to current definitions of cooperation and collaboration.     

基于智能学习的网络辅助浏览技术研究

随着网络信息日益庞大，人们常常为了查询某一信息而不得不从庞大的信息中人工进行搜索和挑选工作。虽然目前的搜索引擎技术大大提高了信息查询的效率，但是由于它们并非面向某个特定用户服务，所以并不能反映某个用户的特定意愿和专业领域，所得的信息往往还是有大量的冗余。提出了一种基于智能学习的网络辅助浏览技术，根据软件代理的特点，构造出网络辅助浏览代理，将网络信息进行结构化表示，利用基于关联规则的知识聚类方法，对知识元进行知识聚类，通过智能学习，使其成为个人浏览助手或者领域知识搜索专家，实现用户的个性化搜索。     

Investigating university student preferences and beliefs about learning in the web-based context

Psychological studies have shown that personal beliefs about learning and environmental preferences affect learning behaviors. However, these learner characteristics have not been widely discussed in the web-based context. By developing questionnaires, this study attempted to detect learners’ web-based learning environmental preferences (WLEP) and beliefs about web-based learning (BWL). The scope of WLEP focused on the pedagogical dimension of the web-based learning environment, while BWL concerned the attributes and control factors of the web-based learning. There were about five hundreds of Taiwan university students participating in the study. Through factor analysis, the scales discussed in the study revealed a satisfactory validity and reliability in assessing students’ preferences and beliefs. Further analyses showed that university students preferred more of individual and structured instructional configurations while expected the outward mode of interaction. In general, students held a rather contextual belief about web-based learning, which was found to be correlated with their environmental preferences.     

Investigating attitudes towards the use of mobile learning in higher education

Mobile learning (M-learning) has become an important educational technology component in higher education. M-learning makes it possible for students to learn, collaborate, and share ideas among each other with the aid of internet and technology development. However, M-learning acceptance by learners and educators is critical to the employments of M-learning systems. Attitudes towards M-learning technology is an important factor that helps in determining whether or not learners and educators are ready to use M-learning. Such attitudes will serve to identify strengths and weaknesses and facilitate the development of the technology infrastructure. This paper aims at exploring students and educators' attitudes towards the use of M-learning in higher educational universities within Oman and UAE; two neighboring countries in the Arab Gulf region. To serve this purpose, two survey questionnaires were conducted: one for students and another for educators. The participants of this study are 383 students and 54 instructors from five universities. Different factors have been examined to test where there is a significant difference among students and educators' attitudes towards the use of M-learning, such as gender, age, country, level of study, smartphone ownership, major in terms of students and age, country, academic rank, academic experience and smartphone ownership in terms of educators. Findings revealed significant differences among the students’ attitudes towards M-learning with regard to their smartphone ownership, country and age. Furthermore, results indicated that M-learning can be one of the promising pedagogical technologies to be employed in the higher educational environments within the Arab Gulf countries.     

多层次网络学习模型与学习控制研究

在网络化的学习环境中,由于存在着学习需求多样化和缺乏针对性学习内容情况,因此如何提供一套完整的学习模型和学习控制机制对于提高学生学习效率显得尤为重要。基于知识空间理论和高级Petri网技术,建立了基于同一学习内容的,适应不同学习需求和不同学习对象的多层次的学习模型和学习控制机制,通过该模型可以很大程度上满足以上要求,避免了“知识迷路”和“学习迷航”,提供更加个性化的学习指导。     

Investigating the relationship between success factors and student participation in online and blended learning in adult education

Online and blended learning (OBL) is valued, but it also offers challenges. Literature indicates that OBL can enhance access to education and increase flexibility for students. However, the reported dropout rates indicate that student participation in OBL programmes is a concern. Scientifically valid knowledge about how factors that help students participate in OBL are related to student participation is necessary for quality improvement of OBL. This knowledge can help professionals determine what they need to improve in their institution and how to prioritize those improvements. In this study, we report on the validation of a quality instrument with indicators related to quality dimensions present in quality management frameworks and important success factors that aid student participation in OBL. These success factors are as follows: credibility, transparency, flexibility, accessibility, interactivity, personalization, and productivity. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) method is suitable for validating complex models in studies where predictive accuracy is important. According to adult students, all success factors, except flexibility, are important for aiding OBL participation. Adult students perceive that the quality dimensions of learning activities and student support (related to interactivity) deserve priority in improving participation in OBL in adult education.