Teaching and instructing is one of the challenging manifestations of informing, within which distance learning is considered harder than face-to-face instruction. Student retention is one of the major challenges of distance learning. Current innovative technologies enable widespread use of video lectures that may ease the loneliness of the distance learner and increase retention. This study explores the impact of video lectures on relatively senior students in a distance-learning environment. The study compares the retention and achievements of overseas students enrolled in a financial theory compulsory course, which is considered difficult. Students tend to study this course only after successfully completing other courses. The results indicate that before the introduction of video most of the students who failed the course dropped out immediately after failing, whereas afterwards nearly all the students who failed the course continued their studies. The main findings suggest that video lectures may increase senior students' retention, although their achievements were not found significantly better than those of distance learners that did not have video lectures available. This paper contributes to the informing science transdiscipline by demonstrating the importance of resonance for effective informing.
{"title":"The Resonance Factor: Probing the Impact of Video on Student Retention in Distance Learning.","authors":"N. Geri","doi":"10.28945/1629","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1629","url":null,"abstract":"Teaching and instructing is one of the challenging manifestations of informing, within which distance learning is considered harder than face-to-face instruction. Student retention is one of the major challenges of distance learning. Current innovative technologies enable widespread use of video lectures that may ease the loneliness of the distance learner and increase retention. This study explores the impact of video lectures on relatively senior students in a distance-learning environment. The study compares the retention and achievements of overseas students enrolled in a financial theory compulsory course, which is considered difficult. Students tend to study this course only after successfully completing other courses. The results indicate that before the introduction of video most of the students who failed the course dropped out immediately after failing, whereas afterwards nearly all the students who failed the course continued their studies. The main findings suggest that video lectures may increase senior students' retention, although their achievements were not found significantly better than those of distance learners that did not have video lectures available. This paper contributes to the informing science transdiscipline by demonstrating the importance of resonance for effective informing.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"43 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133506533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Teachers' perceptions about their roles may serve to support or oppose the integration of new practices while using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). To investigate this assertion, we followed the work of six leading teachers in their classrooms during a period of one academic year. By applying the descriptive-interpretive methodology we examined the teachers' role perception and their teaching strategies. The research tools included teachers' interviews, classroom observations, and an aptness matrix that was specially developed for this study. The qualitative analysis focused on four literature-based categories that indicate teachers' roles: guide, motivator, partner, and innovator. In addition, the analysis focused on four constructivist teaching strategies: visualization, problem-solving, inquiry, and reflective learning. Findings indicated that in the ICT lessons, teachers mainly act as guides and motivators while applying two teaching strategies: visualization and problem-solving. Only few teachers felt as innovators and only one teacher applied reflective learning. We demonstrate how the aptness matrix corresponds to the ACOT model for teachers' assimilation of ICT and how it can help teachers identify their own level of ICT implementation while promoting constructivist teaching and learning in their classrooms.
{"title":"Aptness between Teaching Roles and Teaching Strategies in ICT-Integrated Science Lessons","authors":"M. Barak, Yael Nissim, D. Ben-Zvi","doi":"10.28945/1526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1526","url":null,"abstract":"Teachers' perceptions about their roles may serve to support or oppose the integration of new practices while using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). To investigate this assertion, we followed the work of six leading teachers in their classrooms during a period of one academic year. By applying the descriptive-interpretive methodology we examined the teachers' role perception and their teaching strategies. The research tools included teachers' interviews, classroom observations, and an aptness matrix that was specially developed for this study. The qualitative analysis focused on four literature-based categories that indicate teachers' roles: guide, motivator, partner, and innovator. In addition, the analysis focused on four constructivist teaching strategies: visualization, problem-solving, inquiry, and reflective learning. Findings indicated that in the ICT lessons, teachers mainly act as guides and motivators while applying two teaching strategies: visualization and problem-solving. Only few teachers felt as innovators and only one teacher applied reflective learning. We demonstrate how the aptness matrix corresponds to the ACOT model for teachers' assimilation of ICT and how it can help teachers identify their own level of ICT implementation while promoting constructivist teaching and learning in their classrooms.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"65 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128642449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Semantic Web is based on ontology technology – a knowledge representation framework – at its core to make meaning explicit and more accessible to automatic processing. We discuss the potential of this technology for the development of content for learning technology systems. We survey seven application types demonstrating different forms of applications of ontologies and the Semantic Web in the development of learning technology systems. Ontology technologies can assist developers, instructors, and learners to organise, personalise, and publish learning content and to discover, generate, and compose learning content. A conceptual content development and deployment architecture allows us to distinguish and locate the different applications and to discuss and assess the potential of the underlying technologies.
{"title":"Applications of Semantic Web Technology to Support Learning Content Development","authors":"C. Pahl, Edmond Holohan","doi":"10.28945/62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/62","url":null,"abstract":"The Semantic Web is based on ontology technology – a knowledge representation framework – at its core to make meaning explicit and more accessible to automatic processing. We discuss the potential of this technology for the development of content for learning technology systems. We survey seven application types demonstrating different forms of applications of ontologies and the Semantic Web in the development of learning technology systems. Ontology technologies can assist developers, instructors, and learners to organise, personalise, and publish learning content and to discover, generate, and compose learning content. A conceptual content development and deployment architecture allows us to distinguish and locate the different applications and to discuss and assess the potential of the underlying technologies.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134425160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Online participation and content contribution are pillars of the Internet revolution and are core activities for younger generations online. This study investigated participation patterns, users' contributions and gratification mechanisms, as well as the gender differences of Israeli learners in the Scratch online community. The findings showed that: (1) Participation patterns reveal two distinct participation types "project creators" and "social participators", suggesting different users' needs. (2) Community members gratified "project creators" and "social participators" for their investment – using several forms of community feedback. Gratification at the user level was given both to "project creators" and "social participators" – community members added them as friends. The majority of the variance associated with community feedback was explained by seven predictors. However, gratification at the project level was different for the two participation types - active "project creators" received less feedback on their projects, while active "social participators" received more. Project feedback positively correlated with social participation investment, but negatively correlated with project creation investment. A possible explanation is that community members primarily left feedback to their friends. (3) No gender differences were found in participation patterns or in project complexity, suggesting that Scratch provides similar opportunities to both genders in programming, learning, and participation.
{"title":"Children's Participation Patterns in Online Communities:","authors":"Oren Zuckerman, I. Blau, A. Monroy-Hernández","doi":"10.28945/77","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/77","url":null,"abstract":"Online participation and content contribution are pillars of the Internet revolution and are core activities for younger generations online. This study investigated participation patterns, users' contributions and gratification mechanisms, as well as the gender differences of Israeli learners in the Scratch online community. The findings showed that: (1) Participation patterns reveal two distinct participation types \"project creators\" and \"social participators\", suggesting different users' needs. (2) Community members gratified \"project creators\" and \"social participators\" for their investment – using several forms of community feedback. Gratification at the user level was given both to \"project creators\" and \"social participators\" – community members added them as friends. The majority of the variance associated with community feedback was explained by seven predictors. However, gratification at the project level was different for the two participation types - active \"project creators\" received less feedback on their projects, while active \"social participators\" received more. Project feedback positively correlated with social participation investment, but negatively correlated with project creation investment. A possible explanation is that community members primarily left feedback to their friends. (3) No gender differences were found in participation patterns or in project complexity, suggesting that Scratch provides similar opportunities to both genders in programming, learning, and participation.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"222 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133875907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Valsamidis, Sotirios Kontogiannis, I. Kazanidis, A. Karakos
E-learning is technology-based learning, such as computer-based learning, web-based learning, virtual classroom, and digital collaboration. The usage of web applications can be measured with the use of indexes and metrics. However, in e-Learning platforms there are no appropriate indexes and metrics that would facilitate their qualitative and quantitative measurement. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of data mining techniques, such as clustering, classification, and association, in order to analyze the log file of an eLearning platform and deduce useful conclusions. Two metrics for course usage measurement and one algorithm for course classification are used. A case study based on a previous approach was applied to e-Learning data from a Greek University. The results confirmed the validity of the approach and showed a strong relationship between the course usage and the corresponding students' grades in the exams. From a pedagogical point of view this method contributes to improvements in course content and course usability and the adaptation of courses in accordance with student capabilities. Improvement in course quality gives students the opportunity of asynchronous study of courses with actualized and optimal educational material and, therefore, higher performance in exams. It should be mentioned that even though the scope of the method is on e-Learning platforms and educational content, it can be easily adopted to other web applications such as e-government, ecommerce, e-banking, blogs, etc.
{"title":"E-Learning Platform Usage Analysis","authors":"S. Valsamidis, Sotirios Kontogiannis, I. Kazanidis, A. Karakos","doi":"10.28945/1511","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1511","url":null,"abstract":"E-learning is technology-based learning, such as computer-based learning, web-based learning, virtual classroom, and digital collaboration. The usage of web applications can be measured with the use of indexes and metrics. However, in e-Learning platforms there are no appropriate indexes and metrics that would facilitate their qualitative and quantitative measurement. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of data mining techniques, such as clustering, classification, and association, in order to analyze the log file of an eLearning platform and deduce useful conclusions. Two metrics for course usage measurement and one algorithm for course classification are used. A case study based on a previous approach was applied to e-Learning data from a Greek University. The results confirmed the validity of the approach and showed a strong relationship between the course usage and the corresponding students' grades in the exams. From a pedagogical point of view this method contributes to improvements in course content and course usability and the adaptation of courses in accordance with student capabilities. Improvement in course quality gives students the opportunity of asynchronous study of courses with actualized and optimal educational material and, therefore, higher performance in exams. It should be mentioned that even though the scope of the method is on e-Learning platforms and educational content, it can be easily adopted to other web applications such as e-government, ecommerce, e-banking, blogs, etc.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133269842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study examines and classifies patterns of interaction in a collaborative database learning environment (Google Docs) by analyzing interactions between 44 graduate students in an Open University course. The patterns of interaction were examined according to a model that tested the degree of collaboration in an online learning environment (Weinberg & Fischer, 2006). The purpose of the study was to examine how the participants reach consensus in the process of database construction. Advanced computer technologies constitute a useful communicative environment for collaborative learning and provide platforms that support interactive learning characterized by collaboration. They facilitate mutual supervision of content studied, development of real-time learning strategies, debate, and cultivation of thinking skills. This gives rise to the following questions: How are the various parameters of interaction expressed in an online database learning environment? What patterns of group interaction develop and how do they do so in this collaborative online environment? The findings of the study present a number of different patterns that develop in this kind of environment and show that the patterns of interaction that emerged did in fact reveal different levels of complexity. It seems that the collaborative environment of the online database contributes to the development of complex patterns of interaction while performing tasks.
{"title":"Complexity of Social Interactions in Collaborative Learning: The Case of Online Database Environment","authors":"R. Rimor, Y. Rosen, Kefaya Naser","doi":"10.28945/1321","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1321","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines and classifies patterns of interaction in a collaborative database learning environment (Google Docs) by analyzing interactions between 44 graduate students in an Open University course. The patterns of interaction were examined according to a model that tested the degree of collaboration in an online learning environment (Weinberg & Fischer, 2006). The purpose of the study was to examine how the participants reach consensus in the process of database construction. Advanced computer technologies constitute a useful communicative environment for collaborative learning and provide platforms that support interactive learning characterized by collaboration. They facilitate mutual supervision of content studied, development of real-time learning strategies, debate, and cultivation of thinking skills. This gives rise to the following questions: How are the various parameters of interaction expressed in an online database learning environment? What patterns of group interaction develop and how do they do so in this collaborative online environment? The findings of the study present a number of different patterns that develop in this kind of environment and show that the patterns of interaction that emerged did in fact reveal different levels of complexity. It seems that the collaborative environment of the online database contributes to the development of complex patterns of interaction while performing tasks.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"35 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122227222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this paper a new three-tier video application infrastructure is proposed. Video learning object is introduced as the intermedia tier and it connects the video metadata and video application tier. In addition to the traditional text metadata such as title and description, a wide range of visual metadata including key frames, video storyboards, and fast-forward video are integrated into the video learning object. The visual metadata is organized in hierarchical structure. Video timestamps are used to “mark” different video channels (i.e., visual channel, audio channel, text channel) for the purpose of synchronization. A MPEG-7 compatible XML metadata schema was developed to encode the video learning objects to achieve the reusability and interoperability—different video applications can use the same video learning object without having to reinvent the wheel. A semi-automatic video metadata authorization system called Video Annotation and Summary Tool (VAST) was developed to facilitate the creation of video metadata. The automatic process generates a series of key frame “candidates” (primitive frames) but human beings have to manually select the key frames. The number and the image size of the primitive frames are reconfigureable. The fast-forward version of the original video can also be created from the primitive frames. Finally, we demonstrate how the new three-tier infrastructure is used to guide the development of two independent video application projects: the Open-video digital library project and distance learning using the Interactive Shared Educational Environment (ISEE) project. Both projects utilize the same set of video learning objects.
本文提出了一种新的三层视频应用架构。引入视频学习对象作为中间层，连接视频元数据层和视频应用层。除了传统的文本元数据，如标题和描述，广泛的视觉元数据，包括关键帧，视频故事板和快进视频集成到视频学习对象中。可视化元数据采用层次结构组织。视频时间戳用于“标记”不同的视频通道(即，视觉通道，音频通道，文本通道)，以实现同步。开发了兼容MPEG-7的XML元数据模式对视频学习对象进行编码，以实现可重用性和互操作性——不同的视频应用程序可以使用相同的视频学习对象，而不必重新发明。为了方便视频元数据的创建，开发了一种半自动视频元数据授权系统，称为视频标注和汇总工具(video Annotation and Summary Tool, VAST)。自动过程生成一系列关键帧“候选”(原始帧)，但需要人工选择关键帧。原始帧的数量和图像大小是可重新配置的。原始视频的快进版本也可以从原始帧创建。最后，我们演示了如何使用新的三层基础设施来指导两个独立视频应用项目的开发:开放视频数字图书馆项目和使用交互式共享教育环境(ISEE)项目的远程学习。这两个项目都使用相同的视频学习对象。
{"title":"Decoupling the Information Application from the Information Creation: Video as Learning Objects in Three-Tier Architecture","authors":"Xiangming Mu","doi":"10.28945/414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/414","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper a new three-tier video application infrastructure is proposed. Video learning object is introduced as the intermedia tier and it connects the video metadata and video application tier. In addition to the traditional text metadata such as title and description, a wide range of visual metadata including key frames, video storyboards, and fast-forward video are integrated into the video learning object. The visual metadata is organized in hierarchical structure. Video timestamps are used to “mark” different video channels (i.e., visual channel, audio channel, text channel) for the purpose of synchronization. A MPEG-7 compatible XML metadata schema was developed to encode the video learning objects to achieve the reusability and interoperability—different video applications can use the same video learning object without having to reinvent the wheel. A semi-automatic video metadata authorization system called Video Annotation and Summary Tool (VAST) was developed to facilitate the creation of video metadata. The automatic process generates a series of key frame “candidates” (primitive frames) but human beings have to manually select the key frames. The number and the image size of the primitive frames are reconfigureable. The fast-forward version of the original video can also be created from the primitive frames. Finally, we demonstrate how the new three-tier infrastructure is used to guide the development of two independent video application projects: the Open-video digital library project and distance learning using the Interactive Shared Educational Environment (ISEE) project. Both projects utilize the same set of video learning objects.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132568166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Moshe Leiba, R. Zuzovsky, D. Mioduser, Y. Benayahu, Rafi Nachmias
A qualitative model of a system is an abstraction that captures ordinal knowledge and predicts the set of qualitatively possible behaviours of the system, given a qualitative description of its structure and initial state. This paper examines an innovative approach to science education using an interactive learning environment that supports learners in expressing and simulating conceptual knowledge by building qualitative models in ecology. The learning environment and tools are being developed as part of the Dynalearn qualitative modeling research project, funded by the European Union's 7th framework programme and carried out by a consortium of eight participant universities. In summing up the results, it is clear that from the perspective of systems thinking, the modeling activity affected students' perception of systems making them able to represent it in a more dynamic and comprehensive way.
{"title":"Learning about Ecological Systems by Constructing Qualitative Models with DynaLearn","authors":"Moshe Leiba, R. Zuzovsky, D. Mioduser, Y. Benayahu, Rafi Nachmias","doi":"10.28945/1734","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1734","url":null,"abstract":"A qualitative model of a system is an abstraction that captures ordinal knowledge and predicts the set of qualitatively possible behaviours of the system, given a qualitative description of its structure and initial state. This paper examines an innovative approach to science education using an interactive learning environment that supports learners in expressing and simulating conceptual knowledge by building qualitative models in ecology. The learning environment and tools are being developed as part of the Dynalearn qualitative modeling research project, funded by the European Union's 7th framework programme and carried out by a consortium of eight participant universities. In summing up the results, it is clear that from the perspective of systems thinking, the modeling activity affected students' perception of systems making them able to represent it in a more dynamic and comprehensive way.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"55 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131062272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Computer simulations have implications across disciplines and with learners at all levels. By requiring learners to develop and apply knowledge and skills in interactive changing environments, they encourage deeper levels of learning. Additionally, simulations have been shown to be particularly effective at teaching complicated concepts that depend on the ability to understand interrelationships, strategize, make predictions, analyze and evaluate, and engage in multi-faceted decision making. In order to help students gain a deeper understanding of key business concepts, encourage critical thinking and decision making, foster collaboration and critical discourse, and encourage the application of concepts into real world business practices, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a minority serving institution, decided in 2004 to introduce a series of competitive webbased simulations at key junctures throughout the curriculum but focused primarily in the course Strategic Management. The simulation selected covers topics such as Strategy & T actics, Policy, Production, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Quality control, Human resources, Leadership, and T eamwork and involves students competing in teams against other teams. In order to assess the effectiveness of the simulation, a research protocol was introduced that included the administration of student surveys as well as the collection of performance data. The findings indicate that students overwhelmingly felt that the simulation helped them understand the application of key concepts and learn the decision making process that occurs in professional business practice. The examination of student performance data gathered in this study, with consideration given to the strong levels of student satisfaction, encouraged the authors to postulate based on the high success rates of this student population, which traditionally underperforms in more traditional mode of assessments, that simulations may serve as an equalizer that offers all students, from low to high achievers, an opportunity to succeed and that competitive web-based simulations enhance the overall educational and personal development experiences of minority students enrolled in higher education business programs.
{"title":"Student Performance and Perceptions in a Web-Based Competitive Computer Simulation","authors":"Nicole A. Buzzetto-More, Bryant C. Mitchell","doi":"10.28945/65","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/65","url":null,"abstract":"Computer simulations have implications across disciplines and with learners at all levels. By requiring learners to develop and apply knowledge and skills in interactive changing environments, they encourage deeper levels of learning. Additionally, simulations have been shown to be particularly effective at teaching complicated concepts that depend on the ability to understand interrelationships, strategize, make predictions, analyze and evaluate, and engage in multi-faceted decision making. In order to help students gain a deeper understanding of key business concepts, encourage critical thinking and decision making, foster collaboration and critical discourse, and encourage the application of concepts into real world business practices, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a minority serving institution, decided in 2004 to introduce a series of competitive webbased simulations at key junctures throughout the curriculum but focused primarily in the course Strategic Management. The simulation selected covers topics such as Strategy & T actics, Policy, Production, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Quality control, Human resources, Leadership, and T eamwork and involves students competing in teams against other teams. In order to assess the effectiveness of the simulation, a research protocol was introduced that included the administration of student surveys as well as the collection of performance data. The findings indicate that students overwhelmingly felt that the simulation helped them understand the application of key concepts and learn the decision making process that occurs in professional business practice. The examination of student performance data gathered in this study, with consideration given to the strong levels of student satisfaction, encouraged the authors to postulate based on the high success rates of this student population, which traditionally underperforms in more traditional mode of assessments, that simulations may serve as an equalizer that offers all students, from low to high achievers, an opportunity to succeed and that competitive web-based simulations enhance the overall educational and personal development experiences of minority students enrolled in higher education business programs.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116929831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Introduction The use of ICT in school allows enhancement of teaching and learning beyond the walls of the classroom. This meets a wide range of school-related needs, such as repeat practice for students, access to materials that are not available in school, and so on (Ally, 2004; Picciano & Seaman, 2007). Therefore, many schools around the world have been introducing online courses or blended learning. But whereas the teacher has significant control over students' online learning process in the classroom, outside the classroom the students confront the assignments alone. They have more responsibility for their learning and are required to demonstrate autonomy and independence in learning. The degree of students' control in online learning is reflected in the way they choose to consume the content: the path, the pace, and the duration of learning, as well as the effort they are willing to invest (Beck, 2007; Sims & Hedberg, 1995). This will yield different patterns of learning. Previous research showed that factors like gender (McSporran & Young, 2001) and age (Cavanaugh, Gillan, Kromey, Hess, & Blomeyer, 2004) are correlated with certain aspects of online learning behaviors. Moreover, several studies showed a need for young students to be scaffolded as part of the distance learning experience; only by the time they are enrolled in higher education may they acquire a degree of autonomy in learning (Cavanaugh, 2005). Many schools, therefore, are concerned about their students' quality of learning and level of readiness for autonomous online learning (Picciano & Seaman, 2007). Hence, there is a need to enhance our understanding of learning behaviors, especially how learners proceed with and without teacher presence, i.e., at school and at home. However, when working with a large population, learners' online behaviors are not easily traced with traditional research methodologies, such as questionnaires and observations (Nachmias & Hershkovitz, 2007). Analysis of the data documented in the log file can help us with this type of mission. While they are learning in online environments, students actually leave a continuous trace of their activity in the form of log file records, which document every action taken with reference to three parameters: what was the action taken, who took it, and when. Extracting these actions from the log files and analyzing them can yield meaningful information and new insights about how students learn in online environments and about their learning styles and needs (Pahl, 2004; Romero & Ventura, 2007). Our aim in this study is to analyze the data derived from students' log files in order to learn more about online learning processes at home and in school, and also to explore if there are certain behavioral differences in both locations in terms of age and gender. Background Online Learning Online learning in K-12 has become more widespread in the past decade. According to a 2008 report by the U.S. Department of Education, t
{"title":"Comparison of Online Learning Behaviors in School vs. at Home in Terms of Age and Gender Based on Log File Analysis","authors":"G. Ben-Zadok, Moshe Leiba, Rafi Nachmias","doi":"10.28945/1317","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1317","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction The use of ICT in school allows enhancement of teaching and learning beyond the walls of the classroom. This meets a wide range of school-related needs, such as repeat practice for students, access to materials that are not available in school, and so on (Ally, 2004; Picciano & Seaman, 2007). Therefore, many schools around the world have been introducing online courses or blended learning. But whereas the teacher has significant control over students' online learning process in the classroom, outside the classroom the students confront the assignments alone. They have more responsibility for their learning and are required to demonstrate autonomy and independence in learning. The degree of students' control in online learning is reflected in the way they choose to consume the content: the path, the pace, and the duration of learning, as well as the effort they are willing to invest (Beck, 2007; Sims & Hedberg, 1995). This will yield different patterns of learning. Previous research showed that factors like gender (McSporran & Young, 2001) and age (Cavanaugh, Gillan, Kromey, Hess, & Blomeyer, 2004) are correlated with certain aspects of online learning behaviors. Moreover, several studies showed a need for young students to be scaffolded as part of the distance learning experience; only by the time they are enrolled in higher education may they acquire a degree of autonomy in learning (Cavanaugh, 2005). Many schools, therefore, are concerned about their students' quality of learning and level of readiness for autonomous online learning (Picciano & Seaman, 2007). Hence, there is a need to enhance our understanding of learning behaviors, especially how learners proceed with and without teacher presence, i.e., at school and at home. However, when working with a large population, learners' online behaviors are not easily traced with traditional research methodologies, such as questionnaires and observations (Nachmias & Hershkovitz, 2007). Analysis of the data documented in the log file can help us with this type of mission. While they are learning in online environments, students actually leave a continuous trace of their activity in the form of log file records, which document every action taken with reference to three parameters: what was the action taken, who took it, and when. Extracting these actions from the log files and analyzing them can yield meaningful information and new insights about how students learn in online environments and about their learning styles and needs (Pahl, 2004; Romero & Ventura, 2007). Our aim in this study is to analyze the data derived from students' log files in order to learn more about online learning processes at home and in school, and also to explore if there are certain behavioral differences in both locations in terms of age and gender. Background Online Learning Online learning in K-12 has become more widespread in the past decade. According to a 2008 report by the U.S. Department of Education, t","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114779936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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